Are you looking to drive traffic from Pinterest to your blog? Do you ever wonder if hashtags work on the platform? In this interview, Jennifer Priest shares how she used Pinterest to grow her blog and how you can do the same. She also shares a hashtag strategy that has worked for her. Listen to EpisodeAbout Jennifer PriestJennifer Priest has been a craft industry professional for over 15 years. She's the creator of Smart Fun DIY, a blog that provides smart ideas for DIY projects. And yes – she makes them fun. Her blog has been featured in major publications like Apartment Therapy and MSNBC. She runs Smart Creative Social, a firm with clients across different creative industries. Jennifer's BackstoryJennifer started scrapbooking when her daughter was born back in 1998. By 2007, Jennifer had been teaching scrapbooking in different scrapbook stores. Around that time, more of her students kept asking her to start a blog. So she decided to dive in. In the beginning, it was all about using her blog to market her offline business. This involved the scrapbooking classes as well as Ebay and Etsy stores. But then she noticed that her students were starting to share her blog with their friends. At that point, she started looking for ways to start making money online. She learned about driving traffic, running ads, creating sponsored posts and more. This was also great for her offline business. Her blog served as an online portfolio that she could show to stores. How Jennifer grew her blogIn the beginning, her blog grew organically. Her students would use it and share it with their friends, who would share it with their friends. But then she started learning about traffic generation. She was hearing more about how bloggers were using Facebook and Pinterest. So she started experimenting with those social platforms. She then decided to dig into Pinterest. She started researching how to use Pinterest to get traffic. Within six months, her blog went from 30K page views/month to 191K page views. This was in 2016. How Jennifer used Pinterest to drive trafficWhen Jennifer started digging into Pinterest, she found lots of strategies that worked. In this section, we will take some tips from what she did. Optimize your top 10 performersJennifer dug into Google Analytics to find her top 10 performing blog posts. Once she found them, she rewrote them or beefed them up. The goal was to increase the quality of those posts to offer more value to the visitors. She also started making pinnable images. These are images that are vertical/longer images that are visually appealing. Use Pin-stackingUsing the pin-stacking strategy, Jennifer would pin a post aggressively every day for at least a week. If a pin performs very well, she would do the same thing every month. Pin strategicallyWhen she first started, Jennifer relied heavier on group boards. This strategy hasn't been working as well recently. So, now she makes sure each piece of content has 5 to 7 boards she can pin them to. She also live-pins the top 2 posts for the week as well as one new post daily. Create boards the smart wayOne of the great features of Pinterest is that it provides detailed analytics. Once you verify your blog, you can add code to track your traffic. This will show how people are interacting with your blog on the platform. You can see what pins are performing well and what your audience is interested in. Use that data to choose which boards to create. Determine the right posting frequencyJennifer recommends starting by pinning ten times daily. Once you get ahead of schedule by two weeks to 30 days, try increasing in increments of 5. During this process, take screenshots of your analytics to see where you are at. Export data from Google Analytics and Pinterest. Then, wait 30 days and compare the data. How did your numbers change? Use this data to determine the right posting frequency for your blog. Optimize your pin descriptionsPinterest is a search and discovery platform, which is very much like Google. As with Google, your first paragraph is critical. You want to use copy that hooks people. Use relevant keywords in your first paragraph of your blog posts. Also, use keywords in your Pinterest descriptions and hashtags. Jennifer's Pinterest Hashtag StrategyHashtags on Pinterest act as an indexing tool. It's similar to the indexes in the back of the book pointing to where the words are in the book. They show content in mostly chronological order. Most people on Pinterest don't search hashtags. But, they do send another strong signal about what your content is about. Here are Jennifer's tips for using Hashtags on Pinterest: Use your brand hashtag as the first hashtagIn the desktop feed, Pinterest shows the first three to five hashtags. These are clickable. By using your brand hashtag first, people can easily click to go to all your pins with that hashtag. Use Google Analytics to find which hashtags work for youAs you start using hashtags, they should start sending you traffic over time. In Google Analytics, go to “Behavior > Site Content > Landing Pages.” Open the top landing page and add the secondary dimension of “Referral Path”. This will tell you all the URLs that sent traffic and how much, including pins. Click through to the pins and see if it had hashtags. Determine which hashtags send you the most traffic. Use those hashtags in your hashtag strategy. What about you?Are you using Pinterest to market your blog? If so, how's it working for you? Share your experience in the comments area below. Resources Mentioned
InfographicThe post 336 How to Use Pinterest (and Hashtags) to Grow Your Blog – with Jennifer Priest appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26219/use-pinterest-hashtags-grow-blog/
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Sucks, doesn’t it? You know how important headlines are. You know the success of your blog hinges on your headlines. And you know that yours aren’t getting the job done. Your blog posts just sit there collecting e-dust because your headlines barely get clicked. So what are you doing wrong? What are your headlines missing? Well, chances are your headlines don’t exploit your audience’s human nature enough. If you want your headlines to connect with your audience, you need to exploit their drives, their instincts, and, at the risk of sounding cynical, their utter self-absorption. In fact, if you want to write better headlines, you should take lessons from those who exploit human nature on a daily basis — con artists, sleazy politicians, and anyone who manipulates people to further their own agenda. You just have to be careful not to cross over to the dark side. Let me explain… Why You Must Write Headlines Like a Skilled Manipulator (Even If That’s Not Your Style)Con men will say whatever you want to hear to get inside your wallet. Sleazy politicians will make any false promise and tell any half-truth if it means they’ll get your vote. These skilled manipulators know exactly which buttons to push to get people to do what they want. They’re rotten scoundrels — and you, my friend, could stand to be more like them. “What? I don’t want to be a scoundrel! I don’t want to manipulate anyone!” Relax. I’m not saying you should. As bloggers, we’re not in the market of manipulation — but we are in the market of persuasion. And there’s only the finest of lines between the two. Think about it. The goal for both is to convince people to do what you want them to do. Con men want you to give them their money, while politicians want you to give them your vote. You want people to click your headlines and read your posts. The only difference is that manipulation implies a degree of deception, while persuasion does not. It’s no wonder the success of both relies on pushing the right buttons. Want to find out what those are? Keep reading. How to Push the Right Buttons and Make Your Headlines Irresistibly ClickableWe all respond when certain buttons are pushed. When we lose someone we love, we cry. When something pisses us off, we raise our voice. And when we open a bag of Cheetos, that sucker is empty ten minutes later. It’s not exactly the same for everybody, but no matter how we respond, we will respond. It’s in our nature. And if you want to write headlines that appeal to your audience and get them to respond with a click, you need to know how to push the right buttons. So let’s find out how to push those. #1. Promise to Grant Their WishesOkay, this one’s familiar, right? You’ve probably heard your headline should offer the reader something they want. But as familiar as it is, too many bloggers get this one wrong. They focus their headline on something they want their audience to want, or something they think their audience should want. When you use this appeal in your headlines you have to ask yourself, “If I asked my audience what they wanted most right now, would anyone give this as an answer?”
Compare these, for example:
At first glance, the first one doesn’t look half bad. But if you asked an audience of entrepreneurs what they wanted most right now, would anyone answer, “I want to write a stellar business plan”? Doubtful, right? On the other hand, they might well answer that they want investors to fund their business. That’s the difference.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#2. Give Them a Scapegoat“It’s not your fault.” Those are four words everybody loves to hear when they feel like they’ve failed or made a mistake. Because let’s face it, we all hate feeling like a failure or screw-up. Our egos would much rather shift the blame elsewhere so we can keep feeling good about ourselves. So when your headline offers readers a valid excuse for not achieving their hopes and dreams, they’ll eat that up like warm chocolate pie.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#3. Point the Finger of BlameYou can also take the opposite approach. Instead of pointing the finger at someone else, you can point it at your reader. You tell them their failures are all their own fault. This appeals to the same basic desire as before — the desire not to feel like a screw-up. We’ll do anything to avoid mistakes and get things right because we want to avoid making fools of ourselves. If we’re doing something wrong, we want to know so we can fix it.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#4. Call Upon Their Tribal SenseWe are social creatures with an instinctual drive to belong. We don’t live in tribes in the same way our ancestors did, but this drive still exists in us nonetheless. These days, we use personal attributes to define which tribes we belong to. For example, you might be a man, 40-something, married, entrepreneur, father, and theater fan. Or you might be a woman, 20-something, single, blogger, writer, and book lover. These are all different kinds of “tribes” you might be part of. Calling one out in your headline will get the attention of anyone who feels like they belong to it. But that’s not all. You can also use tribes to which your audience aspires to belong — the ones they wish they were a part of but aren’t quite yet. For instance, if you aspire to be a six-figure entrepreneur or best-selling author, any headline that mentions these tribes would get your attention too.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
*Notice how this headline states both the tribe the audience belongs to (Startups) AND the tribe they aspire to be part of (Top Silicon Valley Companies). #5. Scare the Living Crap Out of ThemFear and anxiety are powerful emotions. Everyone has experienced them at some point in their lives. They’re primal instincts that can override our brains and make us forget about everything else around us. So imagine the power of a headline that stokes your readers’ biggest fears and anxieties. Is their worst nightmare coming true? Are they right to be afraid? They’ll have to click to find out.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#6. Put Their Worried Mind to RestWhile scaring the daylights out of your readers is fun, it’s not the only way you can use fear in your headlines. You can also take the opposite approach. Just like your mom used to do when you were scared as a child, tell them there’s nothing to be afraid of. Promise they can avoid the situations that cripple them with anxiety. Promise they can keep their nightmares from coming true. Promise they can take their desired actions without the disastrous consequences. If your headline promises to relieve their fears, they’ll want to find out more.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#7. Help Them Be LazierLet’s face it. If given the choice, we want to get stuff done quickly and easily, so we have more time to relax and do the things we enjoy. Unfortunately, we often get stuck with tedious or complicated tasks that take a lot of time and effort to complete. Can you help your audience simplify or fast-forward through those tasks? Use this promise in your headline.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#8. Confirm Their Worst SuspicionsHave you ever watched a movie where you guessed the twist before it happened? Didn’t it make you feel smart for seeing it coming way before anyone else? That’s the emotion we want to evoke with this appeal. Everybody loves having their suspicions, theories or opinions validated with some cold, hard proof. Let’s face it, we just love being proven right. (It beats being wrong!) So when a headline promises to give us that validation, we want to know more. Because having uninformed opinions is one thing, but having facts to back them up — that’s catnip.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#9. Demolish Their Conventional WisdomBreaking with conventional wisdom is a powerful way to grab attention. When everyone repeats a certain idea, we’re prone to accept it as true. And the more we see an idea repeated, the stronger our belief in that idea becomes. At some point, we treat these beliefs as common sense. But we don’t always get it right, do we? And when you can point out how everyone else got it wrong, you’ll shock people out of their comatose state. They’ll either be curious to find out whether you can back up your claim, or eager to prove you wrong. But in either case, they click.
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
#10. Hate on Your Common EnemiesYou may have heard this phrase before: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And it’s true. Shared animosity is a powerful unifier. So when your headline takes aim at someone (or something) your audience hates, they’ll feel like you’re on their side. They’ll want to find out what you have to say because, as mentioned before, people are always looking for confirmation. It’s a powerful appeal, but try not to become an outright hate-monger. Remember, we’re trying not to cross over to the dark side!
Questions to Ask:
Examples:
Exploit Human Nature and Get Your Headlines ClickedAs a blogger, you know that understanding your audience is key to your success. But that goes deeper than understanding their unique struggles and interests. You must also understand their very nature. You must know what makes people tick. You must know what drives them. You must know which buttons to push to make them click your headlines. Go through the list above and answer all the questions. That will give you a list of topics to write about. Put each one in a headline template, add a power word or two, and you’ll end up with amazingly appealing headlines. If you push the right buttons, your audience can’t help but respond. So go ahead and push those buttons.
About the Author: Robert van Tongeren is the former Associate Editor of Smart Blogger. He has also helped countless of our students get published on big blogs like Huffington Post, Tiny Buddha and Fast Company. Want to shape up your headline skills fast? Sign up for his free weekly headline repair.
The post 10 Ways to Exploit Human Nature and Write Amazingly Appealing Headlines appeared first on Smart Blogger. from https://smartblogger.com/headline-writing/ Do you want to use Facebook ads to grow your blog? Are you afraid you'll be throwing money down the drain? In this post, I will share five steps that will simplify the process for you. Listen to the episodeMy Facebook ad mistakesWe've all heard how great Facebook ads can be for driving traffic and getting sales. I know I did. So I decided to give it a try. I started posting things on my Facebook page and boosting it. And you know what? I got more visibility. More people were seeing my content. Isn't that exciting? NOPE! Because the REAL result was that I spent money and had no return on my investment (ROI). In essence, I was paying Facebook to build Facebook. Now that's just dumb! Then I got a little smarter. I decided to run Facebook ads to my sales page. The problem – I spent a lot of money and got no sales. I was targeting the wrong people in the wrong way. So I did what most bloggers do when they see money going down the drain – I turned off the faucet. That was the end of my Facebook ad experiment. Studying the bestFortunately, that was not the end of the journey. You see, for the last 4 years, I've been working with the Social Media Marketing Society. I'm now the head of training. This means that I get to work with the brightest social media marketing minds. I help them refine their training so that they can give our members their very best. And as a result – I've been able to learn the best techniques for using Facebook ads effectively. And what I'm going to do is distill that down for you so that you can get started on the right foot. So let's do this… Start with your strategyBefore we even get into running the actual ads, we need to talk about your business strategy. There are three questions I'd like for you to answer first:
What is the end goal?Why are you running ads in the first place? Is it to grow your Facebook page (wrong answer)? Is it to get visitors to your site (ok answer)? I'll tell you what your answer should be – to gain loyal customers and advocates for your business. These are the people who love what you do, buy your stuff and share you with the world. Getting these kinds of customer advocates starts with:
Who are your ideal customers?First of all – are they on Facebook? The answer is most certainly yes. What kind of content do they engage with on Facebook related to your niche? This can be tricky to determine. But there are a few things you can do to determine this:
Finally, another important question to answer is – what are they struggling with? THIS (along with what you find from the pages and groups) will be the key to attracting their attention. Getting them to convertThe process of converting strangers into advocates is NOT a one-step process. It's done in a series of steps, with the key being a growing relationship built on providing value. In fact, I illustrate that point in the following video: Don't be like me in that video. Take people down all the stages of the funnel. Those stages are awareness, familiarity, consideration, purchase, loyalty and THEN advocacy. The best way to look at Facebook ads is a journey through the first four phases of that funnel. Loyalty and advocacy will be the result of providing tons of value to your customers consistently over time. Now that we've spoken about those foundational concepts, let's dive into the ads. Step 1: Prepare your blogBefore running any ads, it's important to install the Facebook pixel on your blog. This is a piece of code that Facebook gives you to add to your blog. Once added, Facebook can track how its users interact with your blog. This will be important for you to be able to track how your ads are working. It will also give you the ability to remarket to those people (more on this later). To do this:
Here's a video to show you how to do that: *****INSERT VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO DO THIS***** Once you do this, Facebook will start tracking your visitors. Whether you're running Facebook ads now or not, you should do this. That will allow Facebook to start collecting that data for you to run ads in the future. Step 2: Create custom audiencesA custom audience is an ad targeting option that lets you find people who have done certain things. Why do you want to create custom audiences? Because it gives you the ability to target people who have shown their interest. If someone visits all your posts about the Instant Pot (for example), it would be smart to show them an ad for your Instant Pot course. Here are a few custom audiences I would recommend for you to create:
Here's a video to show you how to do that: *****INSERT VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO DO THIS***** Whether you use these custom audiences now or not, they are good to have. Let Facebook start collecting that data so that you can use them when you are ready. Step 3: Create your funnelThis is where the magic happens. It's where you convert casual visitors into customers. There's a lot to say about creating funnels. In fact, I said a whole lot in my episode on creating blog sales funnels. I cover three specific plug-n-play funnels there. Choose one and set it up. In an ideal situation, you will be able to use that funnel to determine the value of each lead. For example, if you get 100 people to signup to your list and 10 by your $37 product, you made $370. That would mean that each lead would be worth $3.70. You now know that you can spend up to $3.69 on each lead and still turn a profit. That's powerful information. But that will come over time. For now, just create the funnel. If you're new to this, I recommend creating separate landing and thank you pages for your ads. That will make it easier to track conversions from those ads. Step 4: Create your adIt's time to start driving that paid traffic to your blog. Depending on how you set up the funnel, you will be driving traffic to a post or landing page. Here are the steps:
Once you've done all these four steps, the real work begins, which is step 5. Step 5: Monitor and tweak as neededIf you thought your Facebook ads would be a “set it and forget it” system, you were wrong. This is an ongoing process of monitoring and tweaking. How much are you spending to get subscribers? This will tell you how well it's working. If your subscribers are worth $2 and you are spending $3 to get them, it's not worth it. You can track these numbers in a few ways:
You can also run split tests to improve the effectiveness of your ads. And of course, you can try different formats like videos vs images vs carousel. There are many ways to run ads. What works for me may not work for you. The important thing is to set it up right and then keep testing. Eventually, you'll reach a point where your ads are performing the way you want them to. That's when the magic happens. Your blog becomes like an ATM machine. You put your card in and pull the money out. Your turnNow I want to hear from you. Are you running ads to your blog? If so, how are they going for you? If not, do you plan on starting? Let me know in the comments area below. Resources Mentioned
InfographicThe post 335 How to Use Facebook Ads to Grow Your Blog in Five Steps appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26073/use-facebook-ads-grow-your-blog/ Ever get that feeling that something’s just waiting to bite you on the ass? A disturbance in the force that you just can’t put your finger on? You’re sure it’s not your anniversary? Your kid’s piano recital? Maybe it’s the cable bill. Dammit. You can’t place what it is, but something’s waving a red flag. For bloggers, that brain worm might just be the GDPR. Niggling away at you like an unscratchable itch. In a way, that’s good: You know enough about GDPR to be worried. But in case you’re in the category of “blissfully unaware,” we’ll take a look at what the GDPR is all about. And why it absolutely CAN affect you and your blog. Table of Contents
Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer. The information below is absolutely not legal advice. But it might just save you a ton of worry and expense.
GDPR 101GDPR is currently taking Europe by storm. It’s the General Data Protection Regulation — a new data privacy law being introduced by the European Union — and it’s a bit of a game-changer. It comes fully into force on May 25, 2018. Yep, that looming deadline might just be lighting up your radar. It affects people across the globe, not just in Europe. And some forward-thinking folks have been working on preparing themselves for the last year or two. Well done them. Straight to the top of the class. But the truth of the matter is that many people have been just the slightest bit “mañana, mañana” about the whole thing. Now that the countdown can be measured in days, some people are getting a touch, well, panicky. It’s like that school assignment that you had a year to write. Here you are, “T-minus-one and counting,” and you’re staring at a blank page. And that’s due, in no small part, to the fact that GDPR appears complex, and there are still some gray areas. We are all struggling to interpret some of the details of the regulation. But some things are clear — so in case GDPR is entirely new to you, let’s hit the basics. The Five GDPR Basics You Absolutely Must Know
So the GDPR’s scope is surprisingly wide-ranging. It could easily apply to you. It gives data regulators powers to apply unprecedented financial penalties. And crucially, it’s becoming extremely high-profile. The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal alone has elevated the subject of data privacy to mainstream debate. So it’s worth spending a little time to try to understand the key principles that the GDPR is attempting to achieve. The Six GDPR Core PrinciplesThe central principles of the GDPR are not new. They expand on existing European Union data protection regulations, and most folks might generally consider them to fall into the category of “quite a good idea, really” (from the consumer perspective, at least). So let’s break them down one by one. Principle #1: Lawfulness, Fairness and TransparencyYou must process personal data in a way that is lawful, fair and transparent. “Lawfulness” has a specific meaning under the GDPR. There are six legitimate, lawful grounds for processing personal data. You must satisfy at least one of these six criteria before your data processing is “lawful.” The first and most obvious lawful basis for processing personal data is consent — that is, where the individual has specifically agreed (usually via one or more checkable boxes) that you may use their data in a specific way. More on consent later. The majority of the other lawful grounds will be less relevant to bloggers. They include situations where it is essential for you to process personal data to fulfill a contract with the consumer, or if you are required by law to collect specific data (such as information required for tax records). But the sixth and final lawful basis is relevant: It can be lawful to process personal data without the individual’s consent if it is in your legitimate interest as a Controller to do so. This is the subject of heated debate — because it appears to provide a convenient catch-all for controllers. (More on controllers later, but assume for now that the controller is you!) Well it’s certainly not that, but it is an acknowledgement that data privacy is not absolute. There should be a balance between the individual’s right to data privacy and the controller’s legitimate interest in running their blog, business or whatever. “Legitimate interest” is most likely to be used where consent is not appropriate or feasible.
Examples might include:
These scenarios highlight that in some situations (such as preventing fraud), consumers must not be permitted to prevent processing. In others, it would simply be unworkable to try to gain consent in advance. It will typically apply where your data processing involves minimal risk or impact to the individual’s privacy, and it is of a type that the individual might reasonably expect you to undertake.
That said, we can be clear that “legitimate interest” is not:
Those scenarios would not be lawful, fair or transparent. Anyone planning to rely on the “legitimate interest” lawful basis will need to familiarize themselves with the detail of the regulation because there are specific requirements, such as the need to conduct a Legitimate Interests Assessment. “Fairness” is not specifically defined in the regulation, but on any definition it overlaps significantly with lawfulness and transparency. All of the regulation guidance suggests that fair processing involves ensuring that it does not have any unjustified adverse effects on the individual, and that data is used in ways that the individual might reasonably expect, given your relationship with them. In short, if you are being open and transparent about how you process data, then you will almost inevitably being processing it “fairly.”
Examples of unfair processing might include:
“Transparency” is a fundamental and recurring theme throughout the regulation. You are expected to be conspicuously open and honest about what data you collect and what you propose to do with it. More on transparency later. Principle #2: Data Is Only Used for Specified, Legitimate PurposesYou must only use personal data for the specific purposes that you have declared. Closely related to the concept of transparency, this principle demands that you may not collect data for one purpose, and then go on to use it in a different way. Let’s take the example of a “Sign Up to Receive This Free Report” offer. On the face of it, the individual is providing their email address so that you can send them the report. That’s it. You cannot then add their email to your mailing list and send them other promotional material unless you’ve made it clear at the point of sign-up that that’s what you intend to do. Principle #3: Limited to What Is Required to Achieve the Stated PurposesYou must collect only the minimum amount of personal data required to achieve your stated objective. This is the concept of data minimization. If you collect personal data to allow you to send blog notifications by email, then the minimum information you require is an email address. “Name” is probably fine too (for the purpose of personalizing your emails), but collecting anything else could be seen as excessive. So if, in the same scenario, you also collect cell phone number, gender and age, then you need to be very clear why that information is necessary to allow you to send blog notifications. Principle #4: Accurate and Up-To-DateYou must take all reasonable steps to ensure that any data you collect is accurate and kept up-to-date. The risks to individuals’ data privacy are clearly increased where that data contains inaccuracies. Incorrect email addresses are a prime example of where other personal data can be inadvertently disclosed or leaked. You are therefore obliged to address data inaccuracies without delay — incorrect data must be rectified, or deleted. In practice, if someone contacts you to update their email address, you should take action on it without undue delay. But being proactive is also important — for example, if you are getting regular bounce-backs from addresses on your mailing list, then this should be telling you something. Periodically checking your list and removing bounced addresses is highly recommended. Principle #5: Time LimitedYou must only hold personal data for as long as is required to achieve the stated objective. It’s central to the concept of fairness that data is not retained for any longer than required to achieve the purpose for which you collected it. Data retention also has implications for accuracy. If you’re still storing customer address data that you collected five years ago, the chances are that a significant proportion of that stale data is now inaccurate. Principle #6: Data Must Be Processed SecurelyYou must process personal data in a way that ensures appropriate security. The security of the data you hold is clearly pivotal to the whole objective of the GDPR. You are responsible for ensuring that there exist appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect against unauthorized access, loss, alteration and disclosure. That said, you’re not expected to be Fort Knox. But you are expected to take steps that are proportionate to the sensitivity of the data that you collect, and the risk to the individuals concerned were the data to be lost or disclosed.
Basic precautions would include:
That’s obviously not an exhaustive list, but you get the point. All of the specific requirements contained within the GDPR are based upon these six principles. By keeping these principles in mind, you should never deviate too far away from what the GDPR expects from you, even if you’re not an expert in the details of the regulation. The problem is, there’s a certain amount of GDPR misinformation doing the rounds too. Warning: Beware of These Three Dangerous Myths about GDPRGDPR is new, and there’s a huge amount of speculation about how it will be applied in practice. So let’s deal with some of the emerging myths. Myth #1: I’m Not Based in the EU so It Doesn’t Affect MeDon’t be fooled. That’s not the point. The regulation protects consumers within the EU, regardless of where in the world the person who collects their data is based. Anyone who runs a blog that is available to consumers within any of the EU Member States is potentially affected. There are subtly different rules for controllers outside the EU, but regardless of whether you operate out of London, Milan or New York, GDPR needs to be on your radar. At the very least, you will need to take an informed position on the subject, and that means having a plan. Myth #2: I’m a Blogger, Not a Business, so It Doesn’t ApplyA swing and a miss. While there are some provisions aimed specifically at organizations, the core accountability applies to anyone considered to be a “Data Controller.” A Data Controller is the person responsible for “determining the purpose” of processing. And it can be anybody — an individual or a business. Long story short, if you are the person who decides to collect the data, or decides what data is collected and why, then you are a Data Controller — regardless of whether you are operating as a business in the normal sense of the word. Bloggers. Micro-businesses. Non-profits. Charities. Hobbyists. All potentially covered. I’ll get into why I say “potentially” later. Myth #3: There’s an Exemption for Anyone with Fewer Than 250 EmployeesNope. I’ve seen this one doing the rounds a lot, and it’s based on a very lazy interpretation of the rules. If you process personal data and have fewer than 250 employees, you may have an exemption from one very specific administrative reporting requirement. It is absolutely not a general exemption. GDPR can apply if you have no employees at all. Four Common Blogging Activities That Could Put You in the GDPR Firing LineAs a blogger, you might feel that you’re not in the habit of collecting people’s personal data. From there, it’s a very short walk to convincing yourself that GDPR is not your concern. But think again — there are a number of very common blogging activities that can put you in the GDPR firing line. #1. Collecting Email AddressesWithout doubt, this is the clearest scenario in which the GDPR can apply to bloggers. Sure as eggs is eggs, names and email addresses are personal data. If you invite people to give you this information — such as on a mailing list sign-up or via an online contact form — then you have a responsibility for that data. As we’ll see later, this doesn’t of itself guarantee that the full force of the GDPR will apply, but it does mean that you are potentially affected. #2. Using WordPress (or Another Content Management System)Don’t misunderstand me, I’m a big fan of WordPress. One of its biggest selling points is just how much it does for you straight out of the box. But that can be a double-edged sword — would you know if WordPress was collecting/processing personal data in the background? Possibly not. Well it can, and it does:
#3. Using Any Type of Web Tracking or ProfilingUse the Facebook pixel for tracking page views and conversions? Track who opens your MailChimp or AWeber campaign emails? Use Google Analytics to understand web traffic? Each of these, to one extent or another, involves profiling the behavior of identifiable individuals, and is potentially within the GDPR’s remit. #4. Using a Web Host That Logs Visitors’ IP AddressesIt’s extremely common practice for your web server to record, in its server logs, the IP addresses of anyone who visits your blog. Now there’s nothing the matter with that, because it can actually help to protect against malicious attacks and unauthorized access. But IP addresses are personal data as far as the GDPR is concerned. So, while you might not consider yourself to be actively collecting personal data, there’s a very good chance that, in reality, you are. How Some Bloggers Can Dodge the GDPR BulletWe’ve already seen that the core factor in determining whether the GDPR applies to you is whether or not you process personal data. It what the GDPR calls the “material scope” of the regulation. But that’s not the only consideration. We also need to consider what the GDPR calls “territorial scope” — and it’s this territorial scope that might allow some bloggers to dodge the GDPR bullet. Territorial scope is EU-speak for the geographic limitation of the GDPR. We’ve already touched on this in our first dangerous myth above. The regulation protects the interests of consumers within the EU — regardless of whether the individual/business that collects their data is based in the EU or not. So the real question is not where you are based — rather it is where your intended consumers are based. A US-based blog can be caught within the scope of the GDPR if it in any way targets consumers in the EU. But to be clear, if you can legitimately argue that your blog falls outside the territorial scope of the GDPR, the regulation will not apply to you — and none of the requirements, responsibilities or fines apply. Some folks will, understandably, see this as a GDPR get out of jail free card. Just be wary… The GDPR makes a clear distinction between Data Controllers (remember, that’s probably you) who are based in the EU and those based outside the EU. It boils down to this:
This distinction will be crucial for many bloggers. It introduces the concept of your intended target audience. If your blog is genuinely targeted at a non-EU audience and you don’t, in reality, process the data of EU consumers, then you have a potential exemption from the entirety of the GDPR. But it’s important to understand that this is a gray area. The actual wording of the regulation refers to whether “the Controller envisages offering goods and services to data subjects in the Union.” If you blog about childcare in San Francisco, then I’d argue that you’re on pretty solid ground. It doesn’t have any obvious relevance to EU consumers, and it would seem fair to argue that you don’t “envisage offering a service” to them. On the other hand, blog on a subject that’s not limited by location (such as the cool new features on the iPhone X), and that argument might not fly. Your content is just as relevant to EU consumers as it is to anyone else, and you probably have no real intention of limiting your readership. So it’s going to depend very much on the nature of your blog.
Factors to bear in mind:
Importantly, if in reality you DO process the personal data of EU consumers (let’s say by having people with .co.uk email addresses on your email list), then it’s hard to argue that you don’t envisage offering a service to them. Because you’re already actually doing it. The $64,000 Question: Is Your Blog in Scope?Coming to a conclusion about whether your blog falls within the scope of the GDPR is something that only you can do. It will depend on the exact nature of your blog, the data you capture, and your target audience. And there are areas that are not perfectly clear-cut when you apply them to blogging. Just keep in mind that it’s human nature to try to shoehorn your own blog into one of the limited exemptions to the rules. If you offer a service to consumers in the EU and, by so doing, process information that qualifies as “personal data,” then, at face value, the GDPR will apply. If you’re in any doubt, the wise approach is to have a plan to tackle it. Three Totally Legitimate Approaches to Tackling GDPR (Including One That’s Super Easy)Let’s assume that the GDPR applies to you and your blog. What now? Strikes me that people are going to take one of three approaches that extend beyond simply pretending it’s not happening. Approach #1: Do Nothing (aka “Wait and See”)Let me be clear here: “Do nothing” is not the same as “ignore it.” Ignoring it would be bad. It needs to be on your radar. But depending on your approach to risk, you might well choose the “wait and see” method. Day 1 GDPR compliance would be awesome — but pragmatically, it can take time, effort and potentially expense. And realistically, you are unlikely to come to the attention of the data regulators unless you actually experience a data breach or someone chooses to make a complaint against you. So why not just wait for the dust to settle and see what everyone else does?
Pros:
Cons:
It’s hard for me to wholeheartedly advocate the “wait and see” approach — because it feels reactive, and maybe I’m a bit risk-averse. But there is arguably a place for it if you understand and accept the risks. That said, some of the risks can be mitigated, which leads me to the second approach. Approach #2: Show Willingness by Implementing Some Quick WinsWhile full GDPR compliance is going to be complex for some, there’s likely to be some low-hanging fruit to be had. Not only will it start you off on a path toward full compliance, you’re also demonstrating a commitment to data privacy — and you might be surprised how much you’re already doing. If you do nothing more than revisit your consent processes and publish a privacy policy on your blog, you will still be making a significant step towards compliance. (Check out my Seven Easy Steps Toward GDPR Compliance below, which suggest what some of these approaches might look like.)
Pros:
Cons:
My guess is that “showing willingness” will be where many bloggers and small businesses will be when the GDPR comes into force. Approach #3: Go the Full Nine Yards and Aim for Complete GDPR ComplianceIn an ideal world, full GDPR compliance from Day 1 is clearly the place to be. It minimizes risk and — to those who know what to look for — demonstrates your credibility and professionalism. For simple blogs and small online businesses, full compliance might be perfectly achievable, because simplicity is your friend.
Pros:
Cons:
Seven Easy Steps Toward GDPR ComplianceThe actual GDPR regulation itself is a horribly impenetrable document. It runs to over 250 pages, with 99 main provisions (“Articles”) and 173 supplementary “recitals.” And they wonder why people don’t read it. Unless you’re a lawyer, you’ll likely come away from it feeling just a little overwhelmed. But if you can master the concepts and the six core principles, you’ll see that there are a number of discrete, tangible things that you can do toward compliance. And some of them are pretty pain-free. #1. Make a Personal Data InventorySpend 30 minutes just brainstorming and documenting the types of personal data that you collect. Then you’ll begin to understand where your actual liabilities are.
Make sure you consider:
Only when you’ve identified how you collect data can you start to address whether you need to take further action. #2. Publish a GDPR-Compliant Privacy PolicyPublishing a privacy policy is the most tangible thing you can do to demonstrate your commitment to data privacy.
It’s your opportunity to:
If you already have a privacy policy, you may already have much of this covered. But it’s unlikely that your policy will be GDPR-compliant without some form of amendment. If nothing else, you will need to add the range of data access rights that consumers have. And just publishing your privacy policy is not enough. You need to stick to it. And make sure that anyone else working on your behalf sticks to it, too. Your GDPR protection is only as strong as its weakest link. Feel free to check out my own privacy policy as a guide to what should be included. You’ll find other great examples on the web, but I’m confident mine is firmly on the right track.
That disclaimer again: I’m not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. And please don’t just copy my policy — it’s not polite, and your policy needs to reflect what you do, not what I do!)
#3. Be Crystal-Clear about ConsentA lot of people who talk about GDPR seem to think that consent is the silver bullet for all GDPR problems. It’s not. Consent is just one of six lawful grounds for collecting personal data under the GDPR, and it won’t always be the most appropriate one to rely on. That said, it IS important. Where consumers are volunteering personal information (such as online contact forms and blog sign-ups) you must ask for their specific consent if there is no other legal ground for processing that data. This will usually mean having one or more checkable “consent” boxes on all sign-up forms.
Important things to consider:
#4. Stop Collecting Data You Don’t NeedData minimization is the way to go. Do you really need someone’s cell phone number to send them blog updates? Probably not. The more data you collect, the more data you’re responsible for. If you can’t justify why you’re asking for a particular piece of data, don’t ask for it. And if you already hold data that you don’t need (or can’t justify), now is the time to dispose of it. (Securely, of course!) #5. Make Sure Your Blog Is Super-SecureOne of the core objectives of the GDPR is to keep personal data secure.
You can directly influence this by making sure that you are taking basic, common-sense security precautions such as:
All of these things form the basis of the “how we protect your data” section of a privacy policy. #6. Use a Reputable Web HostYou are most likely using some form of third-party web hosting for your blog — either shared hosting or maybe VPS. By providing the servers that your blog runs on, that 3rd party hosting company becomes a “Data Processor” in GDPR terms — because they are processing data on your behalf. You are effectively subcontracting the technical hosting activities to them. As a result, they have access to any personal data that is stored on your blog — and they are therefore quite capable of being the weak link in the chain. A reputable web host will be only too happy to talk to you about the security processes that they have in place, their security accreditations, and so on. The best ones already have GDPR-compliant conditions within their standard terms of service, or will offer you a personalized data processing agreement on request. This is important, because the GDPR expects you to have a written agreement with anybody who acts as a Data Processor on your behalf — especially if it involves processing that takes place outside the EU. So choose your web host wisely. And be prepared to find a different provider if you don’t get the answers you need. #7. Check Your Google Analytics ConfigurationOkay, this is a bit specific, but it might be the difference between compliance and non-compliance for some simple blogs. Google Analytics uses cookies to track when people visit your blog. They enable GA to distinguish one visitor from another. But, when set up correctly, GA cookies are likely to be seen as “non-privacy intrusive,” which means that you do not need to get prior specific consent to use them (which, believe me, would be a technical minefield). For this exclusion to apply, though, you need to be careful:
For a handy visual reminder of the seven steps, check out the image below (click to see a larger view):
Stop Hiding Under the Pillow and Get Ahead of GDPRLike it or not, the GDPR could affect you. Even if you’re not in the EU. While regulators are extremely unlikely to start handing out huge fines on Day 1, smart bloggers will see this as an opportunity get their data processes properly nailed down. Get on the front foot and you’ll have a better, deeper understanding of the value of the data that you hold, and the responsibility (and accountability) that you have for that information. And frankly, even if the GDPR doesn’t apply to you, it’s a strong indication of where data privacy is going — so why not embrace the principles anyway? It may seem a million miles away from why you pour your heart and soul into blogging. You blog to inform, to inspire, to share your passion. But you’re also responsible to your loyal followers for the information they entrust to you. So don’t lose sleep over it. Get ahead of it. Because when you do, your blog will be stronger than ever.
Paul Long is a small business web designer, WordPress enthusiast and self-confessed data freak based in the UK. He currently spends his days helping folk to tread the fine line between GDPR denial and meltdown. For further actionable guidance, check out his free GDPR Action Plan for small businesses.
The post What the Heck is GDPR? (and How to Make Sure Your Blog Is Compliant) appeared first on Smart Blogger. from https://smartblogger.com/gdpr/ Do you want to know how to network in a way that grows your blog? Wish there were simple tactics you can use to get you in front of an audience? In this episode, you'll discover how Robert networked his way to 3 million monthly page views. Listen to the episodeWho is Robert FarringtonRobert is a Millennial Money Expert and the Founder of The College Investor. He's on a mission to help millennials get out of student loan debt and start building wealth. He also helps parents make smart choices about college financing options and navigating the complex world of paying for school. They also recently wrapped up a student loan debt movement. Their readers were able to pay off or get rid of $1.4 Million in student loan debt in one month. Robert's StoryFrom a young age, Robert loved finances. Get this – at the age of 13, he wanted to do his own taxes. Now I don't know about you, but I'm 37, and I still hate doing taxes. But because he was so passionate about topics related to money from a young age, he wanted to blog about it. So he started The College Investor in September of 2009. The idea was to share random thoughts about investing. After blogging about investing for a while, his blog still wasn't taking off. But then something interesting happened. He ran into a difficult situation related to his student loan debt. Since he was also a blogger, he decided to share his story in a blog post. The response was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He started getting engagement and comments on that post. A lot of people started asking him about that topic. Since it resonated with people so much, he started a gradual shift to focus on student loan debt. He kept using audience feedback to refine the focus on his blog. When he started, his content was 90% focused on what he wanted and 10% of what his readers wanted. Today, those numbers are opposite – more reader-focused. How he grew The College InvestorRobert started focusing on learning how to blog and grow an audience. He followed other personal finance bloggers to see what they were doing. He learned about setting up social profiles and commenting on other blogs. But what REALLY helped him to grow was networking in three ways:
The result was a lot of growth and a wealth of opportunities. How to network with bloggers onlineOne of the things Robert did was to connect with other bloggers in the personal finance space. In the beginning, he did this via the Yakezi Network. Today, he connects with bloggers online via FinCon and Rockstar Finance. But he didn't haphazardly do this. There was a method to his madness. Here's what he recommends: Create a lot of contentRobert recommends creating three pieces of content weekly for a year. By doing this, you will:
Engage with, leave a comment and share 3 other bloggers' content dailyRobert started doing this with other bloggers in his space. These were the bloggers he met as a part of the networks he joined. He also followed bloggers on Twitter to connect with them there. His recommendation: Use Google to find blogs in your industry. Also, don't limit yourself to blogs. Look for YouTube channels, Instagram accounts, and even Medium blogs. The goal is to connect with content creators in your niche. One major lesson he learned that it isn't always about connecting with big names. Don't ignore the smaller people in your space. Those same bloggers might be the next big bloggers. By connecting with them early, you get to grow with them. How to Network with Bloggers at EventsNetworking in person was also a big driver of growth for Robert. He recommends seeking out conferences in your industry. After hearing about FinCon multiple times, Robert decided to make the investment. Here's what Robert recommends when trying to leverage conferences:
How to network with the mediaNetworking with the media has been the biggest growth factor for Robert's blog. You get the exposure plus the potential for relationships that carry on into the future. Also, sharing your media hits with your audience helps to build your credibility. Robert recommends using Help a Reporter Out (HARO). This is a service that connects journalists with specific sources. It's a great way to land potential media opportunities. Here are his tips for leveraging HARO well:
The benefits of networkingRobert has experienced all kinds of benefits as a result of networking. Here are a few examples:
All in all, it has been hugely beneficial for Robert, and it can be for you as well. So what are you waiting for? Go forth and network. Resources Mentioned:
InfographicThe post 334 How to Network to Grow your Blog – with Robert Farrington appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26163/how-to-network-grow-your-blog/ So you want to become a full-time blogger. Then you stumbled onto the right post. I'm going to share five things you need to invest in to make that dream a reality. Listen to the episodeHow to make money as a full-time bloggerI'm gonna go ahead and disappoint you quickly. This post isn't about how to make money. It's actually the last in my series of posts on how to make money as a blogger. The past posts were: In both posts, I outline what it actually takes to make money. The truth is – if you want to make more money, do more of what I teach in those posts. To make those things happen better, you need to build a serious business. To build a serious business, you need to invest in the growth of your business. And I'm talking about investing two valuable assets – time and money. So now that we have that out of the way, let's move on to your investments. Invest in yourselfYou are the owner of your business. You are the leader. In John Maxwell's book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, he argues that:
Your ability will always be a limitation. The more you increase your leadership ability, the more your business will grow. This is why it's so important to invest in yourself. Take courses on blogging, business, marketing, and even leadership. Read books. Listen to podcasts. Attend conferences. Continue to feed your mind. Do whatever it takes to raise that lid. Here are some great resources for your continuing education:
Invest in your teamSmart business-owners are great leaders. Great leaders build great teams. If you want things done right, you have to do it yourself. That's what they say. And they would be WRONG! But it's so easy for talented people to think that way. Yes, you can do a lot. But your business can do so much more with a team. You may need writers, designers, tech people, a bookkeeper, CPA and other skilled people. It's not an expense. It's an investment. Start small and build from there. To facilitate the growth of your team, create systems and processes. Refine those systems and processes over time. An excellent example of someone who has done that is Kate Ahl. She's one of my past clients and the owner of Simple Pin Media – A Pinterest management company. What started as her pinning for a handful of clients has grown into a full team of expert pinners. They now manage the Pinterest accounts for many successful bloggers. Invest in your team, create systems and processes, and watch your business grow. Invest in your productIn the context of this post, when I say product, I'm not referring just to products you sell. I'm referring to whatever you produce. Invest in the content you create. Whether it's on your blog, on social media or elsewhere. What you create will be the driving force behind everything you do. Continue to refine your content. If you go back and look at some of my earlier posts, you will notice that my content has come a long way. They used to be large blocks of text. Today, it includes nice images, infographics, slide decks and multiple forms of media. We have refined the product to make it better for you. Beyond the content you create, there are the products you sell. Invest in making them better and providing more value to your customers. Take their feedback and use it to refine what you do. And then there's the equipment you use. A lot of people think I waste money in buying a bunch of equipment. But as a result of my investment in equipment, I'm able to provide way more value to my coaching club members. Now I answer every question with a professional video that takes little to no time. My expensive video production equipment has made my content MUCH better. It was not an expense, it was an investment. Invest in your marketingFor your business to be successful, you will need to sell stuff. To sell stuff, you will have to market. To market, you will not only have to learn about marketing, you will actually have to do it. And that will take an investment of time and money. What is your marketing strategy? Are you running webinars? Are you creating email funnels? Do you have a social media strategy and are you implementing it in your business? Are you running ads or using re-marketing to target qualified leads? Remember, you're running a business. It's time to act like it (if you're trying to do this full-time and grow your business). Invest in your communityYou're running a blogging business. And you know what? Your blogging business is not about you! It's about the people you serve – your community. THEY are the star of the show. And while you are the blogger and business owner, it's not about YOU. Even if you're building a personal brand business, it's STILL about the people you serve. It's about your blog readers. It's about your email subscribers. It's about your customers. And it's even about your network. Spend time and money on these people. Connect with them. Help them accomplish their goals. Help them overcome their struggles. Provide them with value. Do that consistently and magic will happen. Go forth and conquerSo there you have it. That probably wasn't what you expected. But it's reality. Now it's time to do the hard work. It's time to take action. Because if you want to do this full-time, it's going to take full-time effort. And if you'd like my support as you move ahead, check out the following resources:
Resources Mentioned
InfographicThe post 333 How to Become a Full-time Blogger appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26072/become-a-full-time-blogger/ |
ABOUT MEHello I am Claude 32 years old. I have been doing internet marketing for 7 years and successfully running 3 e-commerce stores. I like to share tips with people aobut online business. Archives
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