How To Create More Content in Less Time – 5 Proven Methods

Creating content can be tough especially when you have a few blogs you’re writing for every day. Over the years, I have been writing content daily to the count of 5000-600 words, and I’ll admit that this can get very tough. Sometimes, I don’t have the patience, which can restrict the flow of words when getting them down within my word processor. With that said, it’s important I go over a few things I have learned over the years about writing content. For example, if you manage your writing and time correctly, then you’ll be able to get a lot more written than normal. This works in your favor, especially when time is of the essence when blogging. Today, let’s explore “5” solid methods to write more content in less time, which will help you grow and excel your blogging.

We’ll be looking at the following:

• The importance of developing a system
• Handy extensions you can use
• Getting into the zone
• Breaking down your writing
• The importance of a habit

Your feedback will be appreciated. Let’s get started…

Developing a System

One of the best ways to write content is by developing a system that has proven to work for you a majority of the time. This means knowing how to conduct research, making an outline, learning how to write an introduction, etc. All of this is awesome because it helps streamline your writing, which, in the end, will account for a lot of time saved. In the end, when you have a system that is easy to follow, then you’ll be a lot more productive because you have a guide along the way. For example,

With research, you’ll know exactly what topics are trending and choose something that resonates with your readers. By creating an online, you’ll know what sequence to write everything in so you don’t waste time going over your notes. Being able to write a solid introduction will ensure you cover the right points and entice your readers from the beginning. The conclusion is NOT that tough because you’re summarizing everything that was covered, but having a system to put this together always helps.

Here’s the bottom-line,

By having a solid system in place that has helped you produce content quickly, you’ll be able to save enormous time. This means you’ll be able to get more done, which helps when you have several blogs or need to spend time writing a lengthy content daily.

Extensions Are Available

Things have changed and you now have awesome extensions that are available for free. Another cool thing is these extensions are available for every major browser like Chrome, Firefox, and Explorer. Let’s look at a few:

Stay Focused – Chrome

An amazing plugin or extension that is free and very easy to use. Once you install the extension to your browser, you’ll be able to restrict time wasting websites for a certain amount of time you have configured. Install the extension then paste a list of sites that you know distract you throughout the day. You can set the extension to allow you to spend a specific amount of time on these sites then they’ll lock for the rest of the day. This means after a certain amount of time, you won’t be able to access them, giving you more time to focus.

LeechBlock – Firefox

This extension works the same way as “Stay Focused”, however, you can set different blocks that disable and enable throughout the day. You set the days and time blocks when you feel your focus is at its lowest so this extension will help you get back on track. This is another extension that is free, and is perfect for those who use Firefox. Next,

It’s important to mention that you have many other options that you can find by doing a quick search within Google. However, keep in mind, some might require a subscription, which many of you don’t want at this time. I would suggest taking advantage of the free options to find out how they help throughout the day and with your productivity.

Getting into the Zone

I’ve noticed I’m able to get into the zone much better during the day than at night. Why? At night, I have family who are home and this can be very distracting for me and my content writing. However, what works for me will be different for you so you have to know what is the best productivity time for you. Try to observe your habit then tweak it so you are at your best throughout the day. This will take some time because what works now might not work later on so you have to tweak your patterns regularly. However, here are a few questions to ask yourself when getting started:

• When are you most productive?
• When do you feel tired the most? What time throughout the day?
• From what you’ve noticed, what work is your priority and when do you get it done?

I’m pretty sure there are some more questions that should be asked but starting with the ones listed above, you’ll be able to determine what has been working and what hasn’t. Then going forward, you stick to this pattern so it helps you get into the zone going forward. Making these small changes will let you get more done, especially writing content when this is your obvious priority.

Breaking Down Writing

When I know I have a few days in between, I’ll break down my writing so it doesn’t tire me out as much. For example, if I have 2 days to write content that is 3,000 words, then I don’t have to get this done all in one day, especially when I have other priorities as well. I’ll usually write 1,500 words today then another the next day until the project has been completed. Sometimes, breaking down the word count isn’t enough because you have the option of breaking down the sections so you write the MOST important now then the least during the end. For example,

I sometimes like to write the introduction towards the end because it helps me make it more targeted. When I’m done writing my content, I have a better idea of what’s written, which, in the end, helps me write out an introduction for my content. I’ll make my introduction more precise and targeted, which is always a good thing when capturing a reader’s attention with very few words.

Here’s what you should do going forward….

Find out what works for you by trying different things like breaking down sections or even your writing. You’ll notice you’ll have an easier time putting your words together when you write certain sections before others. It might help to break up your writing over a few days.

Creating a Solid Habit

Many of you might be confused at this point, but habits play a crucial role in your success because it will lay down your foundation. I personally think all habits are connected and can either be an asset or a liability. For example, when smokers start exercising, they have an easier time quitting and will even start eating healthier meals. I think much of it has to do with their mental well-being at this point. However, let’s try to connect this to blogging and what it can do for us. For example, starting work early in the morning will give you longer days to get important writing done. Exercising first thing in the morning will motivate you to stay productive throughout the day and this can be seen in your business growth…right? Here’s my point…

If you are a serious blogger and want to be taken seriously, then I think it’s important you establish solid habits that will help you stay motivated, focused, and grow your ambition. Establishing habits can be tough but it all comes down to your seriousness about success. If you ask any successful blogger, they’ll tell you “blogging” and “content writing” is their passion so they will do anything to make sure they succeed. This even means the following:

• Creating new habits that change their business
• Finding new ways to motivate themselves
• Tweaking old habits when needed
• Making sure they know their priorities and ensuring their habits convey their motivation

There are many resources on habits that will help you understand the importance they play within individual lives. I would recommend you read resources available by doing a quick search “habits and importance” then skimming through several of the blogs. I believe if you can get your habits straightened out, then you’ll have an easier time writing more content in less time, which will be great for your business.

Under Your Industry

I just wanted to touch on this topic quickly…

The fact is, when you have experience within your industry, you’ll have an easier time writing content. Above, I discussed habits and one of my major ones is to keep up-to-date with the changing trends in my industry. This involves reading others blogs, skimming forums, and even reading newly released magazines. In the end, all of this will help me write content on the topic at hand because I just have enough knowledge within my niche. I would encourage all of you to do the same going forward. For example,

Try to get more involved within your industry, which will help you gain the knowledge to provide personal opinion on your topic. Explore a few ways that you have been able to gain knowledge and utilize them going forward to increase depth.

 Final Thoughts

As usual, I’d like to close my content by going over some thoughts. Every blogger knows the importance of being able to write more content in less time, especially when maintaining 2-3 niche blogs. You might think this is a difficult task, but if you know how to manage your time correctly, then producing content can be very easy. The first thing you need to do is go over the points mentioned above so you fully understand them going forward. When you can fully grasp their importance, only then will you be able to apply the concepts in their entirety. Secondly, as mentioned in my other content, it’s important you start creating a list of the important points so they will be easier to implement into your blogging strategy. For example, writing down the examples above in point form will allow you to choose action steps without having to go through the entire content, locating them.

Once you have an outline of the points, you can start implementing them into your content writing strategy. For example, you can track data, understanding what allows you to output content more. Remember, your main objective is to be able to write content more than ever before. You’ll find some ways help you while others slow you down, however, this is your initial testing process. Soon, you’ll find a strategy that works well, and can continue with it going forward.

Please leave your comments below and let us know what has worked for you.

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Calculating the ROI of Your Social Media Marketing

Simply throwing money at the problem never all works. All that ends up happening is that you’ll go way over budget and you still won’t have the results you actually want. As with all other forms of business, it is just as important for you to keep close tabs on the performance of your social media marketing. At the end of the day, it really is about the numbers and that’s why the most successful Internet marketers are the ones who are particularly adept at working with metrics and analytics.

They’re the ones who are able to wade through that sea of numbers, unearth potentially lucrative trends, and cash in before anyone else and better than everyone else. This is the same reason why it’s so important to split test your landing pages and keep a close eye on your traffic sources so you know where best to direct your efforts. I need not remind you of the Pareto principle, right?

Simple ROI Calculation

When it comes to calculating return on investment for simpler, more traditional endeavors, the math is relatively straightforward:

(Benefit – cost) ÷ cost = return on investment

ROI is typically expressed as a percentage. So, if we forget about income taxes and fees and other considerations for the sake of simplicity, the ROI when you buy something for $100 and sell it for $110 for a $10 profit is 10%, because (110 – 100) ÷ 100 = 0.10 or 10%. That’s simple enough to understand if you think about buying stocks (again, ignoring fees and such), flipping merchandise on eBay, or whatever else.

Applying to Social Media Marketing

This calculation might be reasonably easy to understand if your marketing efforts lead directly to sales (and you can connect those dots reliably), but how much is a “like” on your post really worth? What’s your rate of return if you gained 100 new followers to your Facebook page? This can feel much less concrete and much more ethereal than investments that only involve dollars and cents, but you can arrive at a reasonable approximation if you’re willing to accept a few assumptions.

After you decide on the goal of your social media marketing — like getting new email newsletter subscribers — and you track how you did on that goal after a campaign, you must then ascribe a monetary value to that metric. More specifically, you’ll typically look at the lifetime value. How much is this new follower worth over the long term?

But for the sake of simplicity, let’s use these hypothetical figures for a one-time benefit:

• Let’s say you spent $1,000 on this campaign.
• You gained 500 new email list subscribers
• Approximately 10% of your subscribers convert on your offer.
• Each conversion nets you a profit of $100.

In this case, of the 500 new subscribers, you can expect about 50 of them (10%) to convert on your offer. Each of those conversions is worth $100 to you in profit, so you have a total profit of $5,000. Subtracting the initial $1,000 cost, you now have a total net profit of $4,000. Divided by your cost of $1,000, you arrive at a ROI of 400%. That sounds like a very successful campaign.

A Worthy Investment

We have to remember that this ROI calculation doesn’t factor in the time and effort that you put into creating, running and managing this campaign, as well as all the work that you put in afterwards, plus the cost of your email list and so on. But this gives you a good point of determining whether your social media marketing efforts are “worth it” compared to other marketing venues or campaigns you may be using.

If you’re interested in learning more about measuring social media ROI or would just prefer to have it explained in a different voice, there are some excellent guides from Buffer, Neil Patel and Sprout Social on the subject. Go check those out and actually put this methodology into practice.

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Lessons Learned After 3 Years of Content Marketing

Content marketing is a MUST for every blogger, and if you have read any of my previous posts, you’ll understand the importance I put on this strategy. Through content marketing, you are able to reach an audience that otherwise would be impossible. Google has also emphasized the importance of high quality content because it enhances the user experience. With that said, it’s important that you write content that is in-depth, provides value, provides a solution to a common problem, and is sharable. Why sharable? Social media is increasing the rate at which content is found and discovered. This means the more value you provide, the higher chance of achieving conversions later on.

Next,

Content marketing can be used to generate enormous sales, especially if you have a blog that relies on conversions. Many blog simply as a past time, but others do it as a means of survival. For example, like myself, I blog because it’s my main source of income and I need to keep up-to-date with the popular marketing strategies. Today, we’ll be discussing what I’ve learned over 3 years in content marketing. We’ll be looking at such thing like:

• Timing
• Type of content
• Data driven content
• Importance of SEO in content marketing

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated so please leave your thoughts within the comment box.

Importance of SEO

No matter what type of content you are writing, it’s important that you add the right SEO elements throughout. Google ranks content depending on value and different types of keywords, like long tail, LSI, and loosely connected. This has become more important because of how the user search pattern has been changing lately. For example, people are more precise on what type of content they are looking for so will type long phrases within the search engine. When writing content, it’s important you add a mix of keywords scattered throughout your introduction, body, and conclusion. Here are a few tips to follow.

First, always perform research before getting started because this will help guide your content writing. For example, by having a list of 5-10 keywords, I’ll know what to focus on and will understand the type of content they are looking for. It’ll also allow me to optimize my content by adding some of these keywords within my title, description, and as sub-headings. Researching keywords is NOT difficult because you have several awesome tools that will help you along the way. Here are just a few:

• Google keyword planner
• Google search
• com (great to find other popular content based around your keywords)
• com (another site just like Topsy.com)

Secondly, I always add keywords after writing because it helps with the flow of my content. If I worry about keywords from the start, then I might ruin the flow of my content, which will make it harder for people to understand. The less they understand, the less they’ll share with others within social media.

Third, DO NOT over optimize your content with a single keyword, and it’s important to add a mix of keywords. Change up the anchor text because Google loves variety because of how users have been searching for content.

Timing Does Matter

This can work in two ways:

If you have loyal readers who visit your blog daily, then it’s a great time to post as early as possible in the morning. Monday to Friday posting by 8AM has worked enormously for me because people tend to be skimming the Internet at this time either from home or work. The time gap between 8AM to 11AM has shown the highest engagement, which I feel has a lot to do with recreation time available. From my experience, people arrive at work and will spend the first 30min checking through emails. They’ll then spend time browsing the Internet, visiting blogs they read daily. If you have sent a newsletter to your email list, then the user will open it first thing in the morning, which, again, will increase the rate of engagement. Next,

If you are new to blogging, then posting early in the morning will still increase engagement through social media. My experience has shown me that people tend to be on social media from 8AM to 4PM (Mon-Fri). Again, the visitor will arrive at work and after checking emails, will begin to browse their popular sites, including social media platforms. However, for you to increase engagement on social media, it’s important you know how to use the search and tools available. Let’s take a look at one popular Twitter tool that I have written about before.

hashtagify.me is a tool I’ve been using for years to find popular #hashtags to embed with my tweets. #hashtags are Twitter’s way of organizing the different “tweets” that are posted daily. For example, if I browse over to Twitter and I am looking for content related to blogging, then I can search using #blogging. Twitter will display all the content that has that #hashtag embedded within the “tweet”. This is an awesome tool for those just getting started online and DON’T have a big following as of yet. What enhances the experience even more is when you post a link to high value content on your blog because this can definitely increase engagement. Imagine if your “tweet” gets 1,000 more “retweets” by those with 10,000+ followers? This can have a huge impact on engagement, and can help build your brand within a short period of time.

I’ve noticed both of the strategies work well if you are posting first thing in the morning because around 8AM is when users tend to be skimming online the MOST. In the end, you always have the option of trying different timings until you find one that works even better within your niche.

Data Driven Content

Over the years, I’ve learned that people love to read data driven content. This includes case studies, how-to content, and even infographics (which you’ll learn later on). This type of content tends to be full of substance and cuts much of the tedious work out of performing manual work on your own. For example, if I can find content that has tested different PPC marketing strategies, this will save me money in the long run because I won’t invest in poor quality networks. Next, I’d be happy to share a case study that cuts MOST of the headache for bloggers on my social profile because it does provide value. Here’s another example,

Imagine finding a case study done on email marketing and inbox rates. As marketers, we spend countless hours trying to find the right time to send email follow-ups and what text to include that will help inbox our message. The more we can inbox, the higher chance of the subscriber opening and engaging with the link within the message…right? Personally, I would love for someone to do a case study on this and present the findings because it reduces much of the leg work others have to perform going forward. If you can do this and provide value at the same time, then you have increased the likelihood of ensuring you have a successful content marketing campaign. I often get asked this question: How do you find the best data driven content? Simple…

Start by doing a quick search in Google with “case study” embedded within the search phrase. For example, “CPA case studies” is a great way to find content based on cost per action campaigns. It’s also a great way to find case studies available for you to do. If I type a phrase and I’m NOT able to find any data, then it might be something that can go a long way with my readers, and on social media. The more unique my content, the higher chance of it ranking within the SERP’s, which is great for my bottom line going forward.

Get started now by doing a quick niche related search and find the different case studies available. Create a list and look for a pattern because if you notice something missing, then you can get started on creating your own engaging data driven content. If you do decide to create your own, then do the following:

• Take your time researching.
• Find an awesome way to track your data (MOST IMPORTANT).
• Keep track of the results each week, which will make it easier for you to put content together in the end.
• Always ask people to share because this type of content marketing does very well on social media.

Infographics = Content Marketing Success

Over the years, I’ve seen an awesome pattern developing with infographics. For those of you NOT aware of infographics, they are a content type based on a graphic that includes images, text, video, charts, etc. Many online tools have been created over the last several years to allow bloggers to create them with ease, and this has helped stimulate the growth going forward. However, how does this translate into better content marketing? Infographics have been known to attract more links than traditional content because of the value they provide. They are easy to skim through and efficient when searching for information quickly. This doesn’t mean text content is doing poorly, but you should try incorporating infographics into your marketing. Next,

The Internet has connected people all over the world and infographics are a great way to convey your message. In general, graphics can be understood more clearly than English text for those who speak a different first language. Instead of text content, which can only be read and understand in-depth within North America, you have infographics that people all over the world will share, comment, and even link back to going forward. Next,

Keep in mind, with more link backs, you are securing your long-term traffic success going forward. Google looks at link building patterns over time so having an influx of links over time is a great way to increase your ranks within the SERP’s.

Final Thoughts

It’s time for me to conclude this content with a few final words.

First, content marketing is the new norm because it provides  depth, and can be used as a funnel for high conversions. Content marketing is a great long-term strategy to build traffic momentum going forward because some formats like infographics have a higher link retention rate. Next, as a result of the changes in social media, your content can be shared with more precision. What do I mean? You can share with videos, images, infographics, and even embed a few awesome #hashtags into your “tweet” or “share”. This is important because it increases the likelihood of your content being found, which is important, especially if you are trying to build engagement leading to conversions.

Going forward, it’s important you focus on a few crucial things.

• Write content keeping the user in mind because this is the only way you’ll build a loyal following.
• Always research your topic before getting started because it’ll help guide your content and focus more on your audience.
• Use data within your content because we have learned how this is important to build loyalty and increase link backs to your content.
• Google is your friend and doing a simple “keyword” search can help you find valuable content going forward. These resources can be used to gather additional information about your topic.
• Don’t forget the importance of infographics and how they connect people all over the world. They are easier to understand, which is important for those who don’t speak English as their first language.

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Insane Pagani Huayra BC Supercar at Cars and Coffee

I check out the insane $6 million Pagani Huayra BC super car at this week’s South OC Cars and Coffee. In addition to that work of art, there were tons of other cars to check out as well, like a couple of purple people eater Porsche GT3 RS and the new GT2 RS that set the Lighting Lap record at Virginia International Raceway. Enjoy!

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The Pablo Picasso Approach to Value

There are certain cliches that we’ve come to internalize as a modern society, whether or not they are actually true in all or even most cases. We just assume automatically that every used car salesperson is sneaky and deceptive, straight up lying to your face in order to close the deal. There is the archetype of the starving student, accumulating massive student debt as they eat instant noodles for lunch and binge drink on the weekends. Most of these are unfair, of course, but we’ve come to internalize them.

And for the most part, we’ve come to assume that artists are generally crazy, broke, or more likely than not, both crazy and broke. While we may romanticize the idea of the artist sacrificing for his or her craft, we also assume that most artists are practically destitute, sharing one-bedroom apartments with four other “hippies” or “hipsters.” But a few break through and actually achieve impressive success within their lifetimes.

Three Musicians

Pablo Picasso is one such individual. Even if you know almost nothing about the art world (like me), you’ve surely heard of his name. You know that he was (is!) incredibly famous and he was (is!) very influential in the art world. You probably know him best from his cubism period with distorted images of reality.

What you see here is an oil and collage painting called Three Musicians. This is the version that is a part of the permanent collection at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). There is another version of this painting that looks a little different but has a similar kind of colorful concept; it is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

It goes without saying that Pablo Picasso was and continues to be a very big deal. But it’s not like he was an overnight success either.

Diner Doodles

I’m currently listening to the audiobook version of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. In it, he recounts a particular story about Pablo Picasso that may or may not be one hundred percent accurate, but it still illustrates a very important point that all of us should take to heart. And yes, this comes well before the Internet became a thing, let alone Internet marketing as a viable business.

So, the tale goes a little something like this. Pablo Picasso is in his later years, having already achieved great fame and fortune from his art. He’s leading a much quieter life, but his creativity continues to yearn for representation and application. And so, he finds himself in some small cafe, sipping away on a coffee or whatever, and he allows his mind to wander as he doodles on a paper napkin.

As he prepares to leave and just before he tosses his napkin into the trash, he’s approached by a woman in the cafe. She expresses her great admiration for his work and asks if it’s okay if she have the napkin with the doodle on it. She says she’d even be willing to pay for it.

Time, Value and Experience

Picasso turns to the woman and tells her that the price for the napkin doodle is $20,000. Remember that this encounter would have taken place about half a century ago. Adjusted for inflation, the asking price would be somewhere around $500,000 in today’s dollars.

Aghast at the asking price, the woman declares that he was just about to throw the napkin into the trash anyhow and it only took him a couple minutes to draw. To this, Picasso replies (and I’m paraphrasing), “No, you’re wrong. It didn’t take me two minutes. It took me over 60 years to draw.”

When we see the final work of a professional, whether that’s a painting, a song, a book or anything else, we only perceive the actual final product. What we don’t see are the years of blood, sweat and tears that it took to get to that point. We don’t see all the failed manuscripts and drafts that no one cared to give a second look. We don’t see all the learning through experience that it took to get to that point.

Know your value. And know that it takes time for you to get to the point where you can, with confidence, ask for half a million dollars for your napkin doodle. The story goes that Picasso then delicately folded up the napkin, put it in his pocket, and walked out of the cafe.

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The Right Questions to Ask When Hiring A SEO Company

Being a full time blogger can be very time consuming, which is why I like to outsource my SEO. This is not always the case, only when I have a full schedule ahead. Over the years, I have learned a lot about outsourcing, and what to look for when choosing the right company to take care of your organic work. These days, with so many updates, Google now targets poor quality links, content, and private blog networks, ultimately banning sites that don’t meet the quality threshold. In short, you have to be very careful when selecting SEO companies in the future, making sure they do a solid job on your blog.

Today, I’d like to go over a few things to look for when hiring an SEO company. I’ll also explore how asking the right questions can help you select a reputable company. I believe with content marketers getting so busy writing in-depth content, it’s hard to find time to build natural links for organic SEO. Please provide your feedback, and input so we can start a debate on this topic.

Let’s jump right in…

1. What They Provide

Whenever I’m going to hire a company, I skim through their website, looking for special services in what they provide. For example, SEO is more than just building links so it’s important to me to find a company that provides a complete package. What does this mean? For those of you who have never hired an SEO company, it’s important they provide:

Content writing –

Building links has to come from other content so it’s important that they write quality posts to be added to other websites. They must be high quality and relevant because this is important to Google.

Social Media Optimization –

Social media is very important so I want the SEO company to have experience on popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. This means being able to use the right #hashtags, post during popular times, have a huge following themselves, etc.

On-Page SEO –

It’s all about relevance so I ensure they know how to tweak my pages to fit specific keywords. The company should skim through, looking for areas for improvement on my website. If they can’t, then they definitely won’t perform off-page…right?

Off-Page SEO –

I would like a breakdown of how their company will build links and at what ratio. Its important links are relevant, but are a variety like URK, EXACT, Phrase, etc.

I can go on about this section, however, let me clarify my point….

Before hiring the SEO company, it’s important that you have a complete breakdown of what they offer in their package.

2. How Will They Improve Rankings?

I like to get a clear cut explanation about the improvement I can expect to see. It’s important they tell me how they’ll improve my SEO and search rankings. For example,

• Will I improve page rank?
• Will I improve domain authority?
• How long will I see an increase?
• How long before an increase?

Having answers to these questions is very important because this way, you’ll understand what you’re paying for long-term. It’s very important to ask about links and how the ones they’ve built will improve your rankings over time.

3. Tracking Results

A solid SEO campaign is nothing without an accurate way to track results. I ask the SEO company upfront how they’ll keep me informed of the changes. I want a clear and accurate way to find changes in SERP rank, content rankings, and domain and page authority. I also want to see how many new links I have pointing to my website, and from what location they are coming from. Next, I’d like to see the work they have performed throughout the month, usually in spreadsheet format.

Two things to keep in mind:

First, never let them track changes internally because they can have a system that is inaccurate. It also gives them control to manipulate the results if they don’t provide what they told you they would. Secondly, it’s important to have control for yourself because if the company you’ve hired doesn’t complete the work, then you’re NOT left hanging, completely lost. In the worst case scenario, you’ll have a complete breakdown, and can continue working if you choose to at a later time. You’ll also have a breakdown to hand over to another company if you’ve hired one instead of continuing on your own.

4. Look Over Their Portfolio

A reputable SEO company will have a list of clients they’ve worked with in the past, and you can learn a lot the company by viewing their results. You should ask the company if you can contact some of them to find out about the quality of their work. A solid company usually will give you authority to do so because they have nothing to hide except awesome results. For example,

Just like asking an attorney about the cases they’ve won and closed in the past, it’s important to get a good idea of the quality of work performed by the SEO company. As mentioned, I’ve dealt with 4 different companies with all of them being more than happy to share past client information.

5. Following Google’s Quality Control

Every year, you hear about changes being made to search engines and the algorithm. This means you have to be extra careful when doing organic SEO because what once used to be acceptable may NOT be going forward. If you’re doing the SEO yourself, then you can make tweaks right after researching what changes have been made. However, hiring an SEO company requires a different approach.

First, it’s important to ask them if they follow Google best practices, and how they know what changes have been made. Secondly, it’s important to get a breakdown of the changes so you know they keep up-to-date with the search algorithm. Third, it’s important they have a clear-cut way to ensure the best practices are followed by the entire team. The manager might know about the changes, but they might NOT have a clear way to implement them into their system. I always ask the company how they ensure the right practices are taken throughout their SEO process, and what guarantee they give me if they don’t follow them.

6. Tool Implementation

These days, it’s NOT uncommon to have SEO companies use tools in their strategy but it’s very important to me that they use the right ones. For example, I don’t want them using tools that automate back-linking or even the content writing because this is NOT following Google’s quality control. To protect myself going forward, I like to get a complete breakdown of the tools they use, and for what. This will allow me to do two things:

First, I can do research on my own understanding of how important the tools are in SEO. It will also give me a chance to determine if the tool should be used or if it’s causing more damage than benefit. Secondly, when I decide to continue the SEO on my own, I’ll know EXACTLY what tools I can rely on going forward to ensure the campaign stays right on track.

Always ask the company for a breakdown of the tools and they should be fully compliant in giving them to you.

7. The Payment Structure

I’m a true believer that the COST should not be an issue as long as you’re getting quality work done. It’s hard to find good help if you’re NOT willing to pay for it but it’s important that you do understand the payment structure. For example, ask the SEO company the following questions:

• What do you charge?
• Is it per month or year?
• What payment methods do you accept?
• What is your refund policy?
• How long does it take to process a refund request?

These are simple, but fundamental questions that should be asked before hiring the company to begin work. It’s hard to determine what a fair price is, however, this comes down to the quality of work and level of package. If, after reviewing previous work, you’re happy with their reputation, then paying more than usual is NOT a bad idea.

From my experience, you can expect to pay on average $1,500-$2,000 for a high quality job.

8. Contact and Communication

This is something I need to know and the communication MUST be clear and concise from the beginning. Especially when paying for work to be done, it’s important that they are available during the times they tell me. In most cases, communication will be conducted through email, however, local companies will work an on-call basis.

It’s also a good idea to suggest some other communication methods if you feel more comfortable proceeding that way.

9. Niche Specific Experience

The one thing with SEO is that it can be tailored to all types of niches but it’s still important to find out how much experience they have in your industry. This will help you determine how well they know your industry, and if they know where to focus while progressing.

An easy way to find out about their experience within your niche is to ask about previous clientele or even general questions about your niche. Anyone with experience in every niche should be able to answer questions related to your industry. Even though this doesn’t mean they can’t get the work done, it’s still good to know how much experience they have working within your industry.

10. Why Should We Hire You?

I left this as the last thing to ask or think about because it’s truly optional but I’ve always asked this question. You’re hiring the company so they should prove to you why they are worth getting your business. This is their time to shine, and tell you about the past and present accomplishments. I like to give the company a chance to go over what they can do for my business that others won’t be able to. This is a good time to see what they can come up with, and pay close attention to red flag answers like:

• We are cheaper
• We don’t know
• Or lengthy delays in answering

It’s a good way to catch them off guard and slip up, which, in the end, gives you a sense of trustworthiness. I guarantee, the way they answer this question will determine if you hire them or NOT.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a few things to keep in mind, I’d like to close with these thoughts…

Even though I’m a true believer that SEO work should be done by you, it’s also a good idea to hire someone if you don’t have the time. Doing it yourself is important because it’s the best way to learn and understand the fundamentals as it applies to organic SEO. However, sometimes, getting others to do the work can be awesome to pick up a few hidden secrets. For example, it was through hiring a company I learned…

• Do correct on-page SEO
• Write relevant content
• Find article websites
• Build relationships
• Do strategic social marketing
• And much more

Keep in mind, you also have the option to do both – work yourself and hire someone to help out. Using this approach will help you get a better grasp when it comes to organic search rankings and optimization. I know hiring someone can be expensive so pay close attention to the price and what you get in your package. The high cost MUST out-weigh the negatives, and you should truly know you’re getting your money’s worth.

In the end, your entire experience should account to results in search engine rankings, authority, profits, and influence.

Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, The Ultimate Online Profit Model!

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5 Best WordPress Survey Plugins for your Blog

When running a website, it’s important to know what your audience thinks. But how can you do this in a way that’s engaging and interactive?

For WordPress users, the perfect solution is a survey plugin.

Unlike a poll, a survey allows you to answer questions in different formats, such as images and star ratings. It’s a personal way to interact with your audience.

What Are the Benefits of a Survey Plugin?

Surveys are the perfect way to find out what interests your audience. You can use the data from surveys to create content tailored to their specific needs.

A quality survey plugin will be easy to use, provide readily accessible results, and allow you to share and export those results in different formats.

If you’re looking to engage further with your audience, here are the 5 best WordPress survey plugins you can use.

1. WPForms

With an already engaging, popular contact form plugin, WPForms now has a survey and poll add-on provided when you purchase their Pro plan.

It features an easy to use drag and drop form builder, interactive survey reports, and exportable results. Need to print your report to share in person? No problem. The add-on comes with many customizable print styles to choose from so that your reports are pretty to look at while you analyze.

You can answer survey questions using text, images, star ratings, and more. You can also embed your survey anywhere you want in WordPress: post, page, or sidebar widget.

One of its most intriguing features is that you can turn any existing form into a survey at the click of a button, adding to its simplicity.

2. Survey Monkey

Survey Monkey is user-friendly survey plugin with features that include customizable branding, pre-written questions, and 24/7 online or offline accessibility.

The plugin’s dashboard has a friendly user interface and is easy to navigate.

You can ask questions based on categories like demographics, customer feedback, and market research. It also provides survey templates with different questions to choose from.

SurveyMonkey’s paid upgrade allows you to export results in CSV, HTML, and PDF formats. You can also display them as bar graphs, pie charts, and tables, which are all customizable. Share your survey with others via an embed code, direct link, social media, and more.

3. Polldaddy

With the Polldaddy survey plugin, simplicity is key. You get features like a drag and drop question editor, 15 theme options, and 3 pop-up styles.

You can close the survey after a certain date or when a quote is met. Integrate password protection, Captcha protection, or IP restriction to prevent multiple or automated responses.

If you’d like to follow up with survey participants, you can ask them to provide contact information like a name or email. Results can be monitored in real time and responses can be collected through email, social media, or via WordPress.
Polldaddy allows you to export your data in different formats such as PDF or XML and through Google Docs and Excel.

4. Quiz and Survey Master

Simple and easy to use, the free version of Quiz and Survey Master features unlimited surveys and responses, a customizable thank you page, and the ability to email users once the survey is complete.

Answer options include multiple choice, true and false, and number rankings. Results can be sent straight to your email or viewed directly through your WordPress dashboard.

The upgraded version is worth the price if you want to include reporting and analytics, data exportation, and user-friendly survey templates.

5. Surveys by OpinionStage

Created by OpinionStage, this plugin requires you to create an OpinionStage account on their website, which is where you build your survey. If you’re looking for something straight to the point, the free version provides all the basic features you’ll need.

Some features include various survey designs, a WordPress editor button, and an easy-to-use interface. You can display your survey anywhere on your WordPress site.

Customization includes many different color schemes and fonts. You can view your data by the amount of time a visitor has been on the survey, the number of views and leads, and the number of engagements.

Although you need to upgrade to a paid plan to access features such as adding your own logo and advanced customization, the free plan is simple and easy to navigate.

Wrapping Up

Depending on your needs, one of these plugins is guaranteed to aid you in gathering the analytical data and results you’re looking for.

Asking your audience to take part in a survey is a personal, fun, and engaging way of getting to know them better. This will help you in your blogging journey as you tailor the type of content visitors are looking for.

Click Here To Download John Chow’s New eBook, The Ultimate Online Profit Model!

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via Daniel