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How Google Analytics Can Help You Increase Your Affiliate Income

Affiliate Sales • Making Money • WordPress Tutorials 6 Comments

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Google AnalyticsGuest post by Micah Klug from HomeFaithFamily.com

Tell me if this sounds familiar…

You start blogging because you have a message you want to share with the world, but you also want to help supplement your family’s income.

Once you start deep diving into the many ways you can monetize your blog you might begin to feel uncomfortable as a salesperson or worry about being too pushy in linking to products on Amazon through their affiliate program.

But it’s very possible to make money blogging without feeling like a sleazy salesperson!Continue Reading

How to Use Google Analytics to Create Content Your Readers Love

Blogging Tips • WordPress Tutorials 10 Comments

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Guest post by Micah Klug from HomeFaithFamily.com

If you’re not careful, you can easily find yourself feeling trapped and unsure of where to go with your blog.

This is especially true when you focus on other bloggers’ successes and you easily forget what’s working well for you. The truth is, it’s important to stop doing what other bloggers are doing and instead focus on the quality you can give your audience.

Easier said than done, right?Continue Reading

What You Should Know About the GDPR

Blogging Tips • WordPress Tutorials 22 Comments

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You’ve probably heard about it by now — that thing that has every online entrepreneur around the globe scrambling to overhaul their current email management systems, privacy policies, and lead gathering strategies. What am I talking about?

I’m talking about the GDPR.

In case you haven’t heard about it yet, GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, and what some people don’t realize is that it’s actually not new. The GDPR was actually created on April 14, 2016. (Yes, it’s been around that long!)

So what is all the fuss about now if the GDPR isn’t actually new?Continue Reading

How Google Analytics Can Help Grow Your Traffic

Blogging Tips • WordPress Tutorials 7 Comments

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Guest post by Micah Klug from HomeFaithFamily.com

How many times do you spend checking your pageviews and mentally willing your numbers to increase, only to be disappointed that you’re not seeing any results?

(I’m raising my hand.)

When I first started blogging in 2017 I was so focused on trying to do everything at once while creating amazing content, that discouragement came so easily.

I questioned whether waking up at 4 a.m. to work before my little ones woke up really mattered and if I’d see results in my business or not. And then something happened in December of 2017.Continue Reading

Should I set my WordPress site to automatically update?

Featured Question • WordPress Tutorials 5 Comments

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Recently, I received this really great question from one of my students over at Your Blogging University™:

“Should I have my blog and plugins set to automatically update or not? I currently do, but I read something that caused me to question whether that was a good idea. I wondered if sometimes an update could be the cause of my site not loading?” -Josette

Updates can definitely be a cause for confusion when it comes to maintaining your blog. To save time, some bloggers set their updates to automatically run so they don’t have to think about it.

But when it comes to updates, I don’t recommend setting your updates to run automatically. Here’s why:

Sometimes updates can conflict with your site’s settings, your version of WordPress, or other plugins you have installed on your site. When this happens, we always recommend looking at your most recent updates to see if an update to a plugin has caused a conflict.

Having your updates set to run automatically makes it a LOT more difficult to figure out the cause of a particular issue should one arise. Why? Because now you really have no idea if an update was performed and what exactly was updated.

Therefore, updating plugins, themes, and WordPress itself manually one at a time makes it far easier to isolate any issue that might befall your site due to an update.

Note: It’s important to always keep your WordPress site, plugins, and themes up to date to avoid any added security threats that are addressed within the latest provided updates. We do not recommend skipping updates altogether, but we do advocate having more control over when and how your site is updated.

Want more control over your WordPress updates? Check out the Easy Update Manager plugin to make this process easy and hassle free.

Having site troubles after performing updates? Here’s what you should do:

1. Deactivate updated plugins. If you updated a group of plugins, deactivated all of them. Did the issue resolve? If yes, then you know it’s a plugin.

2. Reactivate plugins one at a time, checking each time to see if the issue has returned. This will help you isolate which plugin is causing the issue.

3. Restore previous version of the affected plugin. You can do this by using a plugin such as WP Rollback. You can find that plugin here. Once WP Rollback is installed and activated, you’ll be able to easily roll back your plugins to any previous available version.

You can also use WP Rollback to restore the previous version WordPress or your theme if you discover a plugin is not the culprit.

Need more help with WordPress? Check out our new course WordPress 101 for more helpful tips and suggestions regarding maintaining your WordPress site!

How to Use Trello as an Editorial Calendar

Blogging Tips • WordPress Tutorials 15 Comments

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Have you heard the term “editorial calendar” and wondered what it meant? Or have you always wanted to set one up but you just needed someone to show you how? Or maybe you are feeling overwhelmed with trying to stay organized and have quality, fresh content as a blogger? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I think you’ll find today’s guest post incredibly helpful! -Crystal

Guest post by Tracy Kulwicki at Working Moms Balance

Creating consistent content for your blog is really important, but it can also feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, never able to keep up. You come up with a few great ideas in a row and get them written and published while you’re feeling inspired.

Then suddenly, it’s as if the well has gone dry. It’s the morning of your regularly scheduled posting day, and you’ve got nothing but a blank screen staring at you.

This is why having a plan, also known as an editorial or content calendar, is vital to your success — or at least a less-stressed version of success.

I’ve tried so many different options for creating an editorial calendar including, a simple paper and pen, an Excel spreadsheet, a WordPress Plugin, Google Calendar, and I’ve finally settled on using Trello. And it has been the perfect solution.

What is Trello?

Trello is a project management application that can help you organize and manage a variety of different projects. You can access Trello online through their web application or desktop application.

They also have a very handy mobile app (iPhone and Google Play) to help you manage your projects on the go. Best of all, Trello is completely free for all the features you need for creating an Editorial Calendar.

Through the use of lists, cards, boards, labels, and even handy collaboration tools you can create a very organized plan for the content creation on your blog. Trello also includes a Calendar “power up” feature that makes it a perfect option for creating an Editorial Calendar.

How does Trello work?

Within Trello you will be able to create a number of boards. Boards are essentially created for each project or master category you want to organize through Trello. Besides my Editorial Calendar board, I have a board for product and freebie ideas that I’m brainstorming and working on, as well as a board that helped me create and manage a recent email challenge that I ran on my blog.

Within each board, you will create a number of lists. Lists are the various categories that you want to create for your project, you might think of lists as the stages of the project. Each list will house the cards that are currently in that stage of the project.

Within each card, you can include a description, images, attachments, assign dates and collaborators, labels, comments, and more. You will then be able to drag and drop your cards as they progress through your stages (the lists).

I’ll walk you through how I personally have my Editorial Calendar board setup so you can see how this process works.

How to Use Trello as an Editorial Calendar

Lists

Once you have your Editorial Calendar board setup in Trello you will want to start creating your lists. You do this by clicking “Add a list” and typing the names you want. Again, these are most likely going to be the various stages that your post will go through from initial idea to published post.

Here are the lists that I have on my editorial calendar:

  • Fresh Ideas (where I put every blog post idea I come up with during brainstorming sessions)
  • Newsletter Ideas (my newsletters include some kind of weekly health-related challenge so this is where I keep track of my challenge topic ideas)
  • Scheduled
  • Draft Started
  • Published

All of my cards begin in either the Fresh Ideas or the Newsletter Ideas list. I’ll usually set aside time at least once a month to brainstorm content ideas for all of the categories on my blog. I use pen and paper for the initial brainstorm and then create a card in Trello for each idea I come up with. I’ll talk more about setting up the cards shortly.

Every month or two I will browse through my ideas lists to decide what topics I want to cover in the upcoming weeks and months. I’ll then pull those cards from the ideas lists to the scheduled list.

Once I begin an outline or a draft of a post, the card moves to the Draft Started list. I try to have at least a couple posts in progress at all times so I’m not always scrambling at the last minute. And finally, when the post is complete and either scheduled or published I’ll move the card to the Published List where it will rest forever.

Cards

Cards can hold a lot of information. When I first create a card I will type my initial brainstormed idea as the title of the card. Generally, this is just a working idea and will not be the final title of my post.

I also immediately add labels for each new card. I use the labels to identify which of my various blog categories and subcategories the post will fall under. I try to rotate through my blog categories throughout the month, so adding the labels from the beginning helps me to visually verify that I’m covering each blog category on a consistent basis.

If I have additional ideas or thoughts I want to make sure to include in the post I will add those in the description section of the card.

Calendar

Once I move the post to the Scheduled List I add a due date. This places the card on the calendar. You will need to add the calendar feature to your Trello board. The calendar is an optional “Power Up” feature you will find in the main menu. (You get one “Power Up” per board on the free plan). Once the calendar is added you will see a little button toward the top right of your screen that will toggle you to the calendar view.

Within the calendar view, you will be able to access any card, on any list that has a due date assigned. You can drag and drop the cards to different dates in the calendar view and it will change the due date on the card.

You can also add your Trello Calendar to your Google Calendar if you like to see everything in one place. In the “Power Ups” section of the Trello menu, you will see a gear appear after you have enabled the Calendar “Power Up”. Clicking on this gear will allow you to enable the iCalendar feature.

Once you’ve enabled this feature, Trello will add a link to your calendar feed.  You then add this link to the “Other Calendars” section in your Google Calendar by choosing “Add by URL” and pasting the link. You will not be able to make edits to your cards from Google Calendar, but clicking on the calendar items will provide you with a link to your Trello card where you can make changes from there.

Checklists

Because I work a full-time job and work on my blog in my spare time, I don’t usually get a several hour block of time to create a blog post from start to finish all in one sitting. I learned that I need a system to help me keep track of where each post is in the creation process so that nothing is missed.

Trello has an incredibly handy Checklist option where I have created two checklists that I can add to each of my cards. As I work on the post I can check off the items I’ve completed to better keep track of where I am in the creation process.

Once you create a checklist on a card, Trello saves that checklist and allows you to copy the items from your checklist to a new card. This way you don’t have to keep creating the same checklist for each card. When I move the card into the Draft list I add my saved checklists to the card to keep track of my progress.

When you add a checklist you will see a counter on the card in the main list view so you can easily see how close each post is to completion according to the steps on your checklist.

Attachments and Other Features

There are additional items that can be included in each card depending on how you create your post. You can add members if you have a team you collaborate with to create your cards. There is also the ability to add comments to a card if your team members want to discuss their progress or issues.

Another handy feature on the cards is the option for adding attachments. You can attach a Google Drive, DropBox, or OneDrive link or add an attachment from your computer to each card if you want to have your post draft or images easily accessible from within Trello.

There are so many awesome features with Trello that it might seem a little overwhelming at first, but once you get started you will love how organized and put together you will feel. Using Trello has helped me to finally create a posting plan that works and makes sense for my busy life. I hope it works for you too.

Tracy is a wife, working mom of two, a runner, and blogger. Her blog, Working Mom’s Balance provides realistic ideas to help working moms prioritize their health – mind, body, and spirit. She believes that the best way to manage our busy lives is to put our health at the top of the list.

Want more in-depth help creating your own content system? Check out our latest course, Content Creation 101!

3 Steps to Set up a Freebie Offer on Your Site

Email Marketing • WordPress Tutorials 12 Comments

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Having trouble figuring out how to deliver your freebie to your subscribers? Recently, I received a question from one of my Your Blogging University™ students regarding delivering her freebie to her audience.

“I’m working on my first ‘freebie’ offer to help build my email list. Can you give advice for a clueless person on how to go from .pdf to linking that document with a web address? And does Mail Chimp help respond to those email sign ups with the freebie? I understand the important of the freebie, but I need help in setting it up and executing it. -Wendy”

This is a great question, Wendy! Here are three easy-to-implement strategies for delivering your freebie to your audience:

1. Upload it to your media library.

This is the easiest option. WordPress allows you to upload .pdf and .zip files the same way you upload images. Then, you need to click on the pdf file in your media library to get the URL for that file. From there, all you need to do is link it in the follow-up email in your subscription campaign in your email service provider or CRM system. (Recommended.)

Here are a couple of screenshots showing you how you can find your PDF URL after you upload it to your media library:

First, after your file has been uploaded, click on the file thumbnail to open the file details.

Once you’ve accessed the file details, you can copy the URL that has been assigned to the file:

2. Attach it to your follow-up emails in your email campaign.

Usually, email service providers give an option to attach a file directly to an email you’re sending out. So another option is that you can add the .pdf as an attachment to your follow-up email campaign that is delivered after your reader signs up for your freebie.

This may not be ideal, however, since it might cause your emails to be marked as spam. So if you try this and notice that people aren’t finding their emails in their inbox, you might want to switch up your delivery strategy.

3. Add it to your Thank You page.

Some people make their freebies into instant downloads by adding the freebie directly to their thank you page via a hyperlink. Another way is by making the freebie URL the actual thank you page that is linked to your signup form. I actually don’t recommend this because it runs the risk of having your readers sign up for the freebie but never confirming their email address.

Getting your subscribers to confirm is very important for your sender reputation. Having a lot of unconfirmed subscribers can signal email providers (Gmail, Yahoo!, MSN, etc.) that there’s something wrong with the sender and they may prevent your emails from reaching your subscribers by marking them as spam or by dropping them and never delivering them.

For this reason, I recommend requiring email confirmation before delivering your freebie.  This can be set up within your email service provider account. 

Once you get familiar with your email system and with WordPress, you’ll discover which way works best for you and your audience. So play around with it and don’t be afraid to develop your own strategy!

Want more help learning tips like these so you can hone your WordPress skills? Check out my new course WordPress 101!

Confused and frustrated by WordPress? Here’s help!

Blogging Tips • WordPress Tutorials 2 Comments

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As you know, we launched our first full-length blogging course back in July called Blog Start-Up 101, and the response was fantastic! SO many of you have emailed me expressing just how much this course helped you get your dream blogs started.

I am so humbled and grateful for the opportunity to share my 12+ years of blogging experience with so many of you! It’s truly been a huge blessing for me and my team.

One of the big goals I have for YBU™ is to build a blogging skills training platform that grows with my students — being your mentor for each step of your journey.

That’s why I’m SO excited to introduce you to the next course in our YBU™ Beginner Blogging program, WordPress 101. This is our second of many full-length beginner blogging courses we plan to release over the next year, and you are the first to know about it!

The fear and intimidation of learning WordPress is one of the most common reasons new bloggers fail to get their self-hosted sites off the ground — especially for those of us who aren’t very techie (I’m right there with you!) 

But WordPress doesn’t have to be the lone barrier that keeps you from accomplishing your blogging goals! That’s why we created a brand-new course called WordPress 101. This course was designed to break down that barrier and bridge the gap so you can spend less time banging your head against the wall trying to learn this platform and more time doing what you love — sharing your voice with the world!

Here’s What This Course Will Teach You

WordPress 101 includes detailed lessons and video tutorials. Here are some of the topics covered:

  • Step-by-step instructions to help you start your own self-hosted WordPress blog if they don’t already have your blog up and running
  • How to install and access your WordPress site after it’s been set up
  • An in-depth tour of their WordPress Dashboard so you know how to use it effectively
  • Details of each of the WordPress Menu options and submenus so you know where everything is and how to use each option
  • How to use the WordPress Editor to create and publish or schedule new blog posts and pages
  • In-depth instruction on creating and using categories and tags to organize your posts and pages
  • How to use the WordPress Customizer to help you change the look of your theme to fit your taste
  • What plugins are, how to use them, and how to install them, including some of our favorites!
  • How to moderate, manage, and reply to comments on your blog, including how to keep the comment spammers at bay!
  • Important information on site maintenance, including backups, updates, and troubleshooting common issues.
  • PLUS bonus tutorial videos designed to take students step-by-step through important topics!

Here’s What You Get When You Purchase

When you purchase this course, you’ll get:

  • 5 self-paced, easy-to-understand lessons covering the most important WordPress topics.
  • Detailed video tutorials with each lesson showing you visual how-to’s to make WordPress less intimidating so you can use this powerful blogging tool with ease.
  • Daily assignments to help you stay on track and implement new WordPress tips and strategies.
  • Printable PDF workbook including the entire course lessons to make studying easier on the go!
  • BONUS video tutorials, recommended resources, and more!

Get All of This for Just $37!!

My goal in producing this course is not only help de-mystify WordPress, but also to give people like you an incredible bang for your buck. I think the course is worth every bit of a $97 value, but I have priced it at $37 because I want beginners to be able to afford it.

—->>> Go here to purchase it for just $37! <<<—–

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ABOUT ME

Hi there! I’m Crystal Paine, wife, mom of three, veteran blogger (12+ years!), New York Times bestselling author, speaker, business consultant, and founder of MoneySavingMom.com.

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