Writing for SEO vs Writing for Yourself, Similarities and Differences

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Let’s explore the secrets of effective online content writing!

In the world of online content creation, two distinct approaches often emerge: writing for yourself and writing for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Both have their merits and serve specific purposes, but finding the right balance between these two can be a game-changer for small businesses looking to make their mark in the digital landscape.

In this article, we’ll explore the similarities and differences between writing for yourself (pleasure or hobby) and writing for SEO. We’ll explore when and why it makes sense for small businesses to consider hiring an SEO writer and how this decision can boost their online presence. So, whether you’re a DIY enthusiast or contemplating outsourcing your content needs, let’s unravel the secrets of effective online writing.

Writing for Yourself vs. Writing for SEO: Striking the Balance

Writing on a notebook

Writing for Yourself: A Personal Touch:

Writing for yourself often takes on a more personal, creative, and authentic tone. It’s about expressing your unique voice, emotions, and sharing your passion, knowledge, and experiences with your audience. Here’s where the magic happens:

  1. Authenticity: When you write for yourself, you’re free to let your personality shine through. Your readers get a glimpse of the real you, fostering a deeper connection and trust.
  2. Unleash Creativity: The creative process knows no bounds when writing for yourself. You can experiment with storytelling, humor, and personal anecdotes that captivate and engage your audience.
  3. Passion-Driven Content: Your genuine passion for the subject matter comes across naturally, making your content compelling and inspiring. Readers can feel your enthusiasm, which can be contagious.

Writing for SEO: The Technical Side:

Writing for SEO, on the other hand, is a more technical endeavor. It involves optimizing content to rank higher in search engine results, making it easily discoverable by your target audience. Here’s the SEO landscape:

  1. Keyword Research: SEO writers meticulously research and select keywords that align with your business and resonate with search engine users. These keywords are strategically placed within your content.
  2. Optimized Structure: SEO content follows a structured format that includes headings, subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs. This readability enhances the user experience.
  3. Meta Descriptions: Crafting compelling meta descriptions is part of the SEO game. These snippets provide a brief preview of your content in search results, enticing users to click.

FREE template: How to write blog posts that rank high on Google.

Striking the Balance: When to Blend Both Worlds:

While writing for yourself and writing for SEO seem distinct, there’s a sweet spot where they intersect. Finding this balance is crucial for small businesses:

  1. Quality and Relevance: Always prioritize high-quality, relevant content. Your audience should find value in what you write, whether it’s informative, entertaining, or inspirational.
  2. Keyword Integration: Seamlessly incorporate keywords without compromising the natural flow of your writing. It should feel organic, not forced.
  3. Long-Term Strategy: Think of SEO as a long-term investment. It might take time for your efforts to yield results, but the payoff is a steady stream of organic traffic.

Hiring an SEO Writer for Small Businesses: When and Why?

  1. Time Constraints: Small business owners often juggle numerous responsibilities. Hiring an SEO writer frees up your time to focus on core operations.
  2. Expertise Matters: SEO writers bring specialized knowledge and experience to the table. They stay updated with search engine algorithms and industry trends.
  3. Consistency Is Key: Maintaining a consistent content schedule is vital for SEO. An SEO writer can ensure you regularly produce quality content that appeals to search engines and readers alike.
  4. Staying Competitive: In the online arena, competition is fierce. An SEO writer can help you stand out by crafting content that ranks well and resonates with your audience.

Conclusion: The Perfect Blend

In the world of content creation, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Writing for yourself and writing for SEO each has its place, but it’s in the balance between the two that you’ll find success. Small businesses can benefit from the authenticity and passion of self-expression while harnessing the power of SEO to expand their digital footprint. So, whether you’re crafting content in-house or seeking the expertise of an SEO writer, remember that the perfect blend can propel your online presence to new heights.

About Alle:

I’ve been a blog writer for over five years, partnering with various online brands to help them create content that resonates. I understand the challenges of boosting traffic and improving rankings, and I’m here to make that journey easier for you.

Let’s work together to achieve your digital goals!

Get in touch

Ultimate Guide to Online Marketing for Startups

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Launching a startup comes with its unique set of challenges and opportunities. In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, online marketing for startups is your golden ticket to achieving growth and success. This guide is your trusted companion, designed to simplify the complex realm of online marketing and pave the way for your startup’s prosperity.

Online Marketing For Startups

Building Your Online Presence

Your startup’s online presence is like its digital footprint, and it all starts with a well-crafted website. The first step is selecting a domain name that’s both memorable and reflective of your business. It’s your online identity, so choose wisely. 

But a great name is just the beginning; your website should provide a seamless experience for visitors. From speedy loading times to user-friendly navigation and mobile responsiveness, every detail counts. Your website is your virtual storefront; make it inviting and engaging.

Online Marketing Strategies for Startups

When you’re a startup, resources can be limited, so focusing on high-impact online marketing strategies is essential. Let’s dive into the key players:

  • Content Marketing: This is your secret weapon. It’s all about creating content that directly addresses your audience’s pain points and offers solutions. By doing so, you establish yourself as a trusted source and attract potential customers.
  • Social Media: Think of social media as your direct line to your audience. Consistent and engaging posts allow you to build a community around your brand. It’s where you showcase your unique personality and values.
  • Email Marketing: Email marketing adds a personal touch. It involves building an email list and sending tailored campaigns to nurture leads and guide them toward becoming loyal customers.
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization): SEO is your ticket to being found online. It involves optimizing your website with the right keywords, enhancing loading speed, and crafting compelling meta descriptions. SEO increases your visibility to potential customers searching for products or services like yours.

Identifying Your Target Audience

Knowing your audience is like having a treasure map. It’s crucial to understand your potential customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points. Here’s a simplified three-step process for identifying your target audience:

1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile:

  • Start by thinking about who your perfect customer is. Consider factors like age, gender, location, occupation, interests, and values. What are their needs, preferences, and pain points? Create a detailed description of this ideal customer.

2. Create Buyer Personas:

  • Once you have a clear idea of your ideal customer, create buyer personas. These are fictional representations of different segments of your audience. Each persona should include demographic details, such as age, gender, and location, as well as psychographic information, like interests, values, and pain points. You might have multiple personas that represent different customer segments.

3. Conduct Market Research:

  • To validate and refine your understanding of your target audience, conduct market research. This can involve surveys, interviews, and analyzing data from your website, social media, and competitors. Look for patterns and insights that help you better understand your audience’s behavior and preferences.

By following these three steps, you’ll have a comprehensive view of your target audience, allowing you to tailor your marketing efforts effectively and connect with your customers on a deeper level. Remember that understanding your audience is an ongoing process, and it’s essential to stay updated with their changing needs and preferences

Crafting Compelling Blog Content

Quality content is your currency in the digital world. It’s what captures the attention of your audience and keeps them engaged. Craft blog posts, articles, and social media updates that resonate with your target audience. Focus on solving their problems and providing value.

⬇️ FREE Template: Learn how to write blog posts that rank high on Google. 

Leveraging Social Media for Startups

Social media platforms are your stage, and your audience is ready to applaud. Choose platforms where your audience is most active and maintain a consistent online presence. Interact with your followers by responding to comments and messages. It’s about fostering relationships and building a loyal following.

FREE Guide: Learn how to build a social media strategy for your business here. 

SEO Essentials

Imagine your website as a treasure chest; SEO is the key to unlocking it.

  • Optimize your website content with relevant keywords to improve your search engine ranking.
  • Speed up your website’s loading time for a better user experience.
  • Don’t forget to craft compelling meta descriptions – they’re like the treasure map that leads visitors to your site.

Access a list of must-know SEO tips and tactics that I use to optimize search discovery for blog posts.

Email Marketing for Startups

Email marketing is your secret weapon for staying in touch with your audience. Building an email list is like assembling a loyal army of potential customers. Send them personalized and engaging email campaigns to nurture leads and turn them into loyal customers.

Here’s a chart to help you visualize how email marketing works:

  1. Top of Funnel (TOFU): At the top of the funnel, you collect email subscribers who have shown interest in your brand, products, or services. These are potential customers who have joined your email list.
  2. Middle of Funnel (MOFU): In the middle of the funnel, you engage with your subscribers by sending personalized and relevant email campaigns. These emails provide value, nurture leads, and guide subscribers toward taking specific actions, such as making a purchase or signing up for a webinar.
  3. Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): The bottom of the funnel is where subscribers become customers. They take the desired action you’ve been guiding them toward through your email campaigns, whether it’s making a purchase, requesting a demo, or signing up for a subscription.
  4. Loyal Customers: After conversion, some customers become loyal and repeat buyers. They continue to engage with your brand, making them valuable assets to your business.

Measuring Success and Analytics

In the digital world, data is your compass. Here are some examples of what success might look for different startups along with the specific metrics you can measure to gauge that success:

1. Website Traffic:

  • Success: Increasing the number of visitors to your website.
  • Metrics to Measure: Total website visits, unique visitors, page views, and average session duration.

2. Content Engagement:

  • Success: Ensuring that visitors engage with your content.
  • Metrics to Measure: Bounce rate (lower is better), time spent on page, and the number of pages per session.

3. Lead Generation:

  • Success: Generating leads or inquiries from your website.
  • Metrics to Measure: Conversion rate (percentage of visitors who take the desired action, e.g., filling out a contact form), number of form submissions, and lead source tracking.

4. Email Marketing:

  • Success: Effective email campaigns that resonate with your audience.
  • Metrics to Measure: Open rate (percentage of recipients who open your email), click-through rate (percentage of recipients who click on links within your email), conversion rate (percentage of recipients who take the desired action after clicking), and unsubscribe rate.

5. Social Media Engagement:

6. SEO Performance:

  • Success: Improving your website’s search engine ranking and visibility.
  • Metrics to Measure: Keyword rankings, organic search traffic, and backlinks.

7. E-commerce Sales:

  • Success: Generating sales and revenue through your online store.
  • Metrics to Measure: Total sales, conversion rate, average order value, and return on ad spend (ROAS) for paid advertising.

8. Customer Retention:

  • Success: Maintaining a loyal customer base.
  • Metrics to Measure: Customer retention rate, customer lifetime value, and churn rate (percentage of customers who stop doing business with you).

9. Ad Campaign Performance:

  • Success: Achieving a positive return on investment (ROI) from advertising.
  • Metrics to Measure: Cost per click (CPC), click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and ROI.

Use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Monitor email open rates and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of your email campaigns. Analyze your social media insights and data to identify what’s working and what needs improvement.

Recommended: Best tools to track your social media analytics!

Budget-Friendly Marketing Tactics

Startup life often means being resourceful. Focus on cost-effective strategies that align with your budget. Consider free or low-cost marketing tools and platforms that pack a punch. It’s about getting the most out of your investment and maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

Here are some examples of cost-effective marketing strategies:

  • Content Recycling: Repurpose existing content into different formats (e.g., turn a blog post into an infographic or a video). It’s a budget-friendly way to create fresh content.
  • Social Media Scheduling Tools: Utilize free or low-cost social media scheduling tools like Buffer or Pallyy to plan and automate your social media posts in advance.
  • Email Marketing Platforms: Use cost-effective email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp for sending newsletters and campaigns to your email list.
  • Google My Business: Optimize your Google My Business listing to improve your local search visibility. It’s a free tool that can boost your online presence.
  • DIY Graphic Design: Design eye-catching visuals for your marketing materials using user-friendly and affordable tools like Canva.
  • User-Generated Content: Encourage your customers to create content related to your brand. Share user-generated content on your website or social media channels to build trust and engagement.
  • Micro-Influencers: Partner with micro-influencers who have a smaller but highly engaged audience. They often charge less than macro-influencers but can have a significant impact.
  • Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for other relevant websites and include links back to your site. It’s a cost-effective way to build backlinks and expand your audience.
  • Online Communities: Participate in online forums, groups, or communities related to your industry. Engage with members and share your expertise without spending money on advertising.

These cost-effective strategies and tools can help startups make the most of their budget while still achieving significant results in their online marketing efforts.

Conclusion

In summary, online marketing is your startup’s lifeline in today’s digital landscape. It’s not just a one-time effort; it’s an ongoing journey of growth and adaptation. By implementing these strategies, your startup can create a robust online presence, engage with your audience directly, and fuel your growth.

With determination and a well-executed online marketing plan, your startup can achieve remarkable success in the digital landscape.

So, embark on this exciting journey, and let your startup’s story of digital triumph begin.

Unlock your Instagram Sucess with Instagram Insights on Desktop

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In the world of social media marketing, Instagram insights is a vital tool for understanding your audience and improving your content. While most people use it on their phones, there are good reasons to explore using Instagram insights on your desktop computer. Desktop access allows for deeper analysis, easier data sharing, and smoother integration with other marketing tools.

In this article, we’ll explain why smart marketers are using platforms like Pallyy.com on their computers to boost their Instagram strategy and make better decisions based on data.

Let’s dive into the details!

Why Marketers Should Use Instagram Insights on Desktop

Here are the top benefits of using Instagram Insights on a desktop platform:

  • Deeper Analysis: Desktop access enables in-depth analysis of Instagram data, allowing marketers to uncover valuable insights about their audience’s behavior and preferences.
  • Easier Data Sharing: It simplifies the process of sharing data and insights with team members or clients, fostering collaboration and informed decision-making.
  • Integration: Desktop analytics tools can seamlessly integrate with other marketing tools and platforms, streamlining workflows and providing a holistic view of social media performance.
  • Efficiency: Using a desktop platform often provides a more efficient and user-friendly experience for managing and interpreting data, saving marketers time and effort.
  • Enhanced Visuals: Larger screens on desktops offer a better visual experience for analyzing charts, graphs, and detailed reports, making it easier to spot trends and patterns.

These benefits collectively empower smart marketers to optimize their Instagram strategies, create more engaging content, and achieve better results by leveraging data-driven decisions.

How Pallyy.com makes it easier for marketers to track Instagram insights from desktop

Tools like Pallyy.com can be incredibly helpful for marketers looking to access and analyze their Instagram Insights on a desktop. Pallyy.com provides a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies the process of tracking and understanding Instagram metrics. Here’s how it can enhance the Instagram Insights experience for social media marketers and agencies:

1. Comprehensive Dashboard: Pallyy.com offers a centralized dashboard where marketers can view all their Instagram data in one place. This includes metrics related to post performance, audience demographics, and Stories analytics. Having this information readily accessible on a desktop simplifies the monitoring process.

2. Historical Data: Pallyy.com often provides historical data and trends, allowing marketers to track their progress over time. This feature is valuable for spotting long-term trends, seasonal patterns, and the impact of specific campaigns.

3. Content Scheduling: Many tools, including Pallyy.com, enable marketers to schedule Instagram posts in advance. This helps maintain a consistent posting schedule, even during off-hours, when engagement may be high but posting manually is inconvenient.

4. Post Analytics: Pallyy.com breaks down post performance metrics, making it easier to identify top-performing content. This allows marketers to replicate successful strategies and refine their content approach.

5. Audience Insights: The tool provides insights into audience demographics, helping marketers understand who their followers are. This information can be crucial for tailoring content and targeting specific audience segments.

6. Competitor Analysis: Some tools, including Pallyy.com, offer features for monitoring competitors’ Instagram performance. Marketers can compare their metrics with those of competitors to identify areas for improvement.

7. Reporting: Pallyy.com often allows users to generate detailed reports that can be shared with team members or clients. These reports can highlight key performance indicators, growth trends, and other important insights.

8. Recommendations: Many Instagram Insights tools provide recommendations based on data analysis. These suggestions can include the best times to post, content types that resonate with the audience, and strategies for increasing engagement.

9. User-Friendly Interface: Tools like Pallyy.com are designed with user-friendliness in mind, making it accessible to marketers of all levels of expertise.

10. Integration: Some tools integrate with other social media platforms and marketing software, streamlining the management of multiple accounts and providing a holistic view of social media performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, tools like Pallyy.com are invaluable for marketers seeking to leverage Instagram Insights on their desktop. They not only simplify the process of accessing and understanding data but also offer additional features to enhance Instagram marketing strategies. By utilizing such tools, marketers can make data-driven decisions and optimize their Instagram presence for better results.

Interested in Pallyy? Here’s a complete review.

How to Write Blog Posts that Rank Higher on Google (Step-by-Step)

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Are you tired of seeing your blog posts buried in the depths of search engine results? Do you dream of having your content rank higher on Google and attract a flood of organic traffic to your website?

Look no further, because this article is here to help you write blog posts that dominate Google’s rankings In the digital landscape, Search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to success. But it’s not just about stuffing your content with keywords. It’s about creating high-quality, valuable blog posts that resonate with your audience and meet Google’s ever-evolving algorithm needs.

In this guide, I will walk you through the essential stages of a well-optimized blog post, from keyword research to writing engaging content.

Photo by PhotoMIX Company on Pexels.com

Understanding Google’s ranking factors

Google’s ranking algorithm takes into account various factors when it comes to ranking blog posts. Understanding these factors is crucial for writing blog posts that rank high in search engine results. These include:

#1: High-quality content

Google loves quality content that gives value to its users. Ideally, blog posts should be well-researched, informative, and easy to read by people. You also want to write relevant content and use your articles to provide unique insights or solutions to their problems. 

#2: User experience and engagement

Google also looks at user experiences and engagement metrics like bounce rate and social media shares. Make sure your posts are visually appealing, easy to read, and optimized for mobile browsing. You can also add videos, infographics, and polls to encourage engagement and shares on social media.

#3: Backlinks and authority

Google uses backlinks as a measure of a blog post’s authority and trustworthiness. Aim to build quality backlinks by writing valuable content that others would want to link to.

How to get more backlinks?

Guest blogging and reaching out to industry influencers are some good ways to obtain backlinks.

Tips for writing blog posts that rank higher on Google

Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

Step 1: Research keywords

Ranking high on Google has everything to do with choosing the right keywords. Choose keywords that are too popular – and nobody will see your content. Instead, if you select keywords that nobody is searching for – you guessed it – your articles will not get noticed.

So what are keywords?

Keywords are phrases or words that people type on Google to find information, look for answers, or search for products. Keywords can be categorized based on a user’s search intent – aka. what are people searching for:

  1. Informational – general or educational information (eg: how to brew coffee)
  2. Navigational – specific search to find a unique website (eg: Starbucks.com)
  3. Commercial – to learn about a product or service (product features, shades range, instruction manual)
  4. Transactional – phrases people search to make a purchase (cheap, best, get a quote)

I like using tools like Google Trends to research broad topics for any industry. Then, I use SEO tools like Ubersuggest and SEMrush to filter those keywords, narrow down on search intent, and choose the best keywords for my articles.

Tip: When I start writing for a new blog or a business with a fresh website, I tend to choose more informational keywords. I also try to pick keywords that are low volume (eg: 1,000 -10,000 searches) and have lower competition. Eventually, as your Google domain score increases, you can start targeting medium keywords and more competitive topics.

Keyword research tools: Google Trends, SEMrush.com, Ubersuggest, AnswerThePublic

Step 2: Write content around those keywords

Once you’ve identified your keywords, it’s time to start writing your content. If you’re not an experienced writer, you may struggle to get started writing your first few blog posts. I would recommend you use AI writing tools to generate outlines for your content. Then, you can modify and expand on this outline by adding your own examples, screenshots, experience, and case studies. Once you have written 3-4 articles, you’ll get the hang of it and you won’t need to rely on AI tools.

Tip: When using AI to generate content for your blog don’t forget to add your personal touch & emotions. That’s what really makes people connect to your articles.

  • Ai Writing tools: Grammarly, Ubersuggest AI Writer, Pallyy AI Captions Generator

Step 3: Optimize your content for SEO

If you want to write content that ranks HIGH on Google search engine you CANNOT avoid SEO (search engine optimization). I like to use SEO optimization tools that are built into WordPress (eg: AIOSEO) to run a final SEO check on my articles and find gaps that need fixing. This is an absolutely essential step and it’s going to help you rank higher on your chosen keywords.

Here are some on-page optimization techniques to consider to rank higher on Google

1. Optimize title tags and meta descriptions – Title tags and meta descriptions are HTML elements that provide information about the content of your blog post. Include your target keyword in the title tag and meta description to entice people to click on your link. 


2. Use header tags and optimize for readability – Using header tags such as H2, H3, etc. can make your blog post more readable for both people and search engines. Remember to include your target keyword in your headers and consider using bullet points and numbered lists to enhance readability.

3. Optimize images and use alt tags – Images can break up lengthy lext sections and improve user engagement. However, it’s essential to optimize your images for SEO. Use Alt tags that include keywords, and compress your images to improve page load speed, as slow-loading pages can negatively impact your rankings.

  • SEO optimization tools: YOAST SEO (WordPress plug-in), AIOSEO (WordPress plug-in)

Tip: Optimize images with ALT-text. This can help Google Image search list your article in the search results for your target keywords.

Step 4: Add quality backlinks

Another factor that can help you rank higher on Google is having quality backlinks. If multiple websites link to a website page, search engines will consider that content valuable enough to link to. Therefore, if you add backlinks to reputable sites and can get them to link back to your content – you’re increasing your search ranking position.

How to get websites to link to your content?

By posting original content, sharing your experience and new data from your own research (e.g.: a case study) you can get other websites to link to your content. For example, my article “How I got my deactivated Instagram back” has multiple backlinks because people featured it in their posts.

Step 5: Use the AIDA content template

The AIDA (attention-interest-desire-action) framework for copywriting is a great example of a writing template that has stood the test of time. You can use it as a guideline for your articles, blog posts, social media posts, and paid adverts as it’s logical structure keeps your readers engaged and interested to read more.

I have this article that explains in detail how to use AIDA method.

Conclusion

In conclusion, writing blog posts that rank high on Google requires a combination of high-quality content, strategic keyword research, and clever SEO techniques. I also want you to keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process, and staying up-to-date with the latest search trends is crucial for long-term success.

Start implementing these strategies today, and watch your blog grow higher on Google rankings!

The Rise of AI Blog Writers: How They’re Transforming Content Writing

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Uncover the fascinating world of AI blog writers

AI blog writing tools have revolutionized the content creation process by auto-generating blog posts from scratch. These ai tools can scan the web, analyze data, and mimic human writing styles, streamlining the content creation process. However, it is important to recognize that these tools also have limitations. 

In this post, we’ll explore the advantages and limitations of using AI tools for writing blogs, providing a comprehensive overview of this new technology.

Let’s dive into the fascinating world or AI blog writing!

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

What is AI blog writing?

AI blog writing refers to artificial intelligence (AI) technology that can generate written content for blog posts. This technology utilizes algorithms and machine learning to analyze data, understand context, and produce content that mimics human writing styles. 

Some advanced AI blog writers can produce high-quality, engaging blog posts quickly, saving time and resources for content creators. However, it is important to note that AI writing tools also have limitations. While AI can generate well-structured and informative content, it lacks the creativity and emotional intelligence that human writers possess. As a result, some articles produced by AI can include repetitive sentences, contradicting points, or miss out on the main point of the article.

So, to make it easier to understand, I’ve summarized the key advantages and limitations of AI writing tools below. 

Advantages of using AI blog writers.

There are several advantages to using AI blog writers in content creation. 

  1. Can produce content at a much faster rate than human writers. This can be especially beneficial for businesses that want to publish blog posts in bulk or post multiple times a day to keep readers engaged.
  2. Improved analytics and insights. Writing tools can analyze large amounts of data and generate insights, helping brands stay ahead of trends and publish the most relevant content for their readers. 
  3. AI writers incur lower costs than hiring and managing a team of human writers. Most AI tools are subscription-based, so you can generate multiple articles for a single monthly fee – while writers will charge per article, or hours spent on each project.

Overall, using AI blog writers can streamline the content creation process, save cost and improve efficiency for some businesses.

Limitations of using AI for writing blogs.

While AI blog writers have many advantages, there are also limitations to consider before switching to AI writing. 

  1. Lack of creativity and originality in the content produced by AI. AI blog writers rely on algorithms and data analysis to generate content, which can result in generic and repetitive writing. 
  2. AI may struggle with understanding and accurately interpreting complex or nuanced topics. Human writers can inject personality and emotion into their writing, which can be difficult for AI to replicate. 
  3. AI blog writers may lack expertise or real-life knowledge as human writers, which can impact the quality and accuracy of the content. 
  4. Human writers can use their personal experience in writing – AI can only generate content that has already been published.

It’s important to carefully consider these limitations when deciding whether to use AI for writing your blog posts.

How AI is transforming content creation.

AI has revolutionized content creation by streamlining the process and increasing efficiency. 
Here are the main ways:

  1. With AI, businesses can generate large volumes of content in a short amount of time, freeing up human writers to focus on more complex tasks. 
  2. Additionally, AI can assist with proofreading and editing, ensuring that content is error-free and polished. 
  3. However, AI is not a replacement for human creativity and expertise. While AI can assist with content creation, it’s still crucial to have human writers who can inject personality, emotion, and industry knowledge into the content.
  4. The combination of AI and human writers can result in high-quality, engaging content that meets the needs of both businesses and their audiences.
Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

The future of AI in blog writing.

The future of AI in blog writing is promising, as technology continues to advance and improve, I’m sure we’ll get more AI writing tools. AI has already brought important benefits for content creation, but there is still room for growth and development.

  • More room to grow. As AI algorithms become more sophisticated, they will be able to generate even more personalized and targeted content.
  • Blog posts tailored to readers. We can soon expect to see AI-generated blog posts that are tailored to specific niches and fully customized for individual readers’s interests. 
  • Additionally, AI could be used to automate the marketing of blog posts, ensuring that they reach the right audience, at the right time, every time! 
  • AI will not replace writers completely, but assist humans in writing better content. Human writers are still going to play a crucial role in providing creativity, expertise, inspiration, emotion, and a human touch to the content. 

Opinion: The future of AI in blog writing is not about replacing human writers, but rather about leveraging technology to enhance their capabilities and improve the overall content creation process, so more people can read our blog posts… 

Alle Ceambur,
alexandraceambur.com


But that’s just what I think. What are your thoughts on AI blog writers?

Recommended AI writing tools for bloggers

If you made it to the end of this blog post, congratulations! I know it’s a bit technical and difficult to read. But here are some of my favorite AI writing tools that assist me in writing SEO blog posts!

  • Grammarly – Writing assistant that corrects your grammar mistakes and helps you write content based on your intent (eg: inform, tell a story, convince)
  • Pallyy – Social Media Scheduling Tool that auto-generates captions for posts in your voice! (Click for FREE trial)
  • Ubersuggest AI Writer – Auto-generates blog posts and titles based on a keyword
  • Buzzsummo – Shows you the top-performing content on social media based on a keyword
  • SEMrush – scans your competitor’s website and helps you identify keyword gaps and ideas

5 Writing Tips for Bloggers and Content Writers (from a Professional Writer)

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As a content marketer or business owner who likes to DIY your social content, your writing skills are crucial to the long-term success of your posts.

Whether you’re writing blog posts, social media updates, or email newsletters, your content needs to be engaging, informative, and convincing your audience of your knowledge. 

As an expert SEO content writer of 5 years, I have developed a process that helps me optimize my time and effort to ensure I get the best results with each article I write. But if you cannot afford to hire an experienced writer who knows SEO to help you identify the best keywords for your website, I am writing this post for you! 

I know that some business owners still prefer to write blog posts by themselves. To help you improve your writing game, I’ve compiled my top 5 essential tips to help level up your writing process!

Here we go!

My TOP 5 writing tips for Bloggers and Content Marketers

#1: EDIT your posts multiple times

Editing is a crucial part of the writing process, especially for content marketers. I would never publish my first-hand draft just because I know that it’s NOT going to be good. After you’ve written your first draft, take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes. The goal is to communicate your message clearly and effectively, so don’t be afraid to simplify your sentences. Your readers will thank you for it.

I usually follow these 4 stages when writing articles:

Step 1: Hand-written draft 

Write your main points, headlines, and loose ideas into a notebook. Once you have a basic outline, you can go to the next step and write full sentences.

Step 2: Type your draft in Grammarly

Using your hand-written notes, type your draft post in Grammarly. Here you can expand your points into longer sentences and break it up into paragraphs. I like typing into Grammarly directly because I can also edit at the same time and remove spelling errors. 

Step 3: Style your text in Google Pages

Paste your text from Grammarly into your word-processing tool and complete your posts with URL links, images, and text formatting (bold, italic, headlines, etc). I like using Google Pages because it auto-saves my writing, even if I close the page. 

Step 4: Come back the next day and look at it with fresh eyes

Look for ways to tighten up your writing and eliminate any unnecessary words or phrases. Cut out any jargon or technical language that might confuse your audience. 

#2: USE AI writing tools for content ideas

AI writing tools promise to write entire blog posts for you? If it’s too good to be true – it probably is. But I am not 100% against using ai tools for writing. 

Personally, I think that some AI tools are great for finding keywords and ideas for your blog posts. You can use tools like SEMrush and Ubersuggest to analyze your competitor’s websites and identify keyword gaps – this helps you in making sure you choose the right topics for SEO. 

However, you should not fully rely on AI writing tools to generate entire blog posts. AI tools cannot copy your voice, personality, and experience. Instead, they will generate a generic text from information that is already available on the web. 

Should you use AI writing tools? 🛠️ Yes, if they help you to find topics, and no if you are looking to just copy and paste content to your blog post without considering what your audience wants to read.

#3: Include REAL-LIFE examples 

When it comes to writing, using real-life examples and your own experience can make your posts more relatable and engaging. Whether you add a personal anecdote or share a case study from a project you worked on, including specific examples can help illustrate your points and make your writing more impactful and authentic. Don’t be afraid to share how you solved a problem or provide concrete examples to support your ideas.

Tip: When you share a case study it also helps your SEO because other writers will want to link to your research and examples.

#4: Find a writing routine that works best for you

I have spoken with several writers and they all agree that it’s important to balance writing time with enough downtime for maintaining consistency. 

Here’s what my IDEAL writing schedule looks like:

  • 2 weeks of intensive writing: This is when I write 2-3 articles/day, every day for 2 weeks. I try to minimize distractions, TV time and avoid long travel.
  • 2 weeks of recovery time: This is when I slow down on writing, take easier and smaller projects, incorporate reading books, watch a new TV series, or travel to another town to clear my mind. 

Remember, I said this is the ideal schedule, but often it isn’t so accurate. However, I still try to balance intensive writing time with time that I am completely away from my laptop. More breaks, better ideas. It’s so important!

#5: Specialize in topics and industries that interest you

When I just started writing content, I explored different topics. And because nobody would pay me to write for their website (yet) – I went and started 5 blogs on topics including beauty, leadership, travel, social media, and cats. Eventually, I learned which topics I find more interesting to write about and started focusing more on social media and business case studies.  

So, I know that if you’re just starting up, you need to explore different industries, but you should pick clients and projects that you know you are interested in. The reality is that – as a writer – you spend most of your time (I’d say 80%) reading and researching materials for your articles. So why choose topics that you know don’t interest you or you find boring? 

For example, I recently had to turn down a project because it involved writing about “car engine oils” – and I don’t even own a car or want to learn about engine oil. Of course, being an experienced writer, I know how to write articles on any topic – but will it be my best writing? Probably not. And in this case, it’s best to say “Sorry, I am not the best person to help you” than doing a mediocre job. 

Final thoughts – Writing tips for bloggers

Whether you’re a blogger, content creator, or just someone who wants to improve your writing skills, you can take your writing to the next level with these tips. From editing your work, to using AI tools, these tips can help you create content that truly resonates with your audience.

How to Write Your First Blog Post [8-step guide]

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Want to write successful blog posts that get results? Look no further! This 8-step guide gives you all the tips and tricks you need to write your first blog post! Make sure you read until the end to get the free template.

Learning how to write your first blog post can be a daunting task

Writing your first blog post may seem like a difficult task, especially if you’re new to the world of blogging. But with an easy format to follow and my tried & tested tips you can start writing blog posts that get views and attract your audience to your site. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps I follow to write successful blog posts, from picking topics to writing headlines and formatting your content.

Recommended: How to find long-term clients for your writing business

Here’s a quick 8-step guide to help you write your first blog post

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Step 1: Determine the audience you’re writing for

The first and most important thing to keep in mind when writing a blog post is your audience.

  • Who are you writing for?
  • What are their interests?
  • What problems can you help them solve with your expertise?
  • What questions do they have?

By understanding your readers, you can tailor your content to their specific needs and interests, making it more engaging and valuable to them. And that is the #1 secret for writing successful blog posts – finding a specific audience and writing for them!

Tip: How to identify the right audience for your blog posts

I’ve found that a good blog topic meets these 4 factors:

  1. Passion – What topics are you passionate to talk about?
  2. Experience – Do you have enough experience in the subject?
  3. Skills – Do you have the skills to teach others about the subject?
  4. Audience interest – Is there an audience interested to read about this topic?

Tip: Do a keyword search using SEMrush or Ubersuggest and find out the volume of monthly searches for your keyword. For example, if your desired keyword has > 10,000 monthly searches it shows that there’s an audience of ~10,000 people searching for this topic. Ideally, you should target keywords that are not too small (eg: <1,000) and not too broad (eg: 1 mil) in search volume.

Tips for writing for a specific audience:

  • Use language and tone that resonates with your audience
  • Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your readers may not understand
  • Keep your posts relevant and useful to your readers
  • When your readers find value, they will keep coming back for more!

Step 2: Choose the right topic & keywords for SEO

A good blog topic & target keyword has:

  • medium keyword search volume (10k – 100k/mo.)
  • easy to rank (low difficulty)
  • low keyword competition
  • trending keywords (new)

Tip: How to choose the right keywords for your first blog post

Do a keyword search using SEMrush or Ubersuggest and find out the volume of monthly searches for your keyword. For example, if your desired keyword has > 10,000 monthly searches it shows that there’s an audience of ~10,000 people searching for this topic.

Ideally, as a new blogger, you should target keywords that are not too small (eg: >1,000) and not too broad (eg: <100k) in search volume.

Here’s a video that shows how I do keyword search for my blog posts.

Step 3: Write a catchy headline to attract readers

Headlines are responsible for 80% of the traffic! I’ve always said to my blog writing class students that the most important part of your blog post is your headline! So before you start thinking of your content, start by learning how to write a catchy headline.

A successful blog headline should be:

  1. Attention-grabbing (get people to click on it to read your text)
  2. Informative (give readers a clear idea of what your post is about)
  3. Short and straight to the point (use clear, action-oriented words, keep it under 70 characters so it doesn’t get cut off in search results)
  4. Reflective of your main content (you can get creative and use puns or humour to make your headline stand out as long as it’s related to the main message of your blog post)

Tip: I teach all about writing headlines in my blog writing course!

Step 4: Use the introduction paragraph to hook readers

The first paragraph of your blog post is probably the second most important part after your headline. Here you continue to build interest and intrigue your readers by promising them a “solution” or a reward if they keep reading your blog post.

Ways to hook readers in with your introduction:

  • Identify an important problem your readers are facing
  • Share the negative impact if they don’t continue to read and find out the solution to their problem from your article
  • Hint at how amazing they will feel after finding the solution to their problem
  • Remind readers that you will share a secret at the end of your blog post so they keep reading to find out

Step 5: Use data to back up your points as much as possible

Including data and statistics in your blog post can add credibility and authority to your content. Especially if you’re a new blogger and you don’t already have a loyal follower base, you need to double down on data from reputable sources.

When you reference reputable sources it shows that you have done your research and can provide evidence to support your arguments. You can present the data in various formats such as charts, graphs, infographics or tables to make it easier for readers to understand. Just be sure to properly cite your sources and give credit where it’s due.

Examples of reputable sources:

  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Research papers
  • Academic journals
  • Industry reports & studies
  • Case studies
  • Websites with known authors

Tip: Don’t be afraid of referencing other articles

Many new bloggers are afraid to cite other bloggers because they may be accused of copying. But that’s not the case. Believe me, when you give other writers credit, they’ll be thankful to you for driving traffic back to them!

Step 6: Write naturally, use simple words and format text so it’s easy to read

When it comes to writing a successful blog post, simple language and easy-to-read formatting are key. I like to keep the format of my blog posts as simple as possible, with many line breaks and short paragraphs so. You can see below an example of the subheadlines I use to break up text into easily digestible sections. This not only makes the blog post easier to read, but it also helps with SEO by making it easier for search engines to understand the structure of your content.

Blog post formatting example:

H1: Main headline or title

[body text] Introduction paragraph

H2: Main Point #1

H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …

H2: Main Point #2

H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …

H2: Main Point #3

H3: Sub-points #1, #2, #3 …

[body text] Conclusion paragraph

[url-link] Call to action

FREE RESOURCE: Download my free blog post template here.

Additionally, I use bullet points and numbered lists to highlight important information and make it stand out. Images and videos can also be used to break up long portions of text and add visual interest to your post. All of these formatting techniques will make your post more engaging and easier to read, which will keep your readers coming back for more.

Step 7: Wrap up your blog with a conclusion

I like to end my blog posts with a simple conclusion – just to wrap up and remind my readers of the main goal or takeaway of the blog post. You could also include a call to action button here and direct readers to take an action (like check out your course, visit your social media page, download a freebie, etc.)

Step 8: Edit and revise your post

Your first few blog post draft will suck. So, don’t panic. Instead, take your time to review it and improve it. By making mistakes early on you can learn, and get better at writing over time. I like to use Grammarly to check and clear any grammar and punctuation mistakes and improve clarity. Hemmingway editor is also a free tool you can use to simplify your text and make your text easier to read.

Conclusion

I hope that with the tips shared in this post, I’ve managed to inspire you to write your first blog post! Think of something you are passionate to write about and start sharing your knowledge with the world – even though it’s not perfect, I’m sure you’ll get there!

Now it’s the perfect time to start your website! If you’re thinking of starting an e-commerce business of a new blog, Strikingly is an easy-to-use blogging platform for those who don’t know how to code (including me!).

The Ultimate Checklist for Social Media Strategy in 2023

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I’m a social media manager, and this is the only checklist for the social media strategy you need in 2023.

The Ultimate Checklist for Social Media Strategy Planning in 2023

Social media marketing is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. But with so many different actions to keep straight, it can be easy to drop the ball on your social media plans. This checklist will help you get organized and on track for successful social media marketing.

Step #1: Set Goals and Identify Your Audience.

The first step to any successful social media plan is setting goals and identifying your target audience. I’ve written a lot of articles on this topic (see my featured post on Neal Schaffer’ blog), and luckily not much has changed in terms of the steps for setting social media goals.

How to set goals for Social Media Marketing

To begin, ask yourself what you hope to achieve with your social media posts, as well as who you are trying to reach. Considering who you’re targeting can help shape the content of your posts and make important decisions about how, where and how often to post content on social to get the best results.

Examples of marketing goals:

  • Collecting leads
  • Growing traffic to the website
  • More sales through social media
  • More followers
  • More engagement
  • More views for your videos
  • Sign-ups for your trials

Tip: If you’re not sure who is your audience or what goals to set, take a quick peek at your competitors. Check the comments section and see who are the people engaging with their content and start following them!

Step #2: Develop Your Content Strategy and Build a Monthly Editorial Calendar.

With your goals in mind, it’s time to come up with a good content strategy to help you achieve those goals. A visual content calendar is an invaluable tool for planning your posts and keeping track of what types of content you should post and when. It’s useful to establish some rules or guidelines about the types of posts you plan to share, including:

  • post length
  • post format
  • graphics & editing style
  • caption template

Tip: Consistency is key! 🔑 Aim to have all your social media posts consistent in style, so they’re easily recognizable by your followers. You can also schedule your posts at consistent times and days of the week.

Not sure which scheduling tool is best for you? Scheduling tools with Calendar Dashboard I recommend include Pallyy, Sprout Social, and Buffer. Get on their free trial plans now!

Step #3: Select a Few Social Media Platforms to Use.

Before you start creating content, it’s important to consider what types of platforms you plan to use. In my opinion, this will depend on:

  1. Which platform does your target audience use mostly
  2. Where would they be more likely to connect with your brand
  3. Which platform can help you reach your company goals?
  4. Do you plan to use ads or influencers?

You don’t need to be on every platform. Select a few social media networks that match up with your goals, budget, and company objectives. Once you’ve narrowed down the selection, think about how often you can realistically post on each platform so that you remain consistent, engaged, and active.

Tip: My recommendation: Post a minimum of 2-3 times per week for engagement and 5-10 times per week for growth.

Which platform is best for you?

  • LinkedIn: Best for connecting with B2B and corporate decision-makers
  • Facebook: Global audience. The best advertising and targetting capabilities
  • Instagram: Good for reaching audiences <35 years old
  • Twitter: Used by politicians, and sharing news

Step #4: Track and Measure Metrics

Once you’ve developed a social media strategy, you need to have a system for tracking and measuring metrics related to your goals. Tools like Instagram Analytics, Facebook Creator Studio and Pallyy Analytics can help you determine if your strategy is working or if it needs adjustment.

Examples of Social Media Metrics:

  • Engagement metrics: likes, comments, saves, shares
  • Visibility metrics: views, impressions, reach, video plays
  • Traffic metrics: clicks on website, page visits
  • ROI metrics: Cost-Per-Click, leads captured

Step #5: Analyze the results.

The final step is to analyze your performance metrics and create monthly reports to find out working and what isn’t. This is so that you can make any necessary changes or adjustments to your strategy.

How to use Analytics data:

  • Track changes month-on-month, and quarterly
  • Track performance against goals
  • Benchmark your performance against competitors
  • Set new targets and adjust goals
  • Use insights & data to predict future performance
  • Look out for new trends in your audience & market

Suggested: Best social media analytics tools for tracking performance.

Step #6: Engage with Influencers and Participate in Community Events.

If you want to grow your visibility on social media you need to do more than just post & analyze your performance. Try to incorporate some growth & amplification strategies, like connecting with influencers.

Partnering influencers and engaging in discussions with your community can help you establish meaningful relationships with your target audience //via @socialalle

How to use influencer marketing

  • Start by making sure that you’re following the key influencers in your niche.
  • Then, engage with them on their respective platforms, like commenting on their posts or sharing their content.
  • Lastly, join relevant online communities to connect with your potential customers and drive more visibility for your brand.

Thank you so much for reading. Hope you found this info relevant and useful and share it with your friends!

Start a website today with Strikingly – easy & free website builder!

Instagram wants to make images popular again – is it too late?

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Instagram is putting a pause on its “let’s fully transform ourselves into TikTok” mission. After admitting to showing too many Reels to people in 2022, their latest (2023) algorithm changes promised to make images popular again. How? By giving an equal opportunity for static images to compete with reels on the explore page. That would confirm what we all thought – that all these years reels HAD a preferential boost in the algorithm.

Instagram wants to make images popular again

  • This latest annoucement just raises more questions:
  • But is it even possible for Instagram to scale down on reels?
  • Does this mean that they’re finally listening to smaller creators and helping them get the reach they deserve?
  • Are pictures going to make a major comeback in 2023 on Instagram?

Might be too soon to answer – but I’ll report back on my findings after a few months of tracking my Instagram insights!

Meanwhile, I’d like to know what you think!

  • Have you noticed an increase in reach for image posts?
  • Have your reels stopped going viral?
  • Are you starting to see fewer reels on your feed?

9 Essential Tips to Optimize Your Instagram in 2023 like a Pro

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Optimize your Instagram with these 9 essential tips in 2023. Use Instagram like a pro, find the best hashtags, write amazing captions, & repurpose like a guru!

I started marketing on Instagram in 2019 and I’ve worked with new business owners who are scared of using Instagram because it’s time-consuming and requires a lot of effort to see results. But if you want to stand out on Instagram in 2023 you need to optimize your Instagram account.

Luckily for you, I’m constantly testing new trends and I have found that there are certain steps you should follow to make the most of it. From using the right hashtags to creating stories that engage your followers to promoting content strategically, these 10 simple tips will help you boost your profile and success on Instagram.

Bonus: How to do a 30 min-audit of your Instagram (Free checklist)

Tip #1: Avoid this common mistake

A common mistake most business owners do is this: Thinking that your Instagram profile needs to be perfect and have all the information about all your products as your website. This is not a good strategy because the people that use Instagram don’t visit your page to get technical info about your products. Instead, if you want to use Instagram for marketing you should understand it’s pros & cons and who are the people you can target on Instagram.

Tip #2: Understand the Pros & Cons of Instagram

Pros of Instagram

  • Large audience (1 billion)
  • You can reach people around the world
  • Shopping & advertising features
  • Great to get visibility
  • Visual platform

Cons of Instagram

  • Strict policy & content guidelines
  • It’s hard to recover your Instagram account once it’s deactivated
  • Lots of brands and competition
  • Certain features are not available in all countries
  • Keeping up with algorithm changes & manipulation of content

Tip #3: Set a goal for your Instagram

The top 3 Instagram goals marketers recommend:

  1. Creating brand awareness – letting more people know about your brand and then they can click the URL in your bio to visit your website and learn more.
  2. Building an engaged community – communities are a force on social media because loyal fans will act like brand ambassadors and promote your products for you.
  3. Offering customer service – use Instagram DMs to chat with your unhappy customers so they don’t leave their negative reviews on your Google or Facebook page.

Tip #4: Know your audience and create content for them

Knowing your audience is essential for optimizing your Instagram account. To truly understand who you are connecting with, get to know the demographics of your followers. Research their likes, dislikes, age, location and interests and use these insights to refine the content you create and upload.

Tip: Consider asking questions and starting conversations with Instagram Stories polls in order to further engage with them and make them feel more connected to your brand. Take advantage of tools like Instagram Analytics and Competitor Analytics to really dig into the insights behind your followers’ actions on the platform.

Tip #5: Use storytelling techniques in your captions

Captions should serve as an extension of your post, allowing you to go into further detail and create a stronger connection with your audience. So don’t be afraid to write longer captions – people do read them!

Integrate storytelling elements in captions by describing experiences that are relatable to followers or even highlighting a unique perspective on a topic. Additionally, sharing specific stories from your own past can help you demonstrate authority in your field and build trust with potential customers.

A copywriting formula that I always recommend is the AIDA:

  1. Attraction – hook people in by making a promise
  2. Get people’s interest (with a shocking detail)
  3. Build desire for your product by listing benefits
  4. Direct people to take Action

Tip: Talk directly to your reader in the captions, using words like “you,” “yours” “me” etc. to build a personal connection.

Tip #6: Use AI Caption & Hashtags generators for ideas

Captions and hashtags can add an extra layer of engagement to your posts. But if you’re not a trained copywriter you may struggle to find the best words to write engaging captions or get ideas for hashtags. Don’t worry! I have a hack that most writers use: Tools like Pallyy’s AI Captions Generator to get recommendations for captions based on a keyword. Just remember not to overuse AI writing tools though, as they may discourage followers from engaging with your content.

Tip #7 Cross-promote your profile across social media

Social media is now an interconnected universe – that means it’s not enough to post content on Instagram and hopes people will find you. The most successful Instagram users create content that transcends the platform and is easily shareable/repurposed to other networks.

Try repurposing content for more reach:

  • Instagram Reels -> TikTok -> YouTube shorts
  • Instagram Carousels -> LinkedIn album, Facebook album
  • Instagram Stories -> Facebook Stories

Tip #8: Learn how to use Analytics tools

Don’t be afraid of your analytics. I know people feel discouraged from tracking analytics because they don’t want to see their followers drop. But you shouldn’t be afraid of losing followers. It’s a very natural thing. People follow/unfollow accounts every day and you cannot control who follows you.

  • Step 1: Decide which metrics are important for you (eg. engagement, no of views, no. of comments, taps to website)
  • Step 2: Track those metrics month on month to see how the content you post is helping you reach your goals
  • Step 3: Change your strategy and improve your performance!

Recommended: Here are the best analytics tools that I tried and compared for you!

Tip #9: Steal this secret growth tip from marketing gurus!

Analytics tools can help you identify which posts are getting the most views and engagement so you will learn what to post in the future. A good tactic is to repost your top-performing content and I assure you it will still get the views!

PS: Most big marketers also use this strategy and swear by recycling their content every 6 months!