Social Media and Blogging have gone hand in hand. But over the last few years, things have changed. If you’re wondering what the future holds, and what, if any, changes bloggers need to make, then keep reading. Listen to the episodeClick below to listen to me discuss this topic in more depth. Social Media is ChangingA lot has happened in the social media landscape over the last 2 years. Of all the social networks, Facebook has been at the center of most of the controversy. To name a few of the issues, there’s everything from privacy breaches, the Cambridge Analytica scandal, and Russian meddling with elections. As a result of all of these issues, Facebook is now the most distrusted tech company. And there are legal implications to everything that has happened. In fact, Facebook has reported that they are preparing for an up to $5 billion fine by the FTC. It has come to a point where Facebook has to make some drastic changes if they want to survive. If no changes are made, government regulation is on the horizon (as well as more fines). In fact, These changes will have ripple effects that will change the way we interact with social media all across the board. What the research showsThings aren’t looking good for Facebook right now. According to Edison research, Facebook actually has 15 million fewer US users than in 2017. Those numbers look even worse among ages 12 – 34. The estimated amount of uses went from 79% in 2017 to 62% (82 million to 65 million). And according to Social Media Examiner’s Industry report, there is a declining interest in Facebook (from 67% in the previous year’s report to 61%). To make things worse, only 51% of marketers actually plan on increasing their organic Facebook activities (down from 62%). Not to mention, this data was collected and reported on before the recent changes Facebook announced at F8. If I were to guess, I’d say the numbers would be even lower today. Facebook’s announcements at F8At F8 (Facebook’s annual developer conference), Mark Zuckerberg took to the stage and announced some drastic changes. Facebook is getting a complete redesign – the most significant redesign to date. In his words, they are building a “privacy-focused social platform.”
In this new design, Facebook groups, stories, and events are being emphasized, while News feed is being de-emphasized. If you'd like to watch the entire Keynote, here you go… What this means for bloggers
Over the last few years, we’ve seen organic reach take a drastic decline. Things posted to Facebook pages are only reaching a tiny fraction of the people who like your pages. With these changes, organic reach will be virtually dead. Facebook will no longer be a platform for free public exposure and organic traffic generation. If you’ve been dependent solely on social media for driving traffic to your blog, your traffic will decline significantly. Many bloggers will fall by the wayside. But, I believe that this provides an excellent opportunity for bloggers who are willing to step up their game. How bloggers should adaptIf you’re still with me, this means you still have some hope. You may be wondering what you can do in light of these changes. Is all hope gone? Absolutely not. I’m going to share 10 tips with you that I believe will help you thrive in this rapidly changing world. Tip 1: Stop building your platform on rented landThere are so many bloggers and content creators who fall for the social media hype. They see a social platform as being a relatively easy way to get their stuff out there. So they go all in on that platform and build their entire “empire” on there. Unfortunately, when you do this, you put yourself at the mercy of the platform. And the bad news for you and I is that these platforms don't see building our businesses as their priority, nor should they. They are in it to make their businesses successful, and that's exactly how you should be thinking. When you build your own blog, you are building your platform. And while it may not seem as glamorous as having a million subscribers, you are setting yourself up for long-term success. Tip 2: Have a strategic content creation strategyNo longer should we be creating content for content creation sake. Each piece of content should be tied to your business model, whatever that is. I'm definitely NOT saying that you should monetize every post, slap ads all over your content or make everything promotional. However, what I'm saying is that you should think through how each piece of content contributes to the goals you set for your business. It may be that the purpose of a post is to be educational. Well, make sure that it's providing the right kind of education for your ideal customer. And make sure that it leads them on a journey to either consuming more of your content or going deeper in their relationship with you and your business. Tip 3: Focus on your email strategyNewsflash: Email is NOT dead. In fact, it's far from it. Having an email list is having a direct line of communication with your audience. And in my business, my email list is the #1 driver of my sales. I've connected with a number of bloggers who have been around long enough to see significant declines in social media reach. The ones who are still around and thriving are the ones who prioritize email as a part of their blogging strategy. Don't let Mark Zuckerburg (or any other social media execs) determine who gets to see your content. Take control of that process. Focus on your email strategy. Tip 4: Go deep rather than wideIn the early days of blogging, it was much easier to get away with broad niches. That's no longer the case. The world doesn't need more general health and fitness blogs. Been there, done that. However, the world of vegan women who do CrossFit would probably be excited to see a blog for them. Instead of trying to expand to serve everyone (or to cater to all your own interests), focus even more on a specific niche and be the best source of information for them on the Internet. Tip 5: Quality trumps quantityRemember when everyone would say to create a bunch of quick and easy content like the top 10 lists? Or to just create a ton of content and not be focused as much on the quality? Well, those days are gone. While there's some argument to be made for showing up often, it's becoming more important to make sure that you serve your audience in the best way possible. Instead of posting thin, fluffy content, focus on delivering value at every step of the way. Along similar lines, it's not about the number of subscribers you have. It's about the quality of the community you've built. You don't need that many people to build a successful business. If you have 834 people who are willing to spend $10/month or 167 people willing to spend $50/month in your business, you have a 6-figure business. Tip 6: Learn about Search Engine OptimizationRemember SEO? Well, it's still relevant. Everything from doing the keyword research to making sure each post is optimized to give Google the info it needs. The better you are at SEO, the more likely you will be to show up in the search engines. The more likely you are to show up in the search engines, the more traffic you will have. It's time to step up your game on the SEO front. And I don't mean hiring some random SEO team who emailed you promising to get you on the first page in 30 days. I mean investing in SEO education for yourself or someone on your team, or bringing on someone who has a proven and verifiable track record. Tip 7: Use video in a helpful wayWe used to say that video is the future. We can no longer say that. Video is becoming an essential part of how the internet functions and how people consume content. If you aren't using video as a part of your content strategy, you're missing out. Video provides a great opportunity for you to educate, inform or entertain your audience in a way that can contribute to your bottom line. It's a great way to get in front of a new audience as well as provide more value to your current audience. YouTube is still the second most popular search engine in the world. And quite frankly, I find it a much easier to rank in YouTube than in Google. Tip 8: Think as a community builder, not a content broadcasterThis is one lesson I'm actually taking from Mark Zuckerberg. If you want to build a thriving online business, you have to stop thinking like a broadcaster. It's not all about people listening to what you have to say. While that does work to a certain extent, a more powerful way to build online is by facilitating conversation and connection. We are community builders. And fortunately, there are all kinds of tools to make this easier in 2019. Tip 9: Show up consistently with multiple touch pointsWhile it isn't smart to build your platform completely on Social Media, it's definitely smart to use social media to show up consistently where your audience is. Make a decision about where you want to engage with your audience and create content on those platforms that complement the content on your blog. Stimulate conversations and be a part of the community. The more they see you and get value from you, the more likely they will be to do business with you. Tip 10: Track, test, tweak, improveI decided to save the best for last. This is the ninja tip that makes the world a difference. Here's the fact – there isn't ANY strategy that will work for any two people in the same exact way. What you need to determine is what works best for you. Fortunately, we have free tools that allow us to effectively determine this. By using Google Analytics, setting up your goals correctly, using tracking URLs, and Google Search Console, you have everything you need. Yes, I mentioned a bunch of technical stuff there. Yes, it takes work. No, it's not all easy. But is it worth it? Absolutely. In ConclusionYou may have noticed something as you read through all those tips. I'm not suggesting anything new. There was nothing revolutionary about what I proposed here. In fact, all I'm basically saying is that we need to get back to the core of what it means to be a blogger and run a business. Let's go back, to move forward. Create awesome content, do it consistently, build your community and have a solid business model. If you make those things your priority, you are doing exactly what you need to do to thrive with your blogging efforts in 2019 and beyond. Resources/References
The post Social Media and Blogging in 2019 and Beyond appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26720/social-media-and-blogging/
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If you’re starting your blog on a budget, a free WordPress theme is a great way to keep costs down. The problem? There are literally thousands of free WordPress themes to sort through. And when you search for guidance on Google, you’re greeted with articles offering dozens (or hundreds) of free WordPress theme options. Let’s be honest: You don’t need a list of dozens (or hundreds) of free WordPress themes. There’s not enough time in the day to review them all, and most of them sound the same anyway. No, what you need is a small list of themes that have been vouched for and vetted by people who know what they’re talking about. And you need that list to be broken down in a way that makes it easy for you to choose the theme that best fits your needs. In short, you need the post you’re reading right now.
We asked 11 influential WordPress experts and bloggers the following, open-ended question:
They were allowed to pick up to two themes. Here are the results: 1. Astra by Brainstorm ForceA Look at Astra (in 50 Words or Less)Astra is a popular multipurpose theme that offers a lightweight, optimized foundation that you can build into your own unique design via a set of simple, customization options. No coding is required. The TL;DR for Astra7 Votes Of our 11 experts, 7 chose Astra in our survey. 300k Active Installs There are more than 300,000 active installations of the Astra theme. 5.0 Rating Users have given Astra an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Astra
The Astra theme is perfect for someone who’s getting started with blogging. Not only can you easily control the look and feel of the blog through the settings in the WordPress Customizer; but you can also import a complete starter site for free using the Astra Sites plugin. This can get you up and running in minutes.
Brad Morrison, Founder of GoWP
I’m a big fan of keeping things as simple and as fast as possible and the default “out of the box” Astra experience aligns with my own ethos perfectly. As a theme author I was pleasantly surprised at how many sensible defaults they had adopted meaning I think I spent less time setting this blog up than any other in recent memory!
Colm Troy, Co-founder of Create and Code
The free version comes with a lot of flexibility, it’s very well coded and the team behind it is great at support. It also works perfectly with WordPress’ new block editor as well as Beaver Builder and Elementor, so it’s a great option no matter how you build your content.
Nick Adams, COO at WP Buffs
Sure, [Astra] may not be the snazziest theme out there in it’s “out of the box” form, but it’s lightweight and gives you a great platform to build upon.
Want to get started right now? Install the theme, activate, make a few tweaks and get your blog out there. So, you can start writing today! Then, once you’re ready, you can grab the add-ons to the theme and customize it further.
Adam Connell, Founder of Blogging Wizard
Last One:
Astra is one WordPress theme that has been on my radar for a while. We are actually moving ShoutMeLoud from Genesis to Astra for a few reasons:
Harsh Agrawal, Founder of ShoutMeLoud
In case you missed it, Harsh Agrawl is moving his website to Astra. That’s how big a fan he is of the theme. Astra also received votes from Karol Krol and Daan Tol. We’ll have more from them later. Key Features of Astra
Final Thoughts on AstraIf you want a free, lightweight theme that excels at customization and performance, Astra is a great choice. 2. Writee by Scissor ThemesA Look at Writee (in 50 Words or Less)Writee is a clean theme that puts the focus on your writing, along with a spot for a bold, full-width featured image. The TL;DR for Writee3 Votes Of our 11 experts, 3 chose Writee in our survey. 30k Active Installs There are more than 30,000 active installations of the Writee theme. 4.8 Rating Users have given Writee an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Writee
My recommended free WordPress theme for bloggers is Writee by Scissor Themes. This theme has a clean and modern design that is simple enough to work for all sorts of blogs. It’s very easy to set up, making it ideal for beginners. It comes with a range of widgets that bloggers will need, such as an ‘About Me’ widget and social widget.
Katie Keith, Co-founder of Barn2 Media
Writee is a free blogging theme found in the WordPress Repository, meaning it was built using the highest coding practices. It will work for all types of blogging sites, is easy to customize using the Live Customizer, and can easily be translated into the language of your choice if needed. Though there is room for more advanced customizations when it comes to the layout, sidebars, and navigation menus, Writee is perfect out-of-the-box and is suitable for even the most novice of bloggers.
Devesh Sharma, Founder of WPKube
There are a lot of excellent free blogging themes out there, but one standout is Writee by Scissor Themes. It has striking visuals, a lot of customization potential, and some other neat features.
Charlie Livingston, Founder of aThemes
Key Features of Writee
Final Thoughts on WriteeWritee is a great option if you want something that’s going to look great right out of the box. This contrasts with Astra and some of the other free WordPress themes on this list, where you’re expected to put in a little elbow grease to make them your own. With Writee, you just activate it and start writing. 3. GeneratePress by Tom UsborneA Look at GeneratePress (in 50 Words or Less)GeneratePress is another popular option that shares the same philosophy as Astra. That is, it’s a lightweight chameleon that you can adapt to any niche or need. In performance tests, GeneratePress usually ends up at the top of the pack, which is great if you want your blog to load fast. Beyond that, it also comes with over-the-top good support. The TL;DR for GeneratePress1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose GeneratePress in our survey. 100k Active Installs There are more than 100,000 active installations of the GeneratePress theme. 5.0 Rating Users have given GeneratePress an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About GeneratePress
Tom Usborne (the owner/creator of GeneratePress) is very helpful on [the support forum]. I could solve all my problems just by searching in the support forum. He also gives some great tips for using plugins that go very well with his theme (Code Snippets, Simple CSS). This way of working kept my theme vanilla so that I can always update without having to worry. For a non-coder like me – that’s the dream.
Daan Tol, Owner of WPLift
Key Features of GeneratePress
Final Thoughts on GeneratePressLike Astra, GeneratePress will look pretty basic when you first install it. However, the magic of this theme is the many options in the WordPress Customizer that let you build it into the exact look you want. If you’re willing to put in some time, you can create the theme of your dreams, and it will all be powered by a lightweight, performance-optimized foundation. Finally, as Daan mentioned, the theme’s developer, Tom Usborne, offers amazing support if you ever need a helping hand. 4. Neve by ThemeisleA Look at Neve (in 50 Words or Less)Neve is a lightweight theme that’s optimized to work with the new WordPress block editor (also known as the Gutenberg editor). It’s also on the list of the most popular free WordPress themes at WordPress.org, which means that, although it’s new, it’s getting a lot of traction. While you certainly can customize Neve to suit your needs, it looks more “polished” out of the box, and it also comes with a variety of pre-built demo sites that you can import with just a few clicks. The TL;DR for Neve1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose Neve in our survey. 30k Active Installs There are more than 30,000 active installations of the Neve theme. 5.0 Rating Users have given Neve an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Neve
If you’d rather get a theme that looks great out the box and simply works without necessarily needing to dive through various settings panels, use Neve. It gives you a modern, beautiful design that’s also built with performance in mind. Plus, it’s the top 10 most popular free theme in the official theme directory at WordPress.org. What more could you need?
Karol Krol, Heads Content at Themeisle
Key Features of Neve
Final Thoughts on NeveAs Karol highlighted, Neve makes a great option if you want something that’s going to look great as soon as you install it. If you like the default looks, you can just install it and start writing. Or, if you want to switch things up, but don’t want to redesign things yourself, you can also import one of the pre-built demo sites by clicking a few buttons. 5. Reykjavik by WebMan DesignA Look at Reykjavik (in 50 Words or Less)Reykjavik brands itself as a free business WordPress theme, but it’s got a great look that can just as easily be adapted to blogging or other niches. As the name suggests, you get a very “Nordic” feel to the styling. (Basically, if you like Ikea, you’ll probably like this WordPress theme!) The TL;DR for Reykjavik1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose Reykjavik in our survey. 2k Active Installs There are more than 2,000 active installations of the Reykjavik theme. 5.0 Rating Users have given Reykjavik an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Reykjavik
Reykjavik is a fresh, lightweight theme that features minimalist style. It is therefore a great fit for blogging and portfolio type websites.
Marko Segota, Co-founder of Anariel Design
Key Features of Reykjavik
Final Thoughts on ReykjavikReykjavik is another option that will give you a great-looking site from the second you install it. The clean styling also does a great job of highlighting your content, and will satisfy your love of Nordic style more than an ALLEMANSRÄTTEN meatball. (Those are the meatballs at Ikea, if you’re not familiar.)
Note: While the earlier screenshot highlights Reykjavik’s business-focused homepage, I’d recommend you click through to the demo because the blog page has a great full-width layout that really puts the focus on your content. You can see one of the sample blog posts here.
6. Cali by aThemesA Look at Cali (in 50 Words or Less)With its focus on visual imagery, Cali makes a great option for fashion, lifestyle, and travel blogs. Beyond its looks, Cali also builds in some other helpful features for bloggers, like a newsletter integration (via the MailChimp for WordPress plugin), dedicated spots for social media follow buttons at both the top and bottom of your page, and space to bring in your Instagram feed (via the WP Instagram Widget plugin). The TL;DR for Cali1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose Cali in our survey. 1k Active Installs There are more than 1,000 active installations of the Cali theme. 3.0 Rating Users have given Cali an average rating of 3.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Cali
(I) also recommend our own Cali theme. It has plenty of cool options for bloggers – including a posts carousel, a wide selection of fonts to choose from, and social media integration.
Charlie Livingston, Founder of aThemes
Key Features of Cali
Final Thoughts on CaliCali’s looks are best suited for lifestyle, fashion, or travel blogs…or really just any niche with a heavy focus on imagery. Beyond that, it does a good job of integrating social media into its design, which, if you’re active on social media, is another big benefit to choosing this theme. 7. Didi Lite by Anariel DesignA Look at Didi Lite (in 50 Words or Less)If you want something minimal that will put the focus on your strong words, Didi Lite is a great free option that has one of the simplest looks on this list. The theme offers plenty of white space and unique typography options that will help your site stand out. As the “lite” in the name suggests, there’s also a premium version that you can purchase if you decide you’d like more layouts and customization options in the future. The TL;DR for Didi Lite1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose Didi Lite in our survey. 700+ Active Installs There are more than 700 active installations of the Didi Lite theme. 4.5 Rating Users have given Didi Lite an average rating of 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About Didi Lite
Didi Lite is a modern blogging theme, built mobile first, that offers sleek layout and beautiful typography. With its minimalistic design it brings readers’ focus to what really matters: the content.
Marko Segota, Co-founder of Anariel Design
Key Features of Didi Lite
Final Thoughts on Didi LiteWith its minimal design, Didi Lite makes a great option for both text-heavy blogs, as well as fashion or lifestyle blogs (because you also get the option to display large featured images). It’s also another good option if you want a theme that looks “polished” as soon as you install it. 8. OceanWP by OceanWPA Look at OceanWP (in 50 Words or Less)OceanWP is another free theme that follows the chameleon principles of Astra and GeneratePress. Once again, that means it’s a flexible foundation that you can build into your dream blog theme. Like Astra and Neve, OceanWP also offers some free demo sites that you can import if you don’t want to customize your design from scratch. The TL;DR for OceanWP1 Vote Of our 11 experts, 1 chose OceanWP in our survey. 300k Active Installs There are more than 300,000 active installations of the OceanWP theme. 5.0 Rating Users have given OceanWP an average rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. What Our Experts Say About OceanWP
I like the set of options OceanWP has for the headers. It has so many well-designed options out of the box. Plus the free extensions are awesome. [The free extensions] offer you a lot of (customizable) control on your website.
Daan Tol, Owner of WPLift
Key Features of OceanWP
Final Thoughts on OceanWPOceanWP has a lot of similarities to GeneratePress and Astra, but it’s a little more focused on offering design and functionality flexibility, rather than just acting as a lightweight canvas. For example, you’ll find official free extensions for social sharing, sticky headers, and more that you won’t get with Astra or GeneratePress. Free WordPress Themes: Frequently Asked QuestionsBefore we wrap up, let’s look at a few common questions we hear from readers regarding free WordPress themes. Questions like: 1. Free WordPress Themes vs Premium Themes: Is There a Difference?When it comes to free WordPress themes vs premium WordPress themes, there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Have you seen people write stuff like “premium themes are coded better than free themes”? Or “premium themes offer better designs”? How about “premium themes load faster than free themes”? Or even “premium themes are more secure than free themes”? As someone who makes his living in the WordPress space, let me tell you that none of that is true. It’s just impossible to make those generalizations based solely on a theme’s price tag. Free themes are code. Premium themes are code. You can have perfectly coded free themes and poorly coded premium themes. You can have well-maintained free themes, and premium themes that haven’t been updated in years. And, of course, the opposite can also be true. What’s more, many themes are both free and premium. For example, the Astra theme that came so highly recommended comes in both a free and a premium version, and the “core” theme is exactly the same between each. The code doesn’t suddenly become “better” when you crack open your wallet, right? Long story short: There’s not a single inherent difference between free themes vs premium themes and there’s no reason you need to feel compelled to use a premium WordPress theme. So if you absolutely love a free WordPress theme, it comes from a quality developer who maintains it, and it does everything you need it to already, just use it and be happy! That doesn’t mean premium themes have no benefitsIf you noticed above, you’ll see I used phrases like “inherent difference.” That’s because I wanted to hedge my bets a little bit. ? There is, of course, a reason why premium themes exist, and it might turn out that a premium theme actually is a better option for your unique situation, especially as your blog starts growing. Even if you start with a free WordPress theme, here are some reasons to consider going Pro in the future:
2. How Much are Premium WordPress Themes?Because each developer sets their own prices, there’s a lot of variation in how much premium WordPress themes cost. However, on average, you’ll usually spend about $60 for most premium WordPress themes. For example, the premium version of Astra sits right at $59, and many of the premium themes that you’ll find at ThemeForest also adopt this pricing. Typically, that price also comes with one year of support and updates for your theme. After that first year, you can continue to use your theme on your site, but you will need to pay again if you wish to continue receiving support and updates. 3. What’s the Difference Between Free WordPress Themes and Free WordPress Templates?Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they are very different. A WordPress theme controls the design of your entire website. A WordPress template controls the layout for a specific page (or specific pages) within your website — e.g. your contact page, your individual blog posts, etc. In short, if someone tells you they’re looking for “free WordPress templates” or the like, they probably mean themes. 4. Can I Use a WordPress Theme if I’m not on WordPress?No, WordPress themes are for websites that use WordPress as its CMS (content management system). If you’re using Wix, Blogger, or a different blogging platform, you won’t be able to use WordPress themes for your website’s design. 5. How do I Find WordPress Themes?If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect WordPress theme after our list, here are some tips for other spots where you can find WordPress themes. For free WordPress themes, your best bet is to use the official WordPress.org theme directory. Beyond just generally being a huge collection of free WordPress themes, another benefit is that every theme listed in the directory has to go through a basic code review process. While this process is not foolproof for eliminating all issues, it does mean that any theme you find at WordPress.org is at least going to be free from any major errors or problems and coded to a minimum level of quality. For premium WordPress themes, Smart Blogger typically recommends Elegant Themes (affiliate link) and Avada (affiliate link). However, you’ll have no shortage of options. Browse around, read reviews, and test as many demos as you can. So, What’s the Best Free WordPress Theme?That will depend on your particular needs and situation. Based on the feedback from our experts, Astra leads the pack. But any of the free WordPress themes mentioned in this post are great options. Take each one for a test drive. See which one fits your website like a glove. And be sure to let us know in the comments section which one you like best. The post 8 Best Free WordPress Themes of 2019 (Chosen by Experts) appeared first on Smart Blogger. from https://smartblogger.com/free-wordpress-themes/ |
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
August 2019
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