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The Power of a Memorable Domain Name: Tips and Tricks to Help You Decide

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The importance of a great domain name cannot be overstated. It is the digital equivalent of a storefront. A good domain name is memorable, easy to type, and easy to understand. Studies show that a great domain name can increase the chances of someone clicking on your website by 25%. In this article, we’ll guide you through choosing a significant domain name step by step.

A Startup Success Story

Let’s start with a real-life story. In the early days of Airbnb, the founders struggled to develop a name for their startup. They knew they wanted a name that conveyed the idea of “air mattresses on the floor,” which is how they initially rented out space in their apartment. After much brainstorming, they settled on the name Airbnb, a combination of “air mattress” and “bed and breakfast.” The name was catchy, easy to remember, and perfectly captured the essence of their business. Today, Airbnb is a household name with over a $100 billion market cap.

The Basics

A domain name is simply the address of your website on the internet. For example, Google’s domain name is google.com. A domain name consists of the top-level domain (TLD) and the second-level domain (SLD). The TLD is the extension that appears at the end of the domain name, such as .com, .net, or .org. The SLD is the central part of the domain name, such as Google or Airbnb. Together, the TLD and the SLD make up the complete domain name.

Domain Add-Ons & Extensions

There are several add-ons and extensions that you can use to customize your domain name. For example, you can add a prefix or suffix to your domain name, such as “get” or “online.” You can also use different TLDs, such as .net and .org, or country-specific TLDs, like .co .uk or .ca. Additionally, you can use domain hacks, which are creative combinations of the SLD and TLD, such as bit.ly or del.icio.us. However, be careful not to overdo it with domain add-ons and extensions, as it can make your domain name confusing and challenging to remember.

Where and How to Find Domains

Finding the right domain name can be challenging, but several tools and resources can help. One of the most popular registrars is GoDaddy, which offers many TLDs and domain suggestions. Namecheap, which offers affordable domain name registration and a user-friendly interface. Several domain name generators are available, such as Lean Domain Search, and NameMesh can generate creative domain name ideas based on keywords.

Tips for Choosing A Domain

Now that you have a basic understanding of domains let’s dive into some tips for choosing a great domain name:

  • Keep it short and simple: A quick and simple domain name is easier to remember and type.
  • Use keywords: Including relevant keywords in your domain name can help with SEO and make your domain name more descriptive.
  • Make it brandable: Your domain name should be unique and memorable, ideally conveying something about your brand.
  • Avoid hyphens and numbers: Hyphens and numbers can make your domain name confusing and challenging to remember.
  • Check for trademarks: Ensure your domain name doesn’t infringe on any existing trademarks.
  • Think long-term: Your domain name should withstand the test of time and grow with your business. Consider top business names for sale as investments with long-term benefits. 
  • Perform research: Research your competitors and industry to see what types of domain names are successful.
  • Consider alternative TLDs: If your preferred domain name is already taken, consider using an alternative TLD, such as .net or .co.
  • Use domain name generators: Domain name generators can provide creative ideas and inspiration for your domain name.
  • Get feedback: Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential domain names, get input from others to see which ones are the most memorable and impactful.

Powerful & Unique Domain Ideas

  1. Boldify.com – This domain name is powerful because it combines the word “bold” with the suffix “-ify,” which implies action and transformation.
  2. Thriveable.com – This domain name is strong because it combines the words “thrive” and “able,” which convey the idea of success and sustainability.
  3. Bloomify.com – This domain name is memorable because it uses a creative combination of the word “bloom” and the suffix “-ify.”
  4. Pivotly.com – This domain name is unique because it uses a made-up word that conveys the idea of adaptability and change.
  5. Swirlly.com – This domain name is playful and memorable because it uses a creative combination of the word “swirl” and the suffix “-ly.”
  6. Novellum.com – This domain name is memorable because it’s a made-up word that sounds like “novel” and conveys the idea of innovation.
  7. Sparkverse.com – This domain name is impactful because it combines the words “spark” and “verse,” which implies creativity and storytelling.
  8. Bloomspark.com – This domain name is powerful because it combines the words “bloom” and “spark,” conveying growth and inspiration.
  9. Zestify.com – This domain name is memorable because it uses the suffix “-ify” with the word “zest,” which implies energy and enthusiasm.
  10. Flourishable.com – This domain name is impactful because it combines the words “flourish” and “able,” conveying success and growth.

Conclusion

Choosing a great domain name is essential in building your online presence. Following the tips and steps outlined in this article, you can create a memorable and impactful domain name that represents your brand and helps your business grow. Remember, your domain name is your digital storefront, so make it count.

Greymouse Services Small Business Web Design

The Question – How do I find a good web designer for my small business?

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Finding a good web designer for your small business can be a challenging task, but with a few key steps, you can increase your chances of finding the right person or team for the job. Here are some steps you can take:

  1. Define your project requirements: Before you start your search, it’s important to define your project requirements. What do you want your website to achieve? What features do you need? What is your budget? Having a clear idea of your requirements will help you narrow down your search and find a designer who can meet your needs.
  2. Look for referrals: Ask friends, colleagues, and other small business owners for referrals. Word-of-mouth recommendations can be a valuable way to find a web designer who has a proven track record of delivering high-quality work.
  3. Search online: You can use search engines, social media platforms, and online directories to find web designers. Look for designers who have experience working with small businesses and have a portfolio of work that demonstrates their skills.
  4. Check their portfolio: Once you’ve identified potential candidates, take a look at their portfolio. Look for examples of work that are similar to what you need and make sure you like the quality of their work.
  5. Check references: Ask for references and follow up with past clients to get a sense of the designer’s communication, professionalism, and ability to meet deadlines.
  6. Assess their communication skills: Make sure the designer communicates clearly and effectively. They should be able to explain their approach, offer suggestions, and keep you informed throughout the design process.
  7. Consider their pricing: While price shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision, it’s important to make sure the designer’s pricing fits within your budget.

By following these steps, you should be able to find a web designer who can create a website that meets your needs and helps your small business succeed online.

And if you aren’t happy with the design agencies or consultants that you find you can always give it a shot yourself… Strikingly.com is a great alternative to GoDaddy/Wix/Weebly/Squarespace. They offer some amazing templates/themes to start your site with and some excellent 24/7 support channels.

How can local businesses use social media marketing?

How Can Brick and Mortar Local Businesses Make The Best Use Of Social Media?

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Social media is a powerful tool that local businesses can use to reach new customers and grow their business. But how can brick-and-mortar businesses make the best use of social media?

Here are some tips:

1. Use social media to create a strong relationship with your customers.

Make sure you are responsive to comments and questions. Show that you care about your customers and their experience with your business.

2. Use social media to share your story

 

Introduction: Defining social media and its purpose

Social media is a term that is used to describe the various online platforms and tools that allow users to share content, interact with each other, and engage in social networking. While the term “social media” is relatively new, the concept of using online tools for social interaction is not. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have only become popular in recent years, but they are based on earlier versions of online communication tools like Usenet and bulletin board systems (BBS).

 

The Benefits of Social Media for Local Businesses

More and more, local businesses are turning to social media to connect with potential and current customers. And it makes sense—according to a 2018 study by eMarketer, nearly three-quarters of Americans use at least one social media platform.

But what are the benefits of social media for local businesses? Here are a few key advantages:

1. Increase visibility: With more and more people spending time on social media, it’s an ideal way to increase the visibility of your local business. By creating interesting and engaging content, you can reach a larger audience and attract new potential customers.

2. Enhance customer engagement: Social media provides an opportunity to directly engage with your customers and build relationships. You can respond to customer inquiries, comments, and reviews in a timely manner, which can help create a positive customer experience and build customer loyalty.

3. Boost SEO efforts: In addition to increasing visibility, social media can also help boost your website’s SEO (search engine optimization). When you post quality content on social media platforms, people are more likely to share it—which can help increase traffic to your website. Additionally, social media signals (such as likes, shares, and comments) can influence your website’s search engine ranking.

4. Generate leads: Social media can be used as an effective lead generation tool—you can use it to promote special offers and deals, which can encourage people to visit your store or website. You can also use targeted advertising on social media platforms to reach potential customers who are interested in your products or services.

5. Increase sales: Ultimately, the goal of any business is to increase sales—and social media can help you achieve this goal. By using social media effectively, you can drive traffic to your website or store and generate leads that could result in increased sales for your local business.

 

The Risks of Social Media for Local Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, accounting for more than half of all private-sector jobs. And while social media can be a great way for small businesses to connect with customers and promote their products or services, it can also be a minefield of legal risks.

There are a few key areas where local businesses need to be especially careful when using social media:

* defamation – anything that could be considered slander or libellous;
* privacy – invaded if you post something without someone’s consent;
* intellectual property – using someone else’s copyrighted material without permission; and
* false advertising – making claims about your products or services that are misleading or not supported by facts.

These are just a few of the potential legal risks associated with social media use by local businesses. The best way to protect your business is to consult with an experienced attorney who can help you develop policies and procedures to minimize the risk of liability.

 

The Different Types of Social Media

There are many different types of social media, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the most popular types:

-Facebook is the largest social media platform with over 2 billion active users. It is great for staying in touch with friends and family, sharing news and experiences, and joining groups with like-minded people. However, it can also be a huge time sink, and the constant stream of notifications can be overwhelming.

-Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to post short updates of 140 characters or less. It is a great way to keep up with current events, share news and articles, and connect with people who share your interests. However, it can also be a breeding ground for trolls and bullies.

-Instagram is a photo-sharing platform that has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is great for sharing photos and videos, connecting with friends and family, and following hashtags to see what others are posting about specific topics. However, it can also be extremely addictive, and the pressure to post perfect photos can be stressful.

-Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool that allows users to save images they find online to virtual boards. It is great for finding inspiration, planning projects, and collecting recipes. However, it can also be addictive, and the temptation to spend hours scrolling through pictures can be hard to resist.

 

The Best Ways to Use Social Media for Local Businesses

As a local business, you may be wondering how you can use social media to reach new customers and grow your business. After all, with so many people using social media every day, it’s a great way to connect with potential customers who are right in your own community.

Here are some of the best ways to use social media for local businesses:

1. Use social media to create a strong relationship with your customers.

Make sure you are responsive to comments and questions. Show that you care about your customers and their experience with your business. When you create a strong relationship with your customers, they will be more likely to use your products or services and recommend your business to others.

2. Use social media to share information about your products or services.

Make sure you are sharing relevant and interesting information about your products or services on social media. If potential customers see that you have something valuable to offer, they will be more likely to do business with you.

3. Use social media to promote special offers or discounts.

If you want to attract new customers, make sure you are promoting special offers or discounts on social media. This is a great way to encourage people to try out your products or services.

4. Use social media to showcase your positive reviews and testimonials.
If you have happy customers, make sure you showcase their positive reviews and testimonials on social media. This is a great way to show potential new customers that others have had a positive experience with your business

 

The Worst Ways to Use Social Media for Local Businesses

As the owner of a local business, you may be feeling pressure to join the social media bandwagon. After all, everyone else is doing it, so it must be a good idea, right?

Wrong.

Just because social media is a popular marketing tool doesn’t mean it’s right for every business. In fact, there are some ways that using social media can actually harm your business.

Here are four of the worst ways to use social media for local businesses:

1. Posting too much promotional content.
No one wants to be bombarded with sales pitches, and that’s especially true on social media. If you fill your feed with nothing but promotions for your products or services, you’re likely to turn off potential customers and drive them away.

2. Posting controversial or offensive content.
Social media is a great platform for sharing your brand’s personality and values. But be careful not to post anything that could be interpreted as offensive or insensitive. Remember, anything you post on social media is public and could reflect poorly on your business if it’s perceived in a negative light.

3. Failing to engage with your audience.
Social media is all about engagement—Building relationships with your customers and potential customers by interacting with them on a regular basis. If you create a social media profile but never interact with other users, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to build rapport and grow your customer base.

4. Ignoring negative comments or reviews.
When someone leaves a negative comment or review about your business on social media, it can be tempting to ignore it and hope it goes away. But that’s not the best course of action—In fact, it can often make the situation worse.

Avoid these four pitfalls by using social media wisely, and you can turn it into a valuable asset for your local business.

 

How to Get Started with Social Media for Local Businesses

Starting a social media account for your local business is easy and free. The first step is to choose the platform or platforms that make the most sense for your business. If you’re a retail business, Facebook and Instagram are good choices. If you’re a service business, LinkedIn might be a better fit.

Once you’ve chosen your platform, it’s time to create your profile. Be sure to include a clear and concise description of your business, as well as your contact information. You should also include a high-quality logo or headshot.

After you’ve created your profile, it’s time to start posting! Be sure to post engaging content that will appeal to your target audience. You should also try to post regularly, at least once per day.

If you need help getting started with social media for your local business, there are plenty of resources available online. There are also many companies that offer social media management services.

 

Conclusion: The Importance of a Social Media Strategy

To remain competitive in today’s marketplace, it is essential for all businesses to have an active social media presence. Local businesses are no exception. In fact, social media can be especially beneficial for brick-and-mortar businesses trying to reach a wider, local audience.

There are many ways for local businesses to make the most of social media. First and foremost, it is important to have a well-defined social media strategy. This strategy should include goals and objectives, target audiences, and key message points. Once the strategy is in place, local businesses can begin creating and sharing content that will resonate with their target audiences.

It is also important for local businesses to be active on social media platforms that are popular in their area. In most cases, this will include Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By engaging with their local community on these platforms, businesses can build brand awareness and loyalty.

Finally, local businesses should consider running social media promotions and giveaways. These types of campaigns can generate a lot of excitement and word-of-mouth buzz—two things that are essential for any business looking to succeed in today’s digital world.

Local-Businesses

Simple Tips On How Local Businesses Can Get Found Online

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tips to help local businesses get found online

As a brick and mortar business, you may be wondering how you can get found online. With so many businesses competing for attention online, it can be tough to know where to start. Here are some simple tips on how local businesses can get found online.

  1. Make sure your website is optimised for search engines.
  2. Create social media accounts and post regularly.
  3. Use hashtags to reach a wider audience.
  4. Run ads on social media and Google.
  5. Get listed in online directories.

By following these tips, you can make sure your local business is found online by potential customers who are looking for what you have to offer!

 

Introduction

As a local business, it is essential to be visible online. Most people nowadays use the internet to find the products and services they need, which is why it’s important for your business to be easily found online. But how exactly can you achieve this? Here are some simple tips:

  1.  Optimize your website for local search. This means including your city, state, and zip code on your website, as well as using relevant keyword phrases like “local”and “near me” in your content.
  2.  Claim your Google My Business listing. This is a free listing that allows you to control how your business appears on Google Search and Maps.
  3.  Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all platforms. This includes your website, social media profiles, directories, and review sites.
  4.  Collect reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers and post them on your websiteand social media profiles. These can help build trust and credibility with potential customers who are looking for businesses like yours online.
  5.  Create location-specific landing pages or blog posts that target potential customers in specific areas or cities that you serve. This helps you show up in search results for those particular locations.
  6.  Use social media to promote your business and engage with potential and current customers in your area. Social media can be a great way to connect with people near you and increase awareness of your business online.

 

Why is it important for Local Businesses to be found online?

With more and more people using the internet to find local businesses, it’s becoming increasingly important for those businesses to have an online presence. There are a number of ways to get found online, and each one has its own set of benefits.

One way to get found online is through search engines. When someone uses a search engine like Google or Yahoo to find businesses in their area, the results that come up are based on a number of factors, including the business’s website content, its location, and the keywords that were used in the search. This means that if a business wants to be found for certain keywords, they need to make sure those keywords are included on their website and in their web content. Another way to get found online is through social media. These days, many people use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to find local businesses. If a business has an active social media presence, they’re more likely to be found by potential customers who are searching for businesses in its area.

Finally, another way to get found online is through directories. Directory listings usually include basic information about a business, such as its name, address, and phone number. Many directories also allow customers to leave reviews, which can be helpful in attracting new customers.

No matter which method you choose, getting found online is essential for any local business that wants to succeed.

 

What are some common ways that Local Businesses can get found online?

There are many ways for Local Businesses to get found online. Here are some common ways:

1) Creating and optimizing a Google My Business listing
2) Showcasing rave reviews and customer testimonials
3) Creating well-written, keyword-rich content
4) Investing in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
5) Developing a strong social media presence
6) Building high-quality backlinks from other websites

 

How can Local Businesses make sure their website is visible to potential customers?

There are many ways to ensure that potential customers can find your website when they search online. Some of the most effective methods include:

  •  Optimizing your website for local search by including your city and state in your titles and tags, as well as in your content.
  •  Creating listings on local directories and review sites, such as Yelp, Google My Business, and TripAdvisor.
  •  Advertising on local websites and directories that target your city or region.
  •  Sponsoring local events or donating to local charities.
  •  Getting involved with local online communities, such as forums and Facebook groups.

 

What are some other ways to get found online, outside of a website?

There are a variety of ways that local businesses can get found online, outside of simply having a website. One way is to make sure that your business is listed in online directories, such as Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile), Yelp, or Bing Places for Business. Additionally, you can reach out to local media outlets and ask to be featured in articles or mentioned in blog posts. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook can also be used to promote your business and help you get found online. Finally, consider using paid advertising methods such as Google AdWords or Facebook Ads to reach potential customers who may be searching for businesses like yours.

 

How can Local Businesses use social media to their advantage?

There are a number of ways that local businesses can use social media to their advantage. One way is to create a profile for your business on a variety of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This will allow you to interact with potential and current customers, and it will also give you a presence on the web. You can also use social media to promote special deals and offers and to post content that will interest your target audience. Additionally, you can use social media platforms to connect with other local businesses in your area, which can help you build relationships and expand your reach.

 

What are some other tips for getting found online?

Here are some simple tips that any local business can follow to make it easier for customers to find them online:

  • Make sure your website is optimized for local SEO. This means including your city and state in your titles and tags, as well as on your “Contact” page.
  • Make sure your Google My Business page is up-to-date and complete. This is one of the first places customers will look when they search for you online, so you want to make sure all of your information is accurate.
  • Get reviews from happy customers and post them on your website and social media pages. Positive reviews will not only improve your standing in search results, but they’ll also give potential customers confidence in doing business with you.

 

How can Local Businesses make sure their information is accurate across the web?

Local Businesses need to make sure their NAP is consistent across the web.

Your NAP is your name, address, and phone number. It’s the basic identifying information for your business, and it needs to be accurate everywhere it appears online.

If you have multiple locations, you’ll need to make sure each location has its own NAP listing. You should also list each business separately on directories and review sites.

One way to make sure your NAP is consistent is to list your business on a directory that automatically updates your information across the web. This can save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run.

 

What should Local Businesses do if they’re not showing up in search results?

There are quite a few things local businesses can do to make sure they’re showing up in search results.

One of the most important things to do is to ensure that your business is properly listed in online directories. This includes directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places for Business.

Making sure your business is properly listed in these directories not only makes it easier for customers to find you, but it also helps improve your search engine ranking. Another good way to improve your ranking is by setting up a Google+ page for your business and actively using it.

Additionally, it’s important to make sure that your website is optimized for local search. This means including your city and state in title tags, headline tags, meta descriptions, and throughout the content on your website.

Doing these things can help improve your chances of showing up in local search results. And if you STILL have questions or aren’t getting the results you expected, contact an expert in your local area who can offer some ideas and services that will help you get the results you seek. Most local business marketing agencies offer a free consultation to get things started. (CALL US)

 

Conclusion

As a small business, it is essential to have an online presence. By following the tips above, you can make sure that your business is visible to potential customers and that you are making the most of the opportunities that the internet provides.

Finding the best website designer

5 Tips for Hiring a Killer Web Designer

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The world is online and you should be too. If you don’t already have a website, you’re putting your business at a huge disadvantage. Time to hire Greymouse! But where exactly do you start? Here’s a primer on hiring a web designer: what you need, where you should look, and how you can best prepare to hire new staff.

Know how to hire staff

If you’re just starting out, it’s essential that you have everything in place before you start searching for employees. There’s nothing worse than hiring a killer web designer — only to bungle basic things like equipment or payroll.

Always have your area set up and ready for employees. Have a robust payroll system in place that includes time tracking features to simplify team management and employee timesheets. You might also look at a system that includes payroll and inventory integration, real-time reporting, and the ability to use it on the road through a mobile app.

Know what you need

The world of design and development is a big one. Some designers specialize in e-commerce, while some specialize in app development. Some specialize in the front end, while some in the back end — the list goes on.

When you’re hiring a killer designer, you have to know what skills you need them to have. Are you building an e-commerce website? Perhaps you’re building a multi-level game app? Whatever you’re building, you have to know what skills are needed to help you achieve your goals.

Do some research into how your target product is made. Understand what type of coding is used, how it’s designed, and what scope you need. If in doubt, consult us.

Know your budget

In the web development world, you get what you pay for. This means you need to know what the going rate for good design is and be able to meet that demand. Do some research and figure out what your competition is paying for their own talent. Be ready to meet or exceed that benchmark.

Knowing your budget is essential when hiring a web designer. Be prepared to pay for the skills you need and pay well. Anything less than that is going to net you sub-parr talent and land you in hot water.

Know where to look

There’s very little use in advertising for web design services in the local paper. Your audience isn’t there and it’ll be a waste of money. Instead, you should look to online platforms.

Generic job seeker platforms are a good start but can be a mixed bag of talent. If you want to be proactive about your search, you should do some research and figure out where your ideal employee spends their time online. Look into specialized message boards or design platforms. Social media can also be a boon — platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, particularly if you have a robust presence there yourself, can be great sources of talent.

Know how to test their skills

Hiring a web designer is much like hiring any other employee: You need to ensure they have the skills they claim to have. This is where a paid trial can come in handy. It allows you to see how they’d work on the job and lets them prove their skills in a real-world environment.

Just take note of the “paid” part of that sentence. If you organize an unpaid trial, any designer worth their salt is going to walk away from the opportunity because you’ve proven to them you don’t value their skills.

Hire smart

Hiring a web designer can be tricky. You have to know what you need, where to look, and be in a good position to hire staff. Now you know a little more about how to hire the best person for the job. Take a look at our portfolio to see if we’re a good fit!

Trends in Social Media – Where To Focus Your Energy & Not Waste Time?

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This post from ProBlogger.com gave me some great tips on where to put the emphasis on my work with social media marketing…

Social Media Trends – Where Should You Focus Your Energy

In our last episode, I covered seven trends in social media and blogging. In today’s episode, I want to discuss where you should focus your energy as a blogger.

There’s so much we could do.but what should we do?

Don’t become overwhelmed and perplexed. Instead, be inspired about where to put your effort. Should you focus on:

live video? bots and messenger marketing? Facebook advertising? long-form video? Instagram stories? blog? all of the above?

And how do you decide?

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) there’s no right answer. The ‘best spot’ will be different for everyone. Just don’t be pressured into doing what everyone else is doing.

Consider your style, topic, audience, and objectives and goals. Get in touch with who you are and what makes you shine.

Focus on conversions.

Don’t give up something that’s already working just to start something new. Nine times out of ten it won’t be any better. Instead, focus on good SEO practices.

Stay in control, and focus on building your own platform and assets rather than building on other people’s. Use your own to host a podcast or blog.

Save some time and effort for new ways to build your audience, brand, and engagement. Be cautious, but also be willing to pivot and diversify.

And don’t feel as if you have to do it all. Focus on being great at just one or two trends.

What are you going to try?

Links and Resources for Trends in Social Media – Where Should You Focus Your Energy?: Periscope Gary Vaynerchuk Darren Rowse on Twitter Darren Rowse in Instagram Further Listening 7 Social Media Trends I Noticed at Social Media Marketing World Courses Starting a Blog ProBlogger Pro – 31 Days to Build a Better Blog

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Full Transcript Expand to view full transcript Compress to smaller transcript view

Hi there and welcome to Episode 241 of the ProBlogger podcast. My name is Darren Rowse and I’m the blogger behind problogger.com, a blog, podcast, event, job board, series of ebooks, and the courses all designed to help you as a blogger to grow your audience, to create great content, to build engagement around your blog, and ultimately to build profit around your blog. I should say profit can be money but it can be other outcomes as well. However you define it, we hope to help you along that journey. You can learn more about ProBlogger at problogger.com.

Today’s podcast is brought to you by our brand new course, 31 Days to Build a Better Blog which is launching around now. We’ve already opened it up to a small group of beta testers. I think there’s actually about a hundred bloggers so far who have signed up and are working through that course. It’s closed off at the moment but if you are interested in joining that beta testing group, please go to problogger.com/31days.

It’s a course designed to help you over a month to give you a burst of love, bring a burst of love to your blog, to give some really intentional love and care to your blog to write some new content, to think about your editorial strategy, to think about how you can build engagement with your blog, to do some things to help you to get some new readers, and to begin to think about monetization. We don’t focus a lot on monetization in this course, it’s more about getting the foundations right that will help you to monetize but we touch on it towards the end.

You can learn more about it at problogger.com/31days. We will be opening it up for a wider audience in the coming weeks. If you don’t get it on that beta test, you just signup there. We’ll let you know when it does open up.

In today’s episode, I wanna talk about working out where to put your energy. This is really a follow up to the last episode, in 240. Back in that last episode, I identified seven trends in social media and blogging that I noticed at Social Media Marketing World this year in San Diego. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, it might be worth doing so. In it I talked about Facebook, all the changes that have been happening with Facebook. I talked about Facebook live, bots, Messenger marketing, video content, Instagram stories, a lot of these newer trends that have been going on and that I’m now beginning to see people really go all in on.

If you listened to that episode, you’ll know that I finished off by asking the question where should we be going all in as bloggers? There’s so much we could do, there’s so much out there that we could be focusing our energy on but how do we work out what we should put our focus upon? That’s what today’s episode is all about. I really wanna help you to begin to wrestle with where should you be putting your effort? Should you be putting your effort into somebody’s new things or should you be putting your effort into some older things, some other things as well? You can find today’s show notes at problogger.com/podcast/241.

Where should we be going all in as bloggers? After Social Media Marketing World this year, I spoke to a number of attendees who are feeling simultaneously inspired by the teaching that they’d heard but also overwhelmed and perplexed by where they should be putting their effort in. I had one conversation, within about 30 seconds they asked me, “Should I go all in with live video? Should I be going in with bots and Messenger marketing? Should I be going in with Facebook advertising? Should I be doing a long-form video? Should I be doing Instagram stories or should I be doing it all?”

I posted some further questions, should you actually be focusing more upon your blog at the moment? Maybe you need to get into podcasting, maybe you should do long-form content, maybe you should be posting daily or weekly. The decisions that we need to make as bloggers go on and on. I’ve asked all of these questions at the Social Media Marketing World as well. There were certainly some really big trends being talked about at the conference this year but the reality is we just can’t do all of those things unless we’ve got a massive team.

I do know some people who’ve got big teams and they are going all in on all of these things that I’ve mentioned. If you’re like me and you’ve got a small team or maybe your team is you, you’re gonna have to make some decisions about where you can go all in. The question is how do you make that decision? I wanna give you today, I think it’s five main points to help you make that decision. I hope that somewhere in the midst of these will be a few threads of, I guess, conversations that you might wanna pick up on and a few things that will resonate with you.

The first thing I wanna say is that there is no right answer here, there’s no one thing that we should all be focusing most of our efforts on. Obviously, we’re all in very different situations, we’re in different stages of our blog, we’re writing about different topics, we have different audiences, we’ve got different styles and personalities. The best spot for each of us will be very different.

I guess I wanna start with that because I don’t want you to feel that just because everyone else seems to be doing live video, or everyone else seems to be experimenting with Messenger bots, or everyone else is doing anything at the moment, you don’t need to feel that pressure. I wanna take that pressure off you.

I can relate to that feeling that everyone seems to be doing certain things, I look around at many of the bloggers in my space and they all seem to be building these amazing live video studios and spending tens of thousands of dollars on their studios. I felt that pressure, I feel like, “Maybe I need to buy a studio, maybe I need to spend all that money.” I don’t know if that’s right for me right now. Don’t feel that pressure, I wanna say that right up front. It’s probably better for you just to choose one thing to do really well than try to do it all.

You will look around it and it does seem that everyone else is doing everything, they’re not. Everyone is making strategic choices about these as well. I guess I wanna start with that. Don’t feel the pressure that you have to do it all, don’t feel the pressure that you have to do any one thing either. It really does need to come down to what’s going on for you at the moment, what can you do that’s gonna suit your situation.

The other thing I’ll say in this first point is it’s probably better to just choose one thing to do really well than to try and do everything okay. You probably wanna just go all in on one thing and become known in your industry, the person who does that one thing brilliantly better than anyone else, than trying to do four or five different things okay because you’ll never gonna become known as anyone doing anything exceptional if you’re doing everything okay. Be the person who’s doing that one thing brilliantly and your audience will notice and other people will notice as well. Take the pressure off yourself, think about who you are and what is gonna suit your situation best.

That’s the first thing that I wanna say which leads me to my next point. When you’re making that decision and considering your situation, what do you need to think through? I wanna suggest a few things to help you to think that through. Firstly, think about your style. For example, some of you are really good on camera. You think on your feet, you present well, you’re very clear, you do one take the content and maybe that is gonna give you a bit of a hint about what you should be doing. Maybe you should be doing live video if you’re great on camera and you think on your feet and you’re fast paced, that is probably a good format for you. Your style is going to help you.

Some of you are much better if you are able to plan and really think through your content and design your content. If that’s the case, maybe something that’s not live is gonna be better for you. I actually like live video, I like presenting but I do a lot of work before my live videos, particularly from presenting on a topic. I actually find that I’m probably better in this format that we’re talking now, something that I can record ahead of time and edit it and shape the content in some way, maybe a little bit more of a slow-paced thinker, that’s certainly me.

Maybe live video is not as good for you, maybe more episodic video which I talked about in the last episode, it might be better for you. Maybe Instagram stories is better for you because you’re able to plan those things out ahead of time than at live. Maybe you’re a bit more of a geeky person and you like designing systems and strategies and that type of thing. Maybe that is a hint to you that maybe something like bots might be worth playing with. It’s something that is a little bit geekier, it’s more about designing a system and thinking strategically about how to engage with people.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is try and be in touch with who you are and your style. As you think about the different options, what makes you light up? What makes you excited as you look at them and what puts you off? If you hear the word live video and you freak out and you start sweating, maybe that’s a signal that maybe it’s not right for you. It could also be just for you getting in the way of you doing the thing that is right for you, you wanna test these things out. Even as you test them, pay attention to the energy levels that you get as well.

Your style is part of it, your topic is another thing to consider and the topic that you create, content on shooting, form your choices. For example on my photography blog, the obvious choice here is to focus more upon mediums that celebrate the visual, I’m talking about photography. Bots might not be as useful as Instagram stories in that case. Instagram story is very visual, you can use video, you can use still images. You can probably weave those things in using a bot as well but I think in terms of topic, anything visual is gonna lend itself well to the topic that I’m writing about. Your topic will be different. Maybe some of the different mediums in the options in front of you will help to relate better in that type of topic.

Another thing to consider is your audience, understanding who’s on the other side of your content needs to inform your choices about the type of content that you create. Some of your audiences are gonna be very suspicious towards bots, for example. Maybe you’ve got an audience that really is suspicious to anything that’s gonna interrupt them in some ways. They’re not gonna respond well to bots.

Maybe your audience is like my audience in my photography blog and again they’re very visual, they’re more creative, more artistic. That might give you a hint as to the medium that you should use as well. I’m thinking about my photography blog, my audience, they’re more of a creative, they’re more into the aesthetics, they’re more artistic. Instagram stories might be something that we could experiment with there because it’s a more creative, playful medium. That will inform your choices as well.

The other thing to take into consideration as you’re thinking about your situation is where are you at the moment? What are your current goals and objectives and what stage are you at? This two can give you some hints as to what you should be focusing your time on.

If you are a brand new blogger, maybe you’ve just gone through a starter blog course, you’re in a different stage to someone who’s been blogging for ten years. Someone who’s been blogging for ten years probably already has an audience and their goal might be more around engagement, how do I engage and deepen the relationship with my audience?

Using a medium like live video might be really suitable particularly on Facebook live where you’ve probably already got a bit of an audience on Facebook. It’s about waking up that audience, engaging with them. Using something like live video might be really good if you’ve been around for a while. If you’re a first-month blogger, you probably don’t already have an audience on Facebook, Facebook live may not be the best strategy for you. Maybe some of the other networks might be a place where you can grow your audience a little bit more.

I know a number of people who’ve been growing their audience on Instagram, for example. They’ve been really learning about hashtags and doing a lot of outreach, commenting. They found that they would get more exposure on that platform. Back in the day when Periscope first started out, I remember a number of bloggers who really went all in on Periscope because it was a network at that time that was enabling them to find new audience member. By being new, maybe that will inform your decision as well.

What are your goals at the moment? Are your goals about building engagement? Are they about just building your audience? There’s a variety of different things that you might wanna focus on there. I guess what I’m trying to say here is one, there’s no right answer, two, really think about your situation, your style, your topic, your audience, and your current objectives and goals.

The third thing I wanna talk about is focusing upon what is already converting for you and for others. This might seem like a strange thing to say but over the years, I’ve seen so many people give up what’s already working for them because there’s something new there. People gravitate towards the new sexy thing even though they’ve already got something that’s already working for them. They’re giving up something that they’ve built and that could carry them into the future to focus upon something new.

New isn’t always better. In fact, I would say new is rarely better because many of the new things in our space don’t end up actually going anywhere at all. I can think back over the years to numerous times where I’ve come across people who have given up blogging to get into something new. I remember back when Twitter first came out, having a huge debate with one blogger in particular who’d spent several years building up a reasonably good following on their blog. They decided to give up that blog because this Twitter thing was coming and they went all in on Twitter. They gave up their blog to go all in on Twitter.

Similarly, I’ve seen people give up successful blogs to get onto Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, all of these channels. Ultimately, I’m not in a position to really say whether that was the right decision or not. None of those decisions were wrong, I don’t think blogging is the perfect fit for everyone. Maybe some of these people did do better things on these platforms. In numerous cases, as I think about these discussions I’ve had with people over the years, there’s been numerous times where I’ve heard in hindsight that person who made the switch wishes they didn’t because they realized they already had a good thing with their blog.

Perhaps, instead of giving up blogging to get into these things, maybe they should’ve done both or maybe they should’ve just stuck with blogging. Really think very carefully about your situation. This does tap in a little bit too what I was talking about earlier, it does depend upon the stage of your blog. If you’ve already been at blogging for a while, you’ve probably already got some things that are working for you. Maybe you should be putting more time into the things that are working a bit for you already to grow those things than getting to something new.

As I think about my situation and my business over the last few years, I can see that there are some things that worked for me that I need to bend down or I need to double down on these things rather than pick up something new. That’s the stage that I’m at but I think a lot of you out there would probably relate to this. As I look at my own business, the things that worked for me were blogging and podcasting. I’ve heard over the years blogging itself is dying, everyone keeps saying blogging is dead, blogging is dead.

But as I said in my last episode, blogging seems to be back at the moment. It is where most of my business really centers around, the blog and the podcast. Blogging is not dead; it is changed, it’s certainly not dead. It is so important in my business. If I was to track the sales of my product and the income from my products, almost every dollar that I make, actually there’s been a touch point with my blog beforehand. Yeah, I could get on the Facebook, yeah I could get onto Twitter, yeah I could do all the Instagram thing, I could do all of those other things and not blog at all but I suspect that that would really hurt my business in the long run.

Podcasting is another part of that. I don’t get as many people to listen to this podcast as read the blog, I get a lot more people touching the blog than the podcast but I know that my podcast listeners are so much more engaged than anyone else. I would suspect that anyone listening to this podcast is much more likely to do our brand new course, 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, or to come to one of our events.

You gotta think about what’s already working for you not just in terms of traffic but also engagements and some of these other things as well. Blogging and podcasting are a bit old fashioned, they’ve been around for years and years and years now. Their path is not as sexy and new as live video or Instagram stories or those types of things but you know what, they work. They work for me and they’ve been working for tens of thousands of other people as well. To be honest, the jury is still out on Instagram stories and some of these newer technologies. I would say, do consider that.

The other thing that works for me is search. The biggest source of traffic to my blog is Google, around 50% of my traffic comes from Google. Most full-time bloggers I know have similar splits in their traffic. I know there are exceptions to this, I know a few bloggers who get most of their traffic from Pinterest or most of their traffic from Facebook. In most cases, bloggers who make it full time actually get most of their traffic from search and yet how much time do we spend on search? How much time do we spend on Search Engine Optimization?

SEO is something that is well worth putting your energy into learning about and focusing your energy upon. It’s not something to obsess about but I actually think that a lot of people would do better to spend the time learning about SEO than they would about some of these other newer things.

Another thing that I’ll put in that category is email. By far the biggest source of sales for me is email. It doesn’t drive as much traffic for me as Google but I’d estimate around 90% of my sales come from email. That’s another area that if you aren’t doing at the moment, I would say that’s something that you need to pay attention to. It is working for most full-time bloggers that I know. It’s perhaps not as effective as it was five years ago, maybe it’s going to continue to decline but it’s certainly not something to ignore.

Blogging, search, email, these are all things that are gold for me. Perhaps they’re not as new, perhaps they’re not as sexy but I think these are things that we should be continuing to pay attention to.

Every time I go to a conference like Social Media Marketing World, I have this internal struggle within me. Yes, it’s exciting to explore on these new things but don’t give up on the things that are already working for our industry to go all in on these new things because in doing so maybe you’re actually ignore the things that have the potential to bring so much life to your business as well. What’s already working for you but also what is already working for our industry, don’t give up on those things to do the new thing.

I’ve talked about there’s no right answer, I’ve talked about thinking about your situation to decide what you should do, I’ve talked about focusing upon what is already converting for you and our industry.

Another thing that I really think is important here, this is my fourth point, is to focus upon what you have control over. This is the big one for me. Almost all of the new things that I heard being talked about at Social Media Marketing World this year give you very little actual control. In most cases, the things that invite us to give us our focus are things where we’re actually not building our own asset, we’re building other people’s assets. This is so important to hear.

Yes, Instagram stories are great but you don’t own Instagram. I’m sorry to say that but you don’t own that, you don’t own the connection that you have with your Instagram followers. Facebook live is great, it’s very powerful but you don’t own Facebook, you don’t own that connection that you have with your followers there. This is the reason I had that big fight with my friend who gave up blogging years ago to get onto Twitter, he gave up building his own asset to build Twitter’s asset. The same is true for all of these new things.

Going all in on Instagram stories or Facebook live or any of these things comes with risk. They can change the rules and the algorithms at any point. This is why we’re having this big Facebook armageddon at the moment. Twitter just changed the rules, you can’t tweet the same thing over and over again. And now, a lot of the tools like MeetEdgar are changing what they allow you to do. I had spent years building up my archive of tweets on MeetEdgar and then I logged in three days ago and they said, “You can’t retweet the same thing over and over again.”

Even though I wasn’t doing it more than once every six months, I can’t do that anymore. They changed the rules, Twitter changed the rules. I spent a lot of time building up a system that isn’t gonna work for me anymore now. They may not last the distance, we’ve seen social networks come and go over the years. They may change their technology and what they focus upon. Facebook, at the moment, is giving live video a bit of prominence, they’re giving groups prominence but that may not last. They may come up with something new and by you investing going all in on that technology can actually end up being a bit of a waste of time for you as well.

They may decide that you don’t belong on their platform anymore, maybe they changed their rules and they see you then breaking their rules because they changed the rules and maybe they kick you out. You don’t have control in these places, there’s risk associated with it. Consider that as you think about where you should be going all in on.

I think there’s a place to go into all of these new things. I’ll talk about that in a moment. I’m a big believer in putting most of your focus into building your asset, that’s why I keep coming back to have your own blog, have your own podcast, collect email addresses, have your own domain, have your own server, have your own platform. It’s so important to put most of your energy into that. As you consider all of these new things, keep in the back of your mind you’re building someone else’s asset.

My fifth and last point that I wanna make is a balance to that last one that I made. Put most of your effort into building your own asset but none of these that I’ve talked about means that you cannot get into the new stuff. You might be thinking Darren saying, “Don’t go do live, don’t do Instagram stories.” I actually think you should be doing some of it for some of your time.

I actually think the new stuff is important because it is going to help you to build your audience, it is going to help you to build engagement, it’s gonna help you to build your brand, it will help you to monetize your blog and it’s also gonna show your audience that you’re up to date as well, it’s gonna keep you current. All these things are important. It is going to help you to build your own asset but the key is to approach the new stuff with a bit of caution, don’t do it at the expense of building your own asset. That’s the first thing.

Experiment with the new stuff but don’t do it at the expense of building your own asset. Use the new stuff to leverage and to build your asset. Use Facebook live to get people over to your blog, use Facebook live to get people on your email list, use Facebook live to get people to your events, to buy your product. Use the new thing to build your asset.

The other thing I would say is to diversify your focus where you can. This is hard because you don’t wanna spread yourself too thin, I said this at the top of the show. Maybe it’s better to do one thing than all of the things. It is important where you do have the time to diversify your focus a little bit. Maybe spend 90% of your time building your blog and doing SEO and email and those things that you own. With your other 10%, maybe choose a couple of things to experiment with.

Another thing to keep in mind is to be ready to pivot. Opportunities like these new things don’t last forever. I said before that I came across a number of bloggers who built their brand and built their audience on Periscope when it first came out. Periscope was brilliant for getting exposure when it first came out. A lot of people are on it, they’re watching videos and enabled you to get yourself in front of new people. That wave of opportunity didn’t last forever.

Periscope is still around and I know a few people are still on it but most of the people who were riding that wave on Periscope today aren’t doing that anything because the opportunity isn’t there, they pivoted to something else. Most of them are now experimenting with Facebook live instead. They took their audience with them, they built that asset, they built that brand and now they pivoted. Be really ready to pivot in any of these new things.

One of the people I love who’ve been really riding the waves really well is Gary Vaynerchuk. I know Gary gets talked about a lot but he has jumped on so many emerging platforms over the years. He jumps on the new thing, he learns about it, he leverages it, he makes it work for him and then he moves on. He has adopted all of these new technologies, he’s worked at how they work, he’s leveraged them while they work and then he moves on to the next thing all the while building his own assets.

If you’ll look at what he’s doing at the moment, he’s engaging in all these places but he’s trying to get everyone across to what he calls first in line. He’s a messenger community. If you go and have a look at that, you’ll see that he grabs you emails address, he grabs your phone number, he is trying to build his own asset from all the platforms that he’s engaging on. I signed up for it the other day. Since I did, I’ve been getting emails from him, I’ve been getting text messages from him. He now owns the communication platform between me and him.

He doesn’t have to rely upon Facebook’s algorithm anymore, he’s got a direct contact point with me. I think this is really important. He’s leveraging the new things to build his asset, he is riding the waves while they last but then jumping onto the new thing. He’s diversifying what he’s doing as well.

That’s so important as you think about these new things, don’t put all your efforts into those. Continue to build that blog, continue to build that podcast, continue to build SEO and email. Do the things that are already converting for you. The time that you do spend in the new stuff, make sure you leverage it to build your asset, make sure you diversify where you have time to do that and make sure you’re ready to pivot. I think it’s so important to do that.

I hope somewhere in the midst of what I’ve talked about today is some advice that is helpful for you. I really hesitated to do my last episode, episode 240, sharing those trends, those seven trends that I noticed at the moment. I love that type of information but I also always hesitate to share it because I know it causes confusion and I know the temptation is to feel like you need to do it all. I really want you to take home that message that I started out with today. There is no right answer here, you don’t have to do it all.

Everyone else around you is making the same decisions. The people who seem to do best are the ones that are focusing on one or two of the things and don’t feel the pressure that they have to do it all. Really do consider your own situation to make this decision, focus upon what is already converting for you, don’t give up something that’s already working to be able to do the new thing. Focus upon where you have control and be ready in those new things to pivot along the way and to use them to build your asset.

That’s the advice that I wanna give you. I would love to hear your feedback. Where are you gonna put your attention at the moment? Are you gonna try something new? If so, what? I would love to hear that. Are you gonna double down on something that’s already working for you? Maybe you’ve already got some little glamour of things that are working that you’re gonna put even more energy into. I would love to hear your feedback on that. You can do so over in our Facebook group, just do a search for ProBlogger Community on Facebook. Let us know what you’re gonna double down on at the moment.

You can do that also in our show notes at problogger.com/podcast/241 where there are comments there. There’s also a full transcript of today’s show. You can reach out to me social, if you are on Twitter, I’m at @problogger or you can find me on Facebook and Instagram at @darrenrowse as well. I love to hear from you this week. Let me know what you’re doubling down on at the moment and how you came to that decision as well. If you got any question, I’m more than happy to tackle them as well. I look forward to chatting with you next week on the podcast in Episode 242.

If you’ve got a moment or two, I would love to get you to rate and review our show on whatever app you’re on. I get the emails every week. It’s my favorite part of the week, getting those emails from people from services that let me know when a new review has been left. I read them all and do appreciate them all. There have been some really nice ones over the last few days which have given me a lot of energy. Thank you for that. I’ll talk to you next week. Thanks.

You’ve been listening to ProBlogger. If you’d like to comment on any of today’s topics or subscribe to the series, find us at problogger.com/podcast. Tweet us at @problogger. Find us at facebook.com/problogger or search ProBlogger on iTunes.

This episode of the ProBlogger podcast was edited by the team at PodcastMotor who offer a great range of services including helping you to set up and launch your podcast as well as ongoing editing and production of the podcast that you produce. You can check them out at podcastmotor.com.

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     Related Stories240: 7 Social Media Trends I Noticed at Social Media Marketing World

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