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65: Candid Conversations: Keeping Content Creative

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keeping content creative

We like alliteration. Can you tell?

Now that we've wrapped up our Unlock the Mystery series, which pulled back the curtain on how bloggers and influencers make their money, we're kicking off a new set of themed episodes! Candid Conversations continues to be a behind the scenes look at online businesses, but this series will dive into the questions we most frequently see asked (or those we are asked ourselves) when it comes to influencer marketing.

Inspired by a session Jamie recently attended at the Social Fresh social marketing conference, this week we're covering keeping your content creative.

Producing content that's fresh and engaging on a regular basis is challenging. Factor in that you want what you're producing to be sustainable and authentic— to be interesting to you personally, reflecting your mission and values without becoming repetitive— while also meeting your audience's particular needs, and it's easy to see how influencers and brands alike can struggle to find new angles and avoid burnout.

In this episode, we talk about some of the questions raised at that Social Fresh session, as well as our own struggles creating content for our podcast and tips we've picked up along the way. Listen in as we discuss:

  • being intentional and strategic with your content
  • getting ahead of your calendar by having a content plan in place
  • staying creative without a large budget
  • the importance of taking risks
  • taking advantage of breaks
  • incorporating humor

and more, including a little confession from Danielle.

How do you keep your content creative? Bounce on over to Businessese HQ: we'd love to hear your tips.

Resources:
Social Fresh
Monetization Tips for Influencers with Jenny Guy
Sugarsuckle on Instagram

You might also like:
Creating Authentic Sponsored Content with Patrick Quinn
The Biggest Myth about Sponsored Content Performance
How to Price Your Sponsored Content
How to License Your Content for Republication

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64: Unlock the Mystery: Behavioral Economics with Melina Palmer

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What prompts a customer to buy?

It's the magic question of marketing.

While we humans are not logical, we are very predictable.
-Melina Palmer

Behavioral economics, simply put, is the psychology behind why people buy: understanding how the brain works and how that impacts purchasing decisions.

It's understanding that the brain is bombarded with information, all day, every day.

It's knowing that the brain has preferences, irrational as they may be, and by truly understanding your customers and giving them a gentle nudge in the direction of those preferences can make a huge difference for your business.

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, we're super excited to talk to Melina Palmer about leveraging behaviorial economics to improve conversions! Melina is the host of the Brainy Business Podcast, where she uses behavioral economics to unlock the mystery behind those small changes that make an impact— resulting in messaging, branding, advertisements, pricing and products that are more “brain friendly” (and profitable). She also helps others understand and apply these concepts as a strategist and a speaker.

Tune in as Melina discusses:

  • loss aversion as a valuable way to drive purchases
  • how changing one word in sales copy led to a 38% increase in sales
  • a slight shift in the pricing structure on your website that can translate into big sales
  • how many times a person needs to be exposed to something before they take action
  • strategies to encourage your audience to click and convert through affiliate content
  • the best way to disclose sponsored work while retaining authenticity

Do you find this topic as fascinating as we do? Let us know in Businessese HQ!

Resources:
The Brainy Business
Free download: The 10 Behavioral Economics Concepts You Need To Know AND HOW TO APPLY THEM
Melina on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn
A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger

If you enjoyed this episode, you might want to check out:
From 11 Clients to 7-Figure Business with Amanda Tress
Building Your Brand Strategy with Stacey Ferguson
Creating Authentic Sponsored Content with Patrick Quinn
Mind Your Mindset: Interview with Don Jackson

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63: Unlock the Mystery: Maximizing Ad Revenue with Amber Bracegirdle

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maximizing ad revenue with amber bracegirdle

Think display ads are a waste of time and website real estate?

Think again.

For many bloggers, running ads was a first, failed attempt at monetization. Frustrated with a lack of control over what ads were served to their readers, an impossibly slow load time, and/or an unexpectedly low payout, they eventually chalked the experience up as a lesson learned, removing the ads and never looking back.

But like everything else on the digital landscape, advertising has changed and evolved. Running display ads can most definitely generate real revenue, providing a lucrative and relatively passive income stream. The key is optimizing your site for your advertising— and your advertising for your audience.

There is always a loss in user experience to add advertising to your site. That doesn't mean don't do it. It just means that the return on that advertising needs to be worth it.

Amber Bracegirdle

This week on the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast, Amber Bracegirdle unlocks the mystery behind best practices for maximizing ad revenue. Amber is a co-founder at Mediavine, a full service ad management company working with 4000 bloggers across the entire lifestyle spectrum, as well as the managing editor of FoodFanatic.com and co-host of the Theory of Content podcast.

Amber is all about SEO and making the business of blogging better, and she shares all the good stuff in this episode! Listen in as she goes over:

  • why placing ads on your site can be a gamechanger
  • how Mediavine's ad system differs from others, generating more income
  • “affiliate marketing and ads don't mix” and two more digital advertising myths
  • how display advertising affects SEO
  • how website owners can optimize for ad income— and the biggest mistakes they often make
  • who should start adding ads to their site (hint: it's not everybody)

What has your experience running ads been like? What are your top tips— or your most trying trials? Let's talk it out over in Businessese HQ.

Resources:
Mediavine and the Mediavine Facebook group
Food Fanatic
The Theory of Content podcast
Travel Blogging and Monetization with Amanda Williams
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon and the Harry Potter series from J.K. Rowling
How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids by Jancee Dunn
Contact Amber: amber@mediavine.com

Liked this episode? You should check out:
Monetization Tips for Influencers with Jenny Guy
From Hobby to Full-Time Food Blogger with Liz Falcigno
Monetizing with Affiliate Marketing with Angel Djambazov

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62: Unlock the Mystery: Narrowing Your Niche with Sarah Trenalone

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They say that the riches are in the niches. But what does that mean, exactly? How does finding your focus translate into more income, and how do you decide on that focus in the first place?

This week we're welcoming Sarah Trenalone to the Businessese Influencer Marketing Podcast! Sarah is a food lover, traveler, and recipe developer at Champagne Tastes. Sarah first translated her B.F.A. in Fine Art Photography and M.A.T. in Art Education into a decade as a wedding photographer, but has moved on to a much tastier job– food writing and photography.

Champagne Tastes was started on a whim with a broad recipe base and no eye towards monetizing, but Sarah has found success through narrowing her niche to better serve her ideal reader (who she defines as an urban hippie, reconnecting with nature through food and sustainable recipes from the earth and sea while cooking in a smaller kitchen).

Listen in as Sarah walks us through:

  • the process of narrowing her niche
  • where she is financially with her blog business
  • her current income streams and what new ones she is looking to incorporate
  • the steps she's taken to generate more time and traffic
  • her advice for those just starting out, or just starting to monetize
  • how she approaches brands for partnerships

Who is your ideal audience, and how can you narrow your niche for them? Let's chat over in Businessese HQ!

Resources:
Champagne Tastes
Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Hey! You might also like:
From Hobby to Full-Time Food Blogger with Liz Falcigno
1% Infinity: Next Level Food Blogging with Bjork Ostrom
Monetization Tips for Influencers with Jenny Guy
Hiring and Growing Your Team with Shelli Warren

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61: Unlock the Mystery: Launching a Subscription Box Business with Kelly Pugliano

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Who doesn't love a subscription box? Whether you received a subscription as a gift or if you subscribed as a gift to yourself, it's exciting to have that box arrive in your mailbox and to reveal the surprises inside. This particular business model has been booming: the market has grown by 890% since 2014, and 2017 saw a 10% increase over the year before.

We're so happy to have Kelly Pugliano on the podcast this week to talk about launching a successful subscription box business. Kelly is an entrepreneur, speaker, award winning writer and photographer, and the founder of Eat Picks. Inspired by her love of farmers' markets and her desire to help support small businesses and local artisans, Kelly founded Roost Crate, a subscription service curating unique, thoughtful, creative artisan gifts.

I decided that at that stage in my life I needed to pursue my own dream rather than supporting someone else's.

-Kelly Pugliano

Tune in to learn about:

  • Kelly's pivots from mom blog to food blog to launching her own business
  • how and why she made the decision to launch Roost Crate
  • how long she planned and the steps she took pre-launch
  • her decision to bootstrap vs taking on investors
  • some of the challenges Kelly faced during and post-launch
  • her insights about maintaining her blog while managing and scaling her business

Plus, one super helpful tip for taking professional-looking photos with your phone.

Any other money mysteries you'd like unlocked? Shout 'em out in Businessese HQ.

Resources:
Roost Crate and Eat Picks
Roost Crate on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram
Eat Picks on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram
Titles from author Dan Brown
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller

Liked this episode? You might want to check these out:
From 11 Clients to 7-Figure Business with Amanda Tress
Monetizing a Hyperlocal Blog with Melissa Wise and Cassie Mascari
Embracing Your Inner Salesperson with Nikki Rausch
Going from Side Hustle to Full Time Hustle with Mary Clavieres