Blogging with Lesli Peterson

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Thrilled to have Anna Cook of Stuck On The Go with us today.... she's sharing some secrets to pitching and getting paid - even with a smaller audience!

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite interviews, filled with tons of helpful insights.

Anna is in travel... but I have to believe these tips and tricks can work for any niche!

Take a listen, then sign up for Anna's pitching checklist here.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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Today we’re diving deep into the crux of stage six in your blogging journey: the art of converting your viewers into customers!

🎯 CUSTOM PRODUCTS THAT RESONATE 🎯

First things first, let’s talk about product development. Are you crafting offers that truly resonate with your audience? Remember, the key to success is tailoring your products to meet the unique needs and desires of your followers. It’s not just about what you want to sell, but what your audience is eager to buy. (See the last episode for more on this)

💡 THE LEAD MAGNET LURE 💡

Ever heard of a lead magnet? It’s the bait that lures your audience closer to your brand, providing them with something incredibly valuable in exchange for their contact information. Whether it’s an ebook, a webinar, or a discount code, your lead magnet should be irresistible – a no-brainer for your audience to grab!

📧 EMAIL SALES FUNNEL FINESSE 📧

Now, what do you do with those leads? That’s where your email sales funnel comes into play. This is your chance to nurture your budding customer relationships, guiding your potential customers down a path that’s paved with personalized content and ultimately leads to a purchase. Remember, this is a partnership with your audience – you’re in it together!

🔍 TRACKING & CONVERSIONS: YOUR ROADMAP TO SUCCESS 🔍

Before you pour your budget into advertising, let’s talk about conversion rates. It’s essential to understand how well your strategies are working. How many leads are turning into customers? This data is your roadmap to success, showing you where to invest to optimize your ad spending.

📢 ADVERTISING: NOT JUST FOR THE BIG PLAYERS 📢

And yes, even as a blogger, advertising can be a game-changer for you. But don’t leap without looking – make sure your conversion rates justify the spend. Smart advertising can amplify your reach and solidify your brand presence.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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It's time for Part 1 of Stage 6... and Stage 6 is all about PRODUCTS!

Crafting Products that Resonate with Your Audience

Welcome back to our Blogging Mastery Series! In today’s episode, we’re delving into the art of crafting products that truly resonate with your audience. Here’s what you’ll learn from this insightful session:

• Understanding Your Audience: We emphasize the crucial first step in product development: understanding the needs and issues of the personas that frequent your blog. We’ll discuss why knowing your audience is foundational to creating successful products.
• Problem-Solving Products: Discover how to reverse-engineer the product development process by starting with your audience’s problems. Learn how this approach can inspire a range of solutions, from digital downloads to consulting services.
• Product Ideas Inspired by Your Audience: We’ll explore various product forms, such as books, courses, memberships, and consulting services, and how they can be tailored to address the specific challenges faced by your audience.
• Free Tool to Identify Audience Personas: We’ll introduce you to the lead magnet master kit available at leslipeterson.com. Learn how this free resource can help you identify the types of people who will benefit the most from your site and how to create products that meet their needs.
• Actionable Tips and Strategies: As always, we’ll provide actionable tips and strategies to help you apply what you’ve learned in this episode to your own blogging journey.

Remember, this stage is all about reaching the peak of your blogging potential by creating products that not only sell but also make a meaningful impact on your audience’s lives. 

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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Topic Clusters: The Heart of Your Content Universe

• Defining Topic Clusters: Learn how to carve out your niche by defining topic clusters that align with your blog’s theme.
• Understanding Article Hierarchy: We’ll discuss the importance of knowing the hierarchy of your articles and how it contributes to your blog’s structure.

Hub Pages: A Game-Changer in Blog Navigation

• The Power of Hub Pages: We’ll explore why hub pages are more effective than traditional category or tag pages and how they can enhance your blog’s navigation.
• Hub Page Examples: Get inspired with examples of hub pages, including destination guides and activity-focused hubs like skiing or hiking.

Tailoring Content to Your Audience

• Filling Content Gaps: Identify how to spot and fill gaps within your topic clusters with fresh, relevant content.
• Persona-Based Writing: Understand the importance of creating personas and how to use them to tailor your content to specific audience segments.

Goal Setting for Success

• Setting Monthly and Quarterly Goals: Find out why setting goals is essential for long-term planning and how it can keep your blog’s growth on track.

Boosting Productivity

• The “Five by Five Method”: Learn a new time management technique to stay productive while at your desk.
• Lead Magnet Master Kit: Discover the free Lead Magnet Master Kit available on leslipeterson.com, designed to help you define your blog personas.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leslipeterson

Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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In this episode, we dive deep into the significant policy changes enforced by email giants Google and Yahoo. We explore how these changes will influence email deliverability and what steps individuals and businesses must take to avoid their emails being relegated to the spam folder.

Main Themes:

1. Stricter Email Delivery Standards: Google and Yahoo are tightening the reins on email deliverability to combat spam. We discuss what this means for the future of email marketing and communication.
2. The Role of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: We break down these three crucial acronyms—SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)—and explain how they contribute to a more secure email ecosystem.
3. Implementation Challenges: Implementing these new security measures can be daunting. We offer insights into the complexities of setting up SPF, which requires a single DNS record, and DKIM, which is more intricate with its public and private keys.
4. Impact on Email Marketing: The shift requires businesses to adapt by sending mass emails from their own domains rather than through third-party platforms. We examine the potential impact on services like Drip and MailChimp.
5. Urgency Due to Deadlines: With a February 1st deadline looming, we discuss the urgency for compliance and what risks non-compliant senders face.
6. Technical Troubles: Setting up multiple DNS records and managing long character strings can lead to issues. Our episode provides tips for navigating these technical waters.
7. Complexity for Multiple Domains: For those with multiple domains or separate email marketing accounts, the changes are even more complex. We discuss strategies to manage these complexities effectively.
8. Importance of Prompt Action: Taking swift action is essential to maintaining proper email delivery. We emphasize the importance of setting up DKIM in particular and what steps to take immediately.

We provide guidance, demystify the technical jargon, and offer actionable advice to ensure your emails continue to reach their intended inboxes.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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WE'RE STILL IN STAGE 5, COVERING PARTS 2&3 TODAY.

Part 2 is where you begin your B2B newsletter procedures. We have a ton of episodes about this already, so hope you've found those helpful. If this is a new concept, start here.

Part 3 is where you begin to use your personas as part of your social media strategy.  You probably want to include a call to action using something like the tool mentioned in this episode.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leslipeterson

Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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We're in Stage 5 Part 1 today... where you create your media kit, case studies and brand packages.

But the key to all of this is your positioning... setting yourself up as an expert... reducing your competition.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leslipeterson

Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

Send us a text

Today, we delve into the art of making a great first impression with your new subscribers through a carefully crafted welcome email series. Today’s discussion is all about why this is crucial for bloggers and how to get it right. Let’s dive into the highlights:

• High Engagement Opportunity: We kick things off by examining why welcome emails are a golden opportunity, boasting higher open rates and setting the tone for your relationship with your subscribers.
• One Welcome Per Subscriber: Learn about the importance of implementing a system to ensure subscribers receive a single welcome email, even if they opt-in for multiple lead magnets, avoiding any overwhelm or confusion.
• Series Structure and Timing: We discuss the optimal number of emails to include in your welcome series and the strategic timing of transitioning subscribers to your regular newsletter.
• Content that Connects: Discover how to craft welcome emails that resonate on a deeper level by addressing the specific needs, goals, problems, and desires of your subscribers with targeted resources and articles.
• Communication Over Promotion: We emphasize the importance of focusing on how your brand can help the subscriber rather than using the welcome series as a self-promotion tool.
• Advanced Email Strategy: Hear about the final steps in creating an advanced email strategy, which involves nurturing different audience segments and designing interactive content like quizzes to further engage your subscribers.
• Aligning with Business Objectives: We underline the necessity of aligning your email strategy with your broader business goals while maintaining regular content creation and sharing activities.
• Expectation Setting and Onboarding: Lastly, we talk about how a well-structured welcome series not only facilitates a smooth onboarding experience but also sets clear expectations for the relationship moving forward.

Stay tuned as we unpack each of these themes, offering actionable tips and insights to help you create a welcome email series that turns new subscribers into loyal readers and engaged members of your blogging community.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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In this episode, we’re diving deep into Stage 4 Part 2, where we unravel the complexities of crafting a successful affiliate marketing strategy for bloggers. Here’s what you’ll learn:

1. Understanding Affiliate Marketing:
   • Learn how affiliate marketing creates a win-win for bloggers and companies through a commission-based relationship.
   • Discover the importance of cookie duration and the evolving landscape of Google’s cookie policies.
2. Real-World Success Stories:
   • Hear about a niche blogger who’s making a substantial income on Amazon with minimal traffic.
3. Keywords & Audience Alignment:
   • The significance of choosing the right keywords for visibility and aligning with your audience’s interests.
   • A personal story of failure and learning from not meeting audience expectations.
4. Selecting the Right Affiliate Program:
   • Why it’s crucial to pick an affiliate program that aligns with your blog’s niche and audience needs.
   • An introduction to versatile affiliate platforms such as Booking.com.
5. Comparative Analysis:
   • We compare affiliate programs like Booking and Stay 22 on commission rates, cookie length, and reliability of payment.
   • The value of support and resources provided by affiliate partners.
6. Promotion Strategies:
   • How to effectively use email marketing and social media to distribute affiliate links.
   • Strategies for integrating affiliate links into your marketing, including email nurture series.
7. Content Creation Beyond Blogging:
   • Explore high-quality content creation and how it can be leveraged in affiliate marketing.
8. SEO Optimization:
   • Tips for targeting long-tail keywords for better results, especially in light of Google’s 2023 algorithm updates.

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

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Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!

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This episode zeroes in on Stage 4 but starts with a review of the first three stages. 

Stage 1 lays the groundwork by defining the blog’s identity, setting up key elements, and establishing topic clusters. 

Stage 2, the pathfinder stage, advances to creating keyword-driven content, choosing appropriate social media channels, and initiating email marketing strategies. 

In Stage 3, bloggers concentrate on crafting lead magnets tailored to different personas, integrating these into the email system, setting up an editorial calendar for newsletters, and maintaining consistent communication with their audience.

We also discuss the strategic planning involved in blogging, such as understanding the target market, conducting keyword research, building content clusters, starting backlink campaigns, and implementing lead magnets to collect email addresses.

A notable resource mentioned is the LMM available on leslipeterson.com, designed to aid in defining personas and generating effective lead magnets. 

The importance of recognizing low traffic seasons and using seasonal keywords to maintain steady visitor numbers is also discussed, alongside the necessity of conducting an annual audit to ensure the blog remains updated and optimized. 

Grab ALL the freebies I mention on the podcast PLUS so much more. All FREE! Grab it all here.


===== FOLLOW ME =====

FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leslipeterson

Podcast: https://podcast.leslipeterson.com/

** Sometimes I link to additional resources, and they may or may not include affiliate links. I'll never link you to anything I don't use myself!