How to Start a Blog and Turn it Into a Successful Career

Blogging can be an exciting venture for many people. For some, it often starts out as a hobby. Something that you do because you’re interested in writing or you’re passionate about a set topic. But when you fall in love with it, it becomes something you can see yourself doing in the long term. For others, it can be the perfect side hustle to go alongside their career. Maybe you’re looking to advance your skills or build your portfolio, and blogging seems like the perfect way to do it. Either way, it can be something that you get started with before learning that you enjoy it. When this is the case, it then becomes something that you might want to turn into a career.

When it comes to blogging, it’s something that you can do out of fulfillment, but also an activity that can make you money. If you look to monetize your blog early on, it can start to build you an income that could then turn into your full-time salary in the future. You also have the potential to earn a lot of money. But in order to do that, you need to make sure that you’re approaching things in the right way.

In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at what you can do to get started with blogging in order to turn it into a successful career. So, if you’re keen to make a living out of it, you’ll find everything you need to know right here.

Why Blogging is a Good Career Choice

If you’re wondering whether blogging is the right career choice for you, it’s important to look at the positives that come along with it. While some people may question your career choices or think that blogging isn’t a real career choice, it most certainly can be a reliable source of income. There are many ways that you can look to earn money from blogging; you can work in your free time, and you can even look to build passive income from it.

How to Approach It

When you’re set on becoming a blogger and having your own blog, the next thing for you to focus on is approaching it in the right way. Most of the time, the way that you go into something will determine how it pans out for you. This is where the power of having a success mindset comes in. It’s all about you being able to 

10 Steps to Building Your Blogging Career

From here, you’re then going to want to get everything underway. But it’s not always as simple as just writing your first post and hoping for the best if you really want this to become your career. So here, we have outlined ten steps that you might want to focus on when you’re looking to make your blog a success. Let’s dive right into it.

1. Choose Your Niche

The very first thing you need to do here is to make sure that you’re choosing the blogging niche you want to be in. Depending on your interests and experience, you may already know. It could be something specific, such as food or business or cars. However, you may also find that you actually want to span a couple of different topics, and that’s okay. It’s all about talking about the things that interest you!

2. Get Your Domain and Hosting

When that’s all decided, the next thing you’re going to do here is grab your domain and get your hosting all sorted. Think about choosing a domain name that fits the kind of blog that you’re launching. The name could be related to your niche or even something close to your name. It’s important for you to choose something that feels like a great fit for you.

3. Choose Your Design and Go Live

With that in place, it’s now time to choose your design. You could look at getting a custom design made, but you really don’t have to. You can use a simple template for your blog and just start. Then, you can put the site live and begin your blogging journey!

4. Create a Content Calendar

When your blog is all set up and ready to go, you’ll need to think about getting ahead with your content. This is where the power of a content calendar comes in. Creating a calendar helps you to plan out and organize your upcoming blog posts and any corresponding social media posts. That way, you know what content you have coming up and can keep all of your ideas in one place. It’s a great way for you to start treating your blog like a business from the beginning.

5. Start Marketing

When your blog is finally live, you can then look at marketing it! This can be a lot of fun, but you need to make sure that you have a plan here. Choose the social media platforms you want to post on and start promoting your content. You will also want to make sure that you’re implementing a solid SEO strategy on your blog too. This will allow you to rank well on Google. For this, it’s handy to get backlinks to your blog as well as carrying out on-page SEO. As time goes by, you may even want to consider paid advertising methods to help you scoop up extra readers.

6. Build Your Readership

One of the biggest parts of being a blogger is having a readership. In order for your blog to be successful, you need people to be reading it. So here, make sure that you’re creating interesting content that your audience likes. You can track your analytics and see which posts tend to be the most popular. This can then give you an idea of what else to create that is closely related and may get the same kind of traction.

7. Bring in Monetization Options

As your readership and audience growth are starting to take off, it’s the perfect time to bring in your monetization options. If you leave it too late, you may find that your readers notice the change and start to get put off by the commercialism. But when you implement it all early from the start, it will be all they know. There are many ways that bloggers can make money. Whether it’s through sponsorships, advertising, affiliate marketing, or anything else, it’s all about you doing your research and working out which methods feel right for you.

8. Focus on Growth

In order to take your blog full-time, you need to make sure that it’s growing. This is where the idea of treating your blog like a business comes in. You need to make sure that you’re dedicating enough time to working on it and focusing on the growth that will get you to where you want to be. It’s all about being creative with your marketing ideas, trying new things, and looking to build up a loyal fan base of readers.

9. Set Goals for Yourself

In order to get to where you want to be with your blog, you really do need to know what that looks like! So here, you’ll find that it helps if you can set some goals for yourself too. As everything is getting underway, really start to drill down on what you want to achieve. Is it that you want to reach a certain number of views each month or followers? Maybe you want to replace your current salary? It’s important to know what you want to get out of this so you can start working towards it.

10. Have a Long-Term Mentality

Finally, you’re going to find that it really makes a world of difference when you have a long-term mentality with everything you do too. When you begin to think long-term about your blog as a business, you have a much better shot at it taking off and getting to where you want it to be. If you’re only focusing on where you are now, you may find that you’re making decisions that are too small. But when you focus on your goals, it’s much easier for you to get there quicker.

Final Thoughts: Building a Fulfilling Career with Blogging

When it comes to building a blogging career that lasts, it’s safe to say that you really need to approach things in the right way. In order to do this, you need to approach it like a career. It’s not enough to just be sporadic with your work and hope that things will take off. Instead, when you treat your blog like a business, be strategic, and look to monetize it early on, you should find that you see the success you’re looking for.

In order to make that happen, try out some of the tips we’ve covered in this post. That way, you should find that you’re not only working on an activity you enjoy, but you’ll be able to build a fulfilling career that enables you to earn as much as you want. Good luck!

Growing Your Online Presence As A Freelance Writer

As a freelance writer, your online presence is one of the most important things that you need to concentrate on to attract new clients and grow your business. The digital landscape can be extremely competitive; therefore, you need to establish a robust online presence so that you can stand out from other writers. This involves more than just having a portfolio. It's also about making sure that you can reach your target audience, showcase your skills effectively and build credibility.

Let's explore some of the key strategies that will help you to grow your online presence as a freelance writer.

Create A Professional Website 

One of the first things that you need to do when building an online presence is to have a professional website that showcases all of your work and skills. This website is essentially your online portfolio and serves as the central hub for all of your efforts. You should include important sections such as an about knee page, a portfolio of all your best writing samples, and a list of the services that you offer. A great way to show your writing skills is by having a blog where you can share your insights and experiences in the industry. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate, optimized for mobile devices and visually appealing.

Investing in web development can significantly enhance the look and functionality of your website. You can do this yourself; however, it can be time-consuming to learn about designing websites. Therefore, using a professional web developer can help you create a website that reflects your personal Brand and really stands out. A well-designed website can attract more customers and also encourage them to contact you about writing services. 

Start A Blog To Showcase Your Expertise

Logging is a brilliant way to demonstrate your expertise as a freelance writer and also to improve your search engine ranking. When you regularly publish blog posts about topics that are related to content marketing industry-specific subjects and writing, you can establish yourself as a knowledgeable person in your niche. You can then also share tips, insights and advice that will resonate with your target audience. Using keywords and optimizing your blog posts for SEO will help you increase your website's visibility on search engine results. This will allow you to drive traffic to your website and increase your chances of being discovered by potential clients who are looking for freelance writers. 

Using Social Media To Increase Your Reach 

Social media is something that many freelancers now use as a way to increase their online presence and reach a larger audience. You should look at joining platforms that are popular with your target clients, such as LinkedIn for businesses and professional connections and Instagram for showcasing a more personal side of your work. If you consistently share valuable content that showcases your skills, such as interesting articles, writing tips or links to your latest blog posts, You should grow your audience in no time.

Make sure you engage with your audience by joining relevant groups, participating in discussions, and responding to comments. Social media is not just about promoting the work that you do. It's also about networking with other writers and building relationships. You can use these platforms to share testimonials from satisfied clients and you can also grow your credibility. 

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile 

LinkedIn is an important platform for freelance writers because it is a professional networking tool and a portfolio all-in-one. You need to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and has a professional headshot, a compelling headline and a detailed summary that highlights your experience and skills. Make sure you use keywords in your profile to help you appear in searches for freelance writers.

Think about regularly sharing content such as blog posts, articles or industry news to keep your prayer active and engage with your network. You can also join LinkedIn groups that are related to content marketing or writing, where you can participate in discussions and showcase your knowledge. Having a strong LinkedIn presence is important for freelance writers as it can lead to direct inquiries from clients who are looking for writing services, making it an invaluable tool for freelancers. 

It is important to grow your online presence when you are a freelance writer because it is one of the ways that you can ensure you have a sustainable income. You need to make sure you include things like creating a profession or website and optimizing your LinkedIn for professional connections. 

Adding A Touch Of Beauty To Your Business Branding

There’s nothing quite like the little flourishes that make life a little more pleasant. From adding that dollop of honey into your morning tea, to adding a few well-drawn love hearts to a birthday card, to a heartfelt message sent to your boss as they retire, there’s always a nice way to make life a little sweeter, more pleasant, and worthwhile to be part of.

While businesses are certainly in the interest of generating revenue (and any super sentimental approach is going to roll a few eyes), it can be nice to add these flourishes to your own product launch. After all, just because you run a business, it doesn’t mean you’re disconnected from humanity or pretend your brand is only ever professional and never nice.

We’ve seen many brands lean into this relatability angle as of late, and there’s no reason why your smaller enterprise can’t offer a touch of humanity too. Better yet, as a smaller firm, your brand doesn’t have to hide behind international anonymity, you can be present and proud of the personal touch.

So, what might that look like? Let’s discuss.

High-Quality Photography

There’s nothing quite like professional photography to help your event space, product or, yes, even service (seen in use) shine. Lifestyle shots that let customers-to-be picture how they'd use your products in the real world can help them understand exactly how it might fit into their world. Think of how smartphone brands rarely just take a picture of the product. They show it being used, in people’s hands, connecting smiling friends and more. 

Context shots also work, for instance, you can capture your new cooking appliances surrounded by fresh ingredients ready to whip up a tasty meal. Or, you might show your skincare line artfully arranged on a stylish bathroom counter or dotted on the face of someone with glowing skin. Beautiful, high-quality imagery allows you to tell the story of your brand visually and set the right tone.

Adornments & Trimmings

It’s nice to make nice additions, no matter the product. If you're selling physical goods, think about adding some charming extra touches that show your fun approach, especially if you’re offering a gift service. That might include letterpress logos, ribbon pulls with beautiful custom ribbons, and even wax seals or handwritten thank-you notes, which can help a product feel like more of a wonderful token of appreciation.

For digital output, you can create a similar feeling through thoughtful design elements like custom watercolor graphics, personalization on the printing, or even just unique styling. These little approaches make certain customers feel more special and show your brand's attention to detail.

Elegant Typography

We tend to take fonts for granted, especially because online life causes us to read content in similar and readable typography. But for printed fonts or reliable visual material, this can be truly unique if you let it. That’s not to say that a luxury brand has to use classical script, but you can certainly remake your published content to fit your approach.

For example, a greeting card in a gift hamper might be a little more expressive than a simple, one-note font you might see in a blog post. Typography can be licensed from certain online retailers for use with commercial products. Make sure you don’t just download a font from the internet because these are often protected creative works. 

Elegant typography can also help combine a nice flourish, such as the ribbons we mentioned earlier. It’s a nice way to show your commitment to a certain styling without “busying up” the other creative elements you’ve put in place.

A Community Spark

It’s interesting how luxury brands are often proud to demonstrate where they’re from. Sure, a fashion brand hailing from the richer areas of New York is nothing new, but a connection to an authentic place can help your product seem more “verified” by placing it in a given location. So, if you’re running a business in a unique space, don’t be afraid to use that as part of its marketing. Here, you help add any bit of renown and wonder that might come from the area, especially if you’re appealing to an international market.

For example, beautiful wine is one thing, but from the special vineyards of France or Italy? Well, someone might pay a little more for that, especially if proud imagery of the location is printed on the label. A community spark can be a worthwhile creative approach, so don’t ignore it.

With this advice, you’ll be certain to add that touch of beautiful business branding to your products.

Everything You Need to Know About Side Hustles

When you’re a freelance writer, life, overall, is pretty sweet. You can pick your clients, pick the best time of the day for you to work, and all around be in control of your life. However, there is a downside to freelance writing. It’s not always possible to bring in as much cash as you’d like.

If you’re relying on just a few clients for the bulk of your money, then you’re just a couple of small admin changes away from feeling the pinch. But there’s good news: you’re not only a writer. You have plenty of other skills that you can use to bring in the cash.

Side Hustles to Try

Editing 

You’re not just banging keys all day: you’re researching, editing and proofreading as well. As a result, you’ll be a talented editor, even if you haven’t thought of yourself as such before!

Take a look online, and you’ll find that there are plenty of people who need help editing their short stories and articles. Sometimes, it’s only when we read what other people are writing that we learn just how much writing talent we actually have!

Post your services on online classified pages, and wait for them to find you. It might not provide a full-time income, but it will top up your income.

Internet Knowledge

If you’ve been working online - in this case, writing - full-time, then you’ll know more about the internet and how it works than the vast majority of people. By taking your existing knowledge and topping it up with more education, you could become an SEO consultant, which could be considered the fastest way to make money online. You’ll be working with multiple clients, helping them to achieve their goal, just by providing the knowledge that you already have (mostly). And with most companies eager to improve their search engine ranking, you should be able to find plenty of work.

Reusable Content

How many words have you written over the course of your writing career? How many nuggets of information have you uncovered? I imagine the answer to both questions will be: lots. But how many are simply filed away, never to be heard of or seen again?

Well, it’s time to get digging.

You could have plenty of content that could be reworked into videos, ebooks, new articles and more. All of these sources could provide added income, and all you’ll have done is given your old content a new lease of life. Just make sure that you still own the copyright to the work.

Manage Social Media

Another great job you could focus on while you are trying hard to make a name for yourself in the world of writing is being a freelance social media manager. Most companies are interested in keeping their social media profiles current and updated regularly, and this is a job that's very easy to outsource for them.

As long as you don’t take on too many clients, you should be able to keep the time you need to spend on these tasks to a minimum. After all, it only involves tweeting and updating Facebook statuses!

You can easily get paid $1 per post or more. I like to do packages for clients, like 30 Twitter posts and 10 Facebook posts for a set price, for example.

Tutor Your Skills

Do you have quite a specific skill set or knowledge base? If so, then you might be able to set yourself up as a tutor. Just about anyone with a degree can do it.

For instance, if you studied English at college or university, you could offer tutoring services to high-school students in your local area. In fact, it’s also easy to offer your tutor services to people who don’t live anywhere near you - you can always set up lessons via Skype!

There are also online tutoring service you can join up with. Just Google your niche and "online tutoring."

As you can see, there are many awesome #sidehustles that can help you make a living as you are working on your writing work. Here are 99 more side gig ideas if these don't spark your interest. You can also check out this complete list of side hustle ideas to find inspiration. Which one do you think you will try?

Writers! Here are 10 Ways to Be More Prolific with Your Smart Phone

You’ve got a brand-new smart phone in your hands. The power and speed of the device now greatly exceeds the computing capabilities that the military was concerned about related to national security just a few years ago.

Scot Ginsberg, author of the book Personal Creativity Management and creator of the Prolific online tool community https://getprolific.io/ says, “you have a miracle at your fingertips! The real challenge is in knowing how to make the best use of it.” 

Here are 10 of his favorite tips on how to be more prolific with your smart phone.

1. Turn off your all notifications. By shutting off your notifications except texts and calls (yes, that means even email, social media, and amber alerts) you will suppress the competing stimuli, block out distracting noise and stay present with what matters most so you aren’t disrupted, distracted, and can focus on what is most important to you.

2. Adjust screen brightness to the lowest possible setting. Keeping your screen as dim as possible is essential, since binge watching is clinically proven to be detrimental to sleep quality and lead eye strains. Now you can use your phone to create work you’re proud of without giving yourself a headache. Lowering brightness also preserves battery life, so you can read, write or draw more!

3. Curate your own inspirational music playlists. Listen to music that inspires you every single day until you can’t take it anymore and have to compose something or you’ll lose your mind. This keeps the flow of creative inspiration flowing so you’re always getting ideas for melodies, lyrics and rhythms from music that inspire you. Same goes for pictures or other inspirational source material.

4. Make a mission control list. Create detailed lists for all of the most critical things you need to do on your phone. Keep a list of everything on your creative plate. Track the projects, creative ventures, personal commitments that flood you with a set of intensely positive emotions like happiness, exhilaration and even bliss. Create an intellectual inventory list, to keep track of ideas and notes and even sentences that fuel your daily creative efforts. Use your lists as a personal mission control for productivity that reduces work overwhelm and boredom. Consult these lists when you need motivation to get back on track and you’ll be creating new art in no time flat.

5. Start a victory log. Keep a victory log on your phone where you place a gold star on it every time you complete a major step in one of your goals. This list of personal achievements will pay off in spades when you need to revitalize after a hard day. You’ll also have a comprehensive and detailed answer for when your spouse asks “what did you do today?”

6. Use the voice record. Hate writing? Don’t like keying in words at a snails’ pace? No problem. Get a recorder app and click on that microphone button. Voice-to-text is there for you to capture whatever you or other people say. You can even then transcribe the sound to text using Google voice or any of the super cheap transcription technologies that are available. Capture it, save it, and use it later!

7. Take lots of screenshots. Learn how to use the buttons on your phone to capture anything that you find while surfing on your phone and save it for later use. This can be incredibly useful. You can return to and focus on the idea you captured to focus and give it the time it really deserves to leverage it to the max.

8. Highlight notes while reading. PDF file readers and ebook readers like the Kindle App offer the ability to highlight sections and even add notes while reading. They also allow you to then save and export all the notes at a later time so that you can turn them into action plans.

9. Take lots of photos. Your smartphone is equipped with camera that takes still photography and even videos of a quality that can be used for professional business and publishing purposes, much like the best travel cameras. You can use these images on social media to inspire and make favorable impressions on people any time you want. Learn how to use your camera smartphone and make the most of the technology at your fingertips.

10. Reach out and touch people. Call people you haven’t talked to in years. Instead of being on social media for entertainment only, search for, find and join in the groups on the things you love, or on the skills and work topics you are most interested in. Then look for people who are asking questions that you can answer. Help the people you can help the most.

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Bonus tip for music writers from No-Fluff!

Curate your own inspirational music lists.

Listen to music that inspires you every single day until you can't take it anymore and have to write something or you lose your mind. This keeps the creative inspiration flowing, so you're always getting ideas for melodies, lyrics and rhythms for music that inspires you.

The best music is made with high-technology recording equipment like this one https://www.singularsound.com/products/midi-maestro. With the right equipment, you'll be able to create music that speaks to you. 

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About Scott Ginsberg

Scott Ginsberg has spent 20+ years executing award-winning sticky ideas for himself, his clients and his employers. Scott is also the world record holder of wearing nametags.

Scott believes unequivocally that the methodology of personal creativity management will convincingly add new and important results to the field. Prolific will demonstrate that trying to innovate by the seat of your pants, constantly making things up as you go, isn't sustainable or scalable, for individuals or organizations.

His most recent books are Prolific (2015) and Personal Creativity Management (2020). He also just created the Prolific online tool and community.

He is a TEDx speaker, internationally acclaimed author of 50 books, 11 albums, 3 music films, and numerous other creative works. He's been featured on CNN, MSNBC, The Today Show, HuffPost, GQ, NPR, Fast Company, COSMO, 20/20, WSJ and Entrepreneur, USA Today and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Learn more about Scott Ginsberg - 

https://getprolific.io/story/ and http://www.nametagscott.com/

100+ of My Best Writing Tips

If you haven't been to my Instagram page, you should.  I share all kinds of writing goodies there. Here are some of my best tips I've shared.

Blogging for Profit: How to Get Started

In the past, blogging was a purely personal venture. It was something that people did to express themselves, share their lives and generally reach out to those they knew on a personal level. We’d use blogs to share pictures of our day-to-day lives, muse on general goings-on and, in short, they often served as a sort of public diary. But nowadays, blogging can be used in a very different way. In fact, for many people, blogging is a full-time source of income and can even become your main job or full career. There’s a lot of potential from blogging on a professional level and, nowadays, more and more people are looking to make money from sharing their opinions online. If you’re considering getting into blogging for this purpose, you’re not alone. We’re living through a cost-of-living crisis, and many people are looking for new and innovative ways to generate some cash flow.

Many people also seek the influencer status that can come hand in hand with running a successful blog. This can, again, in turn, lead to revenue, as many companies seek to pair with bloggers for paid reviews and other forms of paid content. But where should you start to experience as much success as possible on this journey? Here are some top tips to guide you on your journey!

Creating Your Blog

Let’s start by actually creating your blog. There are so many different ways to go about this and only you can know which will best tick your boxes. The most common option for people just starting out is to set up a free blog on a hosted platform like WordPress. This is low commitment, as it isn’t going to cost you anything, and can make things a lot simpler.

All you need to do is sign up, choose a blog template and you’re good to go. If you want to look more professional from the outset, you may want to choose a paid domain, which removes companies’ names from your URL. You can choose a URL that makes your blog look like a more professional website. If you go for this option, you may even want to reach out to a web designer or developer who will be able to make your pages from scratch, crafting a blog that meets your individual wants and needs and really stands out from the crowd.

Most blogs have a number of pages. The first is your home page. This is the page that most people will land on when they get to your blog and is your one chance to impress and get them to click onto other pages rather than clicking the exit tab. Make it engaging and on-brand. Next, you will have your blog page categories. These help you to organize your posts, letting readers easily find the content that they’re looking for. Then, most blogs will have an “about” page, where you can let people know who you are and familiarise themselves with you.

Have What You Need to Create Your Content

It’s important that you have the materials you need to produce it. Most bloggers start off small. This may mean using free images - you can find stock photos here - or using their phone to take images and videos to post. As you begin to generate a larger readership, more demand for your content and more money to justify blog-oriented purchases, you can start to invest. This may mean buying a camera, a camcorder, a better laptop for editing, new software for editing, a mic for better sound quality, or other equipment and materials that will improve your content and help you capture more followers and readers.

Decide What Content You Will Post

If you’re planning on creating a blog, chances are, you already know what kind of blog it will be. But it’s always best to do your research and really hone this down. It’s generally best to create a blog that sticks to one kind of subject. This will give readers consistency and can help to pull in a loyal reader base. People will feel lost and stop checking in if one day you’re posting about beauty products and the next you’re posting about car repairs or bird watching. Now is a good time to start thinking of who your target demographic will be and how best to cater to them. What kind of content do they want to consume? Do you they like lots of images? Short-form copy? Long-form copy? Videos? This is where you will start to form your blog’s style and tone of voice.

Create a Content Calendar

Next up, it’s time to create a content calendar. It’s best to make sure that you post regularly and consistently. If people know that you’re going to post a new blog post or video every other day, they’ll likely visit your page every other day to check in, racking up your readership, page views and more. If people know you post every Wednesday, they’ll check in every Wednesday and consume your content. If you post sporadically and inconsistently, chances are, people will just check in occasionally, hoping to find something new when they do. A good way to manage your posts is to create a content calendar. This allows you to check when you need to post and can allow you to prepare in advance, getting ahead with your content and being able to post consistently.

These are just a few starter steps when it comes to blogging for profit. Hopefully, each step will help you on your journey and will see you experience success!

4 Tips to Outsmart Migraines this Summe

Here’s how writers can be more productive by outsmarting summer migraines. Dr. Mark Harman, US Medical Director with CEFALY Technology has compiled a list of helpful suggestions so migraineurs can tackle a migraine this 4th of July… and all summer.

“It’s tricky to offer definitive guidelines because migraines are so idiosyncratic; what works for one person’s migraine might aggravate another’s,” explains Dr. Harman. “The key is to understand your migraines, so that you can apply guidelines to fit your unique situation.” Below Dr. Harman offers four helpful strategies for avoiding a migraine on this year’s celebration and throughout the rest of summer:

Choose white wine (over red)

“Red wine contains more histamine than white wine, which is hard for some people to easily metabolize. This can cause an enzyme insufficiency that can trigger a migraine,” says Dr. Harman. “Red wine also contains tannins, a textural element that creates the drying effect in the mouth. Tannins can boost serotonin, a chemical in the brain that is associated with feelings of happiness but can also trigger a migraine in some people.” Furthermore, the dryness can leave you feeling thirsty and if you quench your thirst with more wine, you end up dehydrated (another trigger for migraines). If you’re going to drink – be moderate. Use the Rule of Twos and limit your intake to two of any type of alcohol, and hydrate often. Dr. Harman also suggests watching what you eat. Barbequed meats, pickles, cheese, and processed foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) are common migraine triggers. If you know you’ll be tempted to snack on things that may be triggers for you, consider bringing your own migraine-friendly foods and keep your distance from the holiday spread.

Back away from the meds

It’s one thing to take medications to help treat a migraine but it’s another to try to beat it to the punch. “Don’t load up on medications to try to avoid a migraine,” warned Dr. Harman. “It’ll only lead to a medication overuse headache.” Instead, plan well using these recommendations and wait to see if you get a migraine. Then, treat it as needed.

Get consistent sleep

Sleep disturbances are widely reported among people who suffer from migraines. Try to get at least 6 hours sleep each night, Dr. Harman suggests. “Try to get uninterrupted, quality sleep, and keep it consistent; especially as the holiday nears. If you find your sleep patterns are consistently poor, see your doctor. You may have a sleep disorder that is exacerbating your migraines.

Desensitize the trigeminal nerve

Current research tells us migraines stem from the part of the nervous system known as the trigeminal nerve. Several studies have also shown the FDA-approved device, Cefaly, can treat acute onset of migraines and help decrease the number of headaches migraineurs develop. This is done by sending tiny electrical impulses to the trigeminal nerve “resetting” the problem area. Clinical studies show using a Cefaly for 20-minutes a day can decrease the frequency of migraine attacks by as much as 54-percent. Equally important is it can also reduce medication intake by up to 75-percent, decreasing those bothersome side effects. Additionally, a 1-hour session with Cefaly reduced migraine pain for 85-percent of patients; and left 32-percent migraine-free.

Loud noises, scents, and flashing lights are often thought to be triggers but they’re actually symptoms, Dr. Harman says. If you are finding them uncomfortable, it’s probable your migraine is already underway. “Try to find a work around: consider using earplugs, keep your distance from the grill, or wear tinted shades,” he recommends. So make some great memories this year and try to stay a step ahead of your migraines using these suggestions. If a migraine does develop, stabilize your environment and treat it as best you can.”

Starting A Business With No Experience? Try These Tips

Do you keep thinking about a great business idea that you just can't get out of your head? If so, you might be thinking about turning your idea into a full-fledged business. At this point, many people who want to start their own business stop and try to talk themselves out of going for it. One of the most common reasons why people don't want to run their own business is fear of failure, particularly if they have never run a business before. There is a big distinction between being paid a salary to do a job and being in charge of the whole thing yourself. But this lack of experience doesn't have to stop you. Even if you've never run a business before, you might be more than capable of doing so.

Photo by Tyler Franta on Unsplash

Every business owner has to start somewhere, and if you do things the right way, you can ensure your business does well. Check out the tips below to learn how you can start a successful business even if you don't have any experience:

Plan Before You Start 

Every business needs a business plan, but when you are starting your first business, you can't stress enough how important a good plan is. The best way to make sure your plans are well thought out is to use a business plan template and write down exactly how you will handle every part of your business. By giving each part of your idea careful thought, you can make sure you haven't missed any important details that could affect the short-term or long-term success of your business. Marketing is a big part of this. Have a look here for more information.

Learn About The Numbers 

To avoid big money problems, you need to keep a close eye on your business's finances. The finances of a business can be hard to understand, and you may be worried about how to handle this part of your business. The first thing a business owner needs to do is figure out how to pay for their new business. You should make sure you have the money you need to get your idea off the ground so there aren't any unpleasant surprises. Will you borrow money?  It's important to think about which of these options is best for your business and how it will be set up.

After getting financing, you will need to keep an eye on how your business is doing financially. To keep your cash flow healthy, it's important to send invoices for finished work right away and make sure customers pay on time.

Do As Much Research As Possible 

Even though your business is the most important thing to you, it is also important to keep an eye on your competing companies and the industry as a whole. If you know about upcoming trends and how your rivals are doing, you can see how your own business stacks up and make any changes you need. It is important to always stay one step ahead of the competition, and one of the best ways to do this is through careful research.

Take your time to learn from people with experience

If you want to start a business from scratch without experience, this can be very risky and sometimes ultimately lead to business failure. To avoid this, you should take some time to learn from someone with experience in your chosen niche. This is why franchises can appeal to first-time business owners, as these business opportunities allow you to learn from a market leader for a low fee. Some franchises can be started for as low as £5,000; this can be a great way to get some experience and then start your own business, as most low-cost franchise agreements are set for five years, depending on which franchise you choose to learn more about franchising works use Franchise UK.

Getting More Physically Active as a Writer

While writing can undoubtedly be a very fun and rewarding activity to pursue — and can involve getting lost in the art of crafting a compelling narrative — writers aren’t necessarily known for being the most physically active individuals out there.

If you’re a writer and find that you end up spending a disproportionate amount of your time in a sedentary manner, here are a few tips and suggestions for getting more physically active.

Avoid falling into the trap of working all day in front of a computer, and relaxing all night in front of a computer

For writers — much like for coders and other professionals whose jobs involve working on a computer the whole time — there’s a very real risk of falling into the trap of working all day in front of one screen, and then sitting in front of another screen to decompress.

The end result can easily become that you do little other than sit in front of your computer throughout your days, your evenings, and even your weekends.

The first step to being more active as a writer is to be sure to pick up certain hobbies and activities that take place away from a screen or digital device.

These hobbies could include things like gardening, hiking, signing up for a dance or martial arts class, or a wide range of other things. Just so long as you’ve got things to do that involve getting active in the world at large.

Do a regular workout that helps to improve your flexibility and posture

As a general rule, every different workout style will have its particular pros and cons. Doing intense weight training workouts and supporting them with things like Steel Supplements can help you to build strength and size. Going jogging can help to develop your cardiovascular health. And so on.

As a writer, though, the types of workout routines that you are most likely to benefit from will include those that help to improve flexibility and posture — and that help you to address the kinds of muscular imbalances that can come from sitting at a desk for long stretches of the day in a relatively static position.

Yoga and Pilates workouts are likely to prove quite helpful here.

Brainstorm ideas while out on strolls

As a writer, there’s a good chance that you will need to brainstorm ideas from time to time in order to move forward with a given project, advance the plot of a novel, or any number of other things.

Instead of sitting still at home trying to think of new ideas, why not go out for a stroll instead?

Often, going for a stroll can help ideas to flow much more readily — and walking around outdoors in the fresh air can also do a lot of good for your sense of wellbeing, and for your health, too.

5 Essential Blog Writing Tips for a Bumper 2022

Blog writing isn't a challenging thing to take up, but you need to practice to get better. Anyone can write anything, that's true, but blogs are a different breed of animal. Most notably, there is a vast amount of competition. But with the right blog writing tips for 2022, you can increase your chances of ranking higher for relative search engine queries against the 600 million other blogs!

Blasted Media

Depending on your article style or type, managing content using headings isn't always necessary. However, it would help if you always broke up the text. Paragraphs are a classic way of positioning your writing, but large pieces will disengage your readers. Images and videos are excellent for keeping engagement high. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to embed pics and TikTok videos of your pet doing silly things. Most CMS systems like WordPress make this effortless. Just, in this instance, make sure you are writing about your cat, dog, or capybara. 

The Right Person

When it comes to writing blogs, it's all about perspective. It would be best to write blogs for the intended audience and not for yourself. Therefore, it's always best practice to write in the second person. This means addressing the reader directly using terms like "you, your and yours" rather than first-person terms like "I, my, and mine." Writing blog posts in the second-person narrative helps the reader feel engaged and included in the content. In short, aim to help readers feel like your text relates to them directly and they are a part of the action.

SEO 101

When you begin blogging, you eventually hear the term "SEO." But you might not know precisely what this is. Search Engine Optimization was once uttered in hushed tones between IT and web content experts. However, in the 21st Century, SEO is easier than ever. It's basically how a website relates content relevance and links. As a result, your website's posts and pages can become easier to find, more relevant, and more popular for people searching for stuff. As a result, search engines rank your content higher based on a specific search term.

Another Kind of Break Up

Sitting at a screen and reading long paragraphs can be challenging for many. Screens on devices like smartphones and PC monitors can cause eye strain. Additionally, you may become bored and disengaged by large chunks of text. Fortunately, you can keep your readers engaged by breaking up text. Bullet points are an excellent way of breaking down information into easily digestible pieces. However, it would help if you used headings to separate different parts of your articles. Further, you can use sub-headings to break down larger texts within the same context.

Digital Tools

Even writers with an English degree and a job at the New York Times need a little help from time to time. You probably don't have a degree in a language. You probably don't write for prestigious newspapers if you are beginning your own blog. So, poorly written content in terms of grammar will hurt your SEO score. And it will put readers off. But don't worry, as there are many tools you can use. Grammarly is an excellent all-rounder for checking your Flesch reading score, language variants, and metrics such as readability and engagement.

To Sum Up

Blog writing is a skill that anyone can do. But it takes time to master. Fortunately, you can get ahead of the competition by making text easier to read, including media and understanding SEO.

How to Cope with Holiday stress

Guest post by Dr. Bomi Joseph, Founder, Peak Health Center, ImunnAG LLC, Phyto Farmacy

When our body faces an external threat, it’s “fight or flight” response kicks in and the hormones Adrenaline and Cortisol are released.

Adrenaline causes our air vents to dilate and increases oxygen to the muscles. It selectively flows blood towards the heart, lungs and any muscle that requires extra blood. Our ability to feel pain decreases and we continue to fight through injury. We gain significant strength and acute awareness. When the threat is over, our body always returns Adrenaline levels back to normal within a few minutes. In rare cases, an hour.

Of the two, Cortisol is the hormone that causes significant damage to human health today. When Cortisol is released due to “Eustress”, a motivational event, it pumps us up to get the job done. This is positive.

However, when Cortisol is released due to “Distress”, it tends to hang around the body for a long time and causes numerous health problems.

Cortisol is a steroidal hormone and is released by the adrenal glands. Almost all the cells and tissues in the human body have cortisol receptors. So, it disrupts various functions in the body. Cortisol affects blood sugar levels, metabolism, inflammation, memory, salt/water balance and blood pressure. Cortisol plays a big part in “Metabolic Syndrome” and in visceral fat gain. In women, cortisol can affect the fetus during pregnancy.  A woman's libido and menstrual cycle can easily be affected by chronically elevated Cortisol. Osteoporosis and mood swings are common side effects. Anxiety and depression are commonly linked to high cortisol levels.

The common advice given to people who have high levels of Cortisol, is to meditate, exercise, have more friends, laugh, and find hobbies and activities they find stimulating. All great advice. But as the holiday season is upon us, and people become more anxious, we take a different approach. We examine the common causes of holiday stress. Eradicating these causes should eradicate stress.

Lack of sleep

One of the more common causes of elevated cortisol is lack of adequate sleep. It is when we sleep that our body recovers from stress. Most of the glycogen recovery happens when we sleep. Almost all our tissue development happens when we sleep. Our body remembers what needs to develop from our vigorous gym workouts. It is when we sleep that these tissues (muscles, tendons, vascular..) get developed.

Our body has 12 to 14 days of amino acid “pool” within us. You can comfortably skip the protein shakes 30 minutes after your workout. They do not have the 9 essential amino acids your body needs, and your body has ample supplies to last a couple of weeks.

Adequate sleep is critical for brain health. When we sleep, our body shuts down but our brain remains active. It churns along performing all the chores it needs to do to help our body recover. When these chores are complete, our brain relaxes. Inadequate sleep, and incomplete chores, stresses our brain. This results in more cortisol being released and more stress on the brain. Insufficient sleep alters the brain. The brain has trouble solving simple problems, making decisions, and keeping emotions in check. People who are normally comfortable with change, have trouble dealing with change. Lack of sleep often leads to depression, suicidal thoughts, and risky behavior.

Adequate sleep flushes all waste material from our body. It neutralizes all the unwanted hormones, including cortisol, floating in our body. Sleep is required to repair heart and blood vessels. Lack of sleep is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

Lack of sleep increases obesity. When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested. Lack of sleep results in higher than normal blood sugar level, which increases the risk for diabetes.

Most parents will notice their children’s growth spurts happen when they sleep. Restful sleep triggers children’s body to release growth hormones which develops muscle, cell and tissue growth. Sleep is critical for proper puberty and fertility development.

The immune system relies on sleep to replenish. Lack of sleep can reduce the body’s ability to fight common infections.

Sedation is not sleep! Prescription sleeping pills like Sonata, Ambien, Lunesta, Halcion and Restoril can knock you out, but your body does not consider it normal sleep. The body heals most during Stage 3 “Non-REM” sleep. Sedation does not induce the body into Stage 3 Non-REM state.

The best way to sleep is natural sleep. Melatonin, a natural hormone, is the next best option. It is a sleeping aid that does not sedate the body. Almost all the melatonin sold in the market is from bovine pineal glands. Vegans, and people wanting a non-animal source should look for sources of Phyto-melatonin, or plant-based melatonin.

So, Sleep! And sleep well!

Keeping track of things

The average person can keep track of six things at one time. Try to remember the seventh item and they invariably forget one event. It is also hard to prioritize and sequence tasks in memory.

Forgetting tasks can be stressful. Fortunately, there is a simple fix for this. Take a cue from pilots. Pilots are an intelligent and selective group. They are trained never to remember anything. They always go by written checklists. It does not matter how many thousands of times a pilot has repeated a task to memory. They always follow a written checklist. It reduces the chance of an error and completely takes away stress.

Never depend upon your memory. This is not a game to test your memory. This is about never missing a task, staying ahead of the curve and never being stressed. Jot down what needs to done, the date to be completed, and its priority. Cross it out when it is completed.

People

We also stress us out because we get manipulated into committing to things we do not want to do or cannot do. Some people are sweet and get us to do what they want. Some are pushy. Some wear us down. The result is the same. We are stressed out wondering, “how did I get suckered into this?”

The greatest gift you can give yourself is the gift of “No.” Take a cue from Nancy Reagan. Just say “NO.” There are blunt ways to say no. People are often reluctant to be straightforward. There are polite ways to say “No.” “I am not sure I am up to it. Let me think about it. But my first reaction is no” is a polite way of buying time and also giving the persona clue that your most likely going to decline.

Financial worries

Feeling pressured into giving gifts. This combined with not managing money properly are reasons people face more stress during the holidays.

Gifts do not buy happiness. Gifts do not buy friendships and loyalties. People who love you are going to keep loving you. People who don’t, never will. There are many ways to do something memorable for people. A hand-written note. A long sincere phone call. A visit.

I hardly remember what anyone bought me. But I remember every personal touch.

Tell people you want a personal effort, but not a gift. And set an example in kind. Write notes, draw paintings, make phone calls. Just don’t buy expensive gifts that aren’t valued.

Save more. Spend less. Collect early. Pay late.

Roles and goals

Whether you realize it or not, you have roles in life. List them out. Every week go over your roles and list what you have to do for each role in your life.

How do you want to be remembered? Start from there and work your way backwards. Have 20-year, 10-year, 5 year, 3 year, 1 year, 6 months, 3 months, 1 month, 1 week- tomorrow!

Tomorrow’s goals should be connected to your 20-year plan.

Time management

A bum and a billionaire have 24 hours each. What they do with it is the difference. Spend time on the important things in life, not the urgent things. And the important things should be obvious from your Roles and Goals.

How To Make The Most Of The Mid-Holiday Lull

For many businesses, including a writing business, the time between Christmas and New Year is a time to clear out the old and get ready for the new. With that in mind, here are three tips on how to make the most of the mid-holiday lull.

Photo by Gary Spears from Pexels

Have a paper chase

Even though the 21st century is very much the digital age, paper does seem to accumulate in workplaces, especially offices. The post-holiday lull is an ideal time to find it, corral it, and deal with it. In many cases, it can just be tossed into the recycling. In some cases, however, it will need a bit more attention.

Before you recycle any paperwork, it’s worth double-checking to see if there’s anything on it that might need to be kept. If there is, then often all you need to do is take a photo of it on your phone and/or scan it. You should also make sure that there’s nothing sensitive on it before you get rid of it.

The days of digital banks have thankfully reduced the amount of finance-related paperwork which is created automatically. Even so, people can print out financial and/or legal paperwork for various reasons. They can also print out paperwork with people’s personal details on it. Anything of this nature should be properly shredded before it’s recycled.

It’s also generally a good idea to look at your system for storing emails. These days labels/categories tend to be a much more effective approach than folders. As with filters, however, they’re not set-and-forget. The mid-holiday lull is a great time to see which ones are still relevant and which need to be updated or even deleted.

How to Make Your Social Media Stand Out

Image sourced by Pexels. CC0 License

If you are running a small business (like freelance writing!) or if you have a brand that you are trying to get noticed, social media is one of the best ways to go about achieving that. Social media is the number one marketing tool for several reasons. The first reason is that it is free. Other reasons are that people are on social media all day and with easy-to-use tools, you can create and post content that looks professional. 

With so many ways to create a world of your choosing to share with your followers, here are a few ways you can make your social media pop in order to engage your audience and court new followers.

Match Your Story to Your Post

Because of algorithms, your posts may not show up on people’s timelines consistently. You may pop up here and there, but not always. The same goes for your story. Your story may come to the front of someone’s feed, or it may get lost in the back. The best way to stay front and center is to match your story to your post.

When your post comes up, you can add a comment to check out your story. With similar content, your followers will get a double dose of your brand. Once both story and post are looked at, both will start to come to the forefront of your followers’ feeds. This is a certified way to ensure that your content will not be missed and all of your posts will be seen. 

Add Music to Your Story

A lot of people will simply scroll through people’s stories and not think twice about what they are looking at. A lot of times, we just breeze through to see if anything catches our eye. When it does, we will stop and take a look and then resume our constant scrolling. What you need to do is find something that is going to be eye-catching so that your followers will stop and take notice.

When you learn how to add music to Instagram story feeds, you will create a professional and fun story for people to see. As they are zoom scrolling through everything, the music will play and that will cause a follower to stop and take notice. The music will be a nice touch to the story, and the song will have a direct correlation to the content you are posting, which is fun and may cause a few laughs or smiles. 

Use the Proper Hashtags

When you use hashtags effectively, your content will reach a broader audience. When you are using Instagram, for example, you can follow certain hashtags, and content using those hashtags will appear on your search pages. When you cleverly use hashtags in your post, even if a person doesn’t follow you, you will show up on their app.

You will have the opportunity to reach millions of extra people with this method, and your professional looking and fun content will make people want to follow as they see how what you are producing is worth their time. 

Know Your Light

When posting photos or videos, make them look as polished as possible. Don’t be afraid to get in there and use great lighting and great staging to make your products, yourself, or your brand really stand out. If you make your content look shabby, people will think what you produce and what you do is also shabby. 

Your social media is your calling card. Make sure it looks good. Everything you put your name on is a reflection of you and your passion, so teach the world how to treat your product and how to perceive you in a world that is already oversaturated with content. 

Be Consistent

A lot of the more popular social media sites are all successful because they are consistent when it comes to producing great content. Followers know that when they visit this person’s page they are going to be entertained, they are going to learn new and important information, or they are going to have access to great products that are held at and meet a high standard. 

Be one of the people that keeps their standards high. Be one of those social media pages that brings something new and fresh to a person’s day and a person’s feed. So many people follow pages that are popular one minute and gone the next and they are completely forgotten. Be a page that people wonder about and go searching for. 

Freelance Writing: Top Tips I Wish I Knew When Starting Out

By Nicholas Rubright

Freelance writing can be a rewarding job for those who love to write, but it can also be grueling and difficult. On the one hand, you have an opportunity to truly make an impact through your content, especially if you have the ability to write for causes or organizations you care about.

On the other hand, working as a freelance writer and running your own business requires sacrifice and lots of hard work. For your first few years, you may or may not have a lot of business—and you will be tested and tried again and again.

What is freelance writing?

So who exactly qualifies as a freelance writer? A freelance writer is a person who writes content on a contract basis. That content can include blog posts, press materials, eBooks, nonfiction or news articles, web copy, and other online and offline copy.

There’s no limit to the scope of content you can find as a freelance writer.

Freelance writers are self-employed, and they will often write for a number of different clients or publications at the same time to ensure a steady flow of income.

How can you get started as a freelance writer?

Many freelance writers get their start by either taking an online class or going to a university. Online classes that teach you how to write can be a great way to get some firsthand experience to start your freelance writing journey.

Other freelance writers may come into the field with communications or journalism degrees and will find clients through third-party platforms like Freelancer or Upwork. Some writers will pitch clients directly. It all depends on the writer and their comfort level!

Photo by Lisa from Pexels

My top tips for new freelance writers just starting out

Starting out as a freelance writer can be tricky and difficult. No one tells you what to do, or how to do it. Where do you find clients? How should you navigate the field? Here’s what I wish someone had told me when I was first starting out.

1. Always look for new opportunities

For most freelance writers, work will be difficult to find—and clients almost certainly won’t come knocking on your door. When you work for yourself, you alone will be responsible for finding new clients. To keep making money, and avoid useless downtime, it’s crucial to keep constantly searching for new work, even when you don’t necessarily need new work. 

Most new freelance writers think that when they find one solid gig, they can take a break from finding new jobs. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case when you run your own online business.

The industry is tough: in the U.S. alone, there are more than 82,000 self-employed writers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You need to keep searching for online job boards and emailing potential clients, because you never know when your current gig will end—or when your client will decide they no longer need your help.

2. Don’t be afraid to pitch

Pitching stories and content to new clients is an art in itself, and it’s key to your success as a freelance writer. You need to learn and understand how to pitch content to clients that fits their brand and their site, even when you may not necessarily have any ideas.

How do you pitch? Well, first you need to identify potential clients (think about any niches or specialties you may have, to start) and then brainstorm relevant story ideas. Once you have relevant stories published and bylines under your name, you will find it much easier to successfully pitch content to other publications.

3. Don’t quit your day job just yet

New writers shouldn’t plan on working as a full-time freelancer right away. Start off by working part-time and freelancing on the side before you go full-time. One survey found that around half of writers actually work part-time, so it’s not uncommon to keep your side hustle as a side hustle.

It’s only for your own benefit: you can figure out how you work as a freelancer writer, learn about your turnaround time, and find clients. After all, as a freelance writer, you’re running your own small business. It’s not as easy as everyone thinks!

Once you have a steady base of clients, then you can consider quitting your day job and making the leap.

4. Ensure you turn in clean, error-free content

There’s nothing more important, especially when you’re first starting out as a freelancer writer, than to turn in error-free and clean content that can pass a plagiarism check. Your writing is your reputation, and that’s everything. Grammar checkers and plagiarism checkers will be your best friend. Use all the online tools you can find to make sure your copy is as flawless as possible when you turn it in. Plus, don’t forget to proofread and self-edit as well.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

5. Learn starter SEO skills

There’s no getting around it: as a freelancer writer, you will need to learn some basic SEO. You may be able to avoid it at first, but many clients will prefer you write content that fulfills at least basic SEO guidelines and best practices to help their content rank higher.

6. Find a niche

When you first start out, you should be thinking about how your freelance writing career might progress a year or two down the line. Many high-paying clients are looking for specialists in a certain field, and most freelance writers are looking for high-paying clients. You should try to narrow down certain topics you have a strong background in and work up experience writing about those topics.

7. Learn different style guides

Many clients will ask for work written according to specific style guides. The most common ones include the Associated Press Stylebook or the Chicago Manual of Style, so it's important to become familiar with both of the different types of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

8. Don’t undersell yourself

Promoting yourself is really, really tricky. You don’t want to come off too pompous or overconfident, but you do want people (and clients, specifically) to understand your value.

When you start out as a writer, there’s a chance you will have to take poorly paying gigs to get your work published and make a name for yourself. One survey of freelance writers found that in their first year, 30% of writers will get paid around $10 an hour. That’s not much!

But once you have a few clips behind you, you need to start putting a price on your work. According to Payscale, the average freelance writer earns around $20.00 an hour.

Don’t sell yourself short. If people ask to pay you less for your work, you need to feel confident asking for a higher rate. It’s not easy to potentially lose a client, but it is important in the long run to understand your worth.

9. Don’t be afraid to get creative

Too many new freelance writers stick to the book when they write. But the truth is that clients want engaging, interesting copy—and writing that’s too straightforward will come off as boring.

Try throwing a creative simile or metaphor into your introduction or closing. Writing creatively will help you stand out among the crowd, and your clients will, in turn, think your writing is innovative and interesting.

What is SEO? Everything you need to know

By Jessica Melton

Everyone is talking about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), from marketing professionals to business owners. Some companies spend a large proportion of their budget paying for specialist external teams of SEO consultants, whilst others keep the job of SEO in house. But what is SEO, and why should you be making it a focus for your website?

In this article, we will give you an overview of what SEO actually is and how it could benefit your business, as well as a few tips for getting started.

Photo by FreeBoilerGrants from Pexels

What is SEO?

WIth 59% of shoppers reporting that they research online before making a purchase, getting your website to the front page of search results is essential if you want to be considered by customers. But how do you ensure that you get the top spot?

The answer is SEO. SEO involves optimising your web pages so that they can achieve high rankings in Google search results. It’s not just Google either – effective SEO will also help you to secure credibility on other search engines, such as Yahoo and Bing. If you have a website and want more traffic, SEO should be an integral part of your marketing strategy.

How SEO works

To understand how SEO works, you need to be savvy with Google’s algorithms. This is used to determine where each page should rank in the search results for a certain query, and takes many different factors into account, such as keywords, domain authority and links.

It’s important to know that algorithms do change periodically and new ones get introduced every year, so it’s not as simple as doing the work once, and never updating your site again. However, there are some key areas to focus on that will always be helpful when it comes to ranking.

Types of SEO

There are two main types of SEO that you need to be aware of: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. Both types have equal importance when it comes to determining search rankings, so you’ll need to ensure that you focus on both types if you want to secure those top spots.

On-page SEO refers to strategies attached to your actual website. This includes the quality of your content, the structure of your website and technical aspects such as your site speed and underlying code.

Off-page SEO refers to the external factors which affect the performance of your website on the search engines. This includes the number and quality of links to your website from other sites and how your content is shared across social media. Off-page SEO is known for being more difficult to control than on-page SEO, but it can make a significant difference.

How to boost your SEO

There are a few simple things that you can do to increase your search engine rankings organically.

1. Content is king

Posting regular content to your website in the form of a blog is one of the best ways to increase your organic site traffic. However, it’s important to ensure that the content you post is relevant and of high quality. This will provide your website visitors with a catalogue of useful information, whilst simultaneously boosting your search engine rankings.

2. Focus on keywords

Keywords are, well, key when it comes to SEO. Think about what your target customers might be typing into Google and the questions that they might be asking. These are the keywords that you need to be targeting.

3. Don’t forget the meta data

Anyone can write an article, but the key is in optimising it effectively. This means including a meta title and description, as well as optimising the URL. This data is how you tell Google exactly what your content is about so that it knows who to show it to.

4. Link it up

Not only does keeping a potential customer on your site increase the likelihood of a conversation, but it can also increase your search engine rankings, so internal links are essential. Linking to other pieces of relevant content or products will increase the amount of time that users spend on your site, boosting your rankings on Google and other search engines.

5. Consider hiring an SEO specialist

There’s no denying that SEO can be complex, but it’s one of the most important marketing techniques in today’s increasingly digital world. That’s why it’s important to get it right. If you aren’t confident in utilising SEO techniques on your own website, or if you need help getting set up, it’s worth enlisting the help of an SEO specialist to give you a helping hand. If hiring a full time specialist doesn’t feel right for your needs, then there are plenty of freelancers available, with the average cost ranging from between $500-$1400 per project.

To sum up

SEO isn’t just a buzzword – it’s one of the most important marketing techniques of the 21st century. If you want your website to be successful, you’ll need to ensure that it’s set up for SEO success.

How To Achieve Your Personal Life Goals

In every job, employees need targets and goals to ensure that they keep progressing and enhancing their skillsets. 

The same can be said for everyone in life, no matter what job you have or what personal role you want to achieve. 

Whether you want to get married, become a homeowner, raise children or get a promotion at work, you shouldn’t view your dreams as unreachable. 

Almost every goal can be achieved with the right mindset and some preparation. If you’re looking to improve your life and get one step closer to reaching your goals, then keep reading, and we’ll share some practical tips. 

Get A Life Coach

Achieving your goals can be daunting, but thankfully you don’t have to go through it alone. There are professionals out there that can assist you in changing your life for the better. A life coach can help you to understand where you are in life and how you can reach your goals. There are plenty of different coaches out there, ranging from corporate life coaches to financial mentors, so you can find a coach to suit your needs. A Guide For Your 20s offers a comprehensive directory of life coaches, so you can find one that suits your needs and will help you to achieve your aims in life. 

Surround Yourself With Supportive People 

The people in your life make a huge difference to your mindset and motivation. If you have unsupportive friends who don’t think your dreams are realistic or who pour scorn on them regularly, then they could be bringing you down. Some people put other people down because they feel jealous or because they do not want them to achieve more than they do. If you feel that some of your friends are not giving you the support you need, consider talking to them about it, and if needed, cut them out of your life. You can then find supportive individuals who will help you to achieve your dreams. 

Optimize Your Finances 

Practically every dream requires some form of funding. Whether you want to get fit and start participating in sports at a competitive level or simply to have a baby, you need money to fund your plans. Large amounts of debt can hamper you and make it harder for you to achieve your goals, both from a mental standpoint and in terms of paying for what you need. As such, you should work to clear your debt and start saving before you start to proactively work on achieving your life goals. 

Keep Reviewing Your Progress 

When trying to achieve your goals, it’s easy to get discouraged if you’re not successful straight away. It’s important that you keep reviewing your progress and view how far you’ve come as positive. This approach will help you to avoid becoming discouraged and giving up on your life goals before you’ve achieved them. Even seemingly challenging life plans can be achieved with some motivation and hard work. Keep going and always think about how far you’ve come rather than how much further you have to go. 

How to cope with different communication barriers

By Marija Kojic

Effective communication is the basis of human interaction, both in the case of personal and professional interaction. There is no universal formula for establishing strong relationships, however, most people with highly developed communication skills can easily recognize positive aspects of human interaction and adapt to the current environment.  

Photo by fauxels from Pexels

Many factors affect the way people communicate, from feelings and thoughts to the environment and specific situations. Despite all the possible communication issues, it’s important to always have in mind the main goal of communication - and that is getting the message across. At work or in life, effective communication is about creating a comfortable setting for the exchange of information as well as overcoming certain obstacles that may arise on the way. 

Communication barriers defined

Although sometimes taken lightly, communication barriers can prevent people from conveying their message effectively to others. They can affect how people understand other people’s ideas and thoughts as well, ultimately leading to communication breakdown. This is why it’s crucial to recognize the barriers in specific situations and be able to reduce their impact on the quality of communication. 

For example, the world of freelancing can sometimes be demanding, especially since most freelancers work from their homes. This can indeed disrupt their communication with other colleagues and clients, making them work harder and sometimes even longer to achieve their goals. For them, overcoming obstacles in communication means increasing productivity, strengthening relationships, and ensuring better outcomes.   

Categories of communication barriers

Although some make distinctions between several categories of communication barriers, the following three stand out the most and are most likely to significantly affect effective communication and cause disruptions among communicators. They are physical, emotional, and language communication barriers. 

Physical barriers

Physical barriers refer to all the environmental and natural conditions that can disrupt effective communication. These can include time, space, and work environment, among other things. Physical barriers can particularly affect those who usually work from home, as they often have to deal with certain distractions at home as well. 

Emotional barriers

Emotional barriers to communication may arise when people hold back from expressing what they actually want. These most often stem from emotions such as anger, pride, fear, and sometimes even anxiety. 

Language barriers 

When talking about language barriers, we can make a distinction between verbal and nonverbal communication, as well as differences in the communicators’ mother tongues. A large portion of misunderstanding comes from using a certain choice of words, jargon, slang but also from a person’s literacy level and linguistic ability. 

Ways to bridge communication barriers

Photo by fauxels from Pexels

Being a complex phenomenon, communication often demands not only knowledge and experience, but also effort and compromise. At work and in life generally, it’s not easy to create a nurturing and comfortable setting for the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences.

With the rise of remote work, outsourcing, and freelancing, people are expected to collaborate and communicate with people of different backgrounds, nationalities, ages, and personalities. This is great for promoting diversity and multiculturality, however, it can also lead to communication collapse at some point. 

Despite all the challenges and issues, it’s possible to reduce the chances of communication disruption by implementing some techniques and methods aimed at bridging common communication obstacles. Here are some of them: 

Body language 

Body language can play an essential role in communication, particularly in one-on-one encounters and group gatherings. As the most prominent aspects of non-verbal communication, body language, and facial expressions can indeed reveal a lot to your communication partner and send them a powerful message. 

Observing the people that surround you and learning how to read body language can reduce the possibility of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Additionally, minding your own body language can also help overcome certain obstacles to communication and ensure that your message is well received and understood. 

Appropriate language use

Language use in combination with the tone of voice is something to pay special attention to. The complexity of the language can impact the way your message is understood as well as how you understand other people’s messages. If you oversimplify things, you risk leaving out important details and perhaps causing confusion. The same is true for complex language as well, especially if you use complicated words and long sentences. Finding a great balance can be problematic, however, essential to effective communication. 

Positivity and encouragement

Actively listening and, actually hearing, what others are saying reveals your interest and curiosity not only about the matter in question but also about the speaker. Having a positive attitude towards the ones you’re communicating with and using supportive words and comments will help them feel comfortable enough to express their opinions and thoughts freely and without holding back.  

If you’re a freelancer working from home, you could benefit from reassuring messages and emails while communicating with your clients as they could make everyone, including yourself, feel comfortable and appreciated.   

Communication technology 

The world of communication technology is expanding almost on a daily basis, so staying on track with the latest trends can help you avoid losing precious time and information over unread messages and unsent documents. In most cases, the purpose of communication apps and tools is to support effective communication, making sure that the exchange of information runs smoothly while reducing possible communication obstacles and issues. 

Mindfulness 

The way people communicate with each other can largely depend on their cultural background and nationality. It’s easy to succumb to certain stereotypes and biases, however, in a multicultural world, you should always try to be conscious of your communicator’s approach and behavior, especially if the culture they come from is based on different norms, beliefs, and values. 

With outsourcing, remote work, and freelancing, more and more people are exposed to multicultural working environments, so being attentive and adapting to certain cultural situations and people will lead to better interaction and collaboration. 

Seven C’s of communication 

The seven C’s define communication as clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous. If you’re someone who enjoys communicating with a lot of people during the day, either for professional or personal reasons, using the seven C’s of communication can significantly affect the quality of your interaction with others. 

Feedback 

Last, but not least - giving and receiving feedback is an integral part of successful communication. To be able to communicate effectively with others, you should be aware of the benefits of feedback and even ask for it in important situations. Ultimately, the purpose of feedback is to make sure the message was well received and understood and that there was no misunderstanding between the parties involved. 

For example, the benefits of feedback can be outstanding for content producers, such as freelance writers, content writers, and copywriters. Most writers and content producers will provide constructive feedback, ultimately ensuring that you deliver great and engaging content to your audience. 

Wrap up 

Establishing good relationships with others can sometimes be dependent on many factors. Of course, it’s not only your responsibility to always be alert and observant to avoid communication breakdown but all participants should make their contribution. 

The more time you spend communicating with people, the easier it will be to pick up your interlocutor’s vibe and adapt to the current setting. Learning how to cope with various communication setbacks that you can experience almost daily can be achieved by implementing effective methods and techniques and help you avoid serious obstacles to communication.  

Author bio:

Marija Kojic is a researcher and writer specialized in team communication and collaboration.

She enjoys helping people discover meaningful and effective ways to communicate and collaborate smarter.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

Being a complex phenomenon, communication often demands not only knowledge and experience, but also effort and compromise. At work and in life generally, it’s not easy to create a nurturing and comfortable setting for the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences.

With the rise of remote work, outsourcing, and freelancing, people are expected to collaborate and communicate with people of different backgrounds, nationalities, ages, and personalities. This is great for promoting diversity and multiculturality, however, it can also lead to communication collapse at some point. 

Despite all the challenges and issues, it’s possible to reduce the chances of communication disruption by implementing some techniques and methods aimed at bridging common communication obstacles. Here are some of them: 

Body language 

Body language can play an essential role in communication, particularly in one-on-one encounters and group gatherings. As the most prominent aspects of non-verbal communication, body language, and facial expressions can indeed reveal a lot to your communication partner and send them a powerful message. 

Observing the people that surround you and learning how to read body language can reduce the possibility of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Additionally, minding your own body language can also help overcome certain obstacles to communication and ensure that your message is well received and understood. 

Appropriate language use

Language use in combination with the tone of voice is something to pay special attention to. The complexity of the language can impact the way your message is understood as well as how you understand other people’s messages. If you oversimplify things, you risk leaving out important details and perhaps causing confusion. The same is true for complex language as well, especially if you use complicated words and long sentences. Finding a great balance can be problematic, however, essential to effective communication. 

Positivity and encouragement

Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels

Actively listening and, actually hearing, what others are saying reveals your interest and curiosity not only about the matter in question but also about the speaker. Having a positive attitude towards the ones you’re communicating with and using supportive words and comments will help them feel comfortable enough to express their opinions and thoughts freely and without holding back.  

If you’re a freelancer working from home, you could benefit from reassuring messages and emails while communicating with your clients as they could make everyone, including yourself, feel comfortable and appreciated.   

Communication technology 

The world of communication technology is expanding almost on a daily basis, so staying on track with the latest trends can help you avoid losing precious time and information over unread messages and unsent documents. In most cases, the purpose of communication apps and tools is to support effective communication, making sure that the exchange of information runs smoothly while reducing possible communication obstacles and issues. 

Mindfulness 

The way people communicate with each other can largely depend on their cultural background and nationality. It’s easy to succumb to certain stereotypes and biases, however, in a multicultural world, you should always try to be conscious of your communicator’s approach and behavior, especially if the culture they come from is based on different norms, beliefs, and values. 

With outsourcing, remote work, and freelancing, more and more people are exposed to multicultural working environments, so being attentive and adapting to certain cultural situations and people will lead to better interaction and collaboration. 

Seven C’s of communication 

The seven C’s define communication as clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous. If you’re someone who enjoys communicating with a lot of people during the day, either for professional or personal reasons, using the seven C’s of communication can significantly affect the quality of your interaction with others. 

Feedback 

Last, but not least - giving and receiving feedback is an integral part of successful communication. To be able to communicate effectively with others, you should be aware of the benefits of feedback and even ask for it in important situations. Ultimately, the purpose of feedback is to make sure the message was well received and understood and that there was no misunderstanding between the parties involved. 

For example, the benefits of feedback can be outstanding for content producers, such as freelance writers, content writers, and copywriters. Most writers and content producers will provide constructive feedback, ultimately ensuring that you deliver great and engaging content to your audience. 

Wrap up 

Establishing good relationships with others can sometimes be dependent on many factors. Of course, it’s not only your responsibility to always be alert and observant to avoid communication breakdown but all participants should make their contribution. 

The more time you spend communicating with people, the easier it will be to pick up your interlocutor’s vibe and adapt to the current setting. Learning how to cope with various communication setbacks that you can experience almost daily can be achieved by implementing effective methods and techniques and help you avoid serious obstacles to communication.  

Author bio:

Marija Kojic is a researcher and writer specialized in team communication and collaboration.

She enjoys helping people discover meaningful and effective ways to communicate and collaborate smarter.

What Makes a Headline Successful?

Guest post by Giacomo Rotella

As a blogger or writing business owner, headlines play a crazy important role. Why?

Did you know that out of 10 online users who see your headline, only eight will read it and only two will actually read the article?

The purpose of a headline is to grab the attention of your readers. Hence, it should be unique, specific, and useful.

There are many different types of headlines. I suggest using a headline generator to brainstorm ideas, and then combine different formulas to find the best possible title. 

Here are some examples of effective headlines:

• The "How To" Headline

• The “Reasons Why” Headline

• The “Question” Headline

Read through the infographic below to find out what makes a headline tick and drive traffic to websites.

Please include attribution to Headline Generator with this graphic.

4 Realities For Running A Business In A Post-Pandemic World

While it’s true that the recent pandemic is in no way over, and is not likely to be the last one we encounter, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we can now plan for a return to ‘normality,’ as it’s key to think of the future and upcoming norms when running a firm.

Running a business in a post-pandemic world is not easy, because running a business isn’t easy to begin with. Yet there are some assumptions, changes, and practices that may have been implemented, encouraged or influenced in the last year, and they’re worth thinking about lest they affect your firm for the worse.

In this post, we hope to discuss what those necessities are, how we can develop a proper way forward, and how you can deftly sidestep the issues that might have otherwise developed. For instance, some staff are so comfortable with remote working that failing to properly integrate this utility could be seen as backward-thinking. As you can see, many norms have adjusted.

Let’s discuss what those could be, below:

On Remote Working

The topic of remote working deserves some extra consideration. It’s true that many businesses are starting to call their staff back into the office, and for good, necessary reasons. Yet it’s also true that the infrastructure, development of norms, and the need to develop worthwhile measures for convenience need not be thrown away just because most of our staff are now vaccinated.

From being able to structure impromptu meetings, or ensure people with immediate life circumstances to deal with can also work from home, and beyond, this kind of approach can make a massive difference should we integrate that into our daily lives. It might also be that investing in devices for our staff to more readily adhere to a common remote working format (it’s easy to enhance security when staff are working from controlled devices), or integrating one remote workday a week to enhance staff satisfaction and productivity levels, running a business in a post-pandemic world can make use of the conveniences we’ve been relying on for the past year, and for clear, necessary reasons.

Regaining Consumer Trust

It’s essential to regain consumer trust occasionally because goodwill is not a static entity, but a flame that must be kindled. This is especially true after a year of consumers trying to hold tight to their income and limit their expenses for a wide variety of reasons - the most expansive of those including the tepid security of jobs in a pandemic.

For this reason, consumers need to be gently coaxed into feeling confident about spending with you again. Promotions, coupons, discounts, premium subscriptions for free delivery and loyalty points (or preordering goods), and making sure that our consumer trust is cared for appropriately, all of this can be aided with a careful marketing strategy you need to invest in, and the willingness to run a campaign that eats into your profits for a small while.

It can also be healthy to be front and center, to improve your social media messaging, and to reinvest in the staff training they can use to interface with your customers.

Researching The Market

It’s true to say that the market has changed over the last year in various ways. More and more companies have pivoted their approach for added convenience in order to appeal to their customers, such as delivery services, or loyalty point schemes.

Yet the particular market you hope to be part of may have changed more or less than others. For instance, hospitality services, such as the restaurant industry, is now propped up by delivery services that can help you deliver food using a third-party courier, allowing you to offset the reduced numbers of restaurant attendees with those who have made eating at home part of their continued schedule.

It might be that you can thrive in this new market. But you need to know exactly what’s going on within it. For this reason, deep research is essential.

Where Does Your Value Lie?

Just as assessing where the value to be found in a market may be, it’s good to ask if the value your company offers has changed. 

Might it be that the chance for international trade is now possible? Well then, what is a US customs broker, and how can they help you? Asking these questions may help you learn where to invest, how to apply your assets towards growth, and exactly where your blind spots are.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily run your business in a post-pandemic world.