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Time to Get Your Business Brain in Gear!

Successful business marketing isn't easy. Check out my blog where I cover all the essential areas I think you should be looking at in a bid to promote your products and get your company in front of lots more potential customers.
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List Building: What to Email Your Awesome Subscribers

6/28/2016

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​Enticing your readers to join your list is just a small part of your overall list-building goal.

The larger component is keeping them engaged. Do that right, and they’ll reward you with more sales—not only of your products and services, but those of your JV and affiliate partners as well.


That said, here’s the number one thing your readers are looking for: solutions to their problem. It’s ultimately why they’ve joined your list in the first place. Your opt-in incentive solved a problem they were having, and now they’re counting on you to continue to provide the solutions they need.

READ MORE: If You Don't Have an Email List You are Missing Out on Some Serious Cash- Click Here for Strategies that are Proven to Make Your Email Marketing Work!

These solutions can take many different forms, including:

Straight Information
This is similar to a blog post or article. It answers a question (much like this blog does) your readers have and gives them the info they need to move to the next step.

Maybe you’ve discovered an easier way to track conversions on Facebook ads, or gathered some interesting stats on content marketing for coaches, or learned a new method for promoting Kindle books.

READ MORE: If You Don't Have an Email List You are Missing Out on Some Serious Cash- Click Here for Strategies that are Proven to Make Your Email Marketing Work!


Share with your readers. Don’t ask for anything in return; just send them the info they need. By offering these information only emails, you’ll show your list members that you’re not just another marketer trying to sell them something. Instead, you’ll be seen as a valuable source of information (and your open rates will improve, too).

Offers

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t ever sell anything to your list. You’d be shooting yourself in the foot if you did that. Not to mention you’d go broke pretty quickly!

In fact, since your readers have trusted you to provide them with the very best information available in your niche, it’s important that you DO create and send them offers.

READ MORE: If You Don't Have an Email List You are Missing Out on Some Serious Cash- Click Here for Strategies that are Proven to Make Your Email Marketing Work!

They need your:
  • Coaching programs
  • Services
  • Self-study training
  • eBooks and guides
  • Private coaching and mentoring
So be sure to include these offers in your mailings from time to time.

Tools and Training from Others

As we’ve already said, your audience is depending on you to find and share the best information in your niche. Sometimes, that will take the form of an affiliate offer for a new tool, specialised training, free webinar, or other offers.

​READ MORE: If You Don't Have an Email List You are Missing Out on Some Serious Cash- Click Here for Strategies that are Proven to Make Your Email Marketing Work!


If you’re new to list building, it might be helpful for you to remember that these offers are meant to help your audience, not sell to them. Even though you might earn a small commission, it’s likely not your primary goal.

When you approach your email from the standpoint of being helpful rather than being a sales person, it’s much easier to get past that “what should I mail” question.  

To Your Success!

Lindsey
​x

Email Marketing: From Hot Mess to Mega Success in 7 Days- Click Here!

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3 Online Content Topic Brainstorming Tips

6/24/2016

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One of the biggest hurdles many of us have when it comes to writing content for the internet is that we don’t know what to write in the first place!

There really are an endless number of topics for us to write about, it’s just a case of figuring them out!

​Here are 3 different ways to brainstorm new content ideas when you’re feeling stuck:

READ MORE: 50 Things to Blog About Checklist

Tip 1: Do Some Keyword Research

Most online content is written with one big goal in mind: to show up on search engine results, and preferably in the first few pages of the results. As you may already know, placing keywords strategically in your content is what will help you garner a bigger audience for your content. This doesn’t mean stuffing your content with keywords to the point that it becomes unreadable. However, doing some keyword research can help you come up with some good ideas of what to write about! So search for your general sub topic and then make titles based off the specific keyword phrases people are searching for. The best thing is there’s already a potential audience searching for this content!

READ MORE: 50 Things to Blog About Checklist


Tip 2: Have A Browse Online

There is so much content already available online that you might worry that everything’s been done before. The truth is, though, that browsing what others have written can be a great way to spark unique slants of your own. This is not about copying others, it’s about sparking completely new ideas. Look at blogs, forums, and other authority sites, and see what people are talking about. Have a look at what people want or the issues they are facing. It’s particularly useful to see which questions people are asking on forums or in blog comments. Writing on these topics means you can truly tap into the needs of your market. 

​READ MORE: 50 Things to Blog About Checklist


Tip 3: Create a Mind Map

A mind map is one of the most effective brainstorming tools, so why not use this for your content creation? Write down your keyword or base topic/product on a piece of paper, and try to think about the ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘who’, ‘how’, and ‘where’ topics that can be created. For example, let’s say your keyword is hair color. Some topics you could come up with are “What is Hair Coloring?”, “Why You Should Color Your Hair With X Hair Product”, “Who is Henna Hair Color Suitable For?”, “How to Color Hair Easily At Home”,  and “Best Salons to Visit if You Want to Color Your Hair in X City”. And continue with more linked topics from each one of those. It’s that easy!

These tips aren’t hard to implement, it’s simply a case of getting yourself into the habit of regular brainstorming. And don’t forget to keep a notebook with you for those occasions when ideas come to you at the least expected times! 

To Your Success!
Lindsey Archibald
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Design & Plan Your Client Attracting Website- Click Below

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How to Naturally Include Keywords in Your Online Writing

6/22/2016

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Fortunately, the Wild West atmosphere which one governed keyword usage online is dead and buried.

​Sadly, a piece of content only needed massive keyword density to rank high in the search engines. The content was extremely low quality, so Google and the other search engines changed the way their search algorithms work.

The ridiculous keyword density of 8% and 10% is a thing of the past. (Keyword density means how often a particular word or phrase is used for every 100 words. An 8% keyword density for the phrase "dog training" meant that dog training was mentioned 8 times in every 100 words. Ouch!)

READ MORE: Here is the secret to more business, more profits and more free time.

However, you still have to tell the search engines exactly what your copy is about. This means including keywords relevant to the topic you are writing about in your online content. You have to do this naturally, so that people actually enjoy reading what you write. 

Here's a quick and easy way to naturally include important keywords in your online writing so the search engines can find your content, while also making it fun and easy to digest.

1 – Find the Keywords and Phrases You Want to Rank For

Wordtracker and Keyword Discovery are just 2 of the many keyword research tools available. Use one of these or another piece of software to determine what keywords and phrases are related to the topic you are going to write about.

2 – Write Your Copy, and Don't Worry About SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important if your content is going to get found by the search engines. However, to naturally weave keywords and phrases related to your topic into your content, it is best to simply write the content first, without SEO considerations. Create a high quality, informative, problem-solving piece of content.

READ MORE: Here is the secret to more business, more profits and more free time.


3 – Add Your Keywords and Phrases

After you have created an informative and easy to read piece of content, you need to help the search engines find it. If the main phrase you want to be discovered for is "dog training", make sure that phrase is used early in your very first sentence. Add it in the first sentence of your last paragraph. Then use it 1 or 2 times for every 100 or 150 words. Reread your content. Make sure that your keyword placement doesn't come at the cost of readability.

4 – Check Your Keyword Density

As we mentioned above, keyword density is not nearly as important now as it used to be. So you don't want to overdo it. Type "free keyword density analyzer" into Google. Use one of the many keyword density checkers to check your content. If the frequency of your main keyword is 2% or lower, you won't draw the ire of the search engines, your content will be found, and your readability will be natural because of the steps you just took.

READ MORE: Here is the secret to more business, more profits and more free time.


To Your Success!

Lindsey 
xx

Email Marketing: From Hot Mess to Mega Success in 7 Days

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How to Craft Attention-Grabbing Headlines for Your Online Content 

6/22/2016

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At times it can be easy to come up with content ideas, but figuring out an appropriate title or headlines can be a lot harder.

Sure, anyone can come up with a bland, to-the-point title; but unfortunately these are not usually the kinds of headlines that attract much attention.

READ MORE: Do you have a client attracting website? Here is how to get one!

For most readers, the title is what hooks them in and gives them a chance of actually clicking through to read your content. This is why it’s so important to spend some time on every single title you write. 

Here are some tips to help craft attention-grabbing headlines or titles:

•    One of the most common title formats online is to use a number. For example, “10 Ways to Potty Train Your Toddler Without the Tears” or even “7 Days to a Healthier You”. This is a format made popular in magazines, and it works for a reason – it shows people that there are specific steps to reach their goal, which makes it easier for them to take action on what you write.

•    Every online headline needs to give the reader a reason to click through. Clickbait headlines get people clicking through because they are frustratingly vague. This is probably not the way to go if you don’t want to annoy people (although this method does work!) Instead, go for tried and tested methods of teaching your reader how to achieve something. Always include the benefit within the headline in some way.

READ MORE: Do you have a client attracting website? Here is how to get one!


•    Sometimes, the best way to create intrigue is to leave the title vague. Not vague in the sense that nobody would be interested, but vague in a way that would still hook readers in. Let’s say you were writing a post about the raw food diet. This title example would hook readers into the general subject area, but they’d have to click through to learn what the article was really about: So You’re on the Raw Food Diet? Read This First!

•    Don’t be afraid to steal other people’s subject lines! No, that doesn’t mean copying any titles – in fact, that is definitely not recommended. Instead, it means keeping a document where you list titles that get your attention, and then tweaking them for completely different topics. For example, “18 Simple Tricks That’ll Help You Save for Your Vacation in Half the Time!” could be stolen and turned into “9 Little Known Tricks to Help You Sell Your House in One Week!” – as you can see, the titles are completely different, but the first gave the inspiration for the second.

​READ MORE: Do you have a client attracting website? Here is how to get one!


It’ll take practice to improve your titles, but it’s well worth it. Spending just a few minutes extra on each headline you write could pay off big time when it comes to attracting online traffic! 

T o Your Success!

Lindsey
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'About' Page Awesomeness

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Click Here to Find Out How to Make Your 'About' Page Go From Lacklustre to Blockbuster in Simple Steps

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How to Write Your Online Content Faster

6/17/2016

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Content is the currency of any online business. Content attracts new clients, helps get you noticed on search engine results pages, and helps build a loyal following. But content takes time to create! Although you should never rush your online content, there are some ways to ensure you create it as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality…

1) Don’t Constantly Edit

The first time you draft a new piece of content, let the words flow without editing as you go. Write your entire first draft before you look for any spelling mistakes or potential changes. Most people tend to edit as they go along, and again at the end. This is a waste of time and will often halt the creative “flow”. 

READ MORE: Does the 'About' page on your website need a revamp in order to make more money?

2) Eliminate Distractions

When you know it’s time to write your content, make a point to eliminate distractions. This might seem obvious, but are you really doing it? Many people tend to keep their Facebook, Twitter, email, and so on open on their browser while they’re writing. Even if you don’t check them, notification sounds affect our concentration. Find a quiet place where you can concentrate, and only have sites that are relevant to your post’s research open on your Internet browser when you write. If necessary, install a browser plugin that blocks distracting sites (there are many free options available).

3) Make A Plan

Do some basic planning before you begin writing. While some writers are talented enough to write fluently as they go along, others may get stuck halfway and have a hard time continuing. Before you write your content, type out a basic outline listing each basic point from beginning to end. Use this draft as your guide, and improvise if you need to along the way. 

​READ MORE: Does the 'About' page on your website need a revamp in order to make more money?

4) Write Shorter Content

If possible, keep your content shorter! This doesn’t mean deliberately writing short posts that don’t provide any value. Instead, it means saying what you need to say but in as few words as possible. As long as your readers can get what they need to your post, and feel as though you are delivering value, then there’s no difference between a 500 or 1000-word post! Many readers will lose interest anyway when you don’t keep to the point!

Lastly, remember that you will simply get faster with practice, and especially when you “batch” your content creation process to create many posts at once. So keep on writing!

To Your Success!

Lindsey Archibald

Click the Picture Below if You Want to Make More Money

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How to Set and Achieve Business Goals 

6/9/2016

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It's important to have real, specific goals in your business.

​These goals can be financial, personal, or simply involve an aspect of your business ("build an effective website" for example). It can sometimes seem overwhelming to determine goals, and even more overwhelming to think of achieving them. Here are some tips on doing both of these.

1. Set the goals

How do you set business goals, anyway? As you sit down to determine your goals, here are some things to keep in mind that may help.

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Weekly Social Media Planner

* Money - How much money do you need? Have a number here - $1500 a month? $100 a week? $50,000 a year? Financial goals are very different for everyone. Just make sure you have a real number. You might want to set two financial goals - long-term and short-term. 

* Strategy - As you develop a strategy to reach your goals, you will have goals within that strategy. For example, if your goal is to start your own small business making hand-sewn handbags, then your strategy may be to make ten handbags to have available before beginning and to sell all ten in your first month. 

Within this strategy, there are steps - you will need to schedule in the time it takes to make the handbags, and determine the amount of money needed to buy the materials. Then you may also need to set up a website and post ads to get the word out. Even within these steps are more steps - setting up a website involves multiple steps, as does advertising. Break everything down into small, specific steps and look at it on paper.

* Time - Be honest about how much time you have. So many times it's tempting to set goals we can't reach because we just don't have a grasp on how much (or how little) time we have. Also, hours on paper seldom work out exactly right in real life - you need some breaks (no one is a machine), and life happens. 

For example, if your kids are in school from 8am to 3pm, you may think you have seven hours to work that day. But if you're honest, it may be more like five by the time you factor in lunch, bathroom trips, driving to and from the school if you drive your kids, and so forth. 

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Weekly Social Media Planner


2. Achieve the goals

If you have been honest in the above exercises, achieving your goals will be much easier and likely. Still, you can be as detailed and careful as you want on strategy lists and such, and still have trouble reaching your goals. So it may help to keep the following in mind.

* Keep track - Keeping a record of your business ventures, expenditures, income, and overall progress toward your goals can help you get a handle on how well you're doing. This can also help you see areas in which you need to improve, and areas where you excel.

* Accountability - Some sources suggest an accountability partner, goal buddy, or whatever you want to call someone who holds you accountable for reaching your goals.

* Marketing - It is important to have a marketing plan. How will you get your name out? How will you tell people you are open for business? This is an important component to any business goal.

​READ MORE: Download Your FREE Weekly Social Media Planner


To Your Success!

Lindsey
xx


Are You Stuck With What to Blog About? Then Download My Checklist Below

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Three Simple Rules for Great Website Content

6/7/2016

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Want to write great website content but you’re not sure how?

There are only a handful of things that differentiate great content from not so great content. Learn to master these few tactics and improve your content.

#1 Write conversationally

Conversational content is content that is written in a friendly tone. It’s almost personal - as if you were writing your article, blog post or report specifically for the person reading it. Conversational content is written using informal language. Instead of saying, “Business people write content” you would say, “You write content.”

READ MORE: Here’s the secret to more business, more profits, and even more free time…

Conversational content often breaks a few grammar rules when it makes sense. For example, you might write an incomplete sentence. For impact. You might use ellipses…

…to create effect and to draw the eye through your article. 

Make sure when you break grammar rules that there’s a reason for it. Breaking them just to break them is - well, maybe fun and a bit rebellious, but it’s not productive.

#2 Embrace your personality and voice

Your personality and voice are one of your biggest assets. They help differentiate you. They help you create and strengthen your brand. If you’re sarcastic naturally, then your content can and should be sarcastic too – when relevant and appropriate. If you’re sentimental then your content will reflect that. It’s much easier to embrace your personality than to fight it. And it makes great content.

READ MORE: Here’s the secret to more business, more profits, and even more free time…

Study the content and writers you like and read often. How do they share their voice and personality? 

#3 Make sure your content is easy to read and understand

We’re talking about formatting here. Many people tend to get a bit carried away with formatting. There are so many underlined, bulleted, and bolded words that you’re not sure where your eye is supposed to go. Instead of enhancing the reading process, it makes it more difficult. It’s distracting. 

Simple formatting is best. Simple formatting may include bold or underlined subheadings. You might have either bullets or numbers but probably not both. (Sometimes both are okay depending on the article content and information.)

READ MORE: Here’s the secret to more business, more profits, and even more free time…

Pay attention to the content you find easy to read and the content that seems distracting. Is there too much formatting? Not enough? When the article isn’t easy to read, what would you do to fix it? What would make it easier to read?

Learning a few simple web content strategies can help you generate the results you’re looking for. You’ll receive more incoming links. You’ll receive more readers and traffic. And you’ll likely receive more customers. The better your content, the faster you’ll be able to grow your business.

To your success!

Lindsey
xx


READ MORE: Here’s the secret to more business, more profits, and even more free time…

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Landing Pages That Work:  Boost Your Conversion Rate With Three Simple Changes

6/6/2016

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Your readers have short attention spans.


I’m sure that’s no big surprise to you. In fact, you probably browse the Internet at light speed, too, scanning titles and subheads, skipping to the bottoms of sales pages, and fast-forwarding through videos just so you can get to the next thing.


The same is true for your readers, and if you want to capture their attention long enough to entice them to opt-in to your mailing list, then you have to keep that in mind.


A Tip From Newspaper Publishers
Have you ever noticed that everything you need to know about a news story is in the first paragraph? Journalists are trained to answer all the questions—who, what, where, when, why and how—in the first few sentences, just in case the story gets cut off when the paper goes to print.

READ MORE: 7 Ways to Develop a Successful Mindset


In today’s online world, where column inches no longer matter, this type of story formatting isn’t quite so critical any more, but it’s still a useful tip to use when you’re writing an opt-in page.
Think about it: If your readers are skimmers (as most of us are) then making sure you include the most important information right at the top of the page is going to greatly improve your conversion rates.


For opt-in pages, that means putting the biggest benefits in your subject line, and following it up with two or three sentences that build on your headline. That’s it. Keep it short, sweet, and benefit driven, and you’ll have greater success than you would with longer content.


Graphics Matter
Whether your opt-in incentive is an eBook, a video, or even a simple checklist, having a graphic representation of your offer is an important component of your landing page.

READ MORE: 7 Ways to Develop a Successful Mindset


Typically, you’ll create (or have created) a digital book or CD cover. You can easily outsource this, but be sure you follow these strategies:


  • Bold fonts and short titles make your cover more readable.
  • Use high-contrast colors for more visibility.
  • Be true to your brand. Stick with colors and fonts your readers expect.


Crafting a Compelling Call to Action
While it seems as if you can expect readers to know what to do when they land on your opt-in page, it’s just not true. You have to invite them to take the next step. Give them specific instructions and you’ll have higher conversion rates than if you just leave it to chance.

READ MORE: 7 Ways to Develop a Successful Mindset


Your call to action should tell a reader exactly what to do, like this:
  • Click here to download
  • Enter your name and email for instant access


Watch the text on your form buttons, too. After all, “Subscribe” or “Sign Up” doesn’t exactly make you feel excited, does it? Consider using a phrase that matches your call to action instead, such as:
​
  • Get the Checklist!
  • Send the Video!


Take a look at your opt-in pages. Do they follow these strategies? If not, consider making some changes to your copy, your images, and your calls to action, then watch your results. You’ll more than likely see a boost in conversion rates if you do.

​READ MORE: 7 Ways to Develop a Successful Mindset

To Your Success!
Lindsey
​xx
 



Email Marketing: From Hot Mess to Mega Success in 7 Days- Available Now!

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7 Ways to Stay More Organised at Home and Work

6/5/2016

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Do you have a problem staying organised and focused? This is an issue for many people today, at home and on the job.

Adopt the following 7 practices, tips and strategies, and you will find yourself clutter free and focused, organised and more productive.

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Social Media Planner by Clicking Here!

1 - Let Technology Help You

There are several applications and pieces of software that can keep you organized at home and on the job. The following apps are some of the most popular for organizing work, handling travel plans, freeing you from text message overwhelm and helping you in other important aspects of your personal and business lives.


  • GroupMe
  • Track My Life
  • Dropbox
  • CamCard
  • Expensify
  • Tripit
  • Hshtags
  • MailTime
  • HabitList
  • IFTTT
  • Toodledo
  • Cold Turkey
  • ProcrasterApp
  • CoSchedule
  • Venmo

2 - List Your Big 3 Every Day

Write down your top 3 tasks for the day. Accomplish or complete these first, before you do anything else. You will find your productivity soar, and your organisational skills improve.

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Social Media Planner by Clicking Here!

3 - Do One Thing At a Time

Do you remember a few years back, when multitasking was all the rage. As it turns out, you get more accomplished when you focus on one task at a time. The human brain works better when it is devoted to one train of thought. Research backs up this belief, showing that multitaskers suffer higher levels of stress and anxiety, and more disorganization as well.

4 - Handle Things Once

Deal with your mail as soon as you take it from your mailbox. Don't take it inside, lay it down on your desk or counter, intending to deal with it later. Do the same thing with every physical and virtual object or piece of information you have to deal with. Handle everything one time, and you cut down on the time spent trying to organize your life.

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Social Media Planner by Clicking Here!

5 - Simplify

Do you really need another pair of shoes? How many sports jerseys are enough? Do you have too many televisions, smartphones, tablets and computers? How many coffee cups can you drink out of at one time? Take some time to simplify your life. Organisation is easier when you have fewer things to deal with.

6 - Learn to Say No

Sometimes organisation simply means saying no. The more times you agree to help someone out with a task or chore the more you are putting on your plate. Just like the last tip, simplifying, learning to say no means fewer obligations and simpler organisation.

READ MORE: Download Your FREE Social Media Planner by Clicking Here!

7 - Clean Your Workstation

Relatively recent research about clutter reveals a simple way to organise your life. Did you know that everything in your field of vision is being processed by your eyes and mind? You may be consciously writing a report or listening to a conference call. At the same time, your brain is trying to handle any and all visual data that your eyes are processing. Clear your workstation of everything but the essentials you need to do your job and you will find your ability to stay organized and focused improving.

To Your Success!
Lindsey
xx

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    Lindsey Archibald is a Journalist, Broadcaster, Digital Marketer, Author and Business Coach.

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