Marketing & Promotion Recap - Happy Holidays!

As authorprenuers, we must market our products; Platform, Brand, and Website provide the way.

Today we’ll recap our discussions over the last several months because this topic is worth repeating.

1) What Does It Take To Promote Your Writing? 
It takes Author Platform, Branding, Identifying your audience, an Author Website, and building Connection with your readers. Overwhelming? Yes, but, we must reach folks to read our stuff, so let’s get going.

A Platform, established and maintained, is the action you take to promote your writing. Kimberly Grabas founder of YourWriterPlatform.com defines Platform succinctly. It describes the ways you connect and engage with your ideal readership – the readers who are most receptive to your work. It also denotes your influence, visibility and authority.

Branding is who you are and how you are known. We market ourselves through our branding.
You have a book in you. Write it and get it out there.
More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/04/what-does-it-take-to-promote-your.html

2) What Does It Take To Market Your Writing? Great Content
To market your writing it takes focused effort for Author Platform, Branding, and an Author Website. Let’s talk about Great Content today.

We use the internet to research concepts, compare topics and glean information for our work, discover fresh ideas, and to find the best, consistent resources without wasting time or money. We must deliver informative, strategic, and timely content in the same way.

Five Tips:
1. Since we are not entitled to our reader’s attention, deliver content that grabs their interest through text, imagery, podcasts and video, and make it snappy for the scanners
2. If it grabs, it’s likely to spread
3. Use proven structures such as: 

*Headlines, and sub-headlines, that command attention  

*Focused introductory sentences  

*Information that solves a problem  

*Limiting the message to one central point

More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/05/market-with-content.htmll

3) Create a Strategy that Delivers Great Content 
What does it take to promote your writing, be it articles, stories or books? The answer is much more than Sales Pitches and Events.  How do you tell your readers or a prospective publisher what you are about? How does your promotional offer benefit the reader? The answers are: your Author Platform, your Branding, and your Website.  It’s the way you inform and engage your audience. This week we’ll talk about Great Content, and developing a Strategic Plan.

Points for brainstorming your strategic plan to deliver great content:
1.    The WHAT: Writing a series of five, six or ten articles focused on one theme
2.    The HOW of delivery is via quality information in text, graphics, video and audio. We are not entitled to our reader’s attention. Deliver content that grabs their interest early, and make it good for the quick-look reader.
3.    Change up the presentation by offering an article in text with audio as well.
4.    Make it original, relevant and valuable while staying focused on your theme.
5.    Also, make it substantial and in-depth even when it requires 1000 words or more.
6.    The WHY: Connecting with your audience which leads to engagement and sharing
7.    WHEN you build Connection, readers are more likely to follow by taking Action
More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/06/create-strategy-that-delivers-great.html

4) Content Curation & Aggregation 
You promote and inform readership of the benefits you offer through your Platform, Branding, and Website.  Let’s talk about growing engagement by diving a bit deeper through Content Curation and Aggregation.
•    Content Curation is not creating new content; it is the process of searching out, discovering, compiling and sharing existing content for your readership relevant to a specific topic or subject.
o    Content Curation’s purpose is to add the value of a broader view and understanding.
o    Introduce the content with your own perspective and ideas, then provide a link to the source article via “To read the original article go to: …”
•    Content Aggregation is the collection of information for a particular topic with one or more related keywords. >>>
Adding value is the best path to growing your readership and promoting your work.
More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/07/content-curation-aggregation.html

5) Platform, Brand and You 
Your Platform and your brand, presented via your website, tells readers who you are and what you are about. These three, closely aligned will present a consistent message. Readers will return often to ask; “What do they have for me today?” “What more can I do to build my writing business?”

Your Platform is useful if you are a blogger writing essays, articles, or books. Our success requires visibility, thus we must communicate with our readers. Work to make your message clear and valuable, building trust. As for me, I want people to know where I am, what I offer in the way of writing craft, and the pieces I’m working on. How do they connect with me? My Website.

What’s Brand? You Are! You are your brand. We build brands through words, images and actions—your actions.
More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/08/platform-brand-and-you.html

6) Market Your Product
As authorprenuers, we must market our products i.e., books, articles, and niche.  Platform, Brand, and Website form the vehicle to make that happen. These, along with your mission statement tell your readers who you are and what you do. Closely aligned they present a consistent message.

Your Platform is a useful necessity for all authors whether you write essays, articles, blogs or books, fiction or nonfiction. Brand is who you are. You are your brand, built by words, images and delivering as promised. Success depends upon visibility. We communicate with clarity and offer valuable information through our websites because Content is King.

Start building your writer Platform now without delay and maintain it to keep connecting with your clients; building a Platform takes time…
More:  https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/09/market-your-product.html

7) What’s Different About an Author’s Website?
As authorprenuers, we must market our products. Platform, Brand, and Websites form the vehicle to make that happen. Writers’ need a dynamic website, update or start anew.

•    Create a Clear Identity
•    Create a vibrant headline with an image that is topic or niche focused and describes what you write and might include an image of your latest book cover, or another highlight of your work
Lots more: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/10/whats-different-about-authors-website.html

8) Social Media and Powerful Headlines
As authorprenuers, we market our work through our website and social media
Delivering great content value for our readers is the goal.  So, show them where to find it. Enter—social media.

As you register for social network accounts, pay close attention to building your profile and the name you choose for your account. Using your brand is powerful. Is your name your brand or is your theme your brand? Consistency matters, use it throughout all the social media accounts you create.

Let’s select from the highest rated social networks to promote our writing. >>>
More: https://www.writersonthemove.com/2019/11/social-media-and-powerful-headlines.html


Helpful resources:
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s “The Frugal Book Promoter” https://howtodoitfrugally.com/the_frugal_book_promoter.htm 

Kimberly Grabas founder of YourWriterPlatform.com defines platform succinctly. Platform describes the ways you connect and engage with your ideal readership – the readers that are most receptive to your work.   https://www.yourwriterplatform.com/

Joanna Penn and Marketing:  https://www.thecreativepenn.com/marketing/

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her writer’s website at: https://deborahlynwriter.com/  
And her caregiver’s website at: https://deborahlyncaregiver.com/
Facebook: Deborah Lyn Stanley, Writer    https://www.facebook.com/deborahlynwriter/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Content Curation & Aggregation

Content Curation & Aggregation  

by Deborah Lyn Stanley

What does it take to promote your writing, be it articles, stories or books?  How do you tell your readers or a prospective publisher what you are about?  What is of benefit to your audience?  Your Platform, your Branding, and your Website. 

Let’s talk about growing engagement by diving a bit deeper through Content Curation and Aggregation.

• Content Curation is not creating new content; it is the process of searching out, discovering, compiling and sharing existing content for your readership relevant to a specific topic or subject.

• Content Curation’s purpose is to add the value of a broader view and understanding.

• Introduce the content with your own perspective and ideas, then provide a link to the source article via “To read the original article go to: …”

• Archive, catalog and store curated content for future use.

Adding value is the best path to growing your readership and promoting your work.

• Content Aggregation is the collection of information for a particular topic with one or more related keywords.

• Content Aggregation can grow value by linking to supporting information, to a broader perspective, to hot topics or news worthy content.

• Aggregation is gathering content from various feeds into one easy to access, informative location—your website.

Both Content Curation and Content Aggregation are marketing strategies to grow the reach of your work.

• Pingbacks and Trackbacking are useful tools for notifying the post owner that you have linked to their post as the original source. Pingbacks and Trackbacking can increase web traffic, and provide a connection to influential blogs. By using links to the original source post or article, attention is brought from that site to yours.
• Visit WPeka.com for a helpful discussion of Pingbacks and Trackbacks:  https://www.wpeka.com/what-are-pingbacks-and-trackbacks.html

Additional links for more on Content Curation and Aggregation:

https://www.writersonthemove.com/search?q=content+curation


www.econtentmag.com/Articles/Resources/Defining-EContent/What-is-Content-Curation-79167.htm  

https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/content-curation-learning-and-development  

https://blog.inoreader.com/2018/08/content-aggregation-complete-guide-2018.html

Grow Content = Successful Marketing

 

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her website: https://deborahlynwriter.com/

5 Reasons Why You Should Use Content Curation as Part of Your Blogging Strategy

By Karen Cioffi

Content curation has been around for a while, but many bloggers don’t realize the advantages or benefits it offers. This strategy allows you to post more often with less work and less time.

This form of marketing comes in various forms throughout the internet. Of those variations there is one common thread: content curation is related to article marketing. You can think of it as one of the strategies under the content marketing umbrella, the same as content aggregation.

If you’re wondering whether content aggregation and content curation are the same, they’re not. A Forbes article by Susan Gunelius explains that the primary difference between the two is that content curation offers “the human element.”

What does this mean?

Well, content aggregation is simply finding and linking to hot topics, trends, and other news or information worthy content from your site. Some sites use all sorts of topics and others use content that is focused on their platform.

Content curation on the other hand offers more. While linking to the information source, those using this strategy add their own spin on the information, or enhance it with personal experience or additional information on the topic.

The information used for content curation is targeted and so is the audience it’s prepared for. As an example, if you have a health site on alternative medicine and alternative health options you would search for and use information/content on that topic or niche. You obviously wouldn’t use sports content on your site. It’s treated as any other niche marketing strategy – it must be focused to your platform or brand.

Content curation offers a broader view and understanding of a particular topic by providing your own input, along with that of the source content.

Now on to the five reasons you should use this blogging strategy.

5 Benefits to Content Curation that will Boost Your Blogging Efforts

1. Simply put and most importantly, it brings your readers more ‘bang’ for their stop at your site. Rather than offering a single view of a topic, or one site’s experience, you offer your reader the world and a broader information experience.

The reader will appreciate having more information to work with and this will motivate him to appreciate and trust you. That’s the beginning of a great relationship.

2. It’s a source of ideas for your blogging. Find current trends, hot topics, and new information in your niche. The content is already there, you simply add your spin on it in a paragraph or two and voila, you have new a new post.

3. It’s a time saver. Using tools like Google Alerts, you can quickly find relevant information to blog about. And, like ‘number two’ above, it’s ready made content you simply add to.

4. It can support or enhance your own blog posts, adding more value. Even if you write effective and engaging articles, the reader will find it helpful if you supplement it with additional information.

5. Linking to quality sites is an effective search engine strategy. When you link to a site that ranks high with Google, you’re noticed. It can help bring more traffic to your site and help convert visitors into subscribers. And, that’s what online marketing is all about, the ‘golden’ list.

Content curation will boost your blogging efforts. You don’t have to use it for every post, but you can switch it up a bit and offer your reader something extra.

So, why not give it a try and add it to your existing content marketing strategies.

To see this strategy in action, check out:

Email Marketing – New Canadian Anti-Spam Law May Affect You


Reference:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/07/05/5-ways-to-use-content-curation-for-marketing-and-tools-to-do-it/

P.S. If you like this post, please share it!

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MORE ON CONTENT MARKETING

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Blogging – The 5 Most Popular Blog Post and Article Formats

By Karen Cioffi

It’s a content marketing fact: Blogging is one of the most effective authority building, persuasive, and money-making marketing strategies.

This being the case, it means you need to regularly post content to your blog. It may be multiple times a day, once a day, three-times a week, once a week, or once a month.

No matter what, you need to post to your blog on a regular basis. While I did put ‘once a month’ in the list, to blog effectively you should be blogging more than that. Conservatively speaking, once a week is the minimum.

But, suppose you’re motivated and want to post to your blog three or more times a week. What do you write about? What blog formats can you use? How do you keep it up?

The 5 Most Popular Blog Post Formats

To make life easier, there are certain blog post formats or templates that you can use. Kind of like a fill in the blanks template. These templates will give you quick to follow guidelines and make the writing process quicker and easier. So, let’s get to it. Here are the five most popular blog post formats:

1. The How-to Blog Post

The how-to post is about providing instructions or steps to explain to the reader how to do something and people love them. The post should answer your readers’ question or provide the solution to his problem. In other words, as with all your posts, it should be informative and helpful.

The writing process is standard: address the target audience and note the problem (the introduction); give the solution (this is the body of your post), give the conclusion.

Aside from your post title, the introduction is where you will turn your readers’ attention to interest. This section will motivate the reader to read on.

2. The List-based Blog Post

The list-based format is simply providing a list of things. It may be “10 Steps to a Lighter You”. It may be “5 of the Most Important Opt-in Words There Are.” You get the idea. Choice your topic, create your title, and list the advice or tips.

This post format is another one that people love. It’s easy to read and easy to follow. And, if you scan the articles you read, like me, it’s easy to pick out the information pertinent to you.

When writing in the list-based format strive for organization, sequencing, clarity, and use bullet points or numbered sequencing. Make sure that each step flows into the next logically. You always want to keep it simple for the reader.

Tip: Bullet points should be used when the information within each point has little text. Numbered paragraphs should be used when the points have more text. This article is an example of the need for numbered paragraphs.

3. The Content Curation Blog Post

Before we get into the format, let’s go over what content curation is. In simple terms, it’s using someone else’s content on your site by linking to it. You lead into the source content with your own perspective and ideas. Then add text leading the reader to the original source. You might use: ‘To read more about this, go to . . .’ Or, you might use: To read the original article, go to . . .

The idea is to link to the source article through a ‘more reading’ setup.

The benefit to you is saving time. You don’t have to write a full post, yet you get fresh content that will be helpful to your readers. The fresh content and fresh viewpoint helps increase your authority and helps build you into the ‘go to person’ for your niche.

You do though need to make sure the content is relevant to your site and it’d be a good idea if you leave a comment on the original article’s post.

Another benefit to this blog format is trackbacking. Linking to the original source’s post will bring the attention of the source site to your site. 

4. The Newsjacking Blog Post

The newsjacking blog post format is about making use of headline news within your industry/niche. This type of post is usually timely. It’s very useful if you want to be the one to bring breaking news to your audience.

Another way to use newsjacking is to create an in-depth analysis of the breaking news or simply give your perspective, after the fact. Just be careful not to plagiarize the content. You can reference the news content, but be sure to make the post content your own

You can also use newsjacking with the curation format.

5. The Slideshare or Video Blog Post

This format takes advantage of visual (and audio) content, in place of all text.  This format helps break things up a bit. People love visuals. Adding videos or Slideshare presentations spices your blog up.

Along with adding variety, the visual posts allow you to actually demonstrate tricky topics. For example, when explaining how to use hyperlinks or deep links, it’s much easier for the reader to SEE how to do it, rather than read about it.

Just like the other formats, you do need an introduction explaining the problem and how you can help fix it. Then lead into the video or Slideshare presentation with something like: ‘Watch the video to see how it’s done.’ Or, use ‘Flip through the Slideshare I created to demonstrate just how to do it.’

Here’s an example of a Slideshare post:

Article Marketing – Optimize Your Blogger Blog Posts

Summing it All Up
Blogging is a must if you want to create and increase visibility, readership, leads, and sales. But, simply blogging isn’t enough, you need to know how to blog effectively. Using these five blogging formats will help you keep your blog posts fresh and keep your audience engaged and informed.

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Original article source: http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2014/03/blogging-5-most-popular-blog-post-and.html

Karen Cioffi is an Online Platform and Website Optimization Instructor. You can check out her services at: Build an Online Platform That Works

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I hope you found this information interesting and helpful. Too advanced, not enough, just right? I’d really love to know, so please leave a comment – good or bad.

P.S. If you liked this article, PLEASE SHARE IT!

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