Tag: Blogging

3 OF THE BEST INTROVERT-FRIENDLY MARKETING STRATEGIES

 I know exactly where you are, fellow introvert.

You’ve been focussing your marketing efforts on Instagram for a while now.

You’ll spend ages creating graphics and editing images for the ‘gram, before you edit and re-edit the perfect caption, add those all important hashtags and spend enough time engaging to bring people back to your post, once your post has gone live. 

You put pressure on yourself to be active on your Instagram stories daily and you’ve seen the articles about needing to post everyday to gain traction. 

And perhaps recently you’ve felt like the effort you’re putting into social media isn’t rewarding you in the way it once was. In fact, social media has become an exhausting time suck – but the annoying thing is that, you’re kinda reliant on it now because you’ve neglected your other marketing channels. 

And perhaps you’ve also run some live launches. And it was great at the time, it gave you a buzz and it delivered results but afterwards you felt done in. 

And for several weeks you simply didn’t have the energy to show up as much as you would have liked across your marketing channels. 

How do I know this?

I’ve been there, this is my story as well as yours. But – I want you to know I have discovered a much more introvert-friendly way to do marketing in your business.

Not so long ago I was focusing all of my marketing efforts into Instagram and regular launches. But to cut a long story short, I ended up burnt out. 

Without any energy left to keep going, I discovered that Instagram isn’t actually ‘all that’. I was forced (luckily) to find more introvert-friendly, sustainable approaches to marketing. 

It’s easy to fall into the trap of spending all of your time and energy on creating Instagram posts, scrolling the app, and feeling overwhelmed by DMs. 

But more recently I know I’m not the only one who was found that you’ve got to put 5 times the effort into social media to get the same results.

How would it feel to be focussed on introvert-friendly marketing instead? 

How would it feel to take the pressure off yourself to be speaking to camera every day and ‘doing reels’? 

Imagine if you could find a way to do your marketing while curled up on the sofa in your PJs! Read on fellow introvert! 

None of these introvert-friendly marketing strategies are going to be things you’ve never heard of before, in fact you might think – well DUH! But here’s the kicker – you might know all about these marketing strategies, BUUUT are you actually doing them right now? Or is social media gobbling up every last bit of your time and energy? Let’s dive in.

Introvert strategy 1: Blogging

At this point, blogging feels like the oldest trick in the book. It almost feels like blogging was the OG of online marketing and things have moved on since then. You don’t tend to hear people talking about blogging so much anymore, it’s all about Instagram reels and smashing your next launch. 

But when you’re talking about introvert friendly marketing – marketing that is going to reward you in the long run not, just in the next couple of days this is absolutely where your attention needs to be. 

Consistent blogging and building up your bank of evergreen content is a sure fire way to drive organic traffic to your website – where they can find their way onto your mailing list and into your online shop and courses. 

Here’s why blogging is such an introvert friendly way to do inbound marketing… you can do it in your pyjamas with a cup of tea curled up in bed, you can do it from your garden chair, you can do it by dictating into your voice notes whilst out on a walk, and editing it onto your blog later. 

I know blogging can feel overwhelming. We make ourselves believe that blogging is a huge ordeal (and it absolutely can be if you make it an ordeal) – but it doesn’t need to be! 

If you’re not blogging right now, the best place to start is by creating a healthy blogging habit that helps you find the JOY in it, before you get bogged down in keyword research and meta tags. 

Your next step? Creating a consistent blogging routine that you can stick to. 

How about, you challenge yourself to blog everyday for a couple of weeks? It doesn’t need to be War and Peace in length, it doesn’t need to be filled with beautiful imagery, and it doesn’t need to be endlessly researched for the perfect keywords – at this stage you just need to focus on building the Habit.

Introvert strategy 2: Pinterest

Pinterest is my happy place. 

When you’re scrolling Pinterest you’re thinking about your own life, and getting inspired and excited about the possibilities – your dream home, your business development, that clever organization system for your wardrobe. On Pinterest, you collect images and links to blog posts that inspire and inform you.

Whereas on Instagram, you’re looking at what’s going on for other people as you endlessly scroll. And so often this leads to comparison, frustration and that feeling of not enough-ness. 

So why wouldn’t you want to hang out and do your marketing in a place that makes you feel happy and inspired!? 

It’s also another platform that’s all about imagery, so if you love creating beautiful graphics, photography and faffing about in canva – this is the platform for you.

Here’s why Pinterest is one of the most introvert-friendly marketing strategies… it’s NOT a social Media platform, it is a search engine. Think of it as Google for images. That means no commenting and no exhausting DMs – just inspiring imagery and creating beautifully curated moodboards. Yes please! Perfect for introverts like us! 

The basic premise of Pinterest is that you create graphics and upload them to your Pinterest account, linking through to content on your website. 

This is where Pinterest works hand in hand with blogging. You create a pinnable image, or perhaps ten pinnable images for each of your blog posts, and pin them to the relevant boards on your Pinterest account. 

Once you get into the swing of it it’s really enjoyable and easy. And once you’ve mastered the basics there’s no end of geekery you can get into around keywords and optimizing your graphics if you feel so inclined. 

Introvert strategy 3: Evergreen marketing funnel

When we talk about marketing in business what we really mean is creating connections with our audience, and nurturing them through the customer journey – from discovering us, to knowing, liking and trusting us, to becoming a customer. 

One way of doing this is to do all of the legwork by being present on social media and running regular live launches – but that’s not a sustainable approach for you, fellow introvert. 

For us introverts, we can subsidies or even eventually replace the need for live launches and social media by setting up clever, automated systems that nurture our audience along that customer journey without us having to be there 24/7 – AKA an evergreen marketing funnel. 

An evergreen marketing Funnel can take lots of different forms, but let’s say you set one up that invites visitors to your website to opt-in to a free offer. 

Let’s say someone has Googled something that has led them to land on one of your blog posts. From there they see a link to sign up for your free lead magnet, that is going to help them overcome a pain point and give them some quick wins that will help them get the result they want. 

Once they have signed up for your free offer, and therefore opted-in to receive your emails, you then follow up with a sequence of automated emails or other content that continues to give value and nurture this person through your customer journey. 

Later on in your evergreen marketing funnel, you invite this person to learn more about how your offers could help them, and give them the opportunity to become a customer. 

Perhaps you’re thinking – sales funnels – grooooosss. Don’t they have to be really gross and aggressive to actually work? And that’s definitely not me. 

We’ve all seen really gross sales funnels out there. But that’s NOT what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about a value-driven and feel good approach to marketing funnels –  and an evergreen sales funnel might just be the answer to increasing your business income. 

And let me reassure you, it is possible to build funnels that deliver value and serve your audience with integrity. These is the kind of sales funnels I build for my clients.

Tailwind Communities: Why & How to Use Them for Pinterest Success

 The Tailwind Communities feature is one of my favorites. (Probably my number one favorite – although it’s hard to choose just one!). It’s extremely powerful for Pinterest growth and traffic, for both small and big accounts.

I’ll break down why I love Tailwind Communities (formerly known as Tailwind Tribes) so much, why they’re so useful, and how to make the most out of them. Because there will probably be a lot to choose from, and you want to pick the best ones for you!

What are Tailwind Communities?

The Tailwind Communities feature allows you to share your awesome pins with other pinners in your niche (and vice versa). They share your pins to their audiences, which puts your pins in front of more potential new followers.

It’s an easy way to super-charge your Pinterest reach with barely any extra effort. Really, you can’t afford not to try them! And, I have great news: Tailwind now has a free forever plan that includes access to 5 Tailwind Communities. Yep, you heard that right!

Essentially, you select which Communities you want to join (you’ll have access to a certain number based on your Tailwind plan), then you submit some pins to them each month. Then, other members of the Community may re-share your pin to their own audiences, because often the rules ask that you re-share as many as you submit.

Why are Tailwind Communities so great?

We’ll start with the most obvious reason: Tailwind Communities can get your pins shared by other pinners, including pinners with large audiences.

When I go to my analytics and view my top pins, I can see under the “source” column that most of my top pins originated from other accounts (not mine). That either means it’s a pin directly from my website, or it’s a pin from a Tailwind Community.

Aside from the fact that they can explode your Pinterest reach – especially if you don’t have a lot of followers yet – Tailwind Communities give your Pinterest account a boost in other ways.

When a pin is re-shared via Tailwind Communities, it’s seen by Pinterest as a new pin – not a re-pin. This sends signals to Pinterest that others are pinning your content even from outside the platform, which is an indicator that you create share-able content. This helps strengthen your account, and can help grow your traffic.

Additionally, you can use Communities to test out different pin templates and see which are most appealing. (The ones that get the most re-shares are probably your best bet!)

How to Find the Best Communities for You

Start by navigating to the ‘Communities’ section of your Tailwind dashboard. Select ‘Find a Community’ and type in a keyword related to your business niche.

You should see a list of related Tailwind Communities pop up. (You may need to go more broad or more granular with your topic, depending on the options that appear).

It’s important to evaluate a Community’s stats before you join. You can tell a Community is high quality if it has a lot of engagement. The green bars next to the Community’s name will tell you how active it is.

Click the ‘preview Community’ button, and you’ll be able to see its detailed stats on the left hand side of the screen.

Check if the Community is active, and if they have good re-share and re-pin metrics compared to other Communities in your niche. These are good signs that it’s worth joining.

When deciding which Communities to join, consider your niche and your audience. Does the Community’s description align with the type of pins and content you share? Often, it’s better to join a smaller Community that’s more in line with your business than a larger, more generic one.

Some Communities are public, and some can only be joined by request or invitation.

How to join exclusive Tailwind Communities

If a Community has a button next to it that says ‘Request to Join’, that’s an ‘exclusive’ Community. But all that means is that the Community creator wants to vet people before they join. You’ll just need to include an introduction about yourself and the type of content you create.

There is another way to find invitations for exclusive Communities, though. Try Googling the name of the Community in quotation marks + the words ‘Tailwind Community’. You may be able to find a direct link to join.

Another good way to find invite links is to find out who the Community owner is. Check out their blog posts related to Tailwind – they may have included a link there.

Either way, if you create quality pins and aren’t doing anything shady on Pinterest, most of your requests should be approved!

Essential Strategy Tips

Here are some ways to take full advantage of the Tailwind Communities feature!

1. Submit your pins to Tailwind Communities at different times and days throughout the week.

For example, share a pin to half your Communities on Monday, and the other half on Thursday. Doing this makes it more likely your pins will be seen by different pinners throughout the week. Experiment and see which times work best for getting more re-shares.

2. Always make sure your pin has a title, description, and the proper URL before you submit to a Community.

If it doesn’t have a title or description, other pinners won’t be able to re-share it. And if it doesn’t link to the right page, that can negatively affect user experience AND you can lose traffic.

3. Be sure to follow the Community rules.

Always share more pins than you submit, and don’t be a spammer! Most communities ask that you only submit a certain amount of pins each day.

4. Continue to evaluate your Communities.

Monitor your Community analytics occasionally, and if a Community isn’t getting you very good reach, consider leaving and trying another one. You don’t have to use the same ones forever. It’s all about what works best for you!

5. Once you start to see some traction, think about purchasing a Communities Power-Up.

For most niches, there are way more than 5 or 10 relevant Communities. Being able to join more Communities and submit more pins can multiply your reach even further. Personally, I pay for a Communities Power-Up, and it’s absolutely been worth it for my business.

Again, Tailwind has a free plan which lets you schedule 20 pins per month AND you can use Tailwind Communities. Really, there’s no reason not to sign up!

How to Use Tailwind for Pinterest: The Ultimate Strategy Guide

 In this post, I’ll walk you through how to use Tailwind for Pinterest. Most importantly, I’ll reveal the exact strategies I use to get the most out of it (so you can, too!).

If you haven’t heard of Tailwind, it’s a game-changing scheduling app for Pinterest. It makes Pinterest marketing feel like a cake walk.

It’s hands-down my favorite social media tool for business.

Not only does it allow you to schedule your pins in advance, but it also has many other features, including Tailwind Communities (similar to group boards, but even better) and killer analytics.

Plus, Tailwind is an official partner of Pinterest, so that tells you they’re doing something right!

You’ll see the best results if you use Tailwind as a tool for elevating your Pinterest strategy. If you haven’t yet, I recommend optimizing your Pinterest profile and implementing a strong Pinterest SEO strategy.

Why is Tailwind so important for business owners?

There are many reasons why Tailwind is so powerful for small businesses and creative entrepreneurs. Here are the big ones:

  • You can schedule pins at optimal times so you don’t have to be on Pinterest when you don’t want to be (yes, that means you can finally take a vacation!)
  • It increases your reach & traffic on Pinterest by incentivizing other pinners to share your pins
  • It saves you time by making it easy to find content to share
  • You can easily loop your pins and schedule intervals to re-share your content without spamming
  • You can track which pins you’ve already pinned to your own boards & your group boards (and how long ago you shared them)

Is Tailwind worth it?

I can’t promise you that you’ll get a certain number of followers, or a specific volume of traffic. But I CAN tell you how much of an impact it’s had on my own business.

Since joining Tailwind, my re-pin rates and click rates have gone up drastically, too. And really, when you use Pinterest for business, clicks should be your ultimate goal.

These are my personal results, but Tailwind also publishes the typical results of members every year.

They have a free plan, which lets you schedule 20 pins per month AND you can use Tailwind Communities, too!

Try it out and see if you like it! It’s hands down the best investment I’ve made in my business. From what I’ve seen, you can get wayyy more bang for your buck with Pinterest + Tailwind than using paid traffic sources like advertising.

Now, let’s move on to how Tailwind works and how to use it strategically to skyrocket your reach on Pinterest.

How to Use Tailwind for Scheduling Pins

One of Tailwind’s main features is its Pinterest scheduling.

It determines the best times for you to pin based on when your audience is typically online, and it queues up pins that you select. That way, you can pin during the best times (when your followers are on the platform) without being on Pinterest at all hours of the night.

You can view your schedule and move pins around easily. You can even shuffle pins, which is especially helpful if you like to batch-pin a lot of similar pins at once.

If you hover over a pin, you can see exactly which board it’s scheduled to pin to, and at what time.

[Mobile] How to schedule a pin to Tailwind from the Pinterest app

Install the Tailwind app

Hold down on an image in the Pinterest app

Select the ‘Send’ button

Tap ‘More Apps’

Tap ‘Tailwind’

Select the board(s) you want to schedule to

Add a keyword-rich description

Tap ‘Schedule’

[Desktop] How to schedule a pin to Tailwind from Pinterest OR from anywhere on the internet

Install the Tailwind extension for Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox

Hover over any image

Click the Tailwind ‘Schedule’ icon

Type in the board(s) you want to schedule to

Add a keyword-rich description

Verify that the correct URL pulled in (it should automatically do this if you’re using the extension on your website)

Click the ‘Add to Queue now’ button

When you schedule a pin, you can also choose to select a custom time, share it to your Tailwind Communities, or add it to your SmartLoops. We’ll go into more detail on Communities later.

If you schedule the pin to multiple boards, you can set a specific interval between shares.

For example, if you want to share a pin to all your group boards, you can space it out by several days so you aren’t spamming.

How to Use Board Lists to Save Time

Board lists are a life-saver when it comes to scheduling a pin to multiple boards. I mainly use them for my group boards, but you can use them for your own boards, too.

Instead of having to schedule your pin to each group board individually, you can create a board list that has all of them. Then, you only have to type that one board list’s name, and they’ll all be selected.

Tip: you can use board lists to keep track of which pins you’ve already added to your group boards.

Here’s how:

Start as if you’re about to add a pin to your queue. You can also do this from your drafts.

Type in your group boards board list, and hit enter.

If an orange exclamation mark appears, that means you’ve shared a pin with that link to at least one of the selected boards.

If you click on the exclamation mark, Tailwind will tell you which boards the pin’s already been shared to and how long ago it was added.

This is so helpful for making sure you’re not adding duplicates if a group board doesn’t allow them. I’m sure I’m not the only one who likes to avoid getting kicked out of group boards! This trick makes it a lot easier to follow board rules.

How to Set Interval Scheduling for a Pin

When you do schedule a pin to multiple boards at once, you want to make sure they won’t be pinned all at once. This is especially important for group boards, since many have a rule that you can only pin a maximum number of pins per day.

That’s where interval scheduling comes in. It allows you to easily space out your pin’s schedule by a certain number of days.

Screenshot Tailwind Interval Scheduling

Here’s how it works:

Click the Tailwind icon to add a pin to your queue

Select the boards or board list you want the pin shared to

Click ‘Set Interval’

Select the date & time you want the interval to start

Choose the number of days to wait before the next time the pin is shared

Choose if you want the timing to be based on open time slots, optimized (create new time slots), or an exact time

View the scheduled preview that appears

If you’re happy with it, click Set Interval

Your pins will now show up in your scheduled queue, spread out based on the interval you set.

Tailwind Communities

Tailwind Communities are similar to group boards. In my opinion, they’re even better!

Each Community is a group of pinners in a particular niche or with a shared purpose. For example, there are Communities for Etsy sellers, bloggers, and all types of online businesses.

You use Communities as you would use group boards: by sharing your own content so others can re-pin it. And, just like for group boards, there’s an expectation that you’ll reciprocate by sharing others’ content from the Community.

It’s a mutual partnership, and the concept works very well. Communities are even better than group boards because it’s easier to tell if someone isn’t following the rules.

Plus, pins that are re-pinned through Tailwind Communities are considered ‘new’ pins, as if they have been saved from your website. This tells Pinterest that your content is high quality and worth sharing.

Another awesome perk of Tailwind Communities: if you create & share quality pins, power pinners might re-share them to their much larger audiences.

I’ve also had pinners share my pins to a bunch of their group boards for even more reach. It’s such a good feeling. And if it can happen for me, it can happen for you, too.

Again, these are my personal results. There’s no guarantee that all of this will happen. But I want to show you it’s possible!

Now, let’s delve further into how to use Tailwind Communities strategically.

How to Share a Pin to Your Tailwind Communities

You can share a pin to your Tailwind Communities the same way you add it to your queue.

Find the pin (in your drafts in the Tailwind app or site, or using the Tailwind extension on Pinterest or your website)

Select the ‘Add to Communities’ button

Choose which Communities to share your pin to, and click ‘Add to Community’

If you hover over the red exclamation point, you can see the last time you added this link to your Communities, if it was with a different image, and when it was added. This helps you avoid adding duplicate pins too often.

Keep in mind: the amount of monthly Community submissions you’ll have depends on your membership level. If you decide you want to share more pins per month than the basic level comes with, you can purchase PowerUps.

To save yourself some time, save a draft of each new pin you create in Tailwind with your description and URL entered. Then, you can easily share it to your Communities at different times throughout the week without having to create a new pin each time.

How do I find the best Communities for me?

If you haven’t joined Tailwind yet, you can use the free plan to explore Communities in your niche and submit 30 pins per month!

You can tell a Community is high quality if it has a lot of engagement. The green bars next to the Community’s name will tell you how active it is.

Click the ‘preview Community’ button, and you’ll be able to see its detailed stats on the left hand side of the screen.

Check if the Community is active, and if they have good re-share and re-pin metrics. These are good indicators that it’s worth joining.

When deciding which Communities to join, consider your niche and your audience. Often, it’s better to join a smaller Community that’s more in line with your business than a larger, more generic one.

Some Communities are public, and some can only be joined by request or invitation.

To get you started, here’s a list of 10 Tailwind Communities for online shops and creative small businesses:

All Handmade Pin Exchange

Artists Unite

#BadassCreatives

Beautiful Printables

Best of Etsy Products

Creative Entrepreneurs

Etsy Handmade Creations | Small Business

Etsy Lovers- All Things Etsy

Promote MeCommerce

Etsy Mini Mall Tribe

And here’s a list of 10 Communities for online entrepreneurs and bloggers:

Action-Taking Business Owners Community

Best Blogging and Social Media Tips

Blog + Biz Babes

Bloggers + Creative Infopreneurs Tribe

Bloggers Chalkboard

Blogging & Social Media Pins [Run By ClarityAvenue]

Digital Marketing Tribe

Share Blog + Biz Tips

Small Biz Besties

Small Business

How do I join exclusive Tailwind Communities?

You can usually request to join an exclusive Community. Be sure to include an introduction about yourself and your business.

If you don’t feel like waiting, however, there are other ways to find invitations.

Secret tip: you can find a link for most exclusive (‘Request to Join’) Tailwind Communities by Googling the name of the Community in quotation marks + the words ‘Tailwind Community’.

Another good way to find invite links is to find out who the Community owner/creator is. Check out their blog posts related to Tailwind to see if they’ve included a link there.

I was able to find a LOT of Community invite links using these methods, and it’s quicker than sending a request to join.

But again, no matter how much you use Tailwind or Communities, you won’t be successful if you don’t create quality pins or follow the Community rules. Nobody likes a spammer!

Tailwind Communities Best Practices

Always share others’ pins more often than you add your own.

Adhere to the Community rules. Some Communities request that you only add a certain amount of pins per day. Others may request that you only add graphics that are longer than they are wide (also known as vertical pins). Be sure you’re only adding pins that are relevant to that Community’s topics.

Typically, these rules are there to discourage spamming and low quality pins. They help make the Community run smoothly, so do your best to follow them!

Continue to Evaluate Your Communities

After you’ve been a Community member for a while, evaluate your stats. See if each Community has been a good fit for you.

You can find this information on the Communities page, under the Community’s description.

Maybe certain topics or types of pins do better than others in that particular Community. Look at the content you’ve shared to see what’s been re-shared the most. That will give you a good idea of the type of pins you should continue sharing to that Community.

You can even create your own Community! Invite others in your circle who you think would be strong contributors.

TIPS FOR CREATING A COMMUNITY AROUND YOUR BUSINESS

 Small business marketing is a tricky business. On the one hand, you want to reach your target audience as widely as possible because you believe in your product and the benefits it can bring to people; on the other hand, you’re no big enterprise – you lack large advertising budgets, and feel as if the competition for the attention of your potential clients is becoming more expensive and more challenging to attain.

So how does one manage, after all, to accurately market a small business, without breaking the bank?

My personal business – Ecommerce , started as a small online store with blog and became a recognized brand in the world of blogging and content. It was built with my own two hands in 2013. Over time, after focusing on my niche and business plan, I decided to use the blog as a platform to begin selling various products .

Soon, my small scale business became very profitable, and it didn’t happen by chance…

I spent a long period of time fostering a virtual community around my blog. My goal being to join together ambitious people from around the globe, who want to take their life into their own hands, and live it to the fullest.   

The community around my blog created the most amazing thing.

Although I recognized its power from the get-go, only, later on, did I realize how essential it is for my business.

Thanks to the community I lovingly nurtured around my brand over the years, I was able to create products that have real demand and reach my targeted audience in the most direct and authentic way possible.

Your business needs a community, too.

Often the idea of ​​building a community around the business is secondary to other aspects of the business – assuming it is in the mind at all. 

As a small business owner, you are most likely preoccupied with technical aspects like production, billing and shipping, sponsored advertisements on various media channels, and more. 

While all these aspects are important, your primary goal should be to build a quality and active community in the long term. The benefits of a community around the business are greater than increasing the traffic to a store or business site and are also beyond creating awareness for the business. Creating a community around the business creates a deeper and more meaningful relationship with the target audience, and in the long run is beneficial to both the business and its customers.

So why is a community an effective marketing tool for a business?

Generating a dedicated audience is often one of the biggest struggles small business owners face. It’s one thing to put a product on the market or offer a service, but it is quite another thing to get people to connect with your brand and buy the product specifically for your small business.

This is exactly where the community comes in.

We, as humans, love to unite. We seek a sense of belonging, to connect with people who share similar values to ours and enjoy the sense of security that the community creates around us. It is more likely that people who receive real value from you, with no exchange, and who share the same values as those of your brand, will prefer to buy a product or service from you rather than trust another business they are less familiar with.

Small Business Marketing Through Community #1 : Start a Blog for Your Business

Some business owners think of a blog as something only “bloggers” need. The fact that a blog can turn into a real business may not sound too far fetched to too many people, but if you ask small business owners to name three ways to promote their business, chances are the word “blog” will not come up in the conversation.

Why’s that? It may be because blogs are still perceived as relatively inferior, or something that is mostly done as a hobby, as opposed to an essential digital asset.

Although there are hardly any businesses that do not already have a website. But a website alone doesn’t always offer enough information, personality or authority to stand out from the competition.

This is exactly where the need for a blog comes up.

In fact, a blog is a powerful marketing tool, with which you can build an entire active community, composed of your target audience, and through which you can offer enjoyable and educational content to your ideal buyers about your products and services. Still wondering if starting a business blog is worth your while? Here are five reasons that’ll make you regret that you haven’t yet started your business blog.

Small Business Marketing Through Community #2 : Be Human, Accessible, and Beneficial

The message that should be relayed to your customers is that behind your business is a real, genuine person. Don’t fake it or try to sound like someone else who seems to be doing it better than you. Use your unique voice and just be yourself. People will connect with your voice and the things you share will resonate with your ideal target audience, which over time will become devoted supporters of your brand.

True, most of us have a hard time with exposure, but the truth is that people love and appreciate honesty and authenticity. When you write a blog post, or share a story on Instagram, don’t direct the attention only at your products and services, but also at the challenges, the values your business is based on, and silly things that go on behind the scenes. Readers will appreciate your honesty and the fact that you care to share things that aren’t usually brought up, which is exactly what will make your business more accessible. Authenticity, accessibility, and vulnerability are the building blocks of a true community.

Now, I totally get it, it could be difficult to introduce your true authentic character through your blog, newsletter, and social media. And that’s absolutely fine. It makes perfect sense that it’ll take you some time, but you should strive to get it done if you want to build an active community around your blog and business.

One more thing and no less important is to be helpful to the community you created. Although there are other ways to get people to return over and over again, from my experience, nothing gives a sense of community like giving providing value and mutual help – sharing personal knowledge, tips, and advice.

Small Business Marketing through Community #3 : Post Quality Content

It all starts with good content. The content you create for your blog and social media should speak to your target audience and provide real value.

If the content you post under your brand isn’t interesting, inspiring, entertaining, or of any educational value, people won’t give it more than 10 seconds, and will definitely not come back for more.

After all, we live in an age full of distractions on all sides, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, thousands of content websites sharing articles at a frantic pace, millions of TV channels and countless magazines, oh yeah, and then there’s real life too… So if you’re not creating content that is different or special in any way, the kind that is helpful to your audience, you’re just not giving them a reason to come back.

Your goal is to produce the best content you can possibly create. I know it takes time, and lots of work, but it is better to post less frequently, than to publish insignificant posts on a daily basis that’ll make your readers leave without turning back.

Small Business Marketing Through Community #4 : Use Branding as a Community Creation Tool

Consistent and proper branding leads to trust and solidarity, which forms the basis for the growth of an engaged and loyal community. The values behind your business should be consistently felt and expressed through the tone of voice that you use to communicate with your target audience in all platforms you have presence in {business website, blog, newsletter, and social media} and the visual features that characterize them {logo, color, photography style, graphics, etc.}.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you really know your target audience. Who are they? What interests them? What areas do they find difficult? Once you’ve defined your target audience you will be able to understand exactly what it is you’re doing and how you can help.                 

A small but excellent exercise that can help you unravel your brand’s focus is to complete the following sentence: I, [profession/business niche], help [target audience] solve [problem] and achieve [benefit].

In my case, for example – I, blogger and entrepreneur, help aspiring creative people overcome the difficulties of modifying up and decor an dull boring surrounding . And achieve beautiful, peaceful , aesthetic ,elegance and a life full of joy.    

Once your business branding becomes holistic and clear, it becomes easier for you to connect with your target audience, create a loyal community that identifies with your brand’s values, build real relationships with other brands based on those values, and avoid things that don’t suit the spirit of your brand.

In the end, once your target audience is able to identify your unique branding,  even if it comes across it outside the boundaries of the business website or store, it means that you succeeded at leaving a real impression on your audience and that you have created an authentic bond.

Small Business Marketing Through Community #5 : Make Sure the Platforms on Which Your Business Operates Are Organized in a Community-friendly Manner

The two things that I find most crucial when creating a community are keeping an ongoing conversation and staying connected over time, so you need to make sure your target audience can easily make those connections with you. Be sure to consider the following :

1. Conversation – Is it easy to comment on the content that you post? Make sure the business blog is designed in a user-friendly way. Check out the blog from a critical point of view and try to leave a comment for one of the posts – Is the comment box easily found? Did you have a hard time leaving a comment {for example, did you have to create a username specific for the website}? Try to make it easy for your readers. If leaving a comment takes too much effort, they’ll most likely give it up.. 

Also, don’t forget to check your inbox and social media for any private messages – being responsive is key. A quick and attentive response directed at your community members will show them that you care and that you are not only interested in pushing your products. If you find it difficult to be available on all different platforms, use an automatic reply bot that sends all your messages to one place, to make sure you don’t miss any! 

2. Keeping in touch – A newsletter is one of the most important tools for building a strong community in the long term. That is why it’s important to make it easy for people to sign up for your newsletter no matter how they encounter your brand – whether it’s through your website, blog, or Instagram. Keep in mind that most people won’t just sign up for the simple sake of being updated, which is why you need to offer them something else of added value {like a free giveaway or a fun discount} to make sure they sign up. If you don’t have an active newsletter you should read this post.

Small Business Marketing Through Community #6 : Consistency is the Name of the Game

Another important tool in creating a community is maintaining consistency – in terms of frequency and content. Keeping your posts frequent, constant, and continuous will leave the community you created conscious of your brand, and they will expect and wait for new content from you. If you abruptly stop posting on a particular platform, regardless of whether it’s due to a lack of content or going on vacation, it will weaken your community’s trust. This is why it is important to create a bank of content or to announce a change in schedule ahead of time, before a holiday or expected vacation.

The same goes for the nature of the content you share… Don’t post content that doesn’t suit your brand because it will create confusion among the members of your community. If you decide to change the branding of your business, it is best to do so gradually or come out with a formal announcement about the changes the brand is undergoing.

Bottom line is, building a strong community around your business is more or less like building true friendship. Think about your best friend, after all you didn’t become besties right away. Your close relationship is a result of shared values and interests, mutual help and support, perseverance, and other small yet major things that are placed at the foundation of your friendship. The same can be said about a community. Though it takes time to create, just like a friendship – it is worth the time and effort you put into it!

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How to Brainstorm New Content When You’re Feeling Stuck

 Maintaining a blog for your brand has countless benefits. At GoLive, our blog has been a constant source of traffic for the business over the years. Our blog is meant to provide female entrepreneurs with helpful content on everything from website design to social media marketing and our ideal clients often find us through our blog posts–whether they come up during a Google search, on Pinterest, or through our Instagram. All that to say, our blog has been a valuable component of our brand and we truly believe that it’s an essential part of marketing for any business.  The key to getting the most value out of a blog, however, is consistency. 

Blogging regularly for your business… 

Provides your audience with helpful resources, which ultimately boosts your credibility  

Drives more traffic to your website through SEO, and when you share the posts on social media 

Builds relationships between your brand and potential or existing clients or customers

Gives you more content to share on other outlets like social media or your email list  

Whether you’ve been producing blog posts for years or are about to dive into producing content for the first time, consistently coming up with engaging blog post topics can feel like the most intimidating part of the process. But before you start to feel overwhelmed thinking that you need to come up with tons of award-winning blog post topics right off the bat, just know that it’s okay to feel stuck. At the end of the day, you are an expert in whatever service or product you provide so you have all the information. You just need a few brainstorming methods to get the creative juices flowing. Our biggest tip for brainstorming new content is to think about your ideal customer or client. Your blog, social media, and ultimately your business, revolves around providing them with something–whether that something is helpful, inspirational, or entertaining. So it only makes sense that your blog should focus on your customer and being a go-to resource for them.  If you’re feeling stuck on what to write about for your brand’s blog, here are a few ways to brainstorm new blog post ideas.  

01. Use Google (or other searchable websites)

Where is the first place you turn to when you’re stumped or have a question? Google, right? Well, the search engine can also be a handy resource when you’re trying to brainstorm new blog post ideas. By using Google, you can search for topics that you’ve covered on your blog before and see what else comes up in the results.   For example, let’s say you are a social media manager and typically write about social media marketing tips on your blog. To find more topics to write about you could search for “social media marketing” and see that “social media marketing tools” and “social media marketing for beginners” pop up in the related searches. This gives you two starting topics that could then be splintered into several blog posts. You can also refer to the “People also ask” or “People also search for” section to determine what other angles people may be interested in. There are even tools like Answer the Public that will essentially do this for you. Simply type in a topic or keyword, and the tool will populate tons of related phrases or questions that people are searching around that topic.  

PRO TIP: Give the blog post a searchable title. Naming your blog post with a title that people would actually search for increases the chances of the post showing up in search results. As you’re writing, think about what someone would type into the Google search bar. With the social media marketing example, you can see that a common search term is “social media marketing tools.” To personalize this phrase but still make it searchable, you could name your blog post “10 Must-Have Social Media Marketing Tools For Small Businesses.”  

02. Ask Your Audience

Go directly to the source and ask your audience what topics they want to read about on the blog. Your blog is designed to serve them, afterall, so it only makes sense to invite your readers to join the conversation. Asking your audience to share their input will not only encourage engagement but it will give you a clear idea of what they are interested in learning more about.   If you send a weekly newsletter, ask your audience to reply to the email with blog post topics that they’re interested in. Or, you can post a poll or questions sticker on your Instagram Stories asking your followers what questions they want answered on your blog.  

03. Use your own content as inspiration 

 If you’ve been creating blog content for a while, then you’re in luck–you already have a well of inspiration at your fingertips! All you need to do is determine how to repurpose your current content to create something fresh.  Start by taking a look at your top-performing blog posts–these are popular for a reason. Can you break down the main topic of one of these posts into a few different topics? For example, maybe you are a wedding photographer and one of your most popular blog posts is about the best wedding venues in your area. Consider breaking it up into more specific blog posts like best outdoor wedding venues, best wedding venues for small weddings, most unique wedding venues, etc.  

04. See what your competitors are writing about 

There’s no harm in seeing what your competition is up to. If you need some inspiration, visit their blog to see what they’ve written about lately. Just remember: this method is simply for inspiration, and it’s important not to copy anything they’ve done.   Instead, see if there’s a topic they’ve covered that you’ve yet to write about. You can write about the same topic but put your brand’s own unique spin on it.  Another good place to look for topic ideas is on your competitor’s social media. But rather than checking out the content they’ve been posting, take a look through the comments section to see what their audience may be asking them in relation to the topics you write about. The comments section is always a goldmine of ideas, whether on Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn.   When you’re in the same industry as another brand, there will always be overlap in the services you provide or topics you cover on your blog. The key is to determine what differs you from the competition and highlight that in your blog posts.  

05. Think about what your ideal client or customer would want to read before they’d book or buy from you 

Put yourself in your ideal client’s shoes and imagine what they’d be interested in reading about that would lead them to you. For example, if you are a wedding photographer, then your ideal client is most likely a new bride that is in the midst of wedding planning. Some things she could be searching for are how to plan a wedding, the best wedding venues in her area, or tips for creating a wedding budget.   Or, if you’re a graphic designer for small businesses, then your ideal client is likely a small business owner who may be getting ready to launch their new business. They may be searching for tips on creating a brand identity, building a website, or how to create a logo.  By writing about these topics on your blog, you could potentially draw in your customer during their planning phase which means you would be top of mind when the client is ready to book or buy. 

When you are seeking inspiration for new blog posts, the main takeaway is that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel! Everything you need to brainstorm new topics is already at your disposal. By keeping your audience in mind, using tools like Google, and relying on your own expertise, you can consistently come up with blog post topics that will position your brand as a resource and draw in potential clients and customers in no time.   

Pinterest for Business

 Hmmm, Pinterest for Business? Really?

Yes, it’s not a secret anymore that Pinterest will bring you the most traffic to your blog, website, or any other place. And not only that, your sales will grow significantly if you do it right.

Why do most bloggers, entrepreneurs, and marketers see an increase in sales? Well, it’s because over 80% of Pinterest users are BUYERS!

How To Use Pinterest For Business - TOP Pinterest Tips

You won’t find that many on Facebook or Instagram.

That’s why it’s so important to use Pinterest for business. And there is another great news you should know – you can get MASSIVE Traffic for FREE!

1.) Why you should use Pinterest for business:

Reason #1: Most Pinterest users are buyers:

As I said before, the first reason is that over 80% of Pinterest users are buyers. You can reach out to a lot of people without struggling and wasting a ton of your time in front of your computer.

Reason #2: You won’t waste too much time reaching more people:

To be honest with you, I spent at least 4 hours more in front of a computer when I was using Facebook. There is nothing wrong with Facebook (I still use it), but if you want to reach out to more people, you will have to invest in ads. I can say that I’m not a Social Media slave anymore just because I started using Pinterest.

Reason #3: Pinterest ads are way cheaper and more powerful:

Another reason you should use Pinterest for business is that you can use its ads. You will invest way less money than with Facebook ads. The only problem that I see here is that Pinterest ads are not global.

2.) How to set up a Pinterest account for your business:

STEP #1:

You have two options here. If you already have a Pinterest personal profile, you can simply convert it to a business account.

OPTION 1: Convert a personal account to a business account:

Log in to your Pinterest profile account

Go to pinterest.com/business/convert/

Fill out your business name and website, then select a business type

Click Create account

OPTION 2: Create a new business account:

If you have a personal account but don’t want to convert it, go to pinterest.com/logout to log out

Go to pinterest.com/business/create/

Fill out your email, password, and business name, then select a business type

Click Create account

STEP #2:

Complete your Pinterest for a business account:

First, upload your headshot photo (smile on the photo)

Choose your username (it should be the name of your brand or just your name if you are branding yourself) – Include some keywords (for example, Pinterest for Business Tips, Ideas for Weight Loss…)

Complete your bio (include keywords – SEO optimized so that your business account will get ranked higher up and you will get in front of your targeted audience)

Also, you can add your location

And don’t forget to add your website 

STEP #3:

How to verify your website on Pinterest:

Log in to Pinterest from a web browser and click the arrow in your top right corner to open your menu.

Select Settings

Click “Claim” and enter your website URL, then click Claim. 

Select “Add HTML tag”

Then copy the tag and click Next

Go to the index.html file of your website and add the tag to the <head> section before the <body> section

Then go back to Pinterest and click Submit

STEP #4:

Your next step is to set up Pinterest rich pins:

You will need to add metadata to the content on your website.

Then you will have to verify your Rich Pins before you go to Pinterest

Then go to Rich Pins Validator:

If you read all the steps from the Pinterest help site, then you know you have to go to Rich Pins Validator. There you will see which steps to take next. This is how the site will look like:

You only need to do this once from any link on your website. Then you will enable Rich Pins for your whole domain.

3.) How to automate your Pinterest with their scheduler:

You can schedule your static or video pins inside Pinterest. Click ‘Create’ in the top left corner, then choose ‘Create Pin’.

There you can upload your graphics or videos, fill out the title, description, alt text, add a link, and choose the most relevant board.

At the bottom, you will see two options:

Publish immediately

Publish at a later date

Click ‘Publish at a later date’ and choose the date and time when you want your pin to be published.

4.) Create Pins for Pinterest:

Pinterest is a visual search engine, which means you have to create attractive pins. The pin images have to be vertical .

The ratio should be 2:3 – for example, 1000 x 1500 pixels. Here are other 2:3 ratio sizes:

I mostly use the size 1000 x 1500 px for static pins, and 1080 x 1920 px for idea pins.

Before you start making pins, you should know what they will look like. I’m talking about colors and fonts. Your brand is not just you, your products, or your services. It’s also the looks of your visuals.

Besides the high-quality images, you should always include the same colors and fonts. 

5.) How to grow your Pinterest account:

The number of followers is not that important but you should still grow it. The more followers you have, the more people see your pins. So here is what you should do:

At the end of each blog post, ask people to follow you on Pinterest 

When sending an email to your audience, including the call to action to follow you on Pinterest

Add a pin widget to your blog

Add a Pinterest share button to your blog

When making a video, you can include a call to action at the end

6.) Know your targeted audience:

You have to know who your targeted audience is. Not everyone is interested in what you have, so if you don’t want to waste your time, you have to figure out who are they, where they hang out (online or offline), and more.

You can create detailed customer personas and tailor your marketing efforts to your target audience by answering these questions. 

This can help you better connect with your potential customers, create more compelling content, and ultimately grow your business.

7.) Check your analytics:

And here we go with the boring part – at least it used to be boring to me. And that’s why I made the biggest mistake – NOT CHECKING THE ANALYTICS.

That’s why I wasted a ton of time doing stuff that didn’t work at all. I don’t want you to repeat my mistake. If you want to do Pinterest for business, then analyzing how your pins are doing is a must!

You can find the analytics in the top left corner of your Pinterest account. Click on overview and check all the stats. But I suggest you focus on your blog analytics more because Pinterest analytics are not that accurate.

Movie Review – Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation (2003)

Written & Directed by Sofia Coppola

There’s time in life where you become vulnerable to ennui, the sense of listlessness. From when you are a child to an adult, you will periodically reach points where you question what you are doing and where you are going in life. What compounds that ease would be to feel disconnected from your surroundings, unable to communicate how you feel with others. In this time of social distancing and mandatory isolation, these feelings can be heightened. We don’t know what next year will be much less the next day. Sofia Coppola crafted a story of two people in this state, trying to make sense of life and find a direction.

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an aging American actor whose career is dwindling. His current gig is shooting a series of commercials for a Japanese whiskey company. Charlotte (Scarlett Johanssen) is a young wife whose husband (Giovanni Ribisi) is on assignment in Japan to film a popular band. Charlotte is left to her own devices and shifts between lying in bed and wandering serene locations in Japan. These two people meet and begin a romance. Now, this isn’t a love story where the two end up in bed but more of a shared emotional connection. They can understand what each other is going through and forge a kind of love.

I think Lost in Translation was one of the first movies that made me realize how much I loved ambient atmosphere in music and aesthetics. The characters’ moods are conveyed through the feel of places, and the music Coppola chooses to accompany these scenes. There’s a strong sense of melancholy throughout much of the movie, and when Bob and Charlotte are finally able to find joy in their environment, the camera goes handheld, and the music is injected with energy. We return to the gentle sadness when it sets in that Bob has to go back to the States, and these two will likely never see each other again.

Lost in Translation isn’t merely about being a stranger in a foreign land, it’s about how we can have that feeling even in our own home. We can infer that Bob and Charlotte’s relationship issues didn’t arise just when they arrived in Tokyo. They brought the baggage with them, maybe they had more things to distract them, something to grasp onto for balance. Now that they are in a land where they don’t hear their language and cultures are different, the personal issues in their lives have risen to the top.

I love how Coppola plays all of this so subtly and with a deft hand. She never lets the story overflow into melodrama but also understands where and where to inject humor. The funny parts provide a release from the misty sadness that hangs over things. Coppola shows excellent skill at knowing when to drop a hard cut to shift the mood; when to linger on a quiet moment to give the audience time to breathe it all in. Lost in Translation is her best film in my opinion and maybe was so good it’s actually hurt the way her following movies were received. I think Marie Antoinette isn’t too bad, but many audiences wanted something more like this.

Lost in Translation feels like a movie that was predicted the existential drift that was coming to our society. This before the explosion of the internet and the smartphone, so there isn’t even the facade of communication with faceless beings on a screen. Coppola does use the architecture and design of Tokyo to get across the way mass media tries to distract us from the internal and personal. Bright flashing neon signs and cacophonous video game arcades overload our senses. Then Coppola will show us silent parks and temples, Charlotte ping-ponging between these two moods. If you haven’t seen Lost in Translation, please do so. It’s a beautiful film about things that are so relevant to us right now.

HOW TO KEYWORD ON PINTEREST

 A question comes often is — how important is it to keyword on Pinterest? The answer — so important! But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Pinterest is a search and discovery network. Pinners are searching for ideas, dreams, plans, goals, recipes and more. In order to find your content, they need to search for certain terms. We need to make sure your content has those terms so they can find you in a sea of pins. 

So here’s the skinny about keywording on Pinterest and the what, why, where and how. Alright, let’s dive in.

WHAT IS PINTEREST KEYWORDING?

Keywording is a process of adding specific words from your niche allowing Pinterest users to find the content they are searching for. Example, I search “modern farmhouse bathroom lights” I hope that Pinterest will return back all those results. Why? Because I really want to find an exact match to what I’m looking for.

Learn more about SEO and Pinterest here.

Keywording is a way to help organize content. For example, if I’m a user searching for DIY Floating Shelves, then Pinterest will pull all pins with those words in the pin description. They may pull other relevant content with DIY, Shelves, Floating, etc. Their platform is still evolving so you may get a few items that are not directly related but it’s going to get as close as it can.

Moral of the story? Be specific and strategic with keywords. 

Note that Pinterest keywording is very different than Google. At this time there is not keyword tool that will allow you to see the ranking of keywords on Pinterest. You can use the recently released Pinterest Trends tool which could turn into the main keyword tool for Pinterest.

WHAT KEYWORDING IS NOT!

It’s not a way to game the system. It’s a way to ensure the right people find your content. That’s where you get qualified leads and people added to your tribe. Let me say this as well, don’t sweep wide here. I’ve heard people say you should maximize for all areas — quotes, food, DIY, Style, Fashion, etc. However, if none of those areas have your target person, do not keyword for them. Be specific and strategic with keywords. If you don’t create content or sell products in the wedding space, don’t have a board for weddings.

WHY KEYWORD ON PINTEREST?

Let’s say you have a very niche business and you’re looking to target a specific person. You want to make sure a mom, early 20s, 3 kids and does not work outside the home, finds your content about being a stay at home mom. You would add specific keywords to help her find the articles you know will give her the tools to be effective in her daily life.

For me, I want to specifically target people interested in Pinterest marketing and management. Every board, board description and pin description should include those keywords in a natural-sounding way. I’ll explain more about how that looks below.

The other reason to keyword is to help the algorithm on Pinterest know how to categorize your content and share with those that may not follow you but are interested in the topic.

HOW TO KEYWORD ON PINTEREST

Use simple words that fit into your niche. I used to say break it into three parts and add personality, but now that Pinterest has dialed back what you see in descriptions, it’s best to be brief and straight to the point. You can use up to 500 characters in your pin description.

Here’s an example:

How to clean up Pinterest boards in five easy steps. Are you lost in how to make your boards look professional and engaging for your audience? Learn more tips about how to utilize Pinterest marketing in your business from the Simple Pin Podcast!

If you are using hashtags in your pin descriptions, stop. Adding hashtags is no longer valuable on Pinterest. 

The end-user is mainly looking at the image. If the image gives them all the information they need, they will look there first. If the image is blank they will look to the description. They don’t need fancy they just need informative.

WHERE TO KEYWORD ON PINTEREST

Okay, so the very first place we always optimize images is on your site. When you write a post, speaking specifically to those using WordPress, and you add an image, you will want to put your keywords into the Pinterest description box. Stay away from the alt-text. This is specifically for the visually impaired. See image below for an example.

hands on laptop next to screenshot of alt text example.

So why do we want to keyword this first? Because when someone pins your pin, this specific description will be pulled up as the description that ‘travels’ with the pin.

For example, you’ve just created this amazing post about DIY Floating Shelves and spent hours on it and you’re so excited to have it rock Pinterest. You release your post and people start pinning it but the alt text says “image o8315”. Whoops! And if you don’t have Rich Pins, then people really can’t tell what it is beside the image. See where I’m going with this?

If you don’t know where to start in updating older posts with the Pinterest description, I suggest you use the search bar to see what keywords come up in relation to your post. You can also use the “More Like This” to see what content is coming up as related to your older pin.

PIN DESCRIPTIONS

If you’ve already filled in your Pinterest description, you won’t have to do anything when you pin a pin. However, if you want to upload a pin directly, you will need to add a pin description. 

I have a planner landing page for my Pinterest planner and have 3 different images that go to that landing page. I would like to pin all of them to my Simple Pin board, so I upload the first image, and THEN I’ll need to add a description to the pin. Once I do that I can add the pin and then edit it to add the URL to my landing page.

This is one of the only times you’ll need to add a pin description. Or you can edit them on existing pins. Note, when you edit it will not automatically update existing pins. It’s one at a time kind of thing. You can also add in the title here with 4-5 words.

PROFILE

Your profile is a great place to add keywords and it’s one that is often overlooked. There are two places you can add the keywords

First, your business name.

I have Simple Pin Media with the keyword Pinterest marketing next to my name.

Next is your profile description. Use this section to let them know how you’re going to serve them with the type of content or niche you are. You can use the same keywords you used in your business name.

BOARD TITLES

Use simple words but consider who your target person is. You are under no obligation here to sweep wide unless of course, your audience is wide (like in the case of a lifestyle blogger). But if you’re more targeted to the DIY home project crowd, be specific in the type of titles you use for your boards. Maybe every board title has DIY in it. Get creative but be consistent.

Key takeaway: the goal in keywording is to target your audience.

BOARD DESCRIPTIONS

This is a place where you will tell the user what you will pin on the board. Be smart about writing complete sentences. You can add several sentences here, but I wouldn’t spend too much time doing that. 2-3 is perfectly acceptable.

KNOW YOUR PINTEREST AUDIENCE

The goal in keywording is to target your audience. To attract the person you want to see your content. If you’re stuck on which keywords to use, start with a simple list. Or start with who that person is and make a quick story about them and their lifestyle. Then come up with a list of boards to create or update. 

How to Find Your Niche: A Step-by-Step Guide

 “The riches are in the niches.”

A popular saying that makes me realize I’ve probably been pronouncing “niche” wrong this whole time. 

If you’re interested in doing business online, creating content, or developing products, odds are you’ve heard about the importance of creating a niche. 

A niche is a specific area or topic that you’re passionate about and can excel in. It’s something that you enjoy doing and that you have a unique perspective or expertise on. 

But how do you go about finding your niche? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Step 1: Reflect on Your Interests and Passions

The first step in finding your niche is to take some time to reflect on what you’re interested in and what you’re passionate about. This could be anything from a hobby you love or something you’re really good at. 

If you ask me, there’s no such thing as too small of a niche. Check out Reddit, for example. There are subreddits for just about every topic under the sun with passionate communities behind them!

To get started, do a quick brain dump of all the things you enjoy doing in your free time. Also consider any causes or issues that are important to you and add those to the list. 

Once you have your list, take some time to think about what it is about each of these interests and passions that draws you to them. 

Do you love the creativity and self-expression of painting? Do you appreciate the relaxation and escape that reading provides? Understanding the underlying motivations behind your interests and passions can help you narrow down your niche and find a focus that truly speaks to you.

Step 2: Consider Your Skills and Expertise

In addition to your interests and passions, it’s important to consider your skills and expertise when trying to find your niche. What are you naturally good at? What do you have experience or training in? These factors can help you identify areas where you have a unique perspective or a competitive advantage.

For example, if you’re obsessed with finances and have your Notion budget spreadsheet dialed in, you might consider starting a blog or consulting business focused on helping people achieve their financial goals. If you always find yourself dreaming of the next place you’ll visit, you might consider starting a travel blog or becoming a freelance travel writer.

In addition to your personal interests, think about any skills you’ve developed through your personal or professional experiences. These could include things like problem-solving, communication, or leadership. These skills can be valuable assets that can help you stand out. 

Step 3: Research Your Niche

Once you have a list of potential niches, it’s time to narrow them down. Here are a few things to consider in narrowing your list. 

Demand: Is there a demand for the product or service you’re considering offering in your niche? You’ll want to make sure there is a market for what you’re offering before you invest too much time and energy into it. You can research this by looking at industry reports, talking to potential clients or customers, and examining the competition in the market.

Competition: How crowded is the market in your niche? While it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker if it’s a crowded space (take food blogging for example), you’ll want to consider how you can differentiate yourself and stand out from the competition. Look for opportunities to offer unique products or services, or to position yourself as an expert in a certain area. 

Profit potential: Is it possible to make a living in your niche? While making a profit isn’t the only reason to pursue a particular niche, it’s important to consider whether it’s a viable option. 

Alignment with your values: Does your niche align with your personal values and goals? It’s important to choose a niche that aligns with your values and that you feel good about contributing to. This will make it easier for you to stay motivated and passionate throughout your journey. 

Step 4: Narrow Your Niche

Once you’ve done some reflection and research, you may find that you’re interested in a specific sub-niche within your broader area of interest. For example, if you’re interested in health and wellness, you might find that you’re particularly passionate about helping people with anxiety or holistic health.

Narrowing your focus to a specific sub-niche can help you stand out from the competition and make it easier for potential customers to understand what you offer..

Are you struggling to find your place in the world? Finding your niche could be the key to unlocking your potential and finding fulfillment in your work. In this blog post, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to find your niche, including tips

Finding your niche is an important step in building a business that truly speaks to you. By reflecting on your interests and passions, considering your skills and expertise, and researching and testing different options, you can find a niche that aligns with your values and goals and allows you to make a difference in the world. Don’t be afraid to try out different niches and narrow your focus as you go – the key is to find something that truly resonates with you and that you’re passionate about.