Thursday, July 25, 2019
Social Media Visibility Has a Price: 7 Things You Must Do
from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2019/41564/social-media-visibility-has-a-price-7-things-you-must-do
Why Digital Marketing Is More Important Than Ever Before [Infographic]
from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2019/41568/why-digital-marketing-is-more-important-than-ever-before-infographic
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
The Beginner’s Guide to CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) in 2019
Let me guess.
CJ Affiliate by Conversant (aka Commission Junction) keeps popping up on your radar — and you’re itching to sign up as a publisher.
But whoa, not so fast.
You want to know what you’re in for before you commit to it.
Those questions racing in your mind?
You need answers, stat.
“What payment methods are available?”
“Why should I join when I’m already a member of other affiliate networks?”
And, of course: “How do I start?”
In this definitive 2019 guide, you’ll learn exactly that.
You’ll also discover just what it takes to earn a passive income with affiliate marketing and how to use CJ Affiliate to partner with the biggest brands in the world.
Let’s begin.
CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction): Q&A
What is CJ Affiliate?
Founded over 20 years ago in Santa Barbara, California, CJ Affiliate is one of the world’s largest and oldest affiliate networks.
It specializes in pay-for-performance programs and is part of a Fortune 500 company called Alliance Data Systems.
Yep, that’s how big CJ Affiliate is.
With an astounding track record since 1998, the affiliate network has 15 offices worldwide and over 3,000 merchants.
Ever wanted to work with the big kahunas like J.Crew, Barnes & Nobles, and GoPro?
CJ Affiliate is it.
How is CJ Affiliate Different From Other Affiliate Networks?
1. Stellar Real-Time Reporting
CJ Affiliate is renowned for its always up-to-the-minute analytics.
This means you never have to refresh the page because you can monitor your activity as it happens.
Granted, navigating the dashboard for the first few times may feel overwhelming.
But as you spend more time exploring it, everything becomes intuitive. You’ll also come to realize how invaluable these features really are.
With these insights in your fingertips, you know the types of affiliate products that work best on your blog and how to create content readers love.
2. Tons of Selectivity
Most display advertising networks bunch up dozens of products in one ad code — not CJ Affiliate.
As a publisher, you choose exactly which advertisers’ individual products you want to display and where.
3. Royal Treatment for Star Publishers
Do you create top-notch content in your blog? Does your blog have 10K+ page views a month? If so, you want to look into CJ Affiliate’s Content Certified program.
As a Content Certified publisher, you automatically connect with over 600 brands — brands that are the cream of the crop.
Thanks to this attractive perk, you enjoy pre-approved access to advertisers for premium rates while maintaining editorial control over your blog’s content.
What are the Sign Up Requirements for CJ Affiliate?
It’s free to join CJ Affiliate.
However, you do have to be at least 18 years old and own a website to sign up as a publisher.
What if you own multiple websites? Does this mean you have to set up multiple accounts?
Not at all. Simply go to Account > Websites > Add Website.
A word of caution:
If you have a new website with little traffic, watch out. Publishers who fail to get results within their first 6 months may get deactivated.
What Affiliate Programs are Available with CJ Affiliate?
CJ Affiliate boasts a phenomenal variety of programs.
From automotive and electronics to gardening and recycling, there really is something for every blogger or entrepreneur.
When you’re on Links > Search, you’ll notice the special filters on the left, like:
- Events: Mother’s Day, Christmas, Cyber Monday
- Promotion Type: Sales, Hot sweeps, Hot product
- Link Types: Banner, Text Link, Content Link
Let’s explore how this works out.
Say, you run a health blog and want to promote health equipment in your blog post, 7 Best Pieces of Equipment for Health Fanatics (Up to __% Discounts!).
With this goal in mind, you could select…
- Category: Health > Equipment
- Promotion Types: Sale/Discount
- Link Types: Banner, Text Link
…and pick the ads that best fit your content.
Pretty neat.
Most offers on CJ Affiliate are cost per acquisition (CPA) — such as pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, and pay-per-call.
Occasionally, a handful of advertisers offer pay-per-view or pay-per-click.
Placements and flat spend opportunities are also available.
Depending on which program you choose, you can promote products on social media.
Tip: Review the policies of both the advertiser and social media platform before you proceed.
What are CJ Affiliate’s Payment Methods?
As a publisher, you get paid via direct deposit, check, or Payoneer (for non-US folks).
CJ Affiliate pays out within 20 days of the end of the month, as long as you have a minimum payment threshold of US$50 (Direct Deposit) or US$100 (Check).
Commissions from multiple programs will be put together in one account.
For international folks, Payoneer offers over 150 local currencies with zero clearing fees. Commissions are processed according to CJ Affiliate’s standard schedule.
As of this writing, CJ Affiliate doesn’t offer payment via PayPal or credit cards.
Which is it: CJ Affiliate or Commission Junction?
In 2014, Commission Junction’s parent company, ValueClick, was rebranded to Conversant.
Conversant then rebranded Commission Junction to CJ Affiliate.
As a result, people refer to the network by both names: CJ Affiliate (its official name) and Commission Junction (its name for 16 years).
In short, both names are correct.
Alright, now that we’ve gone over the frequently asked questions, let’s roll up our sleeves and tackle the ins and outs of CJ Affiliate.
Starting with:
How Do I Sign Up for CJ Affiliate?
Sign up as a Publisher and fill in your name, email address, and preferred language. Click Next.
Look for the confirmation email in your inbox and click the green button ‘Create my CJ Publisher Account’:
You will then be directed to the Publisher Sign Up Form. Fill in your details and click ‘Accept Terms’ to complete registration.
After sign up, you’ll be immediately directed to your CJ Account Manager, a dashboard that housed important details like your network stats, performance summary, and messages.
First, click Account > Network Profile. (Note: you need to complete this profile to join affiliate programs.)
You’ll see these 3 sections in the Network Profile:
- Website description (e.g. Share your website’s strengths and relevant statistics.)
- Promotion methods (e.g. How do you promote advertisers? Is it a blog post, email, or social media marketing channel?)
- Documents (e.g. Do you have a media kit? This is optional but raises your chance of being selected.)
Complete these 3 sections to show advertisers the value you bring and how you amplify their reach with your audience.
Think of it as your cover letter.
The Network Profile is your chance to stand out amongst the sea of publishers.
Next, click Account > Administrative Settings to edit your payment and tax information.
Edit Payment Information and select if you want to receive payment via direct deposit, check, or Payoneer.
Then, edit your Tax Information. CJ Affiliate requires all publishers to submit their tax forms for payout.
US:
- W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification and Certification
Non-US:
- W-8BEN Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding
- Certificate of No United States Activities
Contact your tax advisor or visit your country’s IRS website if you have questions.
Power tip: Remember to submit a new tax certification if you change your country or business type to receive continued payment.
How Does CJ Affiliate Work?
You should at least have a basic understanding of HTML, as you need this skill to insert the tracking code in your website.
If HTML is completely foreign to you, visit w3schools to pick up this new skill.
To find advertisers within your niche, click Advertisers > Category.
Before you start joining affiliate programs, let’s break down what these 3 columns mean.
The first column, Network Earnings, shows how an advertiser performs on CJ Affiliate.
See that green bar? It’s based on the volume of commissions paid out to publishers like you.
The longer the green bar, the better it is. This indicates the advertisers are actively paying commissions, which is a great sign.
New accounts are labeled “New” for their first three months.
The second column, Earnings per click (EPC) measures how many visitors you can drive through your site that will generate sales for advertisers.
During this 3-month and 7-day period, if there are less than 1000 and 100 clicks respectively, N/A will be displayed.
To view more details about the program, click on the advertiser. It tells you important information such as the commission rates, policies, and referral period.
Click the green ‘Join Program’ button in the third column to submit your application. During this stage, you may be required to accept the terms and conditions.
Many advertisers use automatic rules to accept or decline applications, whereas some review manually.
Responses can take from a day to a few weeks, so you may need to be patient.
Now… advertisers on CJ Affiliate are notorious for being picky.
If your website — knocks on wood — gets rejected, don’t be disheartened. Move on to the next advertiser. Who knows, they may be a better match for your blog.
Upon approval, click Get Links.
Power tip: If you pick banner, flash or text links, hover over the icon to get a preview of the ad. You can see how it will appear on your website.
Next, click the Get Code (</>) button:
There are 4 choices to choose from:
- HTML
- JavaScript
- Click URL (for search engine promotion)
- Image URL (for products)
If you want to customize your code (e.g. open in new tab), only customize it via the Get Code interface on CJ Affiliate. Remember to update it. If you don’t, your changes will not take effect.
You’ll notice several advertisers’ codes include different click domains or additional parameters. Do not modify them.
CJ Affiliate will not take any responsibility if publishers modify and make a mistake with the codes.
If you want to modify them or have questions about the code, contact the relevant advertiser (not CJ Affiliate). You can do this in your dashboard: Mail > Messages > Compose.
After you finish customizing, copy the entire code:
…and paste it into your web page.
If you select HTML, make sure you’re on Text editor mode before you paste it.
Need to refresh your memory? Here’s a handy guide on how to use WordPress’s Block Editor.
Voila, you’re done.
To verify your tracking code, go to Reports > Performance Reports.
Adjust the filters as you see fit. Let it run for a while. If your link is reporting clicks or impressions, it’s tracking.
Power tip: Watch out for invalid links on a daily basis, as offers expire or advertisers may get deactivated.
On your Tasks list, look for a “Review __ click(s) from invalid links”.
And keep a close eye on your notifications. You will be notified if a link or ad isn’t working.
If you’ve been reading CJ Affiliate reviews in forums, you’ll notice there have been numerous cases where publishers are promoting links even when advertisers have already left the program.
Don’t let this soul-crushing situation happen to you.
It’s a huge waste of time and effort.
Final Tips to Make it Big on CJ Affiliate
Your website needs a ton of targeted traffic to start earning commissions.
Typically, it takes three to six months to start seeing results.
Affiliate marketing is a patience and stamina game — and CJ Affiliate is no exception.
Bloggers who have found success recommend this: create your blog’s content around the product. Select the products you trust and love. From there, brainstorm lead generation and content ideas.
For example, Riley Adams of Young and the Invested is an affiliate of tax preparation software, TurboTax. Take a look at how he shapes his content around the product:
You can do this in any niche.
Check out how Jo-Lynne Shane, a fashion blogger and Content Certified publisher at CJ Affiliate, does it in her holiday gift guide blog post:
You can also do this on your blog resource page. David Alexander of Mazepress added affiliate links in the email marketing and social media tools he recommends to his readers:
Moving forward, you want to make monitoring a habit, as your best-performing programs signal the type of products and content your readers want.
Your most successful affiliate programs don’t just earn you passive income.
They also inspire new blog post topics and business ideas you’d never thought of.
CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction): An Affiliate Network Trusted by Advertisers and Publishers Alike
Have you decided if CJ Affiliate is a good fit for you?
If you’re just starting out in the blogging scene with only a few hits a day, it probably isn’t the right time to join this network.
But if you’re a blogger with an established audience?
Or an entrepreneur with high-quality traffic on your website?
Then yes.
CJ Affiliate could be the yin to your yang.
With its superior reporting and the opportunity to work with the world’s most recognized brands, this affiliate network shouldn’t be missed.
Sign up today as a publisher and try it yourself.
The post The Beginner’s Guide to CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) in 2019 appeared first on Smart Blogger.
from
https://smartblogger.com/cj-affiliate-commission-junction/
ClickBank: The Brutally Honest, Must-Read Guide for 2019
So you want to make money through affiliate marketing, huh?
You can smell the moolah.
And among hundreds of affiliate marketing networks out there, all promising you a piece of the scrumptious $12 billion pie, one has caught your fancy.
ClickBank.
But there’s a problem.
You’ve heard a lot of good things about ClickBank.
You’ve also heard many bad things.
What’s true? What’s fiction? Can you really make money on ClickBank? How can you successfully navigate the rich but perilous ClickBank waters?
That’s what this post’s about.
An unvarnished look at ClickBank, warts and all.
Let’s get to it.
ClickBank: Q&A
What is ClickBank?
Founded in 1998 in a garage in San Diego California, ClickBank is one of the granddaddies of affiliate marketing networks.
You can make money with ClickBank as a product vendor or affiliate marketer without working like a frazzled cubicle slave.
Here are some staggering numbers about the ClickBank marketplace:
- 200 million customers spread across 190 countries
- 87th largest Internet retailer in North America
- 276 categories and 21562 product listings
- 6 million entrepreneurs on the platform
- Over 200 million dollars in annual sales
In short: you can make a killing on the network.
The best part?
Joining a lucrative affiliate program on ClickBank is not labor-intensive like writing for money or making money blogging.
ClickBank is a good option for bloggers and entrepreneurs who wish to promote digital and lifestyle products.
How is ClickBank Different From Other Affiliate Networks?
ClickBank is not your typical traditional affiliate network.
Five good things stand out:
- Simplicity. The sign-up process is straightforward. You can sign-up within a few minutes and start trading without complicated paperwork to fill or administrative hoops to jump through.
- Inclusivity. Anyone can join the network for free. It’s perfect for beginners who want to learn the ropes of affiliate marketing.
- Duality. On most affiliate marketing networks you go in either as a vendor or an affiliate. ClickBank allows you to enter the fray both as a vendor and a marketer so you maximize your earnings.
- Large Selection. With thousands of dazzling products in every conceivable niche to choose from, your affiliate program choices are numerous.
- Good Commission Rates. ClickBank pays hefty commissions of up to 75% or even 100%. Plus, they pay fast so you won’t have to wait long to splurge on that you-know-what you’ve had your eye on.
However, there are cons as well:
- Slow Customer Service. Some reports from the Better Business Bureau claim ClickBank may take up to 7 days to respond to customer emails.
- Charges on Dormant ClickBank Accounts. You are charged $1 per day after 90 days of no earnings, $5 per day after 180 days of inactivity, and a hefty $50 per day after 360 days of no sales.
- Some Junk Products. More about how to overcome this in a bit.
- Fierce Competition for Quality Programs. A good problem to have, if you ask me.
What are the Sign Up Requirements for ClickBank?
ClickBank is free to join for affiliates.
All you need to join is:
- Live in an eligible country
- Enable cookies in your browser
- Have a Tax ID or Social Security number (if you live in the U.S.)
If you plan to register as a vendor, you must pay a one-time activation fee of $49.95. You pay only $29.95 for any additional accounts.
What Affiliate Programs are Available with ClickBank?
Whether you are a tentative newbie who wants to dip a toe into this make-money-online thing or a veteran who wants to grow her earnings, ClickBank has got you covered.
There are many affiliate programs and product categories to choose from:
- Arts & Entertainment
- As Seen on TV
- Betting Systems
- Business/Investing
- Computers/Internet
- Cooking, Food, & Wine
- E-Business & E-Marketing
- Education
- Employment & Jobs
- Fiction
- Games
- Green Products
- Health & Fitness
- Home & Garden
- Languages
- Mobile
- Parenting & Families
- Politics/Current Events
- Reference
- Self-Help
- Software & Services
- New Age & Alternative Beliefs
- Sports
- Travel
Not sure where to start? No worries.
Dan Brock, of Deadbeat Super Affiliate, reveals seven hot niches you can try in this video.
What are ClickBank’s Payment Methods?
With ClickBank, you can receive payments in four different ways:
Payment Method #1: Check
The good old paper check is the default payment option. It’s mailed to the address listed in your account.
Payment Method #2: Direct Deposit
ClickBank offers direct deposit in the U.S. and other select countries at no extra charge. Direct deposits take 1-2 business days to reach your account.
Payment Method #3: Wire Transfer
You can receive payments by wire transfer. This option is for countries not covered by international direct deposit. Payments take up to 5 days (depending on where you live).
Payment Method #4: Payoneer
You can also get paid using the Payoneer Mastercard, an international money transfer service you can get for free. Payoneer allows you to open a U.S bank account where your money is deposited.
As you see, ClickBank gives you a lot of options. Plus:
ClickBank doesn’t tie you to the payment method you’ve chosen.
You can change your payment method at any time. It’s your money, so you receive it your way. But, it may take up to seven days for the new payment method to work.
Whenever you change your email address or password, you can’t switch payment methods for a week. This protects you from fraudsters.
You can set the payment threshold as low as $10.
Is ClickBank a Scam? Or, as the Kids Would Say, is ClickBank Legit?
Is ClickBank an elaborate racket or a genuine business?
Yes, it’s true. Some ClickBank affiliate programs are of low quality. Overhyped junk products are a dime a dozen. But that’s half the story.
There are solid programs on there too.
ClickBank’s like a mega supermarket packed with assorted goods.
Don’t like what’s on the shelf? No problem. Move to another aisle. You’ll soon find what you want.
With a seemingly infinite number of digital products from entrepreneurs all over the world to choose from, your perfect product awaits.
That’s why millions of entrepreneurs are on the platform. Some ClickBank affiliates and vendors have been with them for decades.
But, ultimately, it’s your reputation on the line. You owe it to yourself and your audience to double-check every program before you join it.
Here are some tips to help:
5 Smart Ways Not To Get Burned on ClickBank
To weed out the garbage and uncover the gemstones, follow these tips when choosing a product:
1. Try the product first
You genuinely want to help people, right? Then why not ask for a review sample product from the vendor to see if it’s the real deal. If they say no, buy the product yourself. This way, you’ll be sure of the product’s authenticity.
2. Check the product reviews
Scour through customers’ feedback about the product you intend to sell. Not just reviews by other affiliates because those may be biased. Look for reviews on trusted review sites like Trust Pilot. If the product is popular, it’s likely to have been reviewed somewhere on the web.
3. Check the product’s gravity score
Gravity is the number of affiliates who have sold a vendor’s product in the last 12 weeks. The higher the gravity, the higher the product’s trustworthiness. Each gravity point is an endorsement of the product.
4. Watch out for overblown claims
While it’s possible to make money on ClickBank, it’s not magic. If a program promises you a million dollars overnight while you binge-watch Friends on Netflix, stay away.
They’re fake. They’re tricksters. And they’re out to get you.
Run, and never look back.
5. Be on the lookout for shadowy vendors
Cheats lurk in the shadows. They don’t want to show their faces.
Google vendors that interest you.
Can’t find them? Think twice.
Good vendors have a traceable online history.
Editor’s Note:
These tips aren’t only for ClickBank — smart bloggers and entrepreneurs use them for CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, PeerFly, FlexOffers, Amazon Associates, and every other affiliate network.
It doesn’t matter how much affiliate marketing experience you have or how well known the affiliate network is, you need to do your homework.
How Do I Sign Up for ClickBank?
To sign up for an account, go to ClickBank’s homepage and click on ‘create account’ on the top right side of the menu:
It takes only three simple steps to sign-up:
Step 1: Fill in your personal info
Make sure you complete all fields otherwise you won’t be able to move to the next step.
Click on ‘next step.’
Step 2: Provide your bank details
Remember to check the small box to acknowledge that you’ve read the terms and conditions.
If you want to be paid through your company enter your business name in the Payee field instead of your personal name.
Your bank info is not used to send payments. That’s why they don’t ask for your account number, just the name of your primary bank.
You pick a payment method after your account is created.
Click on ‘next step’ to move on to the last step.
Step 3: Create your account
You’ll then be asked to create a nickname.
Your nickname is your user ID. It’s visible to all customers, so don’t make it too personal.
Affiliate marketing expert Warren Wheeler shares a little-known but powerful secret you can use when creating your ClickBank user ID.
The last step is creating your password. Once you’ve chosen a strong password, click ‘create account’ to finalize your account.
You’ll see a customer survey page. Once you see it, know that your account is now active.
Congratulations!
You’re now ready to do business on one of the biggest affiliate marketplaces in the world.
How Does ClickBank Work? Crucial Code Terms To Master
Before you begin choosing ClickBank affiliate programs, be sure to familiarize yourself with the language used on the platform.
Here are some key ClickBank terms to master:
- Gravity – This figure tells you how many affiliates have successfully sold the product in the past 12 weeks. The higher the gravity the greater your chances of succeeding with that program. It’s updated daily and can go up to 600+. A product with a gravity score of at least 50 is a safe bet.
- Initial $/Sale – This number portrays the average dollar value of an initial sale, excluding rebills, credited to the affiliate.
- Avg %/Sale – Represents the average affiliate commission percentage for a sale, including both initial and rebill commissions.
- Avg %/Rebill – Represents the average total affiliate commission percentage for a sale, including only rebill commission, for a recurring billing product.
Your true north? The one metric that should guide you?
Gravity.
Why?
Because it shows you what’s selling now.
All other metrics are secondary.
Most affiliate marketers rush headlong, look for the product with the biggest commission and highest gravity.
That’s the wrong way to go about it.
Here’s how to do it right…
How To Make Money With ClickBank: Unearthing Gem Programs And Sidestepping Rubble
Let’s say you want to sell a health and fitness product.
First, click on the affiliate marketplace on the menu and then choose your category on the left:
You’ll then see a list of products displayed. You can choose how the results are sorted: popularity, Ave $/Sale, Initial $/Sale, Ave %/Sale, Gravity, and so on.
Results are sorted according to a program’s popularity by default. Zoom into the product that meets your predetermined metrics. Two crucial metrics to consider are gravity and Average $/Sale aka your cut.
Here’s a product with potential:
With a high gravity of 137 and a fine commission of $66, this program can be a moneymaker. Now that you’ve found a good product, it’s time to click promote and enjoy the delightful ka-ching cash register sound, right?
Not so fast, my friend.
Dig deeper.
Go to the program’s affiliate page to find out more about the product.
Always be on the lookout for vendors with affiliate promotion tools pages. These are serious vendors who have done the heavy lifting for you to make your work easier.
Typical tools you’ll find include:
- Banners
- Product images
- Videos
- Pre-sell content
- Email Swipes
- Keywords
- Press releases
- Landing pages
- Customer demographics
Here’s an example:
Surely with all these materials on hand, even a slacker like you can make this work. 🙂 Remember, these tools are tried and tested. Use them as they are. Only tweak them if you are double sure the change will make them a better fit for your audience.
Another cool tip is to search for discounts on the affiliate program page so you get a bigger cut.
When you’re done, click promote, fill in your account details, and grab the affiliate links you’ll use to promote the product:
That’s how you join a solid program.
Now, want to explode your profits?
How To Make Money On ClickBank: 4 Top Tips to Rake In Big Bucks
I won’t lie to you.
Making money on ClickBank, like anything worthwhile, won’t be smooth sailing, especially at the beginning.
It’ll take creativity, trial and error, a jumbo size coffee urn for that much-needed caffeine fix — and loads of patience.
Here are 4 tips to help get you started:
1. Don’t be obsessed with high gravity and $/Sale
It’s not necessarily the product with the highest gravity or Ave$/Sale you should focus on.
Programs with a very high Av$/Sale have stiffer competition.
And, they usually have lower conversions.
Those in the middle have higher conversions.
Find the right balance.
2. Wrap up your offer in relevant content
Successful affiliate offers hinge on context. You can put the offer on your newsletter, a high-performing blog post, or on a ‘products we recommend’ page.
Here’s a little case study of this tactic right here on Smart Blogger. Click on ‘Tools We Recommend’ on the menu and you’ll see this:
What I love about this is that they don’t just provide a bare shopping list of resources like many sites do. They package their recommendations in the form of a post. This way the endorsements look natural, not forced.
The result? More sales.
You can craft a special piece of content for specific offers.
Think of it like a jigsaw puzzle. Your free content provides a piece that can only be completed by the offer.
3. Get the product/audience fit right
With thousands of flashy products on show, the temptation to promote any top-selling program to your audience is strong.
Resist it.
Two reasons:
- If your offers aren’t a good fit for your audience, you won’t make money, period. Eventually, you’ll get discouraged and curse the ClickBank gurus for ‘misleading’ you.
- Offers that don’t resonate with your audience will wear them down. They’ll develop ‘offer blindness’. They won’t respond to future offers. Ultimately, they’ll stop trusting you.
Only join programs that add value to your audience.
It’s best for everyone.
Your audience will adore you for proposing great products to them.
You’ll make more money.
4. Create an evergreen YouTube funnel
Take advantage of the powers of YouTube, the second largest search engine, to set up a high-converting ClickBank funnel.
Here’s how:
- Find a good niche product to promote
- Search for popular content related to the product on YouTube
- Dissect the content to see why it’s popular
- Produce similar content in your own YouTube channel
Link to the product in your video. Watch the money come in like clockwork.
Need a real-life example? Check out this review of a popular ClickBank product, The Flat Belly Fix.
ClickBank Review Verdict: Boo or Bravo?
Let me ask again.
Can you make money on ClickBank?
Absolutely.
Just be sure to do your homework.
If you thoroughly vet the programs, you’ll cash in.
Many folks like you make $50-$100 a day on ClickBank. That’s a yummy $1500+ passive monthly income made while you catch some Z’s.
You can do it too. Hop over to ClickBank and get started now.
The post ClickBank: The Brutally Honest, Must-Read Guide for 2019 appeared first on Smart Blogger.
from
https://smartblogger.com/clickbank/
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Proofreading: 7 Editing Tips That’ll Make You a Better Writer in 2019
There are some bloggers who seem to have a natural gift when it comes to writing. Some bloggers seem to be naturally gifted writers.
They manage to get their ideas across clearly and economically, which means that readers can easily follow what they write. Readers devour their clear, economical prose.
Not only is there a lot of respect for what they have to say, but also the way that they say it. People respect what they say — and love how they say it.
Whenever they publish a new post on their blog, it always gets dozens of comments and hundreds of shares. Every new blog post attracts dozens of comments and hundreds of shares.
It would be great to be as successful as they are, but you don’t know what you need to do to make your writing better. You’d love to emulate their success, but you don’t know how.
The good news is that there are some proofreading and editing tips that you can easily learn which will improve everything you write from now on. Fortunately for you, a few simple proofreading and editing tips can transform your writing forever.
Copy Editors and Proofreaders: The Unfair Advantage Popular Writers Try to Hide
You know your writing heroes? Would you be shocked to learn that their writing is no better than yours?
Sure, the end product is better, but the first draft is just as clumsy, flabby, and downright difficult to read as any of your own writing efforts.
What popular bloggers know that many people don’t know (or don’t want to believe) is that a post isn’t finished simply because they’ve said everything they want to say. In many ways that’s just the beginning.
Think of your draft as a rough diamond. Value is hidden inside it and you need an expert gem cutter to reveal its beauty and clarity.
Which is why many top bloggers hire a copy editor or proofreading service to transform their rough diamonds into gleaming jewels. That’s right — someone else is helping them.
Somewhat unfair, right?
No wonder their writing seems so much better than yours.
Fortunately, editing isn’t rocket science. It’s easy to learn how to proofread and edit your own posts like a pro — if you have someone to show you how.
So let’s break down the rules that’ll help you transform your unremarkable draft into a perfectly polished post.
7 Proofreading & Editing Tips That’ll Transform Your Next Post
Tip #1. Don’t Pad Your Prose with Empty Filler Words
Grammar expletives are literary constructions that begin with the words it, here, or there followed by a form of the verb to be.
(Expletive comes from the Latin explere, meaning to fill. Think smelly literary landfill).
Common constructions include it is, it was, it won’t, it takes, here is, there is, there will be.
The problem? When it, here, and there refer to nouns later in the sentence or — worse — to something unnamed, they weaken your writing by shifting emphasis away from the true drivers of your sentences. And they usually require other support power words such as who, that, and when, which further dilute your writing.
Let’s look at an example:
Train yourself to spot instances of there, here, and it followed by a to be verb (such as is, are, was, and were) and adjust your sentences to lead with the meat and potatoes of those sentences instead.
(Tip: Use your word processor’s find functionality and search for there, here, and it and determine if you’ve used an expletive).
Other before-and-after examples:
- It’s fun to edit — Editing is fun
- It takes time to write — Writing takes time
- There are many people who write — Many people write
- There’s nothing better than blogging — Nothing’s better than blogging
- Here are some things to consider: — Some things to consider are:
Caveat: If you previously described an object using there, here, and it, you’re not guilty of an expletive infraction. For example:
- I love proofreading. It’s fun. (This is not an expletive construction since I previously described what it refers to.)
Tip #2. Don’t Weaken the Action with Wimpy Words
Not only does to be conspire with it, there, and here to create nasty grammar expletives, but it’s also responsible for its own class of sentence impairing constructions.
Certain uses of to be in its various forms weaken the words that follow. The solution is to replace these lightweights with more powerful alternatives.
Let’s see some before-and-after examples:
- She is blogging — She blogs
- People are in love with him — People love him
- He is aware that people love him — He knows people love him
Other verbs besides to be verbs can lack strength as well. Use visceral verbs or verbs that express some action. Let’s edit:
- Give out — Offer
- Find out — Discover
- Make it clearer — Clarify
- I can’t make it to the party — I can’t attend the party
- He went to Mexico — He traveled to Mexico
- Think of a blogging strategy — Devise a blogging strategy
Tip #3. Don’t Cripple Your Descriptions with Feeble Phrases
Weak adjectives sap the strength from your writing just as nefariously as weak verbs. Use the best adjectives possible when describing nouns and pronouns. And be mindful that certain words, like really and very, usually precede weak adjectives. Take a look:
- Really bad — Terrible
- Really good — Great
- Very big — Huge
- Very beautiful — Gorgeous
Even if you don’t have a telltale really or very preceding an adjective, you can often give your writing more impact by using stronger alternatives:
- Dirty — Filthy
- Tired — Exhausted
- Scared — Terrified
- Happy — Thrilled
Even worse than using weak adjectives is using weak adjectives to tell your readers what something isn’t as opposed to telling them what something is:
- It’s not that good — It’s terrible
- He’s not a bore — He’s hilarious
- He’s not very smart — He’s ignorant
Tip #4. Trim Flabby Words and Phrases
Today’s readers have limited time and patience for flabby writing. Their cursors hover over the back button, so say what you mean as concisely as possible before your readers vanish:
- But the fact of the matter is — But (Avoid flabby colloquial expressions when possible)
- Editing is absolutely essential — Editing is essential (Absolutely is redundant)
- You’re going to have to edit your work — You’ll have to edit your work or You must edit your work (Going to and going to have to are flabby expressions)
- Due to the fact that editing takes time, some people avoid it — Because editing takes time, some people avoid it
- Every single person should love editing — Every person should love editing (Single is redundant; and shouldn’t married people love editing too? 😉 )
Tip #5. Don’t Pussyfoot Around Your Verbs and Adjectives
Nominalization occurs when a writer uses a weak noun equivalent when a stronger verb or adjective replacement is available. Like expletives, nominals usually introduce other unnecessary words when used.
Count the number of words in the before-and-after examples below, and you will witness how badly nominals weaken your writing:
- Give your post a proofread — Proofread your post (verb form)
- Alcohol is the cause of hangovers — Alcohol causes hangovers (verb form)
- The plane’s approach was met with the scramble of emergency crews — The plane approached and emergency crews scrambled. (verb form)
- He shows signs of carelessness — He is careless (adjective form)
- She has a high level of intensity — She is intense (adjective form)
Tip #6. Throw Out the Rulebook on Punctuation
The rules around punctuation can be complicated, even for the humble comma.
But do you truly need to know the difference between a serial comma, an Oxford comma, and a Harvard comma to write a great blog post? Of course not. (And it’s a trick question — they’re all the same.)
So my philosophy on commas is simple:
Use commas sparingly if you prefer, but if excluding a comma MAKES YOUR READER STOP READING, add another bleepin’ comma — regardless of what any comma police may say.
Let’s look at an example:
By not including a comma between editing and and, I read this sentence and asked myself, “I can ignore editing and people reading my post? Really?” Of course, readers work out the intended meaning a moment later, but by that time, they’ve already stalled.
So, regardless of what comma rule I may break by adding a comma to this sentence, as long as my readers don’t get confused and stop reading, I don’t care — and neither should you.
Let’s look at another example that needs a comma for clarity:
By not including a comma between success and you, I read this sentence and asked myself, “Is success something you can pull out of a golden pen?”
Regardless of your stance on commas, you ultimately want your readers to keep reading. You want them to continue down your slippery slope of powerful content and transitional phrases all the way to your call to action — without getting jarred from their trance to contemplate commas with their inner editors or a Google search.
Tip #7. Be As Manipulative As Possible
You won’t use this technique often, but at least be mindful of it.
When we use two nouns together with the first noun modifying the second, we are using noun modifiers. I like them because they hack the flab from our writing by shortening our sentences. Let’s review some examples:
- Tips on editing — Editing tips
- Great advice on how to boost traffic — Great traffic-boosting advice (Traffic-boosting is a compound noun here)
- Information regarding registration — Registration information
These sentences have prepositions between the noun sets. Whenever you spot this construction, try to implement this noun-modifying technique.
Proofreading is Easy. So, What’s Your Excuse Now?
These proofreading and editing tips are not magical, mystical, or complicated. In fact, you could consider them downright boring, plain, and inconsequential.
But applying smart proofreading rules is what separates your heroes from the masses, catapults them to success, and makes readers say, “I don’t know what it is about their writing, but it’s absolutely fantastic.”
Look at it this way: You’ve expended a ton of effort on starting your blog, SEO, content marketing, networking, and social media promotion, all in the hopes that you might make money blogging as more people begin noticing your blog. So when they arrive, shouldn’t your next post blow their socks off too?
And how about your last post and the one before that? (Yes, you can apply these rules to your old posts too!)
Or are you one of those writers who think they write well enough already? Well, you might be surprised by just how many of these crimes against clarity you’re committing.
Open one of your posts right now and see how many of these editing tips you can apply.
Read each word of your post. Is the word an expletive? Is it a weak verb? A weak adjective? Does it represent nominalization or flab or break any of the other rules mentioned in this post?
Run each word of your post through this checklist of editing tips. You will find something to improve. And your writing will be 100% more powerful as a result.
Because the search for perfection never ends.
And your writing is never too good.
Sure, proofreading and editing take time.
And yes, you’re already busy enough.
But your writing heroes edit, and they land the guest posts, book deals, and exposure you only wish you could.
So, take a break from #amwriting and start #amediting right now.
Your success will thank you.
And so will I.
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Influencer Partnerships: How to Navigate Influencer Usage Rights and Repurpose Content
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Thursday, July 11, 2019
How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process)
Writing a bio is hard.
You have to knock ’em dead with two or three dazzling sentences that show you’re a likable, credible, and accomplished expert.
When readers read your bio, they must believe you’re the answer to their prayers — a superhero who will swoop in and solve the big problem keeping them awake at night.
No pressure, right?
Here’s the good news:
Learning how to write a bio that dazzles readers doesn’t require feats of strength or the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
No, all you have to do is keep reading. Because in this post, I’m going to show you a simple three-step process for writing a bio readers will adore. But first, we’ll look at a few short bio examples that make readers run for the exits.
Let’s dive in.
The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)
#1: Making It All About You
Thanks for sharing, Jill. But do I really care? Nah.
It’s confusing, I know. “Bio” is short for biography, which suggests it should be all about you. But the main purpose of your author bio is to show your audience how you can help them solve their problem with the skills you bring to the table.
So, it’s not about you, Jill. It’s about them.
What to Do Instead:
In this post on sensory words, using almost the same number of words as Jill, Kevin gives us just enough information about himself to tell us what he does and how he helps his audience.
It’s clear, precise, and focused on the outcome, not on Kevin. He uses phrases like “hone their writing skills,” and “stand out from the crowd,” which directly target the deep-rooted desires of aspiring writers. He speaks their language.
Here’s another tip: It’s usually best to write in the third person, as Kevin does in the above bio example. It’s more professional.
#2: Writing a Condensed Resume, or a Laundry List of Accomplishments
Your bio is not a dumping ground for your career path and qualifications. It’s a tiny elevator pitch that’s selling you as a credible solver of your reader’s problems.
So don’t list every degree you have or talk about your first job out of school. Readers don’t really care. They only care whether or not you have the solutions they are looking for.
What to Do Instead:
Your bio should only include details about yourself that directly relate to your audience’s problem.
Think about your career, education, and skills, and then carefully select the most pertinent facts that are going to impress the audience you are writing for. Like this:
Jessi tells us the most important thing about herself (that she is a book editor), and what she can do for her audience (get their books into print), while establishing her credibility (“best-selling,” “editor-in-chief”).
Everything she mentions is designed to appeal to the audience she’s trying to reach.
#3: Sharing Irrelevant Details or Stuff You Think Your Audience Should Care About
This sample bio is from someone whose expertise is content and affiliate marketing, although he hides it well.
Much like your degrees and career path, your audience doesn’t care about your hobbies, passions, and personal philosophies either, unless they directly impact the problem they’re trying to solve.
What to Do Instead:
As mentioned earlier, only share the details that your audience will find relevant.
If you’re mad keen on knitting and you’re writing for an arts and crafts blog, then go ahead and mention your passion. It’s relevant. But don’t tell them about your cat, unless Fluffy can knit too.
#4: Trying to Cram Too Much In
Okay, so you’ve managed to include only relevant details about yourself, so you’re safe. Right?
Not if you included too many of them.
Like this one from Jo. She’s had an impressive career, but her bio feels endless:
This is way too much information.
Writing your own bio can be hard. Sometimes you’re too close to the subject matter to realize what’s important and what can be left out. But your bio isn’t the place to share your entire life story. You need to be picky.
What to Do Instead:
With some careful pruning, the real gems hidden away in Jo’s bio can be given center stage:
Go through your bio word by word and ask yourself, “Does this bit of information make any difference to my audience?”
If the answer is no, take it out, and limit your bio to two or three sentences.
#5: Being Overly Formal (a.k.a. Boring)
If you’re anything like me, you had to read this bio more than once to get a sense of what Joe does. It’s way too formal. Most people will just glaze over this.
What to Do Instead:
Instead of using stilted words and phrases like “maximize their online real estate” and “engender business growth” Joe missed a great opportunity to make himself stand out from the crowd by creating a point of interest.
Perhaps he could have started with something like:
Do you see how that might grab a few more eyeballs, cut through the noise, and make an impact with his target audience of doctors?
#6. Being Vague (or Overly Woo-Woo)
Hands up, whoever doesn’t have a clue what this person is talking about. What does she do? How does she help solve my problem? Why should I be interested in her?
You need to avoid ambiguous phrases like “inspiration for growth” and “find their way through the dark.” These phrases might have a nice ring to them, but they mean very little to your reader. They’re too open to interpretation.
What to Do Instead:
You don’t have time to beat around the bush in your bio. Get straight to the point. Like this:
In two sentences, Cecile tells me everything I need to know about what she does and how she can help me. No fluff, no messing about, and a juicy opt-in bribe to seal the deal.
The 3-Step Process to Writing a Click-Worthy Author Bio
So now you can see where you might’ve gone wrong with your bio after you started your blog, and you’re dying to write a new version of it. But how do you ensure your next bio won’t commit the same blunders?
Easy. Just follow this simple three-step process to write a bio that your ideal readers can’t resist clicking.
Step #1: Introduce Yourself with a Bang
This is where you tell the audience who you are and what makes you different (while avoiding the common blunders we’ve just discussed). You need to spark their interest and curiosity and get them to say, “Tell me more.”
Let’s start with this example from a blogger in the personal development niche.
This tells me what Sue does, but it’s rather dull and same-y in a sea full of personal development blogs. There’s nothing here to set her apart or pique our interest.
Let’s give it a twist:
That sounds a bit more interesting. Sue manages to appeal to her audience on different levels by sounding educated, professional, and personable at the same time. Describing herself as an “agony aunt” downplays the more clinical “social scientist.”
I’m curious to know more, and it certainly makes her distinctive.
But there’s another angle Sue could take:
Now, this one is more similar to the first example, but the difference is that it adds more credibility — “certified psychologist” sounds much more credible than “has a degree in,” which suggests she’s fresh out of college — but it also sets her apart more.
She has a specialty, which gives her ideas on the topic more weight than others. If you suffer from social anxiety, you’d want to listen to the expert on it, right?
Compare also:
This version goes even further in establishing Sue’s credibility. Not only has she published multiple books on the topic of social anxiety, but she’s even been featured on some well-known media channels, adding social proof to her expertise.
We’ve talked before about not delivering a laundry list of accomplishments, but if you have specific accomplishments that make you stand out, those are worth including.
Here’s an excellent bio example that both offers a point of interest and adds credibility:
Jessica doesn’t just say she’ll help you write a business plan, she mentions she has an “outside-the-box approach,” which immediately makes you curious what that approach is. Then she steps it up even more by mentioning her approach has collectively raised $50 million in financing. That’s nothing to sneeze at and creates instant credibility.
It’s an excellent bio that will absolutely pique her audience’s interest.
Step #2: Call Out Your Audience and Say How You Help Them
Remember, this isn’t about you, it’s about what you can do for your audience. So you need to define who they are and what problem of theirs (their key fear or desire) you can solve.
You should aim for both a logical and emotional connection. It’s tough, but do-able.
Let’s take Kim, a blogger in the parenting niche:
By using language most parents will relate to and zeroing in on their fears, Kim makes a strong emotional connection. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the practical (logical) solution Kim offers.
Note: Of course, Kim’s bio would be even further improved if she linked to an incentive rather than her homepage. More on that in the next step!
Here’s another example:
Jessica clarifies immediately who she helps (busy people) and how she helps them (by re-energizing them through food, yoga, and wellness strategies).
You must be absolutely clear about this. If readers can’t identify themselves in your bio and see you have the solution they’re looking for, they will move on.
Step 3: Offer an Irresistible Reason to Click
You’ve told your audience who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. You’ve impressed them with your credentials and sparked their curiosity.
They’re ready to move to second base, but they need that last push. An irresistible reason to click through to your site and sign up. You need to offer an incentive.
Take a look at this bio:
Boom! In 46 carefully curated words, Henneke tells us who she is, what she does, how she can help, and then gives us a gold-plated reason for parting with our email address.
Her free report is 16 parts, but it’s “snackable,” which makes it sound very easy to digest. And it’s for “busy people,” which shows Henneke understands her audience. She promises results and cleverly relates this back to her own blog, Enchanting Marketing.
Unfortunately, we can’t all steal Henneke’s bio, but we can use it as a fine example of how to write our own.
Ready to Write Your Best Bio Ever?
Writing a bio like a superhero is simple, but it’s not easy, so give your bio the time it requires. You should brainstorm several options for each of the steps.
Bios are hard to craft, but they are also one of the most effective pieces of marketing you can create when you get it right.
You now know how to write a bio your audience will love. They’ll want to know more and they won’t be able to resist your free offer.
They’ll see you as a credible, personable problem-solver. Their problem-solver.
And they’ll click through to your site, ready and willing to hand over their email address to their new blogging superhero.
You.
Note: For a handy visual reminder of the six bio blunders you can download or share on your own website, check out the image below:
Embed This Infographic On Your Site:
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