Lesson Info
16. Hot Seat: Choosing Your Content Mix
Lessons
Class Introduction
03:40 2How to Get Traffic to Your Online Store (With One Simple Marketing Action)
16:56 3But I Don't Have Time to Blog
12:36 4Setting Up Your Blog (as Quickly as Possible)
15:35 5Hot Seat: Choose Your Blogging Platform
03:32 6How to Turn a Social Media Post into a Blog Post
19:59 7Challenge: Turn a Social Media Post into a Blog Post
02:17 8The Role of Blogging in Your Business
21:15Creating Ideal Customer Profiles for Your Blog
18:30 10Hot Seat: Ideal Customer Profile
18:16 11Choosing an Angle for Your Blog
16:59 12Hot Seat: Choosing an Angle for Your Blog
05:14 13Challenge: Find Blogs to Inspire Your Content Strategy
02:46 14What Should You Blog About: Content Ideas for Your Blog
21:48 15Choosing Your Content Mix
01:47 16Hot Seat: Choosing Your Content Mix
06:58 17Creating Compelling (and Search-friendly) Post Titles
13:18 18Using Images in Your Blog Posts
22:51 19Tutorial: Creating Product Round-up Images for Your Blog
11:14 20Challenge: Brainstorm Your Next Four Blog Post Ideas
01:44 21Hot Seat: Four Blog Post Ideas
09:48 22Tutorial: How to Put a Blog Post Together
10:21 23Promoting Your Blog Posts
14:57 24Getting the Most Out of Your Blog
10:25 25Hot Seat: Blog Critique
06:22 26Measuring Results and Maintaining Momentum
25:37Lesson Info
Hot Seat: Choosing Your Content Mix
So, again, just remind us who you are and what you do. I'm Tawny Reynolds and I make Sundrop jewelry. Perfect. And that's the name of your company, right? That's the name of my company, yeah. That's where we can find you, yes. So, since you weren't up here for this part, just really quickly tell us what the unique editorial angle of your blog is gonna be. So like, what are your big topics, what's your aesthetic? Well, jewelry. Yep. I'm gonna write this down just so we remember. So, topics, we've got jewelry. And, color. Color. And environmentalism, sustainability angle. So, eco, sustainable. Those are really long words, so we're gonna shorten 'em a little bit. Okay, perfect. And then, what about aesthetic and I've forgotten everything else in there. (both laughing) So, your aesthetic and the tone of your blog? Elegant aesthetic, and the tone will probably be conversational, informational. 'Cause that's how I tend to write. (both laughing) So conversational, info...
rmational. Do you think that just because that's how you write, do you think that is what make sense for your ideal customer, is that what they're looking for? I have certainly had a number of customers who are very interested in the background, Okay. Of how it's made. Okay. Like the story. Okay. Not the actual process, but the story, right. Yeah. Right. So you feel like there's room to maybe, in your case, you can actually write a little longer? Mmhmm. You're probably not one who's going for brevity in your blog posts. (laughs) All right, so let's look at your content mix now. So of the types of posts, we've got the product ones, the brand ones. They're a little easier to remember so I'm gonna stay on the product ones slide. What are you thinking you're gonna use? Preview posts. Okay, so previews. Some direct inspiration. Okay. Behind the scenes. Okay. And overcoming objections. Okay. At least one of those. And press. Okay. So, my next question to you which is a leading question, is when we talked earlier about, you know, the different roles that your blog plays, like attracting new customers, deepening the connection, what role do you see your blog playing in your business? At this point I think it is more deepening the connection. Okay. I would like to do more of the attracting new customers. Yes, that is what I thought, and that's why I asked the question. Because all that is. These are all deepening the connection. Right. And not attracting new customers. So what is a type of product post. So I'm actually going to challenge you really to at least be 50 50, but in a perfect world, like, I would like to see, you can flip between these three kinds of posts, or these four kinds of posts, but I want to see like, 70 percent of your content be about attracting new customers. So what kinds of post types could you add in that do that? More product roundups. Okay. And testimonial and use. Customer use, like that? I'm not sure. I think some of that is more, like, a lot of that usually comes more into like an overcoming objections type of role again. Okay. What about anything from our brand post type of category. Do you see anything there that you think would attract your ideal customer? Inspiration. Okay. Do you see yourself doing, maybe like, either non-product how to or lifestyle that fit into like the eco, sustainability thing at all? Yeah. You're like yes, I do. Okay. What do you see happening more? Do you see yourself doing it in a more lifestyle thing or more in the non-product how to because of your informational writing style? Probably how to. Okay, so yeah. So, I see that for you, too. I think the non-product how to in that, particularly in that like, sustainability. Mmhmm. Bucket, is where I really see. This to me, is where you can be writing to kind of attract your ideal person. And I could see these, like the roundup type of posts working in both the eco sustainability category, and even like the color category, right? Mmhmm. It's really easy to be like, here are things that are purple. Yes. (laughs) Maybe a little bit more, not so, like here are all the purple things, and you know, like your earrings and Barney, right? (laughs) That's that purple dinosaur, right? Barney? (audience laughter) Yeah. I don't know why that came into my brain, but there it is. So, that's what I would like to see you focus a little bit more on, because I think if really your goal is to attract new people, we gotta get you away from this. Because what I've noticed, so when did you start blogging again? Last February. Okay. And are you seeing a lot of new traffic from that? Not a ton. Right, and it's because you're mostly hanging out over here. Because this is what's comfortable. Yes. (laughs) Yeah. We need to get you over here, because this is what's gonna attract your ideal customer. And I'm guessing, there was a person who asked a question very early at the beginning that said I've been blogging consistently for year, and I'm not seeing a lot of traffic. And I'm guessing A, it's because they, like you, they're hanging out over here. (laughs) And then B, they're probably also not really keyword optimized which is a different conversation we're gonna have in a minute. But I would really like to see you push your mix more. Okay. So, I would say, you can use all of these post types, but not in like a one to one to one frequency. Mmhmm. It should be like, mostly this, with this sprinkled in. Okay. Make sense? Yeah. Yeah. I know, I'm gonna push you. But that's why you're here. (laughs) Thank you. Thank you. All right, we can go ahead and take this guy away. So, any questions about that? Everyone feel like they can have that mix? And again, I want to remind you guys, just like we did with Tawny just now, to think about what the role of your blog is, and if it's to attract a new audience, which it probably is, because that's why you're here, then you really need to think about what kind of posts will attract new audience. And then from there, you can sprinkle in things like, you know, the overcoming objections, and the product previews that do the really direct sell. But those other types of posts can still do a direct sell, but really be about bringing in that new audience.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials
Bonus Materials
Ratings and Reviews
Trang Le
I don't agree with Megan's assessment that writing a how-to process will only attract your peers and competitors, not your ideal customers. I know a lot of graphic designers who post design tutorials frequently and it only helps raising their profiles. Writing a how-to post doesn't have to be like shooting in your foot because: * You don't have to share everything. There's more to great designs than knowing how to draw a certain thing. Composition, color, typography etc all come into play. * Even if you're given a step by step tutorial, it's very likely that you will stumble into a lot of issues or it takes you too much effort and time to complete it and it's better to hire a professional designer. Web building tutorials are everywhere, but web developers and designers still have their places. There's a big difference between knowing and understanding. * Even if you're professional designer, sometimes it's better to buy from your colleague than to make it on your own because no designer is excellent at every aspect of design and for a designer, time is as much valuable as money. For example, web designer may need to purchase custom typefaces from a font designers, and reading a blog which indicates that the writer knew his stuff will inform the web designer to make a rightful decision. Other than that, the course is rich information packed with a lot of actionable strategies and real fact about the blogging landscape.
Varvara Lyalyagina
I went straight to Polyvore and created a blog post. Not as fast as Megan was talking but who cares the blog post created and this is the best result of the training. http://hometocome.com/2017/05/plany-na-leto-2017.html Feeling super motivated. Megan makes it sound easy to complete and absolutely not overwhelming. This training is like a fresh air. Thank you!
a Creativelive Student
Lucky me! I stumbled upon this class and watched in live on air last night. I've now bought it! There is gold in this class and totally recommend it to anyone. Megan is so easy to listen to and I'm looking at her other classes too! Thanks Megan. You just made blogging a lot more fun! x