In this video, Oscar and I explain why we use lavalier mics instead of shotgun microphones when recording our videos and vlogs. Our lavalier of choice is the Giant Squid Audio Lab Omnidirectional Microphone. I’ve been using the Squid for years and having but good things to say about it.
Instagram has emerged as a highly addictive social network. The social media sharing app has attracted the attention of teens and millennials on a worldwide level. If you’re an Instagram user too, you have definitely wanted to make it big but maybe you have not seen the dawn of the day yet. I assume that you’ve also desperately looked for some great tips and pieces of advice for help. But most of the articles you’ve read talk about tips that are just too common.
Am I right?
So, would you like to know some of those tips that can prove to be the secret sauce to your Instagram success?
How is it that some Instagram accounts are so popular while many others only dream of getting big and famous? Almost all Instagram users know about posting consistently, using hashtags and posting quality content.
So, let’s not talk about what you already know. Instead, we’ll talk about some lesser-know Instagram growth tips that you should be using to find more success on the popular social platform.
There are many tips, tricks, features and options that are not widely known to all users. But those who know these hacks are finding it easy to use Instagram to its fullest potential while leaving others envious. It’s completely possible to succeed and get famous on Instagram. It indeed is!
Let’s move on beyond the basic Instagram tips and discover those lesser know tips that can be your ticket to Instagram success.
Even if you’ve been an Instagram user for quite some time now, I bet you’ve not done enough research. Have you ever taken a microscopic look at your favorite accounts? Why some of the feeds attract you so much? To stand out on Instagram, you should be able to aesthetically appeal to people. So, don the researcher’s hat and start studying your favorite Instagram accounts on a deeper level. Find out what exactly you’re planning to achieve on Instagram, and then pick a certain tone which aligns with the specific color values of your company or products. Design your grid in a way that’s visually attractive and different from others.
If you’re looking for more help to create a unique grid for your Instagram, this Preview app is a high recommend.
Did you know that you could lend prominence to your Instagram bio by using special fonts that’s not available in the Instagram community? Well, it’s doable – both via mobile devices and on desktop. Emojis look good, but adding some new fonts to your bio will immediately set you apart.
There are many third-party websites that enable you to add new fonts to your Instagram bio. Using these tools, you can generate attractive fonts and then copy-paste the text to your Instagram profile. Lingojam, which can be used via a mobile device, is one good example of such websites. Go to this site on your phone and type the text for your bio and the next moment, you’ll see your bio in different types of new fonts in the box on the right hand side. Pick the one that you like most and paste it in your bio section on Instagram. There are similar websites that you can use to edit your Instagram bio from a desktop computer or laptop.
A hashtag isn’t anything you can type. The purpose of using hashtags is to expand the reach of your posts. Though Instagram grants you the freedom to use as many as thirty hashtags in a single post, you should use hashtags in a strategic manner. Avoid using hashtags that have a high popularity because you won’t really be able to match up to the competition that comes with those hashtags. Instead, use those hashtags that are moderately popular. It’s a good idea to use a third-party tool like Focalmark to filter hashtags and use only the most effective ones.
Instagram stories offer an excellent way for getting like-minded users to come across your profile, provided you do it right. The more creative you are with your stories, the easier it will be for you to stand out on Instagram. That’s exactly where the Type Mode option comes in. Using the tools in Type Mode, you can edit the appearance of your stories to make them look visually stunning.
With the help of the tools available in Type Mode, you can create a text-only story, add text to a video story, edit font colors, change font size etc. Explore this option and use it to your best advantage for success.
You won’t always come up with story-worthy content to post in your Instagram. But you don’t have to wait until you have something new and interesting to share. It’s a good idea to pick an inspiring post from someone else on Instagram and then share it via your own story – after a few tweaks. When you add a post to your story, you’ll have the option to edit it in the same way as you do to your own stories. Redesign the post a little here and there as you like and then share it in your Instagram story.
[P.S.- You can add a user’s post to your Instagram story only if they have a public account or they have enabled resharing of their posts.]
Millions of business owners, online marketers are entrepreneurs are using Instagram to boost brand awareness, drive momentum among the audience and attract a large number of real customers. In fact, doing all of this is a lot of fun. If you take a strategic approach and let your creative juices flow, you too will enjoy the process of using Instagram to your benefits. Now that you have these secret tips in your marketing arsenal, you can amp up your activities and turn your Instagram account into a steady source of customers and sales.
The main purpose of your email marketing efforts is to drive subscribers back to your website, whether it’s to read your new blog post or to get them to make a purchase. But if your subscribers open your email, give it a quick browse, and don’t head to your website, what can you do?
Many website owners will just work on improving their email marketing campaigns and hope for a better result next time. But, there’s another highly effective tactic you can use, it’s called retargeting.
Retargeting is a cookie you can place on your website that tracks your site visitors, “follows” them across the web, and displays targeted ads on Facebook, Google, etc. to encourage users to return to your website. But, you can retarget your email subscribers too. By using the data from your website retargeting cookie and your email list, you can create highly effective, personalized Facebook retargeting ads. So, if your subscribers don’t take action with your email, you can get them to take action via Facebook.
Here’s how to effectively retarget your email subscribers on Facebook.
For whatever reason, many of your subscribers may not click on your email at all. In fact, according to email marketing benchmarks from GetResponse, in North America, the email open rate is 19.49 percent, with a click-through rate of only 3.32 percent. So, to capture the attention of those subscribers who don’t click on your emails, you can retarget them on Facebook.
Segment the subscribers who didn’t click on your email into their own list. You can then import that list to Facebook to create a Custom Audience. That way, your retargeting ads will be shown specifically to those who didn’t read your email. Those subscribers may not have noticed you in their inbox, but when you display your message to them on social media, they’ll be more likely to pay attention.
Some subscribers on your email list are already customers and some are leads; you need to consider this when retargeting. The goal of your email marketing campaigns should be to guide your subscribers through the buyer’s journey. So, you need to segment leads from customers. Your efforts should be spent on turning your leads into customers and your customers into lifelong, loyal fans.
For example, if your subscribers haven’t purchased your product yet, you can display a Facebook retargeting ad to those subscribers specifically, in order to tempt them into buying. To really catch their attention, you can offer them an irresistible deal that will make them want to buy right away. This Facebook ad from BarkBox uses this exact strategy, which includes a killer deal.
You don’t want to waste these Facebook retargeting ads on subscribers who’ve already made a purchase. Seeing an ad like the one above might even annoy your customers, especially if they never got that sweet deal. Those customers should be shown Facebook ads that offer deals for an upgrade or an upsell that’s relevant to them.
Consumers want to receive messages that are personalized to them and they’re more likely to engage with those personalized messages vs. broad, blanket messages. In fact, according to MarketingProfs, nearly three-fourths of marketers report that targeted messages and personalization of emails improve customer engagement. So, you need to personalize your Facebook retargeting ads too. You can increase personalization by segmenting your email list based on demographics and interests. For instance, if some of your subscribers are only interested in a specific type of product, you’ll want to show them ads that are relevant to them.
For instance, based on what products they browse on your website, your Facebook retargeting ads should display those same products, similar to the example below.
You can also get users to segment themselves based on interests and demographics the instant they become a subscriber. One way to accomplish this is to offer them 2 different lead magnets, via an exit-intent popup, in exchange for signing up for your email list. For instance, you might provide a lead magnet specifically for aspiring bloggers and another one for aspiring virtual assistants. Based on which one the user picks, they’ll segment themselves and you immediately know what they’re more interested in.
Don’t forget that demographics like age, gender, and location are important as well. For instance, a subscriber living in Florida, probably won’t be interested in your Facebook retargeting ad showcasing deals on snowsuits.
With these tips for retargeting your email subscribers on Facebook, you’ll be able to boost your engagement and sales in no time. Remember, you don’t have to do all of this work yourself. Many of the best email marketing services will allow you to segment your email list for more personalized retargeting ads with just the click of a button. Retargeting your email subscribers is not only highly-effective and affordable, it’s easy too. Start retargeting your email subscribers on Facebook today.
On this episode of the Dom Com Lunch, we use multiple cameras to create a really cool video. Hope you enjoy it. Join us for the next lunch here.
I check out the new limited edition Porsche 911 GT3 Touring at this week’s South OC Cars and Coffee. Take all the racing parts of the Porsche GT3, remove the big wing and you have the GT3 Touring. A race ready 911 that looks like every other road going 911! In addition to the 911 Touring, I check out a bunch of other cars too. Enjoy the video.
No one can argue how important it is to have the right content marketing strategy when blogging. The art of content marketing is changing the way people engage with a website. Through content you’re able to provide value, and sell products to your readers which helps achieve your bottom line Profit. However, many new bloggers fail to incorporate content marketing as a way to increase engagement with their readers. Over the years, while working with different clients, I was able to ask this question to some of them Why haven’t you started to incorporate content marketing into your blogs growth strategy? And here’s what many of them said…
They didn’t know how to implement content marketing because they had trouble creating a clear cut plan to get it done. I couldn’t believe this was what a majority of them had to say. I’ve been working with different clients for the last 5-6 years helping them build an online presence. My strategy includes different avenues to help them, however content marketing has been my main focus in recent years. Next,
I believe content marketing is becoming more important now than ever before. First, search engines like Google loves this type of marketing because it NOT only provides value, but increases the user experience. For example, the content includes a combination of target, long-tail, and LSI keywords which are specific in what the user is looking for. Next, it’s evergreen meaning very rarely does it have an expiry date. Third, It’s very engaging meaning through a solid content marketing plan, you’ll see an increase in social shares, comments, high-quality links, and reduce bounce time. These all fall under Google’s 200 rankings factors showing them where it belongs within the SERP’s.
Today, I want to provide a breakdown of a solid content marketing plan, and how you can start incorporating one into your business by making a few tweaks in the way you create content. Let’s get started, and your feedback will be appreciated going forward.
It doesn’t matter what niche you’re in because you have to always start with solid research. In order for you to write content which resonates with your readers, it’s important to find out what’s been trending in recent months. I have a certain procedure I follow to find out what’s been happening within my niche. For example,
I’ll research forums because the information is always in real-time. The amount of people asking and answering questions is amazing. The solutions are provided by people who are experienced, and MOST likely contain up-to-date information about the topic. Next,
I’ll reach out to a handful of bloggers I’ve worked with in the past. These bloggers are guru’s in my niche, and I know they are always up-to-date with the changing trends. It’s their business to be fully in-tuned with what’s happening so they can share it with their readers. My approach is very simple,
I’ll get shoot 5-6 of them an email with my question, and ask them the following:
From my experience, the more common the problem, the more quickly it’ll gain momentum once published.
Through research you’ll be able to determine what you should focus on, and it will give you a clear idea of your purpose. For example, if I choose to write about Top 2016 Link Building Tools, it’s much easier to focus on my objective which is to provide people with a tools that’ll help them build quality links.
It’s important to know what type of content resonates with your readers. You have several options, for example:
If you’ve been blogging for several years, and have a stable flow of readers, then you’ll know where to focus your attention. However, for those of you just starting out, it’s going to be tough because you have to find out what works, and what doesn’t. For example, there’s no point in writing text content then MOST of your readers don’t speak English fluently, right? In this case, your better of creating a video tutorial or infographic.
However, if you know anything about marketing, then you know it’s all about trial and error. It’s always good to test out what resonates with your readers. This is easy to figure out once you know what call signs to look for when i.e. comments, shares, bounce rate, retention, etc. We’ll discuss tracking metrics later, however these are the fundamental call signs which will differentiate a successful content marketing campaign compared to one which under performed.
Next,
It’s important to use the tools available to find out as much as you can about your audience. Here’s a few ways to streamline your content type research.
Competitor Analysis
One way I like to find out what type of content resonates with my niche audience is to explore my competition. Some of my competitors have been in the niche for several years so know EXACTLY who to market to, and where to find their audience. I like to skim through the top bloggers, and find what type of content they are focusing on MOST of the time. For example,
If you notice a growth in video content, then you know there’s a reason why they shifted their focus. It might be because their audience can follow through on video’s better than text. Video content is also evidence that how-to tutorials are gaining dominant because tutorials are best displayed in video format.
Forums
This is an old school method which still continues to be one of the MOST overlooked strategies online. Did you know forums have been around way before search engines became sophisticated? One of the very first forums was online way before Google was even a company, and this is why they still are a popular real-time portal for answers. In order for you to use them successfully to find out more about content type, it’s important you read in between the lines. For example, it’s all about finding the right forum then looking for common problems within your niche.
I like to start by heading over to Google, and doing a search top niche + forums. I’ll visit the top 3-4 forums looking for the following information:
Next,
Skim through a see if I can find a pattern. I like to find questions which are commonly being asked over and over again. This means it’s a popular problem people are having within your niche, and a solution can create a serious buzz online. However, you need to find out more the solutions already posted like how in-depth or what content type. For example, I’ll find a solution someone has written, and click on the link they provide to find out if it’s an infographic, video, text, or even podcast.
If I click on 5-6 solution, and notice all of them provide a video then it’s safe to assume I should focus on creating a video, right? However, when I create a video, I’ll make sure it’s more in-depth, and contains more value than all my competitors. This will ensure I get more shares, comments, and generate more traffic than everyone else.
Google Trends
Not as popular as the other methods, but if used correctly it can provide some great insight into future searches. Google Trends is a tool which gives you a breakdown of the rising keywords, and what the general public is typing into the search engines. For example, when you head to Google Trends, and type in a keyword, you’ll generate a list of keywords which include little clues into a user’s preference. In the past, I’ve had results with the following:
You can see from the results above that some include the word video, and even the name of an authority blogger. Going forward I know to direct my attention to creating videos or even visit the authority blogs to gather topics or find out about content type.
Next,
I’ve been noticing a huge trend developing since the internet has connected people from all over the world. Some of the countries which visit my blog won’t be from English peaking countries, and videos will resonate with them better. This has increased my overall engagement, focus, conversions, and profits. Understanding your audience, and creating the right type of content can be vital to your success if you know how to fit all the pieces in correctly.
The way you write, and structure your content is very important to your readers. If words are correctly highlighted, and there is proper spacing, then content becomes easier to read. The easier the content to read, the more value readers can pull out which leads to a higher conversion rate. I’m surprised at the amount of bloggers who don’t pay attention to content structure which slows down their growth going forward. Personally, I believe there are a handful of structure elements you should keep a close eye on. Let’s explore the top 4-5.
Paragraph length
Case studies have proven paragraphs should have no more than 5 sentences. Anything higher will start to cause too much clutter which can push the reader away. For example, think about the amount of times you’ve left a website because all you saw was condensed text everywhere? I know I’ve left numerous times, and I don’t think I’ve gone back because it left a negative (x) in my mind.
Make sure you have no more than 5 sentences per paragraph, and the spacing is 1.15 as outlined below.
Spacing
Each sentence or line within a paragraph should have a spacing of 1.15. When talking about spacing, I’m referring to the gap between the lines above, and below. Here’s an illustration. This is important because it makes it easier for people to follow through as they read. It also reduces clutter.
Keywords
New readers arrived on your website because they are looking for specific information. They went to Google, typed in a specific keyword or phrase, then skimmed through until they found an attractive listing. I think it’s very important when structuring your content to include a few target keywords within each paragraph. These keywords serve as reinforcement for the reader that they are reading relevant content. For example,
When I search in Google for make money online and click-through to a website, I hope the keyword phrase will be embedded within the content. If not, I’ll feel the content won’t provide a solution to the problem I’m having.
Text Decoration
This includes the following: H1, H2, H3, Bold, Underline, and Italic.
The common practice is to decorate target keyword phrases to put emphasis on them. They serve as reinforcement for readers, and is important during the indexing process. Search spiders will skim through your page looking for common keywords because it helps them determine where to place your page within the SERP’s. By bolding text, your putting emphasis on that keyword, and indirectly telling search spiders you would like to rank for that keyword.
Now that you understand writing structure, you can keep a close eye on these elements as you complete your content.
Writing high quality content can be attributed to understand what your readers are looking for. If you can solve a common problem within your niche, then you’ll build momentum online quickly. However, the less common the problem, the fewer readers. However, writing high quality content doesn’t just happen through research because you need a clear plan. For example, after research it’s important you create a list of keywords, then outline your entire process. For example, it important to know:
Before I start writing, I’ll take a piece of paper and write down in point form what will go in all of these sections.
The Introduction
I like to write this section last because I find this makes the process easier. When you know what’s in the body, and conclusion, it’s very easy to put an introduction together.
Subheadings
These should include your secondary target keywords, and should be decorated with H2-H3 tags. By adding keywords within the sub-headings, readers assume the content is relevant to those keywords. Next, the H2-H3 play a crucial role in indexing.
The Body
You’ve done your research, and know what your readers are looking for s stay focused. Scatter your target and related keywords throughout the body. Keep a 2%-4% ratio in keywords vs. length of content. Remember, you are trying to solve the problem within your niche so make sure you are in-depth, and cover all corners when writing.
Conclusion
This section is NOT tough because you are summarizing what you discussed within the content body. It’s also a good place to add action steps for your readers. Many of them will be new readers, and need a walkthrough on what to do next. This is especially important if you wrote how-to content which showed them how to solve a problem moving through various steps. Give them a breakdown of what to do, and even include call-to-action buttons.
What about links?
It’s a good idea to link target keywords to other content published on your page. This will decrease bounce rate, and increase conversions through value provided throughout your site. External links are a good idea, but only to credit sites because some of them get alerts when you link to them. This increases the chance of them linking back to your if you’ve provided relevant value.
This is where you fine tune your content marketing plan for optimal conversions. I believe anything you do online has to be tested, and fine tuned so you can increase profits. This is why when selling products, it’s always a smart idea to split test landing page, and marketing platforms because some will work better then others. However, testing a content marketing strategy is a bit different. With content marketing, you are testing user engagement, and the approach is a bit different. Here are the fundamental metrics of user engagement:
By analyzing all of these, you can figure out if you have a winning content marketing strategy. In point #1 I talked about your purpose, and what you are trying to accomplish through your content marketing. You are analyzing if the plan you incorporated brings you closer to your objective. Let’s get started:
Much of what you need to track can be done through Google Analytics. They provide the following information:
Google Analytics also provides a heat-map so you can see where most of the users spend their time on a page.
Pay close attention to:
Next,
Social Shares
Social media is changing the way people find content. The top 3รข€ networks: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ account for over 50% of a sites traffic. A content marketing strategy is only successful when users share your content because this shows you have provided value. For example, let’s say you visit a website, and did NOT find value in the content will you share the content on social media? You most likely answered No. If readers actively share your content, then you know you have a successful content marketing strategy in place.
To test social engagement:
Opt-in Form
Depending on your content marketing strategy, you might be selling a product or service. In order to generate leads, you’ll have opt-in forms through your website. With opt-in forms, it’s important to test different locations, forms, headlines, and the conversion rate. It’s been stated the opt-in is higher when you provide value beforehand so with higher conversions, you can determine successful of a campaign.
However, split testing does take time and it’s important you try different locations while giving it enough time to collect data. Here’s are some things to keep a close eye on:
Collect data for 3-60 days to get a good idea of conversion rate, and winning opt-in form.
Comments
The higher the comments, the higher value you’ve provided. I’ve only left comments or feedback when the content I read provide in-depth value. When the content is low quality, no one will take the time to leave an engaging comment. The reason I love comments is because of the value you can pull out. For example, through comments, I can find:
Many people downplay the importance of comments, but it’s feedback which provides great insight into your content. Here’s something I want you to do:
Visit this website, and scroll to the bottom: https://www.quicksprout.com/2014/04/07/your-content-marketing-campaign-will-fail-without-these-10-features/.
You’ll notice over 20-30 comments. Read some of them, and you’ll get an idea of the diverse comments people leave. It’s amazing.
No matter what type of niche or business, it’s important you have a solid content marketing plan. Understanding your purpose will guide your marketing strategy, and this will be reflected through your research. It’s when you’re under your purpose that you’re able to focus on your competitors, right? Otherwise, you would have NO clue who your competition is and where they are focusing their energy. Analyzing my competition is one of the MOST effective marketing strategies to date, and it’s very cheap. By visiting their blogs, I’ll have a better understanding of the following:
Next,
Once I have a clear cut game plan, I’ll jump into writing content using the format and structure above. Remember, it’s important to use the right spacing, decorative text, keywords and sub-headings. In the end, it’s all about understanding the analytics and how your marketing can be better optimized. Look for the visible signals like:
The success of your business depends on your ability to test what’s working for you. Creating a solid content marketing is the foundation when getting started. After, it’s all about reading over the data, making tweaks, testing, and then optimizing until you reach optimal results.
In this video, I unbox and review the new GoPro Hero 7 Black. This is a waterproof digital action camera with touch screen 4K HD video, 12MP photos, and live streaming stabilization. It’s all wrapped up a package that can fit inside your pocket.
