Sonia Simone says, “Hey there! Before we get rolling, remember that if you’ve been thinking about moving your site to StudioPress Sites, this is the time. Because we love to make your life easy, we’ll move your existing WordPress site over for free. And because we love to let you try stuff without stress, we’ll also give you your first month for free. It’s a sweet deal, but it goes away tomorrow, Friday, April 28, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific U.S. Time. If you’d like a cost-effective way to get a fast, great-looking WordPress site that you don’t have to endlessly mess around with,... [...]

Sonia Simone says, “Oh, those idealistic good old days. Back when we truly believed that the global digital community would fact-check lies, make us smarter, and force our institutions to serve the greater good. As the man said, “How’s that working out for us?” It turns out that the social media utopia, like other utopias, didn’t end up as rosy as we’d hoped — mainly because it’s made of human beings. But the social web is still an extraordinary tool. The ability to instantly communicate with thousands of people isn’t to be scoffed at — if you can do it without losing your... [...]

Larry Thompson says, “The first time I rode a motorcycle, I fell in love. Between the power, the speed, and the freedom, I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing for a long time. But I also knew I had a lot to learn. Learning to ride a motorcycle requires several new skills. You have to learn how to maneuver and balance a heavy, two-wheeled vehicle, how to change gears, how to let the clutch out smoothly and at the right time, and how to work the hand and foot brakes. And that’s before you leave the parking lot. Learning to advertise on social media is a similar experience: there’s... [...]

Brian Clark says, “Ever see a numbered headline like the one above and try to guess what the three things are? Sometimes it’s easy; sometimes it’s not. In this case, you could be thinking I’m going to talk about content, copy, and email. And while you’re right that those things are important, that’s not what this article is about. Content and copy contain the messages you need to get across, and email delivers those messages within a conversion-rich context. But without understanding the fundamental elements of those messages, you won’t create the kind of influence with your... [...]

Sonia Simone says, “Before we get started — just a reminder that if you’ve been thinking about moving your site to StudioPress Sites, this is a fantastic week to do it. Not only will you get your first month free, we’ll even migrate your existing WordPress site for you. Also for free. Hooray for free, my favorite amount. StudioPress Sites lets you keep the power and flexibility of WordPress … without the hassles. The special deal ends a week from today, on April 28, 2017, so go check it out now before you forget. On to the content! On Monday, Jerod Morris explained how he’s leveraging... [...]

Brian Clark says, “It’s been less than three months since we launched StudioPress Sites, our new solution that combines the ease of an all-in-one website builder with the flexible power of WordPress. The response and feedback have been phenomenal. And the icing on the cake is that we’re already winning accolades. In an independent speed test performed this month by WebMatros, StudioPress Sites was declared the undisputed winner. We’re thrilled, because we were up against formidable competition from WP Engine, Flywheel, Media Temple, Pressable, and Bluehost. As you know, speed is important.... [...]

Sonia Simone says, “Polly Professional has a lot going on today. She has a blog post due, a podcast script to write, an employee review to conduct, two client meetings, and she’s meeting her cousin Penny for dinner. And then it comes. Ding. An email from Steve Stranger. Maybe he’s a sales pro trying to set up a “quick meeting to discuss his company’s solutions,” but it’s clear he has no idea what her company does or what Polly’s role is. Or maybe he needs a job, and he figures that being her second-cousin’s college roommate has got to qualify him for something. Or he wants... [...]

Brian Clark says, “When we talk about content marketing strategy, all the discussions of heroes, journeys, and maps can seem a bit esoteric. What does it look like in real life? And how exactly does it relate to email marketing? Content marketing is a broader discipline than email marketing, but your email list is the core focus. In fact, the primary purpose of content that is distributed in other ways (social, search, ads) is to begin the email relationship. So, let me walk you through an imaginary campaign that takes you from a documented strategy to a working funnel. I’ll use my site... [...]

Jerod Morris says, “I hate to be the one to break this to you, but … Your audience does not need your ideas. Sorry to disappoint you. It’s true though. Your audience is exposed to plenty of ideas. Everywhere they turn online and offline, they are bombarded with ideas. Ideas, ideas, ideas. Mostly filler and fluff. Think about yourself. Do you need any more ideas to consume and consider? No. What you need are someone’s best ideas. And what your audience needs — in fact, all that your audience needs — are your best ideas”. Quality Over Quantity: Repurpose Your Best Ideas and... [...]

Stefanie Flaxman says, “I know. I know. I know. “Viral” is an actual term people use to describe wildly popular content that has spread across a variety of distribution channels, landing in our Twitter feeds, Apple News updates, text messages, and emails from Uncle Sue. But I still don’t like the word. When “going viral” is a goal for a piece of content, it puts me a little on edge. Viral content may feed your ego, but it doesn’t necessarily feed your business. Business success without “going viral” I understand it’s frustrating if no one knows about your products or services.... [...]