The beauty of Internet marketing comes in the fact that you’re never tied down to a single source of revenue.

With so many potential options when it comes to putting your product out there, there’s no need to restrict yourself.

By exploring these eight traffic sources, you can expand your bottom line and make sure you’re making the most of your marketing dollars.

Businesses have options galore when it comes to building their sales funnels online.

This begs the question: why do some marketers get caught up on establishing a sole stream of revenue?

It’s definitely a thought worth pondering, especially since establishing multiple revenue streams is all the rage for modern online businesses.

But before we get into the different web traffic sources, let’s talk about traffic itself and its role in a company’s online success and how it influences how you build your funnel.

Why is Traffic So Important?

Traffic is essentially the number of visitors to your website. Simply put, the more visitors that come to your site, the more possible customers you have. It’s true that not all of them will convert, but having more visitors means having a bigger pool to draw from.

But bringing traffic to your site isn’t just about the numbers, it’s about the quality. You want valuable traffic, not just any old traffic. We’re talking the type of traffic more likely to convert.

Paid traffic is that traffic that you paid for to come to your site. This usually comes from display ads, sponsored content, social media ads, or paid search like Google AdWords. Organic traffic, on the other hand, is usually a result of unpaid search results, like someone looking for a product or solution in a search engine like Google.

Both types can be valuable forms of traffic. Funnels can benefit greatly from them. Organic traffic is often more cost-effective while the results of paid traffic are usually more immediate.

Driving Traffic to Your Sales Funnel

Once traffic is on your site, you need to know how to get them into your sales funnel. That comes down to how your landing page is designed.

Much of the success in this effort comes from managing expectations. If the ad that brings a visitor to your page promises a discount, the landing page should feature that discount.

Failing to meet the expectations you set often creates confusion and will drive visitors away from your website. If visitors know exactly what they’re getting from you before reaching your page, they’ll more likely enter you sales funnel and continue their journey.

Now that you know a bit more about traffic, it’s time to look at the many traffic sources for websites. Perhaps companies are hesitant to diversify because it just sounds too good to be true; however, the following means of building your sales funnel are tried and tested, with real potential to jive with just about any product or service online.

1. Email Lists

The mumblings of the Internet marketing rumor mill might lead you to believe email marketing is dead. False.

Internet marketing is very much alive and kicking, especially in a mobile marketplace where users are glued to smartphones.

We live in a world of notifications and alerts, in which sitting quite literally in the pockets of our users has never been easier.

Building an email list is a proven means of establishing a dedicated base of buyers.

Let’s take some modern email marketing statistics into consideration, including the fact that…

• 33% of emails are opened on iPhones; Meanwhile, 75% of Gmail accounts (totally over 900 million users) regularly access their email via mobile. The myth that “nobody uses email anymore” is absolutely absurd, especially when mobile users are so hungry for new messages.
• Over one-quarter of all Black Friday transactions in 2015 were kindled through email marketing. In other words, email appeals to a variety of buyers and users and no single, solitary demographic.
• Approximately 90% of marketers claim that email was their main means of generating leads. Who said email marketing was dead, again?

In short, the concept of email marketing representing spam is bogus, especially if you’re the one getting users into your own funnel.

Don’t stress about “spamming” your base; instead, focus on providing them with legitimate products and content that meet their particular needs.

The sales will come naturally.

2. Facebook Ads

Image Source: Aerotech Digital Marketing 

The unlikely success of Facebook has proven inspirational for Internet marketers and users alike. Mark Zuckerberg’s wildly successful social network boasts over one billion daily active users and has become a cornerstone of the modern web.

Given the site’s reputation and reach, it should come as no surprise that Facebook sports a robust advertising system for businesses.

Due to the massive nature of Facebook, their ad system has to be laser-focused and targeted for small businesses looking to convert sales from the platform’s massive user base.

Considering that Facebook ad convert approximately 25% of social media referrals versus platforms such as Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube, such ads have become to the go-to for marketers looking to break through the often tumultuous social media ad-space.

Much like brands such as Amazon or Apple, Facebook has become a trustworthy, household name.

By hosting ads on their platform, you establish yourself as a likewise trusted brand. With their flexible budget and numerous, high-performing call-to-action options, there’s no reason not to get your feet wet with Facebook’s platform.

3. Google Ads

With over $50 billion (yes, billion) in global net ad revenue last year, it’s clear to see why Google ads have been the bread and butter of marketers for quite some time.

Many businesses are wary of entering the world of paid search due to the risk-reward balancing act involved.

Considering the astronomically high click-through rates of ads in the top Google position, however, we can understand why perhaps it’s a more than worthy investment.

True, there is some risk involved due to the potentially high cost of keywords (depending on your industry).

However, consider some of the benefits of delving into Google’s ad platform, including:

Gaining a Better Understanding of Your Competitors – Targeting keywords can be a difficult, laborious process; however, it’s absolutely crucial for a successful SEO strategy. Getting your feet wet with Google Ads can help you better understand what your competitors are targeting and lead you into finding your niche, or better yet…

Understanding the Keywords You Can Dominate – “Niche” is, after all, the name of the game for many of today’s marketers and business. Which niche do you have the potential to dominate? What keywords belong to your business? Through AdWords, you can better understand not only where you stand versus your competitors, but which keywords convert and ultimately…

Test the Merits of Your Site and its Product – Are you getting clicks? Are those clicks converting into sales? The traffic obtained from Google ads is perhaps one of the best means of testing your site regarding user behavior and how your site’s content plays a role in the buying process. Google ads are a great way to find out what’s influencing your users and to A/B test means of improving sales through your site in the future.

4. Instagram Ads

Image Source: Instagram for Business

Instagram is one of the younger guns regarding social media ad space; however, it’s 400 million active users and 40 billion photos shared to date perhaps speak for themselves.

When we think of Instagram, we perhaps think of celebrity images and viral photos, ignoring the ad potential projected to grow to approximately $2.81 billion by next year.

As more and more businesses hop onto Instagram, noted to be one of the fastest growing platforms for SMBs, you might ask whether it’s not worth taking the leap as well.

With a similar CTR and CPM as Facebook (who own Instagram, by the way), coupled with the revenue above of the platform, Instagram may offer a snapshot into the future of photo marketers looking to engage users on a more visual level.

5. Solo Ads

Image Source: Precise Strategy 

Although perhaps not as “sexy” as your Facebook or Instagram ads, solo ads represent a numbers game which can provide big returns if executed properly.

In the same wheelhouse as email lists, solo ads allow you to blast a single offer to an opted-in email list.

Since the list is opt-in only, there’s less concern for being perceived as spam (assuming that the company providing the list is reputable).

When it comes to solo ads, we’re primarily playing with click-through rates and conversions.

For this reason, before considering a solo ad one should ensure that…

• The company selling the ad has a track record regarding their list and click-through rates (check ratings, reviews, and testimonials)
• The product of service being offered through the solo ad stresses urgency (one-time deal, strong call to action, time-sensitive offers)
• Strong marketing copy, both regarding subject line and the email copy itself (keep it short and sweet, include a compelling call to action alongside a trackable email link)

Perhaps the road less traveled these days, solo ads can be powerful tools for generating new leads.

Much of your success, however, depends on your own research, effort, and execution.

6. Podcasts

While radio advertising is dead in the water for most modern industries, podcasts remain a viable advertising option for those looking to build their sales funnel.

With 20% of Americans listening to at least one podcast per month and 63% of those users purchasing something a host promoted on the show, podcast advertising provides a truly unique opportunity for brands looking to break through to more buyers.

The key for successful podcast advertising is, yet again, understanding your product, its niche and the buyers within that niche.

For example, it wouldn’t make much sense for a website selling organic cloth diapers to advertise on a podcast for motorcycle enthusiasts (nor would it make sure to sell Harley Davidsons on a parenting podcast).

If you can find the right fit within your industry, advertising on a podcast can not only drive sales but also build your brand in the eyes (or ears, rather) of curious new buyers.

7. Blogs

Advertising on a blog may seem like a no-brainer; however, some marketers may cling to one method rather than explore what blogging has to offer.

For many marketers, seeing the ROI of blogging and subsequent content creation is often the hang-up.

How do I know this is going to work? How do I know it’s going to result in sales?

Guest blogging (along with other means advertising of blogs, including paid ads) is not just a way to get your product in front of more eyes.

It’s a means of building your brand, appearing like an authority and, this is perhaps the hidden gem, building backlinks to drive future traffic to your site.

Seeking out blogs which operate within your niche might very well be the secret weapon of the modern marketer.

Is a blog creating content surrounding your niche or product? Are their users hungry for more?

Blogger outreach is more than likely worth your time and attention.

8. Banner Ads

Image Source: Pinterest

Last but not least, let’s talk about banner ads.

We could discuss ad-nauseum the phenomenon of ad blindness and question whether or not such advertising is worth it; however, let’s consider instead the reasons why people don’t click on banner ads.

Such reasons include the ad representing a distraction (annoying pop-ups), providing irrelevant content or appearing just plain spammy.

The solution, then, is to provide creative ads which provide legitimate value to users.

Perhaps what’s more important than the ads themselves is the format.

That is, where they are placed, how they appear and whether or not they are targeting the right users.

Are your ads professionally designed?

Are you offering a legitimate product or deal that can help your users? Are your ads in the right place?

Banner ads do have a place in the modern marketing world, granted they are utilized correctly. Build banners that spark interest and drive users to buy rather than spam that scares buyers away. If you follow such principles, clicks will come your way.

The Bottom Line

The possibilities are seemingly endless when it comes to bringing streams into your sales funnel.

By breaking the dam and establishing new streams for users, you increase your chances of sales while also establishing your brand online.

Which of the above website traffic sources do you think has the most potential for the modern business?

Continued Reading

• Sales Funnels: The Ultimate Guide
• Using Sales Funnels
• Mapping Out Your Sales Funnel Online
  

Thanks for reading 8 Proven Traffic Sources for Your Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

What do you do after you have published a blog post?

Do you simply move onto your next blog?

Here are 6 steps you need to take after publishing your blog posts to really give the post the impact that it needs.

I bet you have worked hard on your blog posts, so why would you leave them to sit and do nothing but wait for people to find them.

This is all very sad and lonely so it is time you start taking action and take certain steps to make sure all that hard work you put into your blog posts is being rewarded.

Content marketing isn’t just about writing blog posts and publishing them, it is so much more.

Yes, the bulk of it is to write content however you must also do other things that I have listed in this guide to create a true content marketing strategy.

If you want your blog to really grow and gain readers then you’re going to need to do more than just hit the “publish” button. Don’t worry though; I will help you transform your blog into a hub of activity.

Here are 6 action steps you must take after you publish a blog post:

1. Follow Up Answering all Comments

Image Source: Heide Cohen

First things first is to follow up on all comments your readers are leaving on your blog posts.

It is surprising to me when I come across a blog where the author does not engage in the conversation in the comments area.

This is a great place for you to really connect with your audience, answer their questions and interact with them.

Comments on blog posts however can be extremely hard to get and can even take years for a blog to start seeing good activity in the comments section.

In order to help the process along, make sure to respond to those who do leave a comment.

Replying to comments can help to increase the amount of comments on that blog post and others as your audience will be more likely to engage if they see there is someone to engage with.

If your audience have questions and ask them in the comments but don’t get a response, they won’t be likely to leave a comment again and may even leave your blog to find their answers elsewhere.

[bctt tweet=”Encourage those who have questions to ask them by responding to all comments.”]

2. Create A Content Upgrade

Image Source: Backlinko

I believe it is absolutely important to explain everything about the topic that you’re blogging about.

There is no point in half answering things as they might go and find the rest of the information at a competitor’s blog.

As well as that, you want them to continue to come back to you for information which they will do if they know they can get detailed guides on your blog.

However sometimes you don’t want to overwhelm your audience with lengthy blog posts as a lot of people like to find information that is easily digestible.

[bctt tweet=”If you don’t want to overwhelm your audience then you can offer content upgrades.”]

Content upgrades will give your audience the option to find out more information or whether they’re happy with the information provided in the blog post.

For example, if I was doing a blog post on how to optimize the sidebar of a blog then I might add a content upgrade offering readers a downloadable guide to the top 10 plugins for their blog.

Not only would this help to offer my audience more information on the topic but it will also help to build my contact list as the content upgrade would be gated.

3. Email Your List

One of the most important things you should do after publishing a blog post is to send it to your email list.

The contacts you have in your email list are already interested in what you have to offer as they wouldn’t have signed up to your email list.

This is your most loyal audience so are the perfect audience to get your content in front of.

The design of this email doesn’t have to be anything complex; it can be a very simple text email with a couple of links directing your email list to your latest blog post.

Include the following in the email:

• The first sentence should explain why you’re emailing and contain an anchor text link to your blog post.
• The title of the blog post should be the next sentence and standalone so as to stand out to recipients. If you stay consistent with the structure of your emails then your contacts will begin to learn where to click without thinking.
• You can then include a couple of very short paragraphs to explain what the blog post is about and why it will benefit them if they read it.
• At the end of the second paragraph, you can include another anchor text such as “click to read more”.

4. Outreach to People Who Have Been Mentioned In The Post

Image Source: Neil Patel

You may naturally link to other websites and blogs if you’re talking about their stats or products.

It is all very well and good to assume that they will see that you have linked to them but not everyone monitors who is mentioning them or linking to them.

You’re doing them a favour by helping to build their authority as well as send quality traffic to them.

Since you’re doing them a favour, why not contact them and tell them that you have linked to them.

This doesn’t mean that you should email them and ask that they link to your blog post or share it on their social media just because you have linked to them.

Instead, why not email them and tell them that you loved their product or blog post so much so that you have mentioned it on your own blog.

This type of email will be more likely to get a positive reaction.

5. Discuss In Forums and Facebook Groups

Before you start posting your blog post links in forums, it is important to be naturally active in forums before stating to post links.

If you try and post links and promote your own agenda before being an active member then you could possibly be banned from the forum.

To avoid being banned, find some relevant forums and start joining in on discussing without posting links or promoting yourself.

Once you have established yourself on the forum, then you can start sharing the links to your blog posts when it is relevant.

[bctt tweet=”Another great place to share your blog posts is in Facebook groups.”]

The best groups tend to be private so you will have to ask to join, which you may not be accepted.

There is no quality in sharing your blog post links to spammy Facebook groups though so find some highly relevant Facebook groups and request to join.

As with the forums, it is important not to dive right in and post your links.

It is important to get to know the group and also let the group get to know you before you share any links as you don’t want to get booted out.

6. Monitor Keyword Rankings

Image Source: Rank Tracker

Last but certainly not least, once you have published a blog post you should be monitoring keyword rankings.

While the long-tail keywords you’ve been targeting in your blog posts won’t have an effect on rankings instantly, it is important to track and monitor them.

There are some very good tools online that you can use to monitor keywords such as Pro Rank Tracker.

All you need to do is add the URL of your blog post as well as the long-tail keyword you have used in the blog post.

You can leave this to track and monitor and revisit how it’s performing in a few weeks… not a few days.

If after a month or so, if your blog post isn’t on the third page or higher in the search rankings then it is a sign that you targeted a keyword that is too difficult for you to rank for yet.

If this is the case, you can simply go back to that blog post and edit it to use another less competitive keyword and check back again in a few weeks.

Conclusion

If you follow these 6 steps after a publishing every blog post, you will start to see a lot more traffic heading your way as well as increased engagement.

Here is a quick roundup of the 6 steps:

1. Make sure to respond to all comments made on your blog posts.
2. Offer your audience content upgrades to capture their interest.
3. Share your blog posts with your email list who may share on their social media for greater reach.
4. Contact those who you have mentioned in your blog posts to say that you have mentioned them.
5. Share your blog posts in forums and in Facebook groups when it is relevant and natural.
6. Keep track of the keywords you are targeting in your blog posts.

What do you do after you publish a blog post?

Let me know by leaving your comments below.

Thanks for reading 6 Action Steps To Take After You Publish A Blog Post which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

If there’s no demand for your product or service, you can have the best sales funnel in the world and you will still struggle to make money.

Unfortunately, we often see entrepreneurs spend months or even years working on business ideas that were doomed from the start.

That’s why today we want to share our step-by-step guide to determining whether your business idea has potential:

Step #1: Sell a Product or Service That has a Proven Demand

Entrepreneurship has come to be associated with innovation in our culture.

Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising considering that the most iconic entrepreneurs of our times are the tech billionaires of Silicon Valley.

However, if you want to start a business, you don’t need to have an innovative idea. In fact, pursuing one would decrease your likelihood of success. How so?

Well, if you go with a product or service that has proven demand, you’ll know for sure that people want it, you won’t have to waste time explaining to everyone what it is and you will be able to learn from the mistakes of your competitors.

Meanwhile, if you attempt to do something that has never been done before, you will be starting from absolute zero, without even knowing if anyone is interested in your product or service to begin with.

And sure, if you already have an innovative idea that you believe has incredible potential, then it might make sense to pursue it. Who are we to say that you shouldn’t?

However, if all you want is to create a better life for yourself and your loved ones by building a sustainable business, then going with something tried-and-true is a much better bet!

Step #2: Do Competitive Research

Competition is a good sign. Why?

Because if there already are a bunch of companies selling the same products or services that you intend to sell, it means that there’s money to be made doing that.

However, if you want to carve out a market share for yourself as a newcomer, you need to first learn everything you can about the main players in your niche:

• Purchase their products and services yourself to see what their entire buyer’s journey looks like from the customer’s perspective. Screenshot and save everything so that you can use it for reference later. We call this “funnel hacking”.
• Make sure to actually try the products and services that you bought. Do your competitors deliver what they promised or is the experience disappointing? Think about how you could do what they do but do it cheaper, faster, and better.
• Read customer reviews on your competitors’ websites, various third-party platforms, and online forums like Reddit.
• Watch YouTube reviews and read the comments. Just keep in mind that if it’s a sponsored review then it’s unlikely to be objective.
• Use text analytics software to uncover more insights. For example, you could use it to analyze all tweets that mention one of your competitors, which may not be possible to do manually.

Your aim here should be to get a good understanding of the general landscape of your niche and then look for a market gap that you can capitalize on.

Generally speaking, as businesses grow, they tend to expand the scope of their products, which typically leads to them gaining a broader appeal but becoming less suited for any particular use case.

This is something that you can exploit as a newcomer: instead of competing against the big players in your niche directly, you can steal a slice of their market share by creating a product that only has one use case but is perfect for it.

Keep in mind that there are plenty of people out there who have made their first million with a single eBook, online course, WordPress plugin, Shopify theme, e-commerce product, etc. so it is possible to become a millionaire by solving one problem exceptionally well!

Step #3: Create a Minimum Viable Version of Your Offer

The concept of the “Minimum Viable Product” (MVP) was popularized by Eric Ries, the author of the classic book “The Lean Startup”.

An MVP is an early, bare-bones version of the product that only has the core functionality required to solve the main problem that it aims to address.

We recommend creating a lead magnet – a freebie that you will offer to potential customers in exchange for their email addresses – that you can use as your MVP.

As our friend Alex Hormozi puts it, a lead magnet should provide a complete solution to a narrowly defined problem:

So think about what you can give away for free that would solve a narrowly defined problem related to the problem that your core product or service addresses.

Here are some ideas:

• Thinking about writing a non-fiction book? Write the introduction and the first chapter and use them as your lead magnet.
• Thinking about writing a novel? Write a short story or a novella in the same genre, ideally one that is a prequel for the novel, and use it as your lead magnet.
• Have an idea for a computer game? Create a 30-60 minute demo and use it as your lead magnet.
• Want to sell services? Offer the setup service for free as your lead magnet.
• Want to sell an online course? Create one lesson and use it as your lead magnet.
• Want to sell software? Create a free app that only has one feature and use it as your lead magnet.

Of course, this approach only works if the product or service already has proven demand.

If you have an innovative business idea, you should only consider it validated once you get enough people to pay you.

In that case, we recommend reading “The Lean Startup” and going with that strategy instead!

Step #4: Build a Simple Squeeze Page Funnel for Your Offer

The squeeze page funnel has two pages:

1. A squeeze page where you explain what your free offer is all about and encourage the potential customer to take advantage of it.
2.  A thank you page where you thank the potential customer and tell them what they need to do to redeem the free offer.

Our software, ClickFunnels, includes a proven squeeze page funnel template that has been optimized for conversions!

Step #5: Start Driving Traffic to Your Squeeze Page Funnel With Paid Ads

It doesn’t really matter which platform you advertise on, what’s important is that you put your free offer in front of your dream customers.

If you don’t have any previous experience with paid advertising, we recommend picking up a Facebook Ads course on Udemy and going through it to learn the basics.

Then, set up an ad campaign, start running it with a small daily budget, and see what happens. Are people giving you their email addresses?

If your free offer is related to something that has a proven demand, you should be able to get leads provided that your targeting, your ads, and your squeeze page copy are all on point.

If you aren’t able to get leads no matter what you do, it’s possible that your free offer isn’t appealing enough, in which case you need to either find a way to make it more valuable or come up with something new.

Ideally, you want to optimize everything to the point where your cost-per-lead is $2 or less.

We would say that if you can build an email list of 1,000 subscribers at that cost-per-lead, your business idea is probably worth pursuing!

Okay, But What if You Can’t Afford to Spend Money on Ads?

There are other ways to drive traffic to your squeeze page funnel such as building a following on social media and promoting your free offer there.

However, getting to that 1,000 subscriber milestone will probably take you at least a year with this approach.

If you want to reach it faster, it might make sense to simply pick up a part-time job so that you would have money to spend on ads.

That would also help you learn paid advertising, which is a skill that will likely prove to be extremely valuable in your entrepreneurial career.

Finally, if you want to sell a service that has a proven demand, you can always start with cold outreach and get some money coming in that way, then build a proper sales funnel later.

Want to Learn How to Build Sales Funnels That CONVERT?

Our co-founder Russell Brunson used sales funnels to take ClickFunnels from zero to $100M+ in annual revenue in less than a decade.

He is now widely considered to be one of the top sales funnel experts in the world. Want to learn from him?

His best-selling book “DotCom Secrets” is the best place to start because it covers everything you need to know in order to build sales funnels that convert.

This book is available on Amazon where it has over 2,500 global ratings and a 4.7-star overall rating.

But you can also get it directly from us for free…

All we ask is that you pay for shipping!

So what are you waiting for? 🧐

Get “DotCom Secrets” for FREE!

Thanks for reading How To Validate A Market For Your Next Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Do you want to publish blog posts almost every day but are struggling to come with that many ideas?

There are plenty of places you can look to for inspiration that you might not have thought of.

Everyone suffers a bit of a writer’s block every now and again.

I have suffered with it myself however not so much so that I struggle to come with regular blog topics.

This is because I know where to look for inspiration whether it is online or offline.

I am feeling in a generous mood today which is why I am going to let go of some of my secrets so you can benefit from it too.

I have put together a list of places and tools to find inspiration for your next blog post.

This isn’t just inspiration for blog posts neither; you can use these ideas to share on your emails to provide value to your contacts.

You can also create eBooks, podcasts, and webinars. Be creative as you want.

The General Idea Of Blogging: Answer Questions

Before I start on the list of 16 places to find ideas for blog content and value based emails, let me explain what the general idea of blog content should be.

The point of blog content and value based emails is to answer the questions your target audience might have about your industry and product.

In order to create value based blog content and emails, you are going to need to put yourself in a problem-solving frame of mind.

While in this frame of mind, think about what questions your customers ask, what questions people are searching for and what questions your audience might be thinking about.

For example, a user searches on Google for “how to build a sales funnel”.

If that user then sees a blog topic that is titled “step-by-step guide on how to build a sales funnel” they will be inclined to click on that link because it answers their question.

When looking for blog content ideas from the 16 places below, think about what questions you can answer on your blog and in your emails.

1. Forums

One of the first places to look for ideas should be on general and industry specific forums.

One particular forum that I always head to for inspiration is Quora, which is a general forum.

There is probably a question for almost anything in Quora so should cover almost all industries.

All you need to do is to head to the category that is most relevant to your industry and browse through the questions and blog about it.

<Image1>

For this question, I could create a blog post titled “10 honest ways to increase website conversion rates”.

2. Social Media Groups

Social media groups act pretty much in the same way as forums but are seen to be the updates version.

Just like with forums, people will join groups that they are interested in and where they can either ask questions or provide information.

The only problem is that there are many spammy social media groups where there is no interaction but only blog content sharing.

These types of social media groups tend to be open for anyone to join.

You need to aim to join social media groups that where you need to quest permission to join.

3. Industry Publications

Every industry has their own popular publications which I’m sure one or two have already come to mind.

These industry-specific publications post a lot of hot trends, latest news, tips, and tricks and just about everything else that is relevant to your industry.

Browse through their articles to find those that have high levels of shares and comments.

You will come to learn which articles have higher levels of engagement as you browse through many of their articles.

You don’t want to rewrite particularly what they have already said; you want to repurpose the topic and input your own view on it or to expand on what they have said.

4. Social Media Influencers

Have a look on Twitter for industry influencers who have a high following but also a very active account with plenty of engagement.

Once you have found one or more influencers in your industry, follow them.

You can then look to see whether any of their followers is asking them questions.

If so, you can use that question as the topic for your next blog post and email.

5. SlideShare

SlideShare is a very popular site that is filled with online content known as “decks.”

There are decks that cover almost all industries, so it is definitely worth heading over to check for any ideas.

Use it to search for your industry or a specific topic and review which relevant decks are the most popular.

You can take from these popular decks and create your content that has a unique spin on it.

6. YouTube Industry Videos

Just like with SlideShare, head to YouTube and look for the most popular videos that are relevant to your industry.

There are plenty of tutorial videos on YouTube which are great to repurpose into blog content and value based emails.

7. Interviews

One of the best blog content and value based email ideas you can create are from talking to interesting people in your industry.

Everyone has their own view on things which is why talking to different people can get your mind to think outside of its normal train of thinking.

It doesn’t just have to be about different opinions, though; you could interview influencers to get their story and share it with your contacts and readers.

Find influencers and interesting people in your industry and get in touch with them and ask a few questions.

You can either get inspiration for your blog content from it, or you can share the interview on your blog and in your emails.

If you do the latter, though, make sure always to get permission first.

8. Blog Comments

Image Source: Jeff Bullas

One of the best kept secrets to get inspiration for blog content is from the comments section of your blog, from competitor blogs and publications.

If readers are asking questions in the comments or have mentioned they would have liked to know more about something, it is your opportunity to answer it for them.

9. Google Search Box Suggestions

One of the easiest ways to get ideas is to start a search in Google.

The Google search box will the automatically populate suggestions based on what you have already typed.

Some of the suggestions will give you an insight into what your audience are searching for.

10. Google Related Searches

After searching for a relevant topic on Google, if you scroll to the bottom of the search results page, you will see a list of relates search terms.

This may provide you with ideas that you have not yet thought of.

11. Unique Data

The best shareable content tends to be those that contain unique data and statistics.

If you have a large email list that is engaged, use them by sending a survey.

You can then blog about the data and statistics you got back from the survey.

12. Your Mistakes

I don’t know why people don’t talk about their mistakes more.

It can be a massive help to read about how someone has made a mistake in the past but have turned it around to now be successful.

If you have made any mistakes during your journey, then blog about it and share how you turned it around for the better.

13. Amazons Bestselling Industry Books

This is another well-kept secret. Head over to Amazon and search for bestselling books that are relevant to your industry.

If people are paying money to find out more about these topics, then they will certainly be eager to get the same information in a more digestible version for free.

14. Predictions

What do you think will happen in the next year or even 5 or 10 years?

Everybody wants to be the first to master future trends to stay ahead of their competition which is why they love prediction style content.

It doesn’t matter if you have a few misses so I wouldn’t fret about writing something like this.

15. Challenge Yourself

Is there something you have wanted to try that is not the ‘norm’?

Whether it fails or is a success, it would certainly make for interesting reading if you create a diary of the journey and blog about it.

16. Take A Walk

This last idea is very different to the rest however I find that it can work wonders.

Sometimes all you need is a bit of fresh air and a clear mind to cure writer’s block.

The best way to do this is to simply go for a walk and let your mind wonder.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed this list of blog content and value based email ideas.

I’m sure there is plenty here to keep you going for quite a while now, though.

Do you have any places you go to for content ideas?

Share them by leaving your comments below.

Thanks for reading 16 Places To Find Ideas For Blog Content & Emails which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

If there’s one marketing factor that’s become dominant in the age of the Internet, it could quite possibly be social proof.

And almost everywhere you turn, you’re being exposed to it through the efforts of many different companies.

In fact, customers the world over now expect to see some level of social proof for your brand.

Now, you might be asking what social proof really is.

And that’s a very good question with a pretty straightforward answer.

Social proof is the way your audience discovers your brand’s trustability.

In essence, it’s the clues that customers use to assess just how socially connected your company is to other people like them (and trust me, they are assessing your brand!).

Today, this marketing strategy can take the form of share buttons, follower counters, and a whole host of other methods.

Every time you click that Facebook Share Button… that’s social proof.

Or when you write an online review about a product… that’s social proof too.

And the numbers truly show how powerful this avenue of your marketing is.

88% of all consumers report that they trust online reviews as much as family and friends.

Also, more than 1 million websites have added some level of Facebook integration directly to their site.

See what we’re talking about here?

Proving your brand’s social worth isn’t just another chore; it’s a major component of your marketing strategy.

At the same time, we want to go beyond a simple share button or two.

In fact, we want to own this marketing strategy, creating a magnetic experience for our audience.

Just like with any of your other marketing tools, there’s fair, good, and even better.

And we want the best for our brands.

With these more sophisticated tactics, you’ll have exactly that level of influence.

Stick with Using Positive Social Proof

Have you ever noticed that positive people tend to attract other people to them?

For content creation, social proof sort of works under the same theory.

The way you frame your marketing matters, significantly.

To see negative social proof in action, look no further than the donation marketing for nonprofit, and Internet superstar Wikipedia.

Here is just part of the content for that campaign:

Dear readers,

We’ll get right to it: This week we ask you to help Wikipedia. To protect our independence, we’ll never run ads. We’re sustained by donations averaging about £10. Only a tiny portion of our readers give.

Notice anything troubling?

By adding the line about only a small number of people giving, the brand is inadvertently broadcasting negative social proof.

It might seem odd to think about, but the most popular encyclopedia in the world is basically saying no one is interested in sustaining their brand.

Seeing that fact, who would want to donate now?

Instead, with positive proof comes the desire for more people to participate and join in.

Showing that your brand is socially desired has a compounding effect, much like a snowball rolling down a hill.

And when people feel positively connected to other people, they’re more likely to stick around.

With this in mind, stay positive and highlight the ways your audience is becoming part of a community or lifestyle by opting for your brand.

Also, position your marketing to show off the positive experience involved for them.

Protip: Even juggernauts like Facebook have used the theory behind positive social proof to create sticky experiences and huge communities. For maximum effect, keep in mind the psychological factors that bind together your targeted audience.

Add Pictures to All Your Content

Whether it’s a Facebook Message, a post to our ClickFunnels Group, or your own status update, including images is a must.

Browsing the statistics shows that if you aren’t including them at least some of the time, you’re missing out on vital engagement.

Recent research has shown that images can boost engagement by 94%.

Clearly, taking the time to find an image for your posts can be a complete game changer.

If you’ve thought about adding images, but struggle to find new ones to include, here’s some awesome ideas to get you rolling:

Infographics – well-made graphics that easily explain data, processes, or other information.

These are very popular across the Internet.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can also create your own or virtually hire someone to make one.

• Memes – This category probably doesn’t need much explanation, but it’s an often overlooked one for quick, easy
• Stock Photos – While stock photos aren’t the very best choice when it comes to boosting your social proof, it can at least add something interesting.
• Presentation Slides – A slide that pertains to your niche can be a great way to highlight your authority (and therefore, your social proof) to your audience.
• Screenshots – You can even include screenshots of your content! Doing so might help clarify something or demonstrate an idea.
• Photos You’ve Taken – This is probably one of the best forms of social proof. Branded photos that are you take are unique and that you own are an excellent form of visual social proof.

Protip: Make sure that your image is also relevant to your content. Otherwise, you may be confusing your audience.

Use Familiar Faces for a Serious Boost

Okay, this one is the real deal when it comes to seeing higher conversions.

Because social proof relies on our own innate psychology, it also means that personality is important.

There’s research that shows that customer action is reduced by nearly a quarter when an image doesn’t include a face.

And big brands are starting to take note of this fact and use it on a regular basis.

So when you’re looking to prompt an action, especially if it’s related to moving a customer to the next phase of your sales funnel, consider how this step might fit.

But don’t just post a face once and call it a day.

Continue using that face throughout your efforts and make it a familiar face to your audience.

This is a little-known trick in the marketing world that has yet to catch on, but there’re a few reasons it works so well when it comes to social proof.

• You’re Creating a Personality – when you continue to see someone over the course of time, you assume that personal has an individual personality. This implies that they have values, goals, and beliefs. And in a way, you’re then associating those with your brand.
• There’s an Ongoing Relationship – It’s equally true that through that personality, you’re showing a person that your audience can have a relationship with. This continues to build trust and rapport, even if they never talk to that particular person.
• Humans are Hardwired to Recognize Familiar People – It’s totally incredible how much we simply love familiar people. We’re so predisposed to it that within mere hours of birth, we’re making it a hallmark of our lives.

Protip: Consider how the familiar faces you post are expressing themselves to best convey the emotions and ideas you’re going for.

Tell a Really Good Story

Almost everybody loves a good story, and after all, isn’t there a great story behind almost every brand?

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why brands have relied on characters throughout the ages to tell their story.

On that note, stories are engaging, interesting, and most importantly, we truly enjoy applying them to our lives.

And you know what else?

Authentic people tell stories.

For brands, we can commandeer this fact to our social proof benefit.

Whenever we use our brand to tell a story, we’re highlighting that our company isn’t just a company.

In a way, we’re saying that our brand is a real living, breathing person with something to say.

Here’re a few tips to get you off the ground:

• Borrow from Other Storytellers – Our first stop is to look to other amazing storytellers. They can be your favorite novelist, vlogger, or even a family friend. Look for the thread that unites their stories to make the tale more intriguing. And see how you can apply them to your own storytelling.
• Think About How Your Story Evolves – Storytelling isn’t about static marketing. In reality, it’s about taking your audience on a journey from point A to point B. Use that trip to evoke a range of emotions that solidify the relationship to your brand.
• Consider Brand Characters – We saw how brand characters have played an important part in marketing history. But they aren’t played out yet. Even insurance companies are still using them successfully.

Protip: for some master storytelling insider tips, check out our Secrets to “Story Selling” podcast episode.

Retargeting with Video Testimonials

Fact: testimonials from other customers have the highest rating for effectiveness in all of the content marketing.

What if we combined them with two other award-winning strategies that we have?

Let’s say that, since we saw above how much people trust testimonials, we add in the influence that retargeting has with the engagement of testimonials.

Then we’ll have created an unquestionably strong conversion strategy that can truly make waves.

Social proof is about relating to people like ourselves. And testimonials present exactly that.

Between more companies using them, however, and some recent scandals associated with online reviews, basic written testimonials might not be enough anymore.

That’s why turning to video is a perfect idea.

This way, we’ll be able to show real-life customers with a real love for our brand.

Now that will put us a step ahead of our competitor for sure!

And through retargeting, we can guarantee that we’ve already established a friendly connection with our audience.

Win-win-win.

Protip: We’ve all seen those infomercials where people seem to have been paid to perform in them. To produce a better video, simply ask your best customers if they’d like to help. You’ll find that many of them are happy to get their 15 minutes of fame.

Why do you think social proof has become such an effective form of marketing in recent years?

Thanks for reading Marketer’s Guide to Including Social Proof in Sales Funnel which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

A vast majority of contemporary businesses are well aware of the fact that writing a blog can bring them substantial sales benefits. It seems like everyone has heard that B2B marketers who use blogs get almost 70% more leads than those that do not. In such circumstances, however, it becomes difficult for the brand to differentiate from its competitors.

It is not enough to simply write a blog anymore. You need to learn the advanced blogging strategies in order to attract potential consumers. That’s why in this article we are going to reveal 7 secrets for writing a business blog that converts leads.

How to Turn Your Blog into a Lead Generation Machine

Writing blog posts regularly is not easy but it is necessary to keep up with the latest market trends. According to a recent survey, companies that publish more than three posts per week earn almost four times more traffic than others.

This gives the most fruitful marketers the opportunity to get the foot in the door and differentiate from their peers. But how exactly can you do this? Let’s check it out here:

Write About Relevant Topics

The basic rule of business blogging is that your topics have to be trendy and relevant. Don’t burden your followers with marginal industry impressions. Get to know your target audience well and offer them contents that really deserve their attention.

Don’t get too promotional and aggressive on your audience – your aim is to generate leads but not to chase away potential customers. Being a regular blog writer, sometimes you will face a creative crisis. In this case, you can use online topic generators like Answer The Public.

Solve Problems

Most of the followers surf the Internet trying to find a solution to certain problems. For instance, they want to know how to repair a damaged car or the specifications of a new smartphone. As the blogger, you should provide them with practical solutions.

This is why today’s blog posts are getting longer. They are more informative and thus generate almost 10 times more leads than short-form blog posts. However, bear in mind that you shouldn’t give them all answers at once. Leave something for your Call-to-Action (CTA), too.

Always Include CTA

Speaking of CTA, this is the one element that you have to include in all blog posts. There are all sorts of CTA models that you can put into practice: eBooks, invitations to webinars, free trials, etc. It should be visible but also look like a natural part of your article.

You should use the readers’ emotions to attract more attention. Give your CTA a positive connotation to inspire engagement or even make the readers scared and angry. It may be risky but it proved to be a captivating emotion in some occasions.

Avoid Corporate Tone

Using a formal, corporate tone can make you sound like a machine and not a human. In your posts, you should present the brand values and reveal your human side. Make it more personal and closer to the average reader. If you are not sure how to achieve this style in the beginning, you can consult one of many professional editing services like Best Essays or Hemingway App to assist you.

Offer Perks

Free perks and benefits are usually the easiest way to generate more leads with your blog. These things come in various forms such as free shipping or discounts for new subscribers. It’s a one-time offer that you give in exchange for the reader’s personal information. Besides this, you can also offer your users personalized quizzes or tests to attract more subscribers.

Optimize Your Posts

Optimizing your blog post, you will increase the chances to be discovered through organic engine search. Keywords are an essence of SEO and you need to choose the ones that directly concern your business. You can use tools like the Keyword Planner to explore and pick the best options for the brand.

While writing, include a focus keyword in the title and the first paragraph of your post. Use it throughout the text but keep it under the 2% density. This way, you will maximize the SEO efficiency of your articles and allow a more productive organic search.

Analyze Your Traffic

If you want to generate more leads through the blog, not only that you need to write high-quality posts but you also have to monitor the progress and analyze traffic. Google Analytics can help you big time in that regard.

This free online tool allows you to see the number of visitors, where they come from, the bounce rates, etc. With such valuable information available in only a few simple steps, you can easily discover the best and the worst posts, the most attractive topics, and come up with new blog ideas.

Conclusion

Blogging is one of the basic elements of modern content marketing. You need to embrace it as a valuable source of lead generation but it will demand a lot of dedication and creativity. Using our 7 steps for writing the business blog that converts successfully, you’ll be on the right path to creating a series of inspiring posts. Feel free to give it a try and let us know in comments if you have some other secrets to share with us.

Thanks for reading Writing a Business Blog That Converts Leads which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

You’ve got this idea in your head, a plan to start laying the foundational stones for your own personal empire and it’s going to be great. You’ve got your products, spent hours figuring out the nuts and bolts of supply, and costs, and traffic. Now is the time to act and you’ve found ClickFunnels, the perfect platform to grow your client base, sell your product, and you’re seeing limitless possibilities.

Maybe not right now, maybe not tomorrow, but one day, you’re going to hit a wall. It’s just how business works. Some of you may not be designers or programmers. You may just want to sell your book or training program.

Which means when you hit that wall, you’re going to need some help.

Thankfully, ClickFunnels, has numerous resources for you to find help. If your launch is minutes away or you can’t figure how to get your pages to look better, there are places you can go to find your answers.

Support Team Chats

Whenever you’re inside of your account, you can reach out to tech support for any problem that you encounter and within minutes, you’ll receive a response from a team member. ClickFunnels is constantly growing their support number of agents that are trained to help you with any problem that might come up. But, even if you found that one in a million question that stumps the agent you’re working with, their team lead will have the answers.

They’re friendly, trained, and professional. They should be the first line of defense against any problem that you might encounter when inside your ClickFunnels account.

Support Docs:

Say you don’t want to sit around and wait for someone to get back to you or you are waiting for someone to help you and it seems to be taking forever and you just don’t have the time. Try looking through the support documents and videos that are available to you inside of ClickFunnels. It’s the go to place to grow your knowledge and ability within the system.

As far as the Support Documents go, they’re constantly being updated and built upon; so, as ClickFunnels grows and expands, so too does your access to valuable information to get you up and going. It’s a great place for you to go when you’re looking to really improve upon what you have. After all, knowledge is power, right?

Facebook:

Without a doubt, the best place for you to go if you’re not interested in asking support, or you’re not sure whether something can actually be done or not, the ClickFunnels Facebook is incredible. Not only do you gain access to industry experts, but you also gain access to the collective wisdom of people who are using our program. Not surprisingly, entrepreneurs are SUPER into sharing what they know with other people.

If you’re not sure if something integrates or how to pull of this one feature you’re dying to try, ask the Facebook community and they’ll come to your rescue.

Along with that, Mark Bangerter, the Head of Customer Support, does weekly Q and A sessions for people to watch and you can even sign up to be a part of them to get your questions answered. Check them out! They’re the best.

The Marketplace:

Now, if you’re looking for a different kind of help a la “do it for me” kind of way, we do have options available for you. You can purchase templates to help you build or replicate the awesome funnels that you’ve seen elsewhere. As ClickFunnels’ editor is completely user friendly, you can purchase a template, edit it, and have it ready to go in no time. It’s fantastic for people who lack the time or expert insight to hack other funnels and who want to get an effective funnel up and running.

But, if nothing in the Marketplace is really sticking out for you and you have big plans, huge designs, galactic level ideas, but don’t know how to execute them, have no fear! You can hire a Certified Partner, trained and given the Russell Brunson Stamp of Approval, who will gladly help you bring your vision to life for the right price. Check them out in the Marketplace at any time. There’s a huge range of offers and prices available for you. Don’t grab some stranger off of Fiverr or Upwork without Russell’s training. Grab a Partner and they’ll help you get everything going.

Coaching:

Last, but not least, there’s always the ClickStart program that will assign you to a coach and they will help you through five sessions. They’re fantastic experts who will look at what you have created and help clear up any issues or holes that you might find. By the time you’re through with the ClickStart program, you’ll have learned a thing or two.

There are a lot of ways that you can get help with ClickFunnels, some of them are even proactive tools that you can use to build your knowledge base right now, even if you’re not stuck! Join the Facebook community, check out the Support Docs, and just spend some time tinkering and building inside of your account. It’s worth it to figure out how ClickFunnels works so you can maximize your skills. It’s worth it!

Thanks for reading 5 Places to Find the Sales Funnel Help You Need! which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Blogging can be a great way to generate organic traffic, build trust with potential customers, and get leads for your business.

However, merely publishing content is not enough, you also need to make sure that each blog post provides value to your target audience.

That’s why today we are going to discuss how to write value-packed blog posts that captivate your readers…

Clearly Define Your Target Audience

If you already have a business, the target audience of your blog should be your dream customers.

And if you don’t have anything to sell yet, we recommend focusing on a demographic that is relatively easy to monetize.

Take inventory of your knowledge, skills, and experience. What is the most painful problem that you can help someone solve?

Aim to attract readers who have that problem and who are willing and able to pay for a solution.

Of course, if all you want is to have a personal blog where you can share your thoughts with the world, then none of that matters. Write about whatever interests you.

However, if you want to make money online, you need to think carefully about choosing your target audience. It’s a decision that will have a huge impact on the business potential of your blog.

Generally speaking, the more you niche down, the easier it will be to create valuable content and monetize your blog, provided that your readers have enough disposable income to pay for your products and services!

Create a Content Strategy for Your Blog

Here are the five types of blog posts that you should consider incorporating into your content strategy:

• Content pillars that serve as comprehensive introductions to the main subjects that you discuss on your blog.
• SEO articles that target long-tail keywords and are designed to answer specific questions.
• Thought leadership essays where you share your unique insights. Ideally, these posts should be evergreen.
• Case studies where you break down how someone who was in a similar situation as your readers achieved something that they want to achieve.
• Timely content where you comment on the latest industry developments, news, trending topics, etc.

As you add more and more content to your blog, you will be able to start linking back to your previous posts, which will make it easier for your readers to catch up to speed if they are not familiar with something.

Eventually, your blog should evolve into a comprehensive knowledge base that your readers can explore if they want to learn more about your area of expertise!

Do Keyword Research and Choose a Target Keyword

Content pillars, SEO blog posts, and timely articles should all be optimized for specific target keywords.

If you are just starting out and your blog is brand new, you want to go after keywords that have low to medium search volume and low competition.

There are a lot of free keyword research apps out there. You might want to check out Ryan Robinson’s keyword research tool, Ahrefs’ keyword generator, and Google’s keyword planner.

Consider investing in Ahrefs if you can afford it. This premium suite of SEO tools is widely considered to be the industry standard by digital marketers who specialize in search engine optimization.

Also, Ahrefs has a ton of free resources that can be helpful for SEO beginners. For example, this free 3-hour course that is available on YouTube provides a great introduction to blogging for business!

Do Competitive Research and Figure Out How to Make Your Blog Post Better

Google optimizes its search algorithm to meet the user’s search intent.

If you want to get one of the ten spots on the first page of search results, you will need to meet the search intent better than the content that is already ranking for your target keyword.

So read everything on the first page of search results and figure out how to make your content better.

Here are some ideas:

• Make your blog post more comprehensive
• Format your blog post properly so that it is skimmable
• Include real-world examples, case studies, and data with sources
• Embed relevant, high-quality YouTube videos that add value
• Share your unique experiences

The difficulty of outcompeting your rivals will largely depend on the space you are in. Some industries are lagging behind in terms of search engine optimization. Meanwhile, in other industries, everyone is using the latest, cutting-edge SEO tactics.

Ultimately, though, it all boils down to this: are you willing to put more work into your content than your competitors have put into theirs?

Write a Blog Post That Meets the Search Intent for Your Target Keyword

Don’t Use AI!

If you are tempted to use ChatGPT to write your blog post, we strongly advise against it. Why?

Because large language models like ChatGPT are too unreliable: they have a tendency to make things up and state them as facts. Computer scientists call this phenomenon “hallucinations”.

You might also want to consider the fact that the current flood of “AI slop” is ruining search results. This means that it’s just a matter of time until Google starts cracking down on AI-generated content if it isn’t doing that already. That’s why it’s best to avoid it altogether!

Prioritize Meeting the Search Intent Above Everything Else

Your top priority should be to meet the search intent as best you can.

This means that you might need to disregard some of the common search engine optimization advice if it comes into conflict with meeting search intent.

For example, there’s this popular belief that the longer the blog post, the better. But that’s just not true.

Your blog post should be however long it needs to be to meet the search intent. Maybe that means 500 words, maybe 5,000. It all depends on your target keyword.

Don’t pad the word count just to make your article longer because Google is getting better at detecting fluff and downranking bloated articles.

Always orient yourself towards meeting the search intent because that is the only way to align your blog post with Google’s primary goal of helping its users find the information that they are looking for. SEO tactics come and go but the search intent remains!

Follow Copywriting Principles if You Want to Make Your Blog Post More Captivating

We highly recommend learning some copywriting and following its principles if you want to make your blog posts more captivating.

Also, if you are blogging for business, the purpose of your blog posts should be to attract potential customers and convert them into leads. Copywriting can help you with that. It’s persuasion via the written word.

In our opinion, “Copywriting Secrets” by our friend Jim Edwards is the best introduction to copywriting. It was written specifically for entrepreneurs who want to learn this skill so that they could grow their businesses faster.

What’s best is that you can get this book for free. All Jim asks is that you cover the shipping!

Get “Copywriting Secrets” for FREE!

Add a Call to Action at the End of Your Blog Post

So how exactly do you convert blog readers into leads?

First, you will need to create a sales funnel for your business. If you want to learn how to do that, check out our definitive guide on building sales funnels.

Alternatively, you can read our co-founder Russell Brunson’s book “DotCom Secrets”, in which he explains everything that you need to know in order to build a sales funnel that converts.

Get “DotCom Secrets” for FREE!

Once you have your sales funnel, you should create a call to action (CTA) designed to promote your lead magnet. Add this CTA at the end of every blog post.

And if you have several lead magnets, create CTAs for each of them and then choose the most relevant CTA for every blog post.

For example, at the time of writing, we are using six different CTAs for six different lead magnets: four for Russell’s books, one for Jim’s book, and one for our free trial. At the end of this article, we have our “Copywriting Secrets” CTA because it’s the most relevant to the subject.

You can also mention your lead magnets in the article itself but you should only do that when it’s relevant and adds value. It should not interfere with meeting the search intent.

For example, we mentioned “Copywriting Secrets” and “DotCom Secrets” because we assumed that if you were reading this article, you would probably be interested in blogging for business. Both books are highly relevant to that!

Format Your Blog Post for Optimum Skimmability

Usability research has established that Internet users typically don’t read online content in its entirety. Instead, they scan it. This has been true for more than two decades.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure that your blog post is skimmable:

• Use the title tag for the title
• Use the H2 tag for the headlines
• Use the H3 tag for the subheadlines
• Incorporate bullet points, numbered lists, and tables
• Break up the text with images and YouTube videos
• Keep your paragraphs short. Most of them should be 2-3 lines. 4-5 line paragraphs should be rare. Do not go above 5 lines!

We also recommend adding a table of contents at the beginning of your blog posts, especially if they are longer than 1,500 words.

You might also want to preview your blog posts on a desktop, tablet, and smartphone just to see if the formatting looks good on all devices. Keep in mind that mobile traffic makes up the majority of global web traffic (54.67% as of Q4 2023)!

Optimize Your Blog Post for SEO But Don’t Go Overboard With it!

Finally, if you can afford to invest in content optimization tools like Clearscope or Surfer, you might want to consider doing so.

If you paste the draft of your blog post into Clearscope, it will show you:

• Overall content grade. Aim for A++.
• Readability level. Aim for middle school level.
• The word count of your blog post and the typical word count for that keyword. If your word count is way below the typical word count, your article might not be comprehensive enough to fully meet the search intent.
• A list of semantic keywords that are related to your target keyword. Include as many of these in your blog post as you can but only if you are able to do it naturally. Don’t turn your article into a keyword salad.
• The number of times each semantic keyword is typically mentioned in the content that is currently ranking for your target keyword. Ideally, you want to use the same frequency, but only if it makes sense in the context of your article.
• Which semantic keywords typically appear in the headlines of the articles that are currently ranking for your target keyword. You should probably incorporate them into your headlines as well.

The suggestions of content optimization apps can be helpful but they can also lead you astray so don’t follow them blindly. Always use the search intent as your North Star!

Want to Learn How to Write Copy That CONVERTS?

You can have the best product in the world but guess what?

If you can’t convey its value to your dream customers, you will lose out to competitors with inferior products but better copy. Sad but true.

That’s why if you are serious about building a business, you need to learn copywriting.

In fact, we would argue that it’s the single most important entrepreneurial skill.

Our friend Jim Edwards wrote a best-selling book “Copywriting Secrets” for busy entrepreneurs just like you.

In this book, he covers everything you need to know in order to start writing copy that CONVERTS.

“Copywriting Secrets” is available on Amazon where it has over 1,800 global ratings and a 4.7-star overall rating.

But you can also get it directly from Jim for free.

All he asks is that you cover the shipping!

So what are you waiting for? 🧐

Get “Copywriting Secrets” for FREE!

Thanks for reading How To Write Engaging, Value-Packed Blog Posts which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

Writing the blog posts for your company’s blog, or for your own blog for that matter, can be a daunting task. But you shouldn’t be afraid of it, because many of the legends and myths that are told as facts around the internet are just simply not true.

There’s a reason why sites like Upwork receive dozens of new job listings for writers every day, ranging from complex copywriting projects to some really simple tasks, such as writing a blog post.

Now I am not saying there aren’t any situations when you should hire a writer, quite the opposite actually, because I appreciate those people who play to their strengths and realize that they might not be the best at writing landing page copy for example.

By writing the blog posts yourself, not only can you guarantee the absolute best persona to your company image, whether that’s a funny or a serious one, but you can also save plenty of money too.

And as we all know, everybody likes to save money, especially in large amounts.

So let’s dive into the world of blog writing, and see if we can navigate through these five myths that will be uncovered and overturned right before your very eyes.

Myth #1 – “I’ll just write this article and Google will magically send me traffic”

No. Just, no.

Have you ever heard of SEO?

Search Engine Optimization?

Even SEO alone won’t drive you traffic, but it has a lot bigger impact on your organic traffic numbers.

Another medium to drive traffic to your blog is social media, so a Facebook page and a Twitter account might not be such a bad idea after all.

In today’s world you will find that the competition for each individual visitor is rather fierce, and you need to be aware of the game or you’ll automatically lose it.

The game is called marketing your blog and getting that precious qualified  traffic to it.

When you write that new article for your blog you really need to promote it like it was your last chance of success.

Share it on social media, email it to other blogs and publications in your niche and ask them to share it on social media or link to it in a blog article of theirs if they find it useful.

You might have heard of the saying ‘content is king’, and while it is true in many ways, it’s not true if one considers the saying to mean there’s no need to do anything else than write a brilliant blog piece.

The amount of promotion required is the reason why million dollar media companies constantly promote their content via paid advertising on social media and search engines.

Myth #2 – “This 700 word blog post is the perfect length to attract and retain visitors”

And once again, no.

Internet users feed on content.

Why else would sites like Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and Mashable receive millions upon millions of visitors, and see themselves being turned into media empires?

While it might be true that internet users tend to scan content more than read it, the scanning phase usually ends when they find an interesting headline and open the post up.

After opening the post all you need to do is keep your paragraphs nice and short with to the point information, and you’re golden.

That’s pretty much the same with books, you probably won’t read through every short description of books, but instead you’ll scan through the selection, ending up reading the description of one with an interesting title.

There’s a lot of arguing going on about what the ideal length for a blog post is, and even though I said it’s a myth that 700 words is the perfect length for a blog post, it might actually be true.

In some cases, which occur very rarely. The optimal length for each post depends entirely on the audience and the niche.

But I know you want an answer for your desperate question ‘how many words do I need then?’, and thus I suggest you to read the data driven answer to that very question for more precise information about the different article lengths.

Or if you’re just looking for a short, to the point answer, it’s around 1500 words according to statistics.

Neil Patel highlighted on QuickSprout,

A popular online journal ran the numbers on how shareable its content was from a length perspective. What the team discovered was that longer articles got shared more.

Once the word count exceeds 1,500 words, it’s in the golden share zone.

Myth #3 – “But I couldn’t possibly be a blogger, I’m not a professional writer!”

This time I will not say no, but instead I’ll say sure you can!

Look, I’m not a professional writer either, and yet here you are, reading what I’ve written here, in the ClickFunnels blog.

I am not saying you don’t need professional experience or some sort of expertize, but it doesn’t need to be about writing.

Instead, you should be experienced and well versed on the topic you’re covering in your blog.

That will give you a lot of leeway when it comes to being a fantastic writer or a not so fantastic one.

People are looking for your wisdom first, and entertaining content second.

I do have to warn you though, this one doesn’t apply to comedians.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Myth #4 – “My company blog will only talk about my company, that way people will buy more from my company”

You really think so?

Blogging on your website or your company’s website can be super useful when looking for new ways to build traffic, authority and client relations, but the blog is not for bragging about your business.

The blog should be a resource in your niche, a helpful friend who will teach people about the industry and how it works.

For example, if you were a construction company, your blog could have a comparison between different construction materials for building houses.

That way, you could help your potential clients decide which material they want to use for their new house, all the while constructing your own reputation….see what I did there?

When the time comes to decide who will do the actual work in building the house, you will likely be the one they call.

So not only does giving value to your audience through your blog help your audience learn some great strategies but it positions your company as the ‘go-to’ authority within the industry.

If the value you’re putting out and circulating is of a high calibre, then you’ll have no problems exposing your work throughout the industry.

Myth #5 – “I don’t have time to blog”

It’s a common misconception amongst blogger potentials and hopefuls that you will have to write a new blog post every day, while the benefits could be seen already with a lot less work.

A HubSpot marketing study found that those B2B companies that had a blog with a post or two added each month generated 70% more leads than those companies without a blog.

What’s your reason not to write two articles a month in exchange for a 70% increase in leads?

Another factor to consider is the fun you’ll have while blogging.

Sure, writing a blog when you’ve got a full-time job might seem like the last thing you’d want to do when you get home, but it can be extremely rewarding.

By using your very own brain to create new content from thin air is an amazing feeling, especially after you see the results. If you’re stuck for time, here’s some ways to become more efficient in your blogging endeavors.

I’m always excited to see what the post looks like and how people respond to it after it goes live on the site.

Don’t treat blogging like it’s a job, treat it like the fun hobby it is.

After some time if you might start earning enough money from your blog to quit your cubicle job and start working for yourself.

Imagine waking up in the morning without a worry in sight, getting out of bed without any rush or ruckus, and sitting down in your favourite chair with your laptop in your lap, ready to write a new blog post.

After a few hours of writing about a topic you’re passionate about, you’re done for the day, and can choose to do whatever your mind desires.

That’s the sweet thing about being a blogger, you can choose what type of life you want to live.

The Aftermath

So i’ve explained to you both the financial benefits and personal benefits to blogging regularly for your business and how it can impact business growth.

You won’t need to look far to see how powerful blogging is and the community which you build alongside it.

Do you know any myths that many people take for granted, but you know aren’t true?

Share your experiences in the comment section and join us in helping new bloggers start without making the same mistakes so many before them have made.

If you’re looking to hire a copywriter, I suggest that you should give Funnel Scripts a try first. Using it will cut your writing time in half, be it for your headlines or your content. Here’s a walkthrough on how you can take Funnel Scripts to your advantage.

ClickFunnels Action Steps

Funnel Scripts Walkthrough

Step 1: Log in to your FunnelScripts account. If you’re not currently a Funnel Scripts user, you can pick up a copy here.

Step 2: You will see that there are a lot of scripts that Funnel Scripts can help you create. There’s even one for headlines which you can use!

Next, let’s get you acquainted with Funnel Scripts by walking you through the process.

How to Create Blog Headlines with Funnel Scripts

Step 1: Log in to your FunnelScripts account.

Step 2: Go to Killer Headline Scripts. You can watch the tutorial video or you can go ahead and skip it if you have experience.

Step 3: Fill in the information needed in the generator.

1. Enter your niche audience

2. Enter your main keyword topic

3. Enter your 2nd main keyword topic

4. Enter a result that your article will address that will appeal to your readers

5. Enter another result your article will address that will appeal to your readers

6. Enter the timeframe

7. Enter the action your readers want to take

8. Enter a problem your readers want to avoid

9. Enter a problem your readers want to solve

10. Enter a word that best describes what hinders your readers

Step 4: Click “Save” or “Submit”

After clicking “Save”, a text file will be downloaded immediately.

After Clicking “Submit”, you will be given several samples based on the information you entered.

Step 5: Select from the choices, then copy and paste to your article draft.

Thanks for reading 5 Myths Uncovered About Writing Your Blog Posts which appeared first on ClickFunnels.

So you’ve got a blog which you use to put out free content to your audience on a weekly or daily basis only to have your fingers (and toes) crossed that someone, somehow, will come in from a Google search and enjoy what you’re reading and at some stage buy what you’re selling.

Does that sound familiar?

Every marketer, social media manager and business owner has been in that position before. So I think it’s time we addressed how you can take your blog from just another tab in your menu, to a lead generating machine which actually generates you clients or prospects for your product and ultimately revenue.

For the purpose of this post, I’m going to assume you’re using the content management system ‘WordPress‘ which is by far the most popular platform for blogging and websites across the web. If you’re using something else, the same strategies will work for you but you may have to play around with the technicalities.

1. Building a Sidebar Fit for a King

The sidebar of your blog is one of the most powerful lead generation tools of your blog. It’s ability to connect with your visitors who are reading and consuming your content means you can use it in a number of different ways and get creative.

Optimizing Your Sidebar for List Building

The first thing you want to do is make sure that your sidebar is working for you and building your list. By reading this on the Clickfunnels Blog, I’m sure you’re already familiar with the saying “the money is in the list”.

So that’s exactly what we want to build up and our sidebar is a great place to start.

There’s a wealth of plugins you can use to add an optin box to your sidebar, which will help with list building. But what I’ve found, that outperforms all my other optin boxes has been a 2-step ‘Clickpop‘.

To add this to your sidebar in WordPress and make it look attractive you’ll need to get a banner designed to fit within your sidebar. This banner should be fitted to the width of the sidebar you’ve got on your blog (it will vary from site to site depending on your website’s theme) and the height can be at whatever you like (I usually stick with a rectangle shape).

To get this banner designed, you can go to somewhere like UpWork or Freelancer and hire a designer for around $30-60 (depends on who you choose) who will be able to give you a banner which looks great and upload within around 1-3 days.

Once you’ve got your banner, go to the ‘Widgets’ area of WordPress and you should see a sidebar widget where you can include some code (custom HTML) to add your banner and link it up to your ClickPop made in Clickfunnels.

Here’s an example of what it would look like below when you click your banner in the sidebar:

As you can see, as soon as you click this, it brings up an opt-in form.

Pretty neat huh?

Taking this one step further, we want to make sure the conversion numbers on this sidebar are as high as possible, so be sure to add a gift or ‘lead magnet’ which is absolutely irresistible to your target audience when they sign up.

This could be anything from a checklist, cheat sheet, e-book, video series, taking a quiz (giving them a result)…the list goes on – take a look at this if you’re stuck for lead magnet ideas.

ClickFunnels has a

Make the Sidebar Fixed/Sticky

Generally people read the first section  of your blog post within 10 seconds then get scrolling down pretty quick to consume the rest of the value you’re giving them.

But what most people fail to realize is that as people scroll down, the area where the sidebar was sitting is now completely vacant!

It’s like an empty parking spot in the middle of the city…what a waste of prime real estate!

So to solve this issue, pick yourself up the fixed sidebar WordPress plugin and make sure you ‘sticky’ your most valuable offers so they’re following your visitors as they go down the post you’ve written. This is an easy fix to existing blogs who already have a sidebar setup and will help your conversion rate straight off the block.

Test, Test, Test…

It’s amazing how often I’ll visit the same website 6 months later and see the offers exactly the same.

Offers get worn out over time (check out the offer from Quality Golfer and how they update their pages), and more importantly if you’re using a lead magnet for your optin then you’ll want to test different lead magnet banner images/colors, different lead magnet types, different headlines and ClickPop boxes.

By making an effort at least once a month to put aside 1-2 hours and change up your sidebar, you will have a very solid high converting strategy by year’s end.

2. Dominating With Content Upgrades

If you haven’t heard of a content upgrade before, essentially it’s an extension of your blog post which delivers additional value in exchange for an action on the website.

Generally the action is providing an email address and opting into the website’s email list, however it can also be an action like ‘sharing’ or ‘tweeting’ a specific message.

“That sounds awesome Stephen…but how do I build a content upgrade for my site?”

Well I’m glad you asked.

As we mentioned in the are about sidebars above, a content upgrade is a form of lead magnet which can provide value to your readers. The first step we need to take in designing and putting together a content upgrade is….well, creating the content.

The quickest content upgrade to create is perhaps a checklist. So for example, if I were to use a content upgrade for this post on the blog I could call it “The Blog Lead Generating Machine Checklist”.

Depending on how much time and money you’ve got available, you can turn each content upgrade into mini products. The more value you provide, the more likely people are to opt into your upgrades.

Remember, at this stage we want to create an irresistible offer that’s an absolute no brainer. 

I generally like to get a front page designed for my content upgrades so I’d head over to somewhere like UpWork or Freelancer where you can hire an affordable designer. If you’re on a budget you can even use Fiverr which has lots of eBook cover designers.

Integrating your content upgrade in your post can be done three different ways.

1. Custom Code: If you’re tech savvy you’ll be able to customize the CSS and make it look good when you want to add a content upgrade within your posts (personally I have no idea how all that works), but it generally looks the best as you know what you’re doing. You can hire a developer to do this for you too otherwise use one of the alternatives below.
2. Using an Image: This is usually my ‘go to’. I go to one of the freelancing websites mentioned and get a banner generated which features my content upgrade and then I integrate that into the post (sometimes more than once between paragraphs). I’m a stickler for ‘clean’ images and making sure they’re designed with conversions in mind so be sure to include words like ‘Download Now’ or ‘Click Here’ so it’s clear what clicking the image will do. Canva is a great resource if you want to do this yourself and trust your design skills.
3. Linking Text: Similarly to above, you can link text within your post to your content upgrade. This is the easiest option as it takes no designing or hiring. All you need to do is link up your text using WordPress so it opens either your landing page or ClickPop and you’re good to go.

Each of those alternatives work well to set up your content upgrades within your blog and will get you generating leads in no time.

Bonus Tip:

The more specific you are the higher your conversion rate will be.

If you’re creating customized upgrades on each post then people who land on that content post (whether it be directly through a paid source or organically through a search engine like Google or Bing) will be more likely to opt in and downloading the upgrade.

For example, if I ran a blog about parenting and I just wrote a post called “3 Tips to Make Sure Your Child Sleeps Easily At Night”, I’d have more success with a content upgrade like “13 Point Checklist To Get Your Child To Bed On Time” rather than a generic site wide lead magnet call “101 Parenting Tips To Help You At Home”.

Advanced:

So you want to go a little more advanced? Ok let’s do it.

One strategy you can use which I’ve tested and had some good results with is doing specific and customized retargeting based on your blog post using your content upgrades.

So after someone visits this page for example, they then go back to their newsfeed on Facebook and see my ads saying “Hey! You forgot to claim your FREE checklist on optimizing your blog for conversions!”.

Another headline which I saw the guys over at Digital Marketer use which I really liked was “Did life get in the way? Get your free conversion checklist for free now!“.

By doing this, you’re being super specific and plugging any gaps in your sales funnel. I love this strategy because you can turn your organic (free) traffic into optins using paid traffic like Facebook and Google etc.

If you used a 2-Step Clickpop for your content upgrade on your blog post, you’ll need to create a new landing page to remarket with so people don’t just end up back on your post. That way you can customize the page specifically to people who forgot to take action and claim your content upgrade.

Pretty ninja stuff am I right?

3. Adding an Exit Popup

It’s only natural at some stage people will be leaving your website to go somewhere else.

It’s sad I know.

But before people go and continue to live their lives, we’ve got an opportunity to make a last ditch challenge and guide our audience in making a decision.

It’s like our last request of someone before they leave our business.

If it was in real life, it would be kind of like a “Hey! Just before you go John, would you like this free 10% off coupon for your next visit?”

But on the internet, we call them exit popups. And they can be very powerful if used effectively across your website.

So there’s 2 main types of lead converting Exit Popups:

#1: Before You Go… Want My Free Gift

I’m sure you’ve seen this one before on a handful of blogs and maybe even found it annoying, am I right?

But the exit intent exit popup is a great driver of opt-ins if executed right.

And remember, these are people who you would’ve otherwise have lost into the abyss of the internet.

So what should you do with your free gift exit popup?

Keep it simple. I’d start with one of your best converting lead magnets and offer that straight up, or if you haven’t tested or used a lead magnet on your blog you can create a new one. If you’re creating a new one specific for the exit popup of your website, make it an overarching idea which people can take advantage of no matter which page on your website they come from.

So if your website is talking about nutrition or living room ideas, you could have something along the lines of “[FREE] Raw Food Shopping List Download”.

It’s really easy to build an exit popup in Clickfunnels using ClickPops.

Here are some examples of exit pops I really which I’ve come across on the web and you can even #FunnelHack for ideas on your own blog:

#2: The 2-Step Optin Exit Popup

This exit pop is less of a commitment on a visitors behalf as they’re only presented with two buttons, not an optin box.

While the buttons may take them to a landing page with an email optin element, it’s far less intrusive upfront.

When using the 2-Step Optin Exit Popup, you can ask your visitors a question about what your blog is on.

So for example if I asked a question from an organic food website, it could be something like “Which type of food do you eat more of? X or X”

Then based on their response, you can take them to another piece of content or landing page to take the visitor deeper into your funnel.

Here’s a couple of 2-Step Optin Exit Popups examples too:

4. Having an A+ Retargeting & Follow Up Game

The last (and one of the most critical) ways to make sure that your blog is optimized is to have your retargeting game on point.

Depending on the type of business you have there’s a few different ways you can do this.

One of the most successful strategies I’ve seen is retargeting content upgrades as I mentioned above in the advanced area, but with the elements Clickfunnels offers that you can add to a page, you can do a lot more.

So let’s create an example of a mini content funnel and how we can maximise retargeting to our audience.

Mini Retargeting Example

The blog post we’ll use for this example will be called “3 Ways You Can Use The ‘Comfortable Close’ On Your Next Webinar”

Then we’ll go into our Facebook Audience Manager and create a retargeting pixel called “The Comfortable Close Sales Script LM”.

This is also the name of the lead magnet or content upgrade we’ve created which we want people to take next in our funnel.

We’ll set the retargeting audience to only show to people who have been to that post and only show them for 7 days after they have visited.

What we can do then is build a Facebook Ad to start driving our visitors to a video series which you can easily build in Clickfunnels using the video unlocker element – learn how here.

So now as people hit your website, they’ll go back and see the page which you offer a video series of value (which will require their email address).

This not only builds massive trust and rapport, but you can sell a low to medium level ticket product too (I’ve even seen some cases of products up to one to two thousand dollars been sold on a video series alone.)

If you want to take this content retargeting one step further, after the 7 days you show the initial ad, you can add in bonuses for the same offer…a free 10 minute personal Skype call for example. You can run the second offer for a further 14 days using retargeting for the specific post with your bonuses and then see how it performs in your market (each case is unique, so I suggest you test and optimize all your campaigns).

So lets do a quick recap of what we’ve done from both visitor and markter’s perspective.

Visitor’s Perspective

1. Visitor visits your website and consumes your content but doesn’t take your content upgrade.
2. Visitor goes back to Facebook and see your retargeting ad in their newsfeed.
3. Visitor clicks ad to go to video series and gets taken to the landing page (Option 1 – They join the series within 7 days.).
4. Visitor closes the page and doesn’t join the video series for the first 7 days of the retargeting campaign.
5. Visitor sees a new offer after 14 days from visiting the blog post with a 10 minute free Skype call if they join the video series (Option 2 – They join the series within 14 days).

Marketer’s Perspective

1. Marketer creates a value packed blog post and associated content upgrade and publishes it to his blog.
2. Marketer sends paid traffic and receives organic traffic to blog post. Marketer has added 2 Facebook retargeting pixels to the specific post. The first retargeting pixel retargets the visitors to the blog post within 7 days of reading it, to a video series using the Clickfunnels video unlocker which will require the visitor to optin.
3. The second pixel will do the same however retarget based on the following 14 after the first pixel has been served to the audience. This will make the offer more tempting by using a bonus and should increase optins.

Now don’t get me wrong.

This is pretty advanced material right here, but if you’re looking to build a blog up and drive some serious traffic for your company, this could add lots of zeros to your bottom line, especially if you’re getting 5,000+ visitors per month to your website already.

Regardless of your size, I’d advise you to make sure you AT LEAST install:

• Facebook Retargeting (All Website)
• Google Retargeting (All Website)

What I meant by ‘All Website’ is anyone who visits your site is added to your list no matter which page they arrive to first. That way if you ever decide to sell a product or service, you instantly have an audience who you can market to even at the most basic of retargeting levels who is interested in what you have to offer.

This also works really well if you want to cross-promote affiliate products.

It’s very easy to add retargeting pixels to your page using ClickFunnels!

How to Add Retargeting Pixels

Step 1: Prepare your retargeting pixel

Step 2: Log in to your ClickFunnels account

Step 3: Head on over to your funnel

Step 4: Click “Edit Page” on your page. This example shows how you can add retargeting to your Sales Page.

Step 5: Click Settings > Tracking Codes

Step 6: Enter your retargeting pixels and click Save.

Conclusion

So I’ve covered 4 lead generating mechanisms which every blog should have installed and be utilising to start building their list and generating revenue.

Lead generating using content marketing can be one of the most profitable marketing strategies if just a few simple steps are taken to setup your blog to capture leads. The issue which most blogs have is they don’t give their visitors an option to opt into their email list to begin with!

Which ways are you using on your website or blog to gather leads effectively? Let me know in the comments below.

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Thanks for reading Turn Your Blog Into A Lead Generating Machine which appeared first on ClickFunnels.