Chow says, “Have you ever wondered how much it cost to run a million dollar Internet business? It’s a question I get asked a lot. Most people can figure out that my blog can’t be run on a $5 a month HostGator web hosting plan. In this Driving with John Chow episode, I reveal how much it cost to run John Chow dot Com. The general reaction to the number is “OMG! Why does it cost that much?” Find out how much is that much by watching the video now”. How Much Does It Cost To Run My Blog? John Chow’s Blog  [...]

Josh Haynam says, “For publishers, being able to run on ad revenue can be a tough pursuit, but quizzes can help. Check out two very different case studies below… On Tuesday March 16, 2015, an editor at HotNewHipHop reached out to me with a few questions about formulating a quiz. This was the same day that Kendrick Lamar’s new album To Pimp a Butterfly came out, which I was listening to at the time. That same Tuesday afternoon I see a post show up on my twitter feed with the text “I got ‘expert’, How Well do you Know To Pimp a Butterfly” The quiz was from HotNewHipHop.com,... [...]

Chris Lee says, “Far too many brands dismiss bloggers as hobbyists added to a low tier on a media list merely to be spammed with marketing emails.  This is a short-sighted attitude and, rather than a bolt-on, a bloggers’ role in the customer decision journey and as part of a link-building strategy needs to be fully understood. Bloggers matter. While many brands and agencies have grasped this concept, not everyone is engaging bloggers in a mutually constructive way. Even though blogging has matured, blogger relations is still a massive area for improvement. Let me tell you a personal story,... [...]

Angie Pascale says, “Recently, I’ve come across a number of brands that started a blog years ago but have all but abandoned it, or never even created one to begin with. Sure, both situations seems shocking in this day, what with all the turnkey blog platforms and abundance of data showing the benefits of having a blog. But let’s not dwell on their idling (usually due to a lack of resources, which we can all empathize with). Instead, let’s discuss how they can start fresh with a clean slate and a clear strategy. If you’re ready to reignite a neglected blog, or launch your... [...]

Rainmaker team says, “Headline writing is probably the first and most important skill you need to learn as a web writer. John Caples called it the most important part of an advertisement. That’s why he dedicates four out of 18 chapters to headline writing in his book Tested Advertising Methods. And you can sum up those four chapters in one hyphenated word”. How to Write Headlines that Get Results ‘Copyblogger’ Blog  [...]

Nichole Elizabeth DeMeré says, “In the past couple of years, a few excellent, and informative sources of marketing wisdom have risen to prominence. With thoughtful content, original ideas, clear how-tos, and consistent schedules, these blogs have become household names (at least in your marketing department). While these blogs deserve the recognition and readership they’ve cultivated, many people assume that those are the only places you should go for original, quality marketing ideas. Those people are missing out. There are plenty of up-and-coming blogs worthy of following —... [...]

Neil Patel says, “Engagement! Everyone wants engagement from their content. The problem is we’re not quite sure of the best way to get it. Engagement is one area in which content marketing is more art than science. Even though there are no formulas to predict engagement, there are patterns of success. Here are five things you should add to every blog post to increase engagement. But first, what is engagement? Since engagement is the whole point of this article, it’s important to define terms. Many of the how-to articles on online engagement simply gloss over the missing definition of... [...]

Rahul Sharma says, “One of the most important goals and performance metrics for business blogging is the expansion of the network consisting of individuals who locate, interact with and share unique blog content. Including critical business website features into your blog and adding to the SEO relevance of the same is important. However, what’s also important is to adopt an optimized approach to an increasing blog community and it relies on an understanding of who the target audience is and what sort of information objectives they have instead of simply focusing on what the brand seeks to... [...]

Chris Handy says, “Blogging is an important part of your business strategy. Often, a blog post will be the first impression a prospect has of your company. Getting things just right can be overwhelming. In this post, I’ll outline some of the best tools to help you keep a solid editorial flow from idea to publish. You will discover tools for capturing ideas, proofreading content, and enhancing posts with images. Idea Capture A forgotten idea bears no rewards. If you are anything like me, inspiration hits you at the most inopportune times. Make sure nothing slips through the cracks with... [...]

Christopher Ratcliff says, “Writing requires discipline, focus, talent, sacrifice and a thick skin, so I have no idea how I’ve managed to survive this long without my editor noticing my fundamental lack of these skills. What I do have though is an awesome arsenal of tools and web applications that help paper over any cracks in my expertise. From idea generation, to writing without distraction, to creating jargon-free copy, these 17 tools should also be able to help you improve your own craft and stop you from banging your head against the keyboard for too long”. 17 fantastically useful tools... [...]