If you’re a small business just starting out, it’ll be challenging to stand out and make your mark in this content-filled world. But it’s not all so doom and gloom. In this guide, we’re diving into the top tips to help you become visible in your content marketing efforts. 

Why to do content marketing for small businesses 

In any business, you can get leads (and sales) in outbound or inbound approach.

• Outbound: Outbound approaches require you to reach out to prospects.
• Inbound: It means that customers come directly to you, which is possible through content marketing strategies. 

As a whole, content marketing, which includes blog posts, social media content, podcasts, and videos, helps:

• Build brand awareness
• Engage with your target audience 
• Generate leads on autopilot 

These, as we all know, are crucial elements that help sustain and grow any small business. 

In an age when AI is being used in digital marketing, content marketers now focus on providing their audiences with higher-quality content that’s easily accessible so they can stand out from the crowd. For this, they:

• Create human-centered narratives in their content. 
• Use friendly and humorous language over formal tones. 
• Rely on SME insights and complex data to back their claims. 

Using text-to-speech (TTS) technology also helps them make content more accessible and engaging. It offers audio versions of blog posts and product descriptions so you can reach audiences who prefer listening over reading. This can also help you reach visually impaired customers and busy individuals who multitask while consuming content.

The end result is that high-quality content gets more mentions and backlinks, hence more visibility, which ultimately drives sales. This makes content marketing an affordable marketing strategy with a strong ROI.

How to get started with content marketing for a small business

Here’s the blueprint for content marketing efforts you can apply to your small business. 

Define your target audience

Before we get to the nitty-gritty bits of creating a content strategy plan, we’ll first need to define our target audience, ICPs, and the buying stages we can target them. For reference, most marketers divide the buying stages as ToFu, MoFu, and BoFu.

Source

You can customize your content creation strategy by zooming in on your target audience. This ensures it resonates with the needs and expectations of the people who will buy your product or service.

To find your ICPs, you can create buyer personas by listing down the key characteristics of your target audience, such as their: 

• Content consumption patterns 
• Demographic information 
• Psychographic activities
• Income levels
• Pain points
• Challenges 
• Motivators 
• Location

Create a content strategy 

Once you’ve nailed down your target audience, now’s the time to create a content strategy—this includes identifying: 

• The content types you are going to produce
• The amount of money you are going to invest in content marketing
• The distribution channels you’re going to target
• The goals you plan on achieving with your content marketing efforts (i.e., your goal could be to get leads, build awareness, or position yourself as a thought leader, etc. Whatever your goals may be, it’s essential to set clear KPIs to measure your results).

For reference, in the past year, 78% of marketers said they would invest in video marketing. On the other end, 69% of them will invest in owned-media assets (i.e., blogs, newsletters, and websites), and 59% of them are investing in paid media. [Report by Content Marketing Institute]

According to the same report, B2B marketers focused on these distribution channels in 2022 for organic content distribution.

Source

Plan and organize your content calendar 

Last but not least, the only thing left to do is to create a content calendar and set it in motion. 

These are some of the elements that you can include in your calendar for effective planning and organization:

• Distribution channels
• Status updates on existing pieces
• Post topic
• Visual type 
• Link to assets
• Planned list of content activities (or events)
• Link to published post

A content calendar will help you plan and map all your content activities in advance and create a systemized process for you and your team members. This will help you avoid any hiccups or errors later down the line. 

7 content marketing strategy tips for small business 

Once you have a content strategy and calendar in place, here are a few ways you can improve your content marketing efforts: 

1. Create a blog

While video marketing has recently been on the rise, blog content has always been the darling asset of marketers (and customers alike), which is why we recommend starting a blog. 

Here are a few reasons why your blog will always be a compelling marketing channel:

• You can quickly boost your SERP rankings by focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) with blog content. 
• Blogs bring in website traffic and educate audiences about your product/service. 
• You can build links through informational content and even rely on the audience’s engagement through the comment section. 
• Blogs also help build a professional forefront, as almost every established business has its own blog (some businesses even monetize this channel). 

If you’re ready to get started creating your blog, you can sign up with Webnode for free. With the help of readymade templates, customizable layouts, and responsive design, blog creation becomes a breeze on Webnode. 

On that note, here are some blog strategies you can steal to attain different goals: 

• Post educational content

One effective strategy is to regularly post educational content on your blog. This type of content which provides valuable information that addresses your audience’s needs and interests, is crucial for maintaining an engaged audience and improving search engine rankings. This will establish your brand as an authority in your industry and increase organic traffic to your site.

For example, Cruise America, a leading provider of RV rentals in Florida, excels at this strategy. They consistently create laser-targeted content tailored to their audience’s interests across all platforms. This includes travel tips, destination guides, and RV maintenance advice.

• Use social proof to build trust 

Use social proof to increase engagement and build trust. For example, if you have an online health publication, include editorial timestamps and statistics and link the information to clinical studies. Ask a medical reviewer (someone with a medical degree) to review your content – This ensures that all medical information is correct and readers or potential clients can trust your brand.

• Create statistics or studies

Consider creating statistics or case studies from your niche to generate natural backlinks by offering a great resource page.

2. Choose the right social media channel(s) 

In 2022, here are the top social media channels marketers focused on: 

Source

However, the proper social media channels for you will differ based on where your customers are and the content formats/topics they interact with. 

To finalize the right social media channel(s) for your business, consider the following questions:

• Which channels see the most traffic, especially for your niche? 
• What are your business goals? 
• What are your potential clients looking for in your brand? 
• What benefits and drawbacks does each social media channel have? 
• Which channel do your competitors use?

If you’re using multiple social media channels, it’s best to craft a targeted strategy for different channels to ensure platform nativity and maximize audience connection.

Tip: Use Pinterest for Blogging

3. Create visually appealing content

Would you rather watch a movie in 144p or 4k HD? Chances are, your answer is 4k HD. 

Your readers feel the same. They appreciate quality visuals just like you do. To make your content shine, use visuals that add something to your words. Think of images highlighting key points, infographics breaking down tricky concepts, or videos telling a more engaging story.

This will not only help customers understand your content better, but this balance between visuals and text keeps visitors engaged for longer and makes it easier for them to skim through. 

4. Leverage storytelling

It’s easier for us to remember stories than marketing messages, which is why storytelling is becoming a hot commodity in content marketing. In fact, studies suggest storytelling has boosted conversion rates by 30%. 

Not only do you engage your customers with this practice (and get sales while at it), but you also: 

• Showcase customer experiences (through the help of UGC)
• Create a sense of community 
• Foster effective partnerships 
• Reiterate your brand values
• Build authentic narratives
• Increase user loyalty

Source

Fellow, an AI meeting management solution company, hosts a podcast with top executives who share insights on their industry, thought patterns, and any challenges they might face at their workplace. Storytelling plays a key role here.

5. Repurpose content

If you’ve gone all in and created valuable content for a particular format, it makes sense to repurpose the same content for different formats so you can reach broader audiences and build awareness. For example, blog content can become social media snippets, videos can become podcast recordings, etc. 

6. Use interactive content 

Not only is interactive content (like quizzes, calculators, and polls) eye-catching, engaging, and more memorable compared to traditional content forms, but it also helps:

• Build personalized experiences for the end user
• Make it easier to consume customer information
• Differentiate yourself from competitors
• Keep visitors engaged for longer
• Encourage lead generation

All in all, it is a win-win for all parties involved, so it is worthwhile to consider investing in interactive content for your website. 

7. Track your results 

Last but not least, our final tip would be to track your results and compare them with the KPIs and goals you had in place before you started working on your content marketing strategy. 

You can do this by using tools that connect with your website and social media platforms and automatically calculate your visitors, engagement levels, bounce rate, clicks, sales, etc. For example, you can connect your website to tools like Google Analytics to track your results. 

Experts suggest regular performance checks, ideally once per week, as this can help identify the most effective content and guide improvements over time.

What will your content strategy look like? 

In this article, we discussed the importance of content marketing for small businesses, how to create a blueprint for your content marketing strategy, and some tips that will help you take your content marketing efforts to the next level. 

But truth be told, for any content strategy to be effective and successful, you need to deliver a great experience and content to your readers.

Create a blog, start working on your content, and get new customers.

Author Bio:

Kelly Moser is the co-founder and editor at Home & Jet, a digital magazine for the modern era. She’s also an expert in freelance writing and content marketing for SaaS, Fintech, and ecommerce startups.

The post Content Marketing for Small Businesses: 7 Powerful Tips appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

If you have overlooked affiliate marketing so far, it is time to change that. Affiliate partnerships have been successful in the US and global market, with more than 80% of brands using affiliate marketing and 88% of influencers inspiring their audience to purchase (Affiliatestats.marketing, 2024). Do not be left behind when it comes to the potential of affiliate marketing.

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a form of online marketing in which a merchant works with affiliate partners and rewards them through commissions for making a conversion. It is a popular way for bloggers and influencers to make money online. For businesses, affiliate marketing can be one sales avenue.

Affiliate marketing has 3 players:

• Company/Merchant: a business that is trying to expand its reach and increase profits.
• Affiliate Partner: a content site/social profile owner who recommends products to their fans in exchange for a commission.
• Customer: a visitor to a particular influencer’s website or profile who, through a recommendation, becomes a customer of the advertising company.

The affiliate system is also an important part. For the partnership to take place, the company and the influencer need software that records the sales or other conversions made and provides the ability to approve and pay commissions.

For companies and e-shops, this method of marketing is beneficial for several reasons – expanding sales channels, increasing brand awareness, and overall sales. Unlike paid advertising through various platforms, where a business pays per impression or click, affiliate marketing is much more effective. This is because the company only pays for conversions made (e.g., product purchase or website registration).

From a blogger’s position, it is a straightforward way to monetize your blog and gain a source of income.

How does affiliate marketing work

Affiliate marketing works by tracking (affiliate) links. The affiliate (blogger, influencer) places special affiliate links in the form of text or banners in their content.

If a visitor clicks on the link and completes the desired action on the target website, the affiliate gets a commission in the affiliate system.

How affiliate marketing works

Data measurement is ensured by cookies that are stored in the customer’s browser. The merchant checks the commissions received and sends the amount to the affiliate’s account.

Influencers can promote affiliate products using:

• Text links: the most well-known form of promoting affiliate products. Blog articles are the most common type of content used. These can be reviews that directly recommend products, but also other types of articles such as a roundup review of travel equipment for example, or recipes using specific kitchen utensils.
• Banners: unique affiliate links can also be placed in content by using graphic banners. Their appearance should not be too distracting or untrustworthy but visually attractive enough to impress the visitor.
• Social media: affiliate marketing can also be applied well on social media, for example, YouTube or Instagram. You may have noticed that the influencers you follow sometimes offer discount codes for various products. This is an affiliate collaboration. A merchant can easily track the usage rate of discount codes and evaluate the success of the affiliate partnership.

Other affiliate promotions include:

• Online magazines
• Coupon sites
• Product catalogs
• Review sites
• Cashback portals
• Marketing agencies

How to start affiliate marketing for beginners

Businesses just need to choose one of two options to get started with affiliate marketing. The first option is to purchase affiliate software and set up your own affiliate program. This is offered, for example, by Affilbox, which can also be connected to Webnode.

Your own affiliate program: Pros and cons

The second option is to join affiliate networks that bring companies together with bloggers, such as ShareASale or MyLead. This way you can reach thousands of bloggers and influencers at once. Bloggers choose from the offers of different merchants based on the amount of commission, the attractiveness of the product, and the relevance of their site.

Affiliate network: Pros and cons

Is affiliate marketing suitable for your business?

Are you unsure whether affiliate marketing would be beneficial for your business? The conversion does not have to be the purchase itself, but can also be any other action. Influencers can help you meet many different conversion goals:

Conversion from affiliate marketing

How do you set up affiliate commissions that are motivating enough but will not ruin your business?

Knowing the usual commission rates in your industry can help. Commission levels range from 5 to 20 percent. When determining your commission, base it on your margin. The partnership must be profitable for you even after deducting the affiliate commission and the affiliate network or software fee.

With affiliates, you can build a capable team of marketers and advocates for your brand. But do not forget to evaluate your collaboration regularly.

How to become an affiliate marketer as a blogger?

If you have been building your blog for a long time and you send your readers a regular newsletter or stay connected with them on social media, it is the right time for you to start affiliate marketing.

Just join an affiliate network and choose the affiliate partnership or reach out to your favorite brands to see if they have their own affiliate program. Choose one of these strategies and start earning with affiliate marketing.

On the other hand, if you are starting out as a blogger, expect that it will take time and effort to build a successful affiliate partnership. First, you should focus on content creation. For an affiliate partnership to pay off, you should have a blog or social media profile with a solid base of readers and followers.

Choose your niche

If you are starting out as an affiliate, think about the focus of your content. What do you enjoy doing, what do you have experience with, and what do you know a lot about? It is best to choose a topic that you yourself are interested in and want to explore further. Whether you are interested in a particular sport, diet, TV shows, or computer games, choose a topic you can talk about for hours.

The more specific niche, the better. While you will reach a smaller audience, you will find it easier to create content and face less competition. With a specific niche, it will also be easier to optimize your site for search engines and visitors will find your concrete tips, advice, and product reviews. This way you can promote affiliate products in a very casual, informed, and apt way.

Start a blog

Setting up a blog with affiliate marketing can be a highly effective way to make money online. Through a blog, you can display your knowledge and experience in a particular field, provide useful information, and educate your readers.

Once you build authority and people start to respect and trust your recommendations, they will be more likely to click on affiliate links and make purchases. Articles such as product reviews, comparisons, tutorials, or tips can naturally contain links that people are happy to click on if they feel the product will solve a problem or bring value to them.

Tip: We have put together a step-by-step guide on how to (start) writing a blog.

At the same time, a blog can be effectively linked to social media and drive traffic.

Webnode templates for bloggers

Be active on social media

Being active on social media is also important for affiliate marketing. Social networks allow you to reach a wide audience and build your community of followers. This allows you to share your content with people who may be interested in the products or services you are promoting.

One key to successfully building an audience on social media is posting relevant content regularly. When people see that you are sharing valuable and interesting content, they start to trust you more and are more willing to buy the product you are recommending.

But content alone is not enough. Respond to questions and other comments and engage in discussions of related posts.

Which social network should you choose? For more complex topics where readers need longer explanations, YouTube is a viable choice. For highly visual content, you can choose a combination of different social networks such as TikTok and Instagram or Pinterest.

Create quality content

Useful and relevant content is not only essential for success in affiliate marketing. Without engaging and optimized content, you cannot effectively promote products or services and attract visitors to your website. Optimize your website and all texts for search engines, and update and expand them regularly so that they are still useful to your readers.

Tip: Not sure how to optimize your content? Find out in our complete SEO guide.

To make your blog a genuinely good, trustworthy, and searchable resource, it is not enough to just optimize your text by adding keywords. The originality, up-to-date, and informative contribution of the content is crucial.

Remember that the goal is to bring the reader to the merchant’s website with an interest in purchasing their service or product. This is not an easy task, but with professional content, you will gradually pave your way to conversions.

How to choose an affiliate program

The relevance and value of the product to your audience is crucial. Choose an affiliate partnership based on whether the product addresses the problems and needs of your readers.

Choose the product that is the apple of your eye. Your readers will recognize it from your writing. You will promote more products or services over time, but in the beginning, choose a product that you really enjoy creating content about and that you trust.

Of course, consider brand recognition and the amount of commission. Brand awareness determines how much effort you will have to put in as an affiliate. Promoting a market-leading brand may not be that difficult of a task, but you will often receive a lower commission for such a conversion.

Lesser-known manufacturers or services with a specific focus may offer a more attractive commission. And if a brand’s customer segment is close to your audience, you have found the optimal affiliate partnership.

Webnode Affiliate Program

Webnode has its own affiliate program. Webnode pays you $100 for every first purchase of services for a new site. This means that if one user buys 3 packages for 3 sites, you get $300 regardless of the type of premium package or its price.

Webnode Affiliate program

Do you have a blog, website, or e-shop? You can make money by promoting and recommending the Webnode website builder.

• Register for the Webnode Affiliate Program.
• Fill out the form with your personal information and confirm your agreement to the terms of service.

Registration for the Webnode Affiliate Program

• You will receive confirmation of your registration at the email address you entered.
• In your affiliate account, also fill in your mailing address and set up your payment details.

Always remember to use your affiliate link when promoting Webnode. This is the only way to ensure that the user is linked to your affiliate account. If the user registers within 90 days of clicking on your link and purchases premium services anytime later, you will receive a commission.

In addition to affiliate links or banners, you can also use DirectLinks. Just enter your affiliate account address and get approved by Webnode. If your affiliate link is e.g., webnode.com/r/519cbf42afe87, after DirectLinks verification, you can place just a webnode.com link on your website and the system will still recognize that you brought the customer.

Take inspiration from our current partners:

• https://www.wpromotions.eu/  
• https://tudosobrehospedagemdesites.com.br/
• https://siemprendes.com/
• https://websitetooltester.com/

Webnode pays out commissions to partners the first time they earn $300. Once you reach the minimum payout, we will ask you to verify your account by sending a PIN to affiliate@webnode.com. You only need to verify once; you will receive all subsequent payments automatically.

Conclusion

Affiliate marketing is a form of promotion that builds on the power of recommendation and can influence customer decision making. It brings benefits and profit not only to businesses, but also to bloggers and influencers.

It is easy to get started – just buy affiliate software or join an affiliate network. If you are a blogger, you can simply join the affiliate program of your favorite brand and start earning through its promotion.

Join the Webnode Affilite Program

The post How to Start Affiliate Marketing and Make Money appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

However, as a small business, you have to be very precise with targeting and content choice to draw the leads you need and convert them effectively. So how do you win clients with content marketing while staying cost-effective?

Read on everything you need to know about content marketing lead generation and safeguard yourself from lead generation missteps that might cost you customers.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Benefits of Content Marketing

Whether you generate leads for solar business, insurance, finance, or other high-ticket niche, there are two underlying goals you can achieve with your content marketing strategy:

• Capitalize on trends and market momentum. Content around news and events and seasonal content can help generate leads here and now. At the same time, this content only lasts until the buzz is there, disappearing when the trend runs its course.
• Create evergreen content to generate business leads over time. Listicles, tutorials, how-to guides, and case studies can help you generate hundreds and thousands of leads down the road, even though you may not feel the impact immediately.

It takes a few weeks to a few months for newly published content to gain visibility—unless it goes viral—so it’s best to combine short-term and long-term forms of content to get comprehensive coverage and keep your business online at all times.

Organic Content vs. Paid Content. vs. Buying Customers

When it comes to lead generation, you can’t reinvent the wheel. There are three core lead generation channels to tap into: organic traffic channels, paid traffic channels, and lead generation services (for example, affiliate networks) that sell leads.

With content marketing, you can effectively address the first two:

In reality, creating content for free or paid traffic channels requires the same set of skills. You have to define your ideal buyer, segment your audience, and select the most effective marketing channels and the right content for each group. Effective content writing is crucial in this process, as it ensures the messaging resonates with each audience segment while aligning with the overall marketing strategy.

The good news is that there are plenty of AI tools, from ChatGPT to Grammarly, to speed up the routines on all fronts. Even if you’re selling unordinary products like, for example, HR software, you can leverage AI to create educational videos, do voice-overs, and more.

Tip: Use AI to create your website in minutes

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Buyer and Unique Selling Proposition

First things first: you need to know your ideal buyer and unique selling proposition. In other words, you need to know who your clients are, what content they like, and how you can persuade them you’re so good that they don’t want to look further.

Here are some key aspects to address when defining your ideal buyer:

• Demographics: Location, age, gender, marital status, education, budget, and every other piece of information you can collect with your performance marketing software (I’ll discuss lead generation software in the last paragraph).
• Psychographics: Needs, wants, motivations, lifestyle, and other nuances that may affect the decision-making process. Psychographic factors are less objective and prone to sudden changes, but this is still the marketing psychology that drives purchases.
• History of interactions: engagement across touchpoints in the current and previous buying cycles.

Knowing what your buyers like, you can create lead-generation content that resonates with every client. For example, if you’re selling solar panels, eco-conscious homeowners may want to know how your panels help reduce carbon footprint, while early adopters might be interested in the most technological and efficient solar panels. Additionally, localize website content to address regional preferences and cultural needs, making your offerings even more relevant to your audience.

Using tools like CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) adapt content for different languages and regions, making it easier to connect with diverse audiences while preserving the essence of your brand.

Conducting competitor analysis allows you to identify gaps in the market and tailor your messaging to address unmet needs. By understanding your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, you can position your products more effectively and highlight unique selling points that resonate with your audience.

Step 2: Address the Most Essential Organic Traffic Channels

It’s hard to argue that today’s digital world is ruled by search engines (Google) and social media. No matter what you sell and whether you are B2B or B2C, most of your clients search for products on Google and spend time on Facebook and Instagram.

So why don’t you target them with stellar content?

Content Marketing on Social Media

Knowing your ideal buyer makes it easy to select the right social media. For B2B content marketing, LinkedIn is the only obvious choice; the rest depends on your audience, marketing strategy, and ability to create specific content.

A less obvious thing to consider is how users perceive different social media platforms. Popularity and trust are not the same. For example, while over 94% of social media users in the United States know about Facebook, only 68% think positively about the service.

The same goes for Twitter and other social media:

Source: Statista

Here are the types of content you need for different social media:

As for whether you should produce commercial or informational content, the 50/50 ratio is fine.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

It doesn’t matter how brilliant your content is if they don’t discover it. Luckily, you can improve your search rankings by having an optimized website and SEO-driven content marketing plan that covers essential search intents in your niche.

But first of all, you need to choose your niche.

To generate leads consistently, you need a niche with at least a few sub-niches to cover. Becoming an expert in a sub-niche is easier, and then you can expand while having loyal clients to support your efforts.

Keyword-wise, you need to focus on low-competition, high-volume informational and commercial keywords depending on the content you create.

Take, for example, the “solar panels” keyword (the screenshot is from Ahrefs):

As high as the search volume is, it’s almost impossible for a small business to hit the top of the rankings with “solar panels.” And even if you get a decent spot (like maybe top-25), it’s unclear whether the users who type in “solar panels” are searching for general information or want to buy solar panels. The intent is unclear, so it’s also unclear which type of content this key phrase fits best.

Now, let’s change the approach. Here’s what you’ll see if you select to display keywords with a 10 to 20 difficulty level in Ahrefs:

There you go—these are low-competition, high-volume informational (“how to clean solar panels”) and commercial (“best portable solar panels”) keywords you can hit the top 10 for.

Other Organic Lead Generation Opportunities

On top of SEO (which includes website optimization and blogging) and social media, you can address local forums, conduct webinars, and create a referral program to encourage existing customers to spread the word about your brand.

An additional advantage for a small business would be synergizing online and offline events like workshops, trade shows, or seminars. These will increase trust and strengthen your reputation by showing that you’re a real company that’s not shy about meeting customers in person. Likewise, offline events are a great source of video content.

Step 3: Explore Paid Advertising Opportunities

Whatever you can achieve for free, you can also achieve with paid advertising. You can display your content at the top of Google search results, promote it on third-party blogs, buy social media ads, or even buy the web leads or phone calls you need.

The only difference with paid content is that you must abide by the publisher’s or platform’s rules. For guest blogging, this means following the publishing guidelines—content style and length, the number of dofollow and nofollow links, etc.; for social media ads, you must ensure compliance, accuracy of information, and transparency, among other policies.

Step4: Automate Your Lead Generation to Stay Ahead of the Curve

Automation is king in today’s lead generation, even for a small business. And it’s not just about scaling but also increasing the accuracy of what you do, collecting more insights on your customers, and saving tons of time you can now spend on strategic tasks. There’s an automation tool for every content marketing routine.

Consider a Comprehensive Small Business Marketing Software Suite

Lead generation doesn’t end with content creation – you also need to nurture the captured leads so they eventually convert. For this, you need to coordinate different marketing channels and synergize content marketing with your other marketing avenues.

Long story short, if you’re looking further than generating leads with content, you might need a comprehensive lead management system. It will help you track, distribute, and analyze leads on the fly and strategically while closing gaps between clicks, leads, and revenue. HubSpot, Phonexa, and CallRail provide such systems, so you might want to start your research from there.

Conclusion

Content marketing is a powerful tool that can be a game changer for small businesses looking to generate leads. By carefully selecting your content strategy, focusing on your target audience, and aligning your message with your business’s values and vision, you can consistently attract and convert potential clients.

Boost your content marketing with structured and organized blog posts

The post How To Use Content Marketing To Generate Leads for Your Small Business appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

This blog post will help you find the perfect football topic for your audience and will inspire you to build a passionate fan community. Share your personal football adventures with match reports, expert interviews, and all the latest intrigues. Get people buzzing with excitement!

Select a template for your football or football club website

Everything begins with the lineup of your site. For this, you need a template! Website builders like Webnode offer a selection of professionally designed templates that include all the necessary pages so only adding text and images is required. 

We highly recommend using our AI wizard, because you can specify which pages you want before you choose your design and layout. Plus, the tool drafts complete written text and selects images according to your needs. This way, you can build your entire football website during halftime. 😉

Catchy topics around the ball

Think about the topics you would like to fill your pages with. Pre-selecting your pages will prove useful, especially if you generate your website with AI. The topics you choose will depend on the niche and the audience you would like to reach. 

About Us page of the football club website: Sport Kairos (created with Webnode).

Find your football niche

Many follow the European Championships or the World Cup, but only the die-hards get thrilled about League 1 and League 2 games. Football or soccer is a full-season sport. People always like to follow gossip about the lives of famous players (and their wives). The innovative technology that tracks the ball and game strategies are also of interest for many. And don’t forget that football training doesn’t just keep strikers fit – training tips are a big hit with fans who want to emulate their favorite stars.

One thing is certain, your football website will not remain static but will be constantly updated with news. Logically, a blog is suitable for this, but it’s not the only option. The table below will help you create the right football website and its subpages to suit the topic.

Website types for a selection of different topics around the ball.

Find out more about the different kinds of websites you can create with a website builder. 

Identify your football fans

Your chosen topic will appeal to a specific target group from the outset. Anyone who looks at websites about football will at least actively follow European and World Cups. You can assume that your readers will range from casual soccer fans to club players and hardcore fans.  

Expand your audience by entertaining with overlapping topics such as fashion and football or the history of soccer and biographies. Dive into holistic football culture by writing about rituals and traditions or creating a World Cup theme song soundtrack for a Tabata workout. Think about all the various topics that revolve around football and you will be able to narrow down your target audience. 

Stay on the ball and post news

Even if you don’t write full blog posts regularly, your football website needs updates to be seen by others. These updates can include the latest transfer rumors, live reports, in-depth match analysis, and general news, for example. However, to be seen as a reliable place to go for football content, make sure that your content comes from reputable sources and that you clearly cite them.

Newsblog of the local football club website TJ Řepiště (created with Webnode).

For example, you can create new subpages for each match of the current UEFA EURO or the Copa América and capture your experience with a photo gallery or video.

Euro match tickets are allocated by lottery so not everyone who wants one will get a seat in the stadium. Will you be there live at kick-off? If you’re one of the lucky few who snagged a seat at Signal Iduna Stadium share the insider experience with your website audience!

Football Players and Formation

Debating the formation on the pitch and match strategy before a match can be a compelling way to use your website to share your expert insights and start a dialogue with your readers. By concentrating on both national and international matches, you’ll be able to analyze countless combinations of defenders, keepers, substitutes, and midfielders consistently, rather than doing this every 4 years for just the World Cup – providing your readers with continuous content.  

Match-Analyses

A match analysis follows the team formation like a smooth pass. Give your readers a play-by-play breakdown with a listing entry or audio or video commentary. This can seamlessly integrate into your website’s structure on the same page where you discussed strategy prior to the match or as a subpage.  

Live-Commentaries

Do you like to record yourself while watching the game? Share your thoughts on the game with your audience in real time with live-streamed commentary. You can set up a live stream on YouTube and embed it on the pages of your football website. The same goes for podcasts..

6 ways to build up an interactive football fan network

Watching the “footie” means being social. Togetherness is what counts. That is why it is so important to engage your football fan network early and build it up with extra attention. Here are six ways you can get the fans involved:

Football clubs and communities

Contact Football Clubs and communities as they include a vast group of people from all walks of life. From the football players and their families to the board, club administration, and treasurer, everyone associated with football acts as a double agent for your website. They will likely be some of your first site visitors and also the stars of your content. 

Your website can contain information about the club’s players and matches as well as details about regular events that bring the local community together. Have a blast, with all the elements that go with it: competitions and raffles, friendly matches, recruiting young football players, and selling merchandise. Follow our advice on how to create a website for your local community.

Football bets and sweepstakes

You don’t have to have a club website to hold competitions. These, along with the news, can be posted on social media and announced via your newsletter. 🏆

Sweepstakes

People draw a team in the form of a lottery ticket. The winners are those whose team comes in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. You can find sweepstake generator apps in Google Play or under Viralsweep to easily get started. 

Raffles

Participants buy a ticket to be entered into a prize draw. Apps like Rafflepress and Rafflecopter are ideal for generating raffle tickets. Sweepstakes and raffles help maximize engagement and thus get more traffic to your football website. 

Bets around the ball

3-way bets or 1-x-2 bests can have up to 3 results. They can easily be generated with configurators such as Bet365. Simply place the link to the betting site on your website, and post it on social and in your newsletter. 

Polls and discussions

Webnode’s blogs have an automatic comment function for all blog posts. Discussion widgets such as Disqus can also easily be embedded as HTML code anywhere on your website.

Match results, like those presented on this local football website (created with Webnode), can be discussed further in an interactive forum.

You can run the forum on your website or your social media channel and then link to the content on your website in the comments.

However, we recommend limiting your discussion forum to one place so that you’re able to react quickly to people’s comments and not lose track of the discussion. This is easier to do on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram than on other external software that requires an additional login.  You can participate in discussions led by others as well. Register with relevant Facebook groups, Quora, or chats such as soccerchats.com or worldofchat.co.uk.  

Polls are popular on social media channels and Whatsapp groups, but they’re also a great way to drive engagement on your website. You can display a poll on your website or blog using Doodle, Survey Monkey, or Straw Poll that creates a call-to-action and pushes engagement.

Online Meetups

The next step to get football fans even more involved in what’s happening on your football website is to hold online meetings. Here, like-minded people can discuss and exchange ideas and content. This makes particular sense if you want to reach an international audience. With Cisco Webex, you can have up to 100 participants join your call for up to 50 minutes free of charge. 

Video calls and conferences allow you to get to know your fans better than through forums and comments on social. Knowing your tribe means tailoring your web content to their wishes resulting in a closer community and fan base.

Social Media

Unsurprisingly, creating a specific social media page for your football website will enhance your authority to create and lead groups of interest around your specific football topic. You can also provide a greater variety of content, for example, YouTube shorts, Instagram Stories, and Reels, and then link back to your website so your audience knows where they can find more from you. 

Link your social media handles to your website and in your newsletter signature. Social will likely help drive more traffic to your football website. 

Merchandise

Fan merch, like football shirts, flags, scarves, and keychains are classic memorabilia. Extending your merchandise range to other everyday life utensils and products, such as cosmetics or home decor, will make your offering outstandingly special. 

Example of fan merchandise e-commerce (created with Webnode) of a football club website.

Memorabilia are a fantastic addition to your website content. Since fewer people will buy a football kit from a small club rather than giants like Chelsea and Manchester United, focus on good cuts, eye-catching design, comfort, and sustainability to draw attention to your items.🎽

You probably already have a clearer idea of what fan group and topic you will create your website for. We have given you a range of themes that can be integrated into your website in different ways.

If you build up your fan network interactively from there and introduce competitions, forums, and video conferences, your football website will become a golden goal!

Delight fans, create your football website

The post Football Websites: How to Create one and Get People Excited? appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

So, how to start a food blog? Very easily, by following our guidelines: from registering a domain name to making money from your work.

What is food blogging

A food blog is a website that features food-related content, such as recipes, restaurant reviews, and health food tips. To launch your own food blog, all you’ll need is a creative name, a focus on interesting topics, and access to a dependable web host or blogging platform.

Cultivating a unique voice and aesthetic for your blog can help it stand out in a saturated market. Engaging with your audience through comments and social media can also foster a sense of community around your food blog.

Remember, consistency is key; regular updates and fresh content will keep your readers coming back for more culinary inspiration.

How to write a food blog

Here are 6 steps to follow from the initial idea when you start developing your blog and topic, to promoting and monetizing it.

Define Your Blog’s Focus

Decide on the primary theme or niche for your food blog. Consider if you want to showcase original recipes, review local eateries, or explore specific culinary themes like baking, healthy eating, or soul food. Choosing a focused subject will help define your blog’s identity and attract a targeted audience.

Create a list of potential brand identities

A catchy name is the first step towards creating a fantastic new food blog. After deciding on a memorable title, pick a domain name that goes well with your brand. If you can’t get the domain name you want, make a list of backup names.

Build Your Website with Ease

Select a dependable hosting service or blogging platform like Webnode to create your food blog or restaurant website effortlessly. Webnode stands out with its user-friendly interface and a wide selection of free, customizable themes and templates, making it the ideal choice for launching your blog.

Create blog content

After you launch your website, you need to start producing high-quality content. If you are sharing new recipe ideas, restaurant reviews, or making weekly meal prep strategies, make sure your content is appealing and useful.

Use creative food photography to elevate your content, particularly if you’re creating unique recipes. Discover some useful photography tips and how to take food photos here.

To help new readers locate your website, you’ll also want to incorporate high-volume SEO (search engine optimization) keywords into the headlines and content.

Promote Your Blog Effectively

Connect with your target audience by utilizing email marketing and social media. Share your blog posts across various platforms and apps to increase visibility. Include social media sharing buttons in your articles, allowing readers to easily share your content with their networks.

Build an email subscriber list and send regular updates to keep your audience engaged and informed.

Monetize your food blog

As your audience grows, explore opportunities to generate income from your food blog. This can include brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing (where you promote products with in-text links and earn commissions), and displaying website advertisements.

Remember, successful blog promotion is key to growing your audience and monetizing your blog. Don’t strive for perfection from the start. Focus on publishing content that resonates with you and your audience. Experiment with different layouts and strategies to find what works best for your blog.

Your site must receive a respectable amount of unique monthly visitors in order to actively monetize it. However, you should start forming alliances and gaining a loyal following well in advance. The goal is to be ready to make money when the time comes.

Another valuable asset might be to create e-books once you have a solid catalog of recipes and tips. Or, to offer online or on-site courses that would highlight the visibility of your blog and attract new segments of users and readers. If you’d like more guidance, check out our article, How to Create a Blog – Step by Step Guide for Beginners.

Types of Food Blogs

Food blogs come in various flavors. From location-specific blogs that showcase regional delicacies to those sharing recipes or healthy eating tips. There’s something for everyone’s taste buds.

Location-specific

This type of blog focuses on showcasing restaurants and dining experiences within a specific neighborhood or area. For example, it could cover Chinese restaurants, Mexican eateries, or popular brunch spots nearby.

Recipe blogs

Recipe blogs are blogs where the author posts their own unique recipes. The majority of these entries will have ingredient lists, detailed recipe instructions, and appealing original food images.

Cuisine-specific

On the other hand, this blog type would specialize in a particular cuisine, such as Japanese food. It could feature restaurants serving Japanese cuisine from various locations, share recipes, or provide cooking tips for making Japanese dishes at home.

Healthy food tips

These blogs offer information on various aspects of healthy eating, including meal planning, ingredient selection, and cooking techniques. From tips on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your meals to advice on reducing sugar and processed foods, these blogs aim to empower readers to make positive choices for their health.

Diet food blog

A diet food blog focuses on specialized eating plans for better health. From paleo and low-carb keto diets to raw food and diabetes-friendly options, these blogs offer recipes tailored to specific needs. There are also specific blogs for celiacs, covering gluten-free choices.

Some diet food blogs explore unique culinary realms, such as incorporating edible flowers or experimenting with sustainable protein sources like edible insects, offering innovative and nutritious options for adventurous eaters.

If you are not sure what type of food blog you want to have, look for inspiration from the already established food influencers. Try to look for insight and guidance from Gordon Ramsay (@gordongram) with 16.4 million followers on Instagram or Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) with 10 million followers, for example.

Food blog name ideas

Generating catchy and memorable food blog name ideas is essential for standing out in the crowded food blogging landscape. Opt for a name that resonates with your target audience and gives a hint of the delicious content they can expect on your blog.

It’s crucial to ensure the chosen name is easy to spell and not already in use, to establish a strong and recognizable online presence for your food blog.

How to become a food blogger

Here are some tips to keep in mind when you create your content for a food blog:

• Be true to yourself. Post your own recipes that you have tried and tested and that you would recommend to your best friends. Write from personal experience if you are reviewing eateries, diets, or unusual cuisine.

• Post on a regular basis. our audience should know the day and time of your upcoming blog article. Google’s algorithm likes it when you publish on a regular basis, and it will rank your site higher in response.

• Have patience. Establishing a blog takes time, even if you are posting excellent content with fantastic images right from the start. Even if you aren’t initially generating much traction, keep blogging. Your patience and consistency will pay off in the long run.

• Be unique. Using your unique voice in your blog entries is the simplest method to differentiate yourself from competitors.

• Be receptive. Always reply to comments that appear on your blogs. Try to reply to comments within 60 minutes of publishing a post.

• Be creative. Add high-quality images to your blogs. Research indicates that having more than 10 images in a blog post enhances its performance. A food blog should have no trouble including pertinent, high-quality photographs.

• Be search-optimized. If you’re not familiar with it already, begin studying search engine optimization (SEO). Applying SEO’s principles to your blog is a long-term game.

How to Make Money From Food Blog

According to a recent survey of all the popular blogging topics, food blogs earned the highest median monthly income. If you already have a passion for the culinary sector, regularly generate great content with visual support, and have a loyal base of readers–now it’s time to start monetizing all your efforts.

Among the most popular methods for monetization are:

• Affiliate marketing: Food brands can accept you as an affiliate and use your writing to market their goods.

• Ads: To get money, you can create partnerships and run advertisements.

• Sponsored posts: Crafting sponsored content tailored to food brands is an option. Make sure your audience finds this interesting; if not, it could undermine the credibility of your brand.

• E-books: With your area of expertise, you can quickly produce e-books that you can market to your audience. To avoid having to spend a lot of time creating these e-books, recycle your most-liked content or hire someone else to write the books. They might be a reliable passive revenue source.

• Selling products: Utilizing a food blog provides a fantastic avenue to showcase and promote your own tangible products; these might be sold on your website or other e-commerce platforms. You can promote, for instance, your cookbook, special spices, aprons with your logo, etc.

• Courses: Courses can provide valuable content and engagement opportunities for your audience while offering a monetization avenue through course enrollment fees or premium content access. Each course should focus on delivering high-quality, actionable content. For example:
  • Healthy Cooking Masterclass: A comprehensive course teaching participants how to prepare nutritious and delicious meals, covering topics like meal planning, cooking techniques, and ingredient selection
  • Seasonal Meal Planning Course: A course that helps participants plan seasonal menus, incorporating fresh ingredients and sustainable cooking practices.

Conclusion

Starting a successful food blog requires a combination of passion, creativity, and dedication. If you’re writing about baking, vegan cuisine, or specialized diets like paleo or keto, there’s a niche waiting to be explored.

Becoming a food blogger involves honing your writing skills, cultivating a unique voice, and building a strong online presence through social media and networking. Monetizing your food blog can be a rewarding endeavor, with the potential to not only inspire others but also become a fulfilling and lucrative venture.

Start a food blog right away

The post How to Start a Food Blog: Recipe for Online Success appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

Index:

• How to start a successful blog
• How to find blog ideas to write about
• How much does it cost to start a blog?
• How to make money with a blog

How to start a successful blog

Starting a blog is one of the easiest ways to establish an online presence. They are great places to showcase authority on a topic, document a learning process, and share useful information. 

Blogs are also useful tools for companies to share more about what they’re doing and drive traffic to their website with engaging content. Whether personal or professional, creating a blog allows you to achieve goals that are different from those of a conventional website or online store.

When thinking about how to create a successful blog, there are a few key pieces of groundwork that need to be established first to set yourself up for success.

1. Define your blog topic 

If you have a specific business or hobby you’d like to write about, then you don’t have to think much further when it comes to deciding on the topic. However, if you want to create a blog to make money by recommending products or advertising, you may want to spend more time identifying and outlining what your blog is going to be about before you start.

When deciding on a topic, it’s important to identify a specific topic, or niche, that will be easy to write relevant content about but that doesn’t already have a lot of competition.

For example, there are millions of travel blogs out there, so you’ll need to think about how you can niche yours down to make it stand out in the crowd. However, keep in mind that if a topic is too specific, there might not be a big enough audience to reach your monetization goals.

A good niche is usually one that has little or no competition, yet has a reasonable search volume and audience size. You can see how much competition a niche has by doing internet searches and analyzing the first results. You can also use tools like Google Trends to see the interest over time. 

Take a look at our “What to write in a blog” article if you need some ideas for where to start.

2. Select a hosting site

Every blog, online store, or website needs hosting in order to function. Hosting is the place where the files that are part of your blog (eg. texts, photos, videos, etc.) are located. It is usually a folder on an online server.

When you create a blog (or any online project) there are 2 ways to do it. You can hire the hosting and the domain and “install” a content manager compatible with your hosting separately. Or use an online website builder that includes everything in one place (Hosting, Domain, and CMS)

If you decide to hire each element on your own, you will have all the freedom possible to customize it, but you will also be responsible for its technical functioning. Often you will have to enter the code to customize and keep your blog running so this solution is best suited for people with technical knowledge or time to learn it.

3. Choose a blogging platform

A website builder is the software that allows you to create a blog and upload new content without having to program each page from scratch.

By using an online website builder you have fewer possibilities to customize each element. However, you will save a lot of time when creating and maintaining the blog. This time can then be invested in the elements that are essential for success, such as good content and promotion.

Whether you choose to do everything yourself or use an online website builder, the domain will always be yours and you can take it somewhere else whenever you want.

In this guide, we will show you how to create a blog in the Webnode website builder. It is the best solution for beginners and people who want to focus mostly on the content.

4. Pick a blog name

If you already have a website or online store, it is recommended to include the blog under the domain name that you’re already using. This way, the visits and links you receive through the blog will add value to the whole website. In addition, by publishing new content regularly, search engines will check your website more often.

The best way to add a blog to your website is to do it through a folder. For example mywebsite.com/blog. Some providers offer the possibility of creating it in a subdomain (blog.mywebsite.com). Although, in theory, there is no difference between using a subdomain or folder, there is a lot of documentation on blogs that have seen considerable improvements in SEO by moving from a subdomain to a folder.

If the objective of your blog is not to support an existing website and you want to earn money with advertising or product recommendations, you will have to get a domain name.

It is recommended that your domain name is short, easy to remember, and connected to your theme. Domain names containing popular wording or phrases are likely already taken so you may have to get a bit creative to find the perfect name. 

When you register with Webnode, your blog is hosted under a subdomain of the type mywww.webnode.com. This subdomain is free without any time limit and is a good way to experience having your own blog before investing any money into it.

However, it is advisable to get your own domain name. In addition to the advantage in terms of SEO, it will also improve the credibility. In a nutshell, investing in your own domain brings more visitors and helps to gain their trust.

5. Customize your blog’s design

The design is a key part to consider when you think about how to build a blog. It isn’t just about looking pretty – it should help users easily read and navigate the content. 

Before you create your own blog, you probably already have some idea of how it should look. Maybe you have even visited other blogs for inspiration. With these ideas in mind, you can either build your design from scratch or use a customizable template to get the look you want.

Webnode has a number of blog website templates that can easily be customized and adapted to meet your needs. Each template comes with predefined content to give you an idea of how to structure the blog and each page style. However, you can make it your own by adjusting the color palette, text font, and other visual elements.

The main thing to remember is that the content should be easy to read. Also, don’t forget to check your design from a cell phone as a significant amount of your visitors will likely read your content from their mobile devices. 

One of the great advantages of using Webnode is that all of its templates will automatically adapt to any screen size so your readers will have no trouble reading from any device.

6. Organize your blog structure

We recommend planning the structure before you start writing. The main objectives in terms of structure are to:

• Facilitate navigation
• Encourage the discovery of other items
• Direct your visitor to the page or online store where they can make a purchase (if your goal is to sell products or services)

Try to keep the structure simple as possible. Make a small list of articles related to the blog’s overarching topic and group them by categories. There should be a maximum of 4 to 6 categories. This number will allow your visitors to easily find the content that interests them without being overwhelmed.

To create categories on a Webnode blog, simply create a new “blog page” and add the corresponding articles to the new category.

If your blog is not part of a bigger website or online store, make sure to also include pages with contact details and information about you.

7. Create a high-quality blog content

The quality of your content is one of the most important factors to consider when thinking about how to create a successful blog. Writing SEO-friendly posts that answer important questions, provide vital information or an interesting perspective on a specific topic. Readers will keep coming back to your blog and you’ll make it easier for search engines to discover your content.

One of the most important factors for creating high-quality content is to have a clear content plan. This doesn’t have to be anything too complicated, but you should at least have a list of SEO-friendly topic ideas that fit into your niche. This will help you stay on track with consistently posting content and also provide inspiration when you’re not sure what to write about.

If you have a company or affiliate sales blog, you can use this content plan to prioritize the most relevant content that aligns with your bigger goals. For example, producing content closely related to the products you sell or tied to a big company announcement.

While the quality of the written content in your posts is essential, multimedia content such as images, infographics, and videos can help captivate your audience. Don’t forget to include these elements to help support the story you’re trying to tell with the content.

8. Promote your blog and build an audience

You may have the best content in the world but you won’t see any benefit from it if no one sees your posts. That’s why promotion is an essential part of creating a successful blog.

There are many ways to approach this. Which method you choose to use will depend on factors such as your goals, your audience, and your resources.

The easiest way to start is to promote your content to your own audience:

• Share the article on your social networks: You can do this multiple times during the first days after publishing the article. However, be sure to mix up the content of the social media posts so you’re not repeating yourself. If the content is evergreen, you can also share it again in the future.

• Link your blog to social networks and include buttons to share your articles without leaving your blog. You can also display Facebook comments on your blog posts, a good way to help generate conversation and avoid the typical spam of other commenting systems. You can achieve this easily in Webnode from the settings window.

• Build an email list: An email list is one of the most powerful tools in your promotion arsenal. Even if you’re just starting out, it’s important to start building this as soon as possible. If you have a client list, that’s a great place to start. And you can also add a form to your blog where interested people can sign up. When you publish a post, share it with your email list. Webnode allows you to create your own list very easily with the “newsletter registration” form.

Newsletter registration form

• Link to your new article in other related articles: This will help you get visits from those articles and help Google discover your new article quickly. 

While promoting to your own audience is a great place to start, it might not be enough to position your article in the search engines. Here are a few strategies to help your content reach even more people:

• Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn Ads: If you have invested several hours in writing content and it has commercial value, it might be worth also investing a small budget to promote your article through social media ads to reach a wider audience.

• Share your article in online communities (Quora, Facebook groups, Reddit, specialized forums, etc.): In the same way that you use different online communities to find more information about issues that concern our audience. You can also use these networks to offer your answer to those questions. However, it is not simply a matter of placing a link to your article. Be active in the communities you choose, help people, and share your articles when relevant.

• Public relations and influencers: Connecting with other bloggers and influencers is a great way to amplify your content. If your content is relevant to their audience, you can ask them to share it with them by promoting it on social media or adding a link to their blog. Remember, this approach is about relationships so if they agree to share your content with their audience, it is a best practice to offer to share their content with your audience in return.

Following these steps, your article will continue to receive traffic continuously over time, even when you stop actively promoting it. 

How to find blog ideas to write about

When you make your blog, you’ll first need to understand what type of content you want to include. For example, a blog designed to document a learning process will most likely feature articles based on your personal experience – what you have done; what you have seen; or what you have lived.

On the contrary, if you have a professional or company blog, the vast majority of posts will focus on defining or explaining the solution to a problem or relevant topics in your industry.

For this second case, the easiest way to find topics to write about is to put yourself in the shoes of the audience you want to reach and answer the questions or problems they have. There are many ways to do this.

Brainstorming to use your knowledge of the market

Put yourself in your ideal reader’s shoes and write down all the questions they may have. If you have contact with customers already, there are bound to be some frequently asked questions. Creating content that answers their questions will be your ideal starting point.

News and developments in your sector

If you attend conferences or fairs in your sector, these are a fantastic source of ideas to write about. Take note of the more controversial topics or presentation titles and write about them from the consumer’s point of view.

Online communities

There are many places on the Internet where your audience raises and answers questions. For example, Facebook or LinkedIn groups, specialized forums, Quora, Reddit, etc. are all great places to learn more about what information your audience is looking for.

These communities usually have a search bar. Search for a generic term related to your market and write down the most repeated questions that come up (and that you can answer) in your content plan. Visit these communities frequently to stay up to date on trending topics.

Youtube

People consume content differently and while video is becoming an increasingly popular medium, there are still many people who prefer written content to video. Whether you have a fashion blog or a kitchen furniture company, you can find plenty of related videos on YouTube.

Search and see what videos are made on your topic. Choose the videos with the most views and use them as inspiration for your article. However, be sure to make your content unique and not copy anyone else’s work.

Related search terms

Search engines often show related terms. Sometimes they also show “user questions”. Tools such as answerthepublic.com use this information to give you a list of perfect questions that can help inspire your ideas.

There are also many tools that can show you how often people are searching for a particular topic or keyword. The best-known ones like Moz, Semrush, or Ahrefs are paid (or have limited free versions available). However, there are tools like Keyword Generator or Keyword Surfer that can help you get this information for free.

Competition

Check out your competitors’ blogs and see what topics they address in their content. Are you able to cover the same topic in a unique way, from another point of view, or with another format? There is nothing wrong with being inspired by the competition as long as you don’t directly copy their content.

Also, pay attention to the competitor’s social media ads. If they are putting a budget behind a article to promote it further, it’s likely that this piece of content is already doing well and they’re looking to amplify it. That signals that there is a demand for the topic so it might be worthwhile to create your own post on the topic as well.

Search trends

Tools like Google Trends show topics whose interest is growing. Start with a generic term that describes your business and review the related topics and queries. This may provide some additional inspiration for relevant blog post ideas.

Most successful previous articles

If your blog has been up and running for a while, check what kind of articles receive the most visits and create new articles from different points of view on similar topics or using the same format.

How much does it cost to start a blog?

How much it costs to start a blog can vary greatly depending on which platform you use and what features and functionalities you need. Webnode’s paid plans range from as low as $4.50 per month up to $22.90 per month depending on the features included in the plan. 

How to make a blog for free

It’s also possible to create a blog for free using Webnode. This is a great option if you’re just starting to make your own blog as it gives you the freedom to see if blogging is a good fit before investing money into it. All you have to do is register and then select one of Webnode’s professionally designed templates to get started.

How to make money with a blog

With enough perseverance and planning it is possible to earn some money with your blog, however, you must keep in mind that it is not something that happens overnight. Making money on the Internet requires time and effort.

There are several different approaches you can take when it comes to how to make money from a blog.

Advertising

There are free advertising programs that allow to make money by displaying third-party ads on your site. When you do so, you “rent” a space on your blog to the network where banner ads will be shown.

When your ads are shown a certain number of times or when someone clicks on a banner, you will receive the compensation agreed upon with the advertising network. This way of earning money works well for blogs that receive a lot of visitors.

Webnode works with the Google advertising network called AdSense. To participate in this network, all you have to do is register on their website and place a piece of code on your blog.

It is important to find a balance between the number of ads and their economic benefits. If you have too many ads on your website, you are likely to lose visitors as this can impact the usability of the site or make it look spammy. Your blog might even be penalized by Google for having too many ads.

Affiliate programs

Many companies have affiliate programs to help them increase sales through referral traffic. 

When you sign up to an affiliate program, you will be given trackable links to use in your content. You will receive a commission every time someone uses your blog link to buy the product you recommend.

Using affiliate links is a great option to consider when thinking about how to make money with a blog – especially if you have a small audience. You don’t need a large volume of traffic to make money. You just have to find a way to reach an audience relevant to that product. 

If your blog is focused on a very specific niche and the product you’re recommending is a good fit, it will likely be easy for you to generate some sales using affiliate links. High-ticket products can also generate a good amount of commission even with a small number of sales.

It’s important (and sometimes required) that you let your audience know if you’re using affiliate links. In general, people won’t care if you earn a commission for recommending a product but you will need to disclose this information.

Amazon Associates and Share-A-Sale are popular affiliate networks, but there are many options to choose from. Many companies have an affiliate program set up so if there’s a brand you love and want to promote, don’t be afraid to reach out and see if they have an affiliate program.

If the goal of your blog is to make money through affiliate marketing, it’s a good idea to do an analysis of the different existing affiliate programs and the commissions they pay.

Tip: Webnode also has its own affiliate program – sign up and earn $100 for every Premium user you generate with your blog.

Sponsored content and paid reviews

Sponsored content and paid reviews are other great ways for how to make money with a blog. Once your blog starts to gain traction, you may receive requests from companies to feature their products or services. 

In addition to using their affiliate program, you can also charge a flat-rate fee to promote their products or services. This can be done through sponsored content, which is a promotional feature article written about a particular company or product. With this option, the company may want to review the content before it is posted to ensure that it’s accurate.

Another option is to do paid reviews of a product or service. These can either be stand-alone reviews or inclusion in product roundups. Sometimes, companies may offer to send you product samples rather than playing a flat-fee for this type of promotion.

Paid guest blog posts

If you have a successful blog, you may also receive requests from other writers to publish guest posts. This means publishing an article written by another company or blogger. This is a popular tactic for companies who are looking to improve their SEO by including a link on your blog back to their website.

Paid guest posts can be a win-win situation as you not only make money by including the post on your blog, but you also get content to use without having to invest the time in writing it. 

However, if you accept this type of collaboration, make sure you have strict guidelines about the type and quality of content you are willing to post. Just like the articles you write, guest posts should be original and useful to your audience. The best way to do this is to not commit to publishing the content until you have seen it.

As with affiliate programs, it is necessary to clearly mark guest posts, sponsored content, and paid reviews. If you don’t do this, Google and other search engines may penalize you in the search engines.

Premium membership

Offering a premium membership subscription is a great way to build monthly recurring revenue. This is one of the most stable and predictable ways to make money with your blog. 

With this model, you’ll keep some content gated so that only members are able to access these posts. The key to success with a premium blog membership is to make sure that the premium posts provide enough value that people are willing to pay to read them.

Selling digital content

You can also use your blog to sell digital content that you’ve produced such as webinars, courses, or e-books. With this tactic, your posts should introduce the topic and guide the reader to the paid resources to learn more.

However, don’t fall into the trap of providing surface level content for free and then asking your readers to pay for anything of substance. They will likely get fed up with this quickly. Be sure that your free content is designed to provide enough value and build trust so that paying to learn more from you is a no-brainer.

Conclusion

Embarking on the journey of creating your own blog is an opportunity to share your passions and connect with a global audience. It also has the potential to become a profitable income stream.

However, you have to maintain a balance between promotion and the usefulness of your content if you want to have a successful blog. Always think about the value you bring to your readers first and foremost when considering how to start a blog and make money.

Start your blog for free

The post How to Start a Blog and Make Money appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

Entrepreneurs, salespeople, marketers, IT workers, and many others with sedentary jobs spend a lot of time working on the computer. Sedentary jobs can contribute to health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, cancer, deep vein thrombosis, stiff necks and shoulders, anxiety, and depression.

So if you are building your website, starting an online store, or creating a blog, don’t forget about healthy habits. Revitalize your working routine with our amazing tips for how to stay active at a desk job.

1. Establish morning routine

The best way to start your day is with physical activity. Incorporate a brisk walk, a short yoga session, or a quick workout into your morning routine for as little as 15-30 minutes. Check out some inspirational videos on YouTube to help get you motivated.

This morning ritual will energize your body and set a positive tone for the day. Research shows that morning exercise improves mental clarity and productivity, contributing to a more active day overall.

2. Adjust your sitting posture

Improving your sitting posture can enhance your overall well-being. Maintaining proper posture is essential. Poor posture may exert strain on muscles and joints, resulting in issues like balance problems, fatigue, and discomfort in the back and neck.

How does proper posture look like? When sitting, ensure your back is supported and your spine maintains its natural curves, with your shoulders relaxed and your feet flat on the floor. Your shoulders should be rolled back and relaxed, with your chest open and lifted. Avoid slouching or leaning forward, and try to keep your computer screen at eye level to prevent strain on your neck.

3. Be active

Whenever possible, try walking or biking for short trips instead of driving. If you use public transport regularly, just get off one stop earlier and walking the rest of the way to not only get exercise but also reduce your carbon footprint. Also, consider parking farther away from the building to encourage walking across the parking lot. Small choices can increase physical activity over time.

4. Use stairs instead of the elevator

Ditch the elevator as the default choice in your daily routine. If you find yourself relying on using the elevator too much, try taking the stairs. Climbing the stairs is a great way to activate your leg muscles and increase your heart rate, improving your cardiovascular fitness.

5. Take regular breaks

You can avoid prolonged periods in the same position if you take regular breaks. Sitting for long periods of time can cause many muscles to tighten or shorten, resulting in discomfort, pain, and tension long after the workday is over.

How often should you take a break from sitting at your computer? Take breaks every 20 to 30 minutes. During these breaks, engage in activities such as walking, deep breathing, or simple stretches. Taking regular breaks isn’t just beneficial for your body; it also provides a much-needed opportunity for your brain to recharge and relax, helping you maintain peak performance.

A 2018 study found that incorporating brief pauses during mentally taxing activities can reduce fatigue and cognitive overload while enhancing overall productivity. 

6. Stretch it out 

Incorporating stretching into your routine breaks is a great way to refresh mentally. When you’re sitting at a desk for long periods of time, stretching helps to counteract the effects of muscle tightness and stiffness. Make it a habit to stretch major muscle groups, including your neck, shoulders, back, hips, and legs.

Try yoga poses like downward-facing dog, upward dog, or plank for a revitalizing boost. By prioritizing stretching in your daily routine, you’ll not only feel more relaxed but also promote better posture and reduce the risk of muscle strain and injury over time.

7. Follow the 20-20-20 rule

The 20-20-20 rule is a recommended eye exercise to alleviate digital eye strain caused by prolonged screen time. This will help you stay healthy with a desk job. The rule suggests taking a break every 20 minutes by looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

This helps reduce the eye fatigue, dryness, and discomfort associated with prolonged screen time, promoting better eye health and preventing potential long-term problems.

8. Maximize your lunch break

After a long day of sitting at a computer, take a walk and eat outside the office instead of eating lunch at your desk. Walk to a nearby park or restaurant garden, involve your colleagues and make it a daily routine. 

Even if you don’t go for a walk, it’s important to enjoy your lunch away from screens. This simple practice will help you disconnect from the work life, stop sitting, move and stretch your muscles.

9. Move while calling

Stand or move while on the phone. Take the opportunity to get up and engage in light physical activity, such as walking around your office, or incorporating gentle stretches to avoid prolonged sitting.

If your company schedules many meetings, perhaps you can suggest a walking meeting, as some companies have started implementing. The walking meetings are a way to enhance creativity, productivity, and focus during discussions and decision-making processes.

10. Exercise sitting at the computer

Incorporating simple activities like seated leg lifts, desk stretches, or chair squats can be seamlessly integrated into your workday. These movements not only help combat the sedentary nature of desk work but also enhance improved posture and increased energy levels throughout the day. Let’s look at some of them in detail.

Seated Leg Lifts: 

• Lift one leg at a time straight out in front of you, hold for a few seconds, then lower it back down. Repeat with the other leg.

Ankle Circles: 

• Lift your feet slightly off the ground and rotate your ankles in clockwise and counterclockwise circles to improve ankle flexibility.

Neck Stretches: 

• Gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder, and hold for a few seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Torso Twists:

• Sit up straight, place one hand on the opposite knee, and twist your torso gently to the side. Hold for a moment and repeat on the other side.

11. Eat healthy snacks

Snacking helps maintain satisfaction between meals and stabilizes blood sugar levels, providing enough energy to tackle the day.

Stay away from chips and processed foods. Opt for snacks that contain protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. This combination provides sustained energy, which helps you focus throughout the day. E.g., greek yogurt paired with berries and honey or oat porridge with a banana.

12. Hydrate regularly

Proper hydration supports cognitive function, increases energy levels and boosts metabolism. Use reminders on your phone or computer to make sure you drink water consistently throughout the day. This also encourages you to take breaks, refill your water bottle, and incorporate short periods of physical activity.

The amount of water a person should drink per day can vary based on factors such as age, sex, activity level, and environment. A general guideline for healthy adults is about 2.7 liters a day for women and 3.7 liters a day for men, including fluids from water, beverages, and food.

Conclusion

Sedentary jobs worsen health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. That’s why it’s a good idea to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Remember that even small adjustments like taking regular breaks, getting enough fluids, and sitting properly can have a big impact. Start today, and keep your body and mind healthy.

Working remotely? Read tips on how to manage working from home

The post 12 Tips to Stay Active and Fit at a Desk Job appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

What is a digital portfolio?

A digital portfolio is more than just an online presentation of your work—it’s a powerful tool for showcasing your skills and experiences to potential employers, recruiters, or clients.

Imagine it like a collage of your finest work examples, compiled in the form of a portfolio website or landing page. From graphic designers and photographers to illustrators and writers, a digital portfolio allows individuals from various fields to exhibit their unique talents effectively.

What to include in a digital portfolio

Your resume should reflect your professional persona. It will have the biggest impact when its content is tailored to your specific line of work. However, the following key elements will apply across industries:

• About Me section
  • This is your digital handshake. In this section, you will briefly introduce yourself and your previous work. It is like a small work biography highlighting the best bits of your career.
• Contact
  • This part should never be missed on any website. Provide your contact and location details or ensure new contacts can reach you through a form.
• Work samples
  • Showcasing your work examples will supplement your about me section. Give examples of your best results so people know what they can expect from working with you. You can show this as a video, gallery, or text snippet.
• Expertise and resume
  • Optional, for those readers who want to know more about you, provide them with your CV. Offer the flexibility to download your resume and skill set.
• Awards
  • You are the best! Bring your wins and honors forward by showing your certificates and prizes.

How to create a portfolio website

This guide to creating a digital portfolio will help you build your personal or professional online presence effortlessly:

Choose a website builder

Select a user-friendly website builder with intuitive navigation that suits your needs. Ideally, one that lets you upgrade the features as you need them. One like Webnode, for example. It is a drag-and-drop platform that does not require any coding skills.

Stylize the design and layout

A visually catchy design with a clear wide layout will get your content straight across. Seek to adapt the style, font, and colors to your persona. When creating your personal portfolio website, you can save yourself the work by using pre-designed website templates.

Streamline your content

Context is the queen, and content is still king. Highlight your work with the appropriate headlines, concise text, and more images or videos. Focus on the about me section and work examples. A constant theme running through your pages that is easy to follow and understand will ensure your visitors that they’ve found the right person they searched for.

Master SEO

Optimizing all of your written content for search engines is the basis of all web presence. Choose your written words to match the specific keywords and key phrases recruiters search for. Read more in “How to do SEO yourself” to get better organic results.

Use social media

Linking your resume to your professional social media accounts will generate more visitors, cultivate an exchange with collaborators or partners, and signal that you are proactive. What’s more, it’s increasingly common these days for recruiters to contact you with a job offer via social media after looking at your CV and profile online. You can share your portfolio’s QR codes on social media for recruiters to quickly view your profile.

Connect to job platforms

Similar to social media, also link your online presentation to job platforms like LinkedIn, CreativePool, Dribble, or Upwork. Recruitment skills are in high demand on these platforms, with numerous recruiters actively seeking talented individuals.

Update regularly

Last, but not least, keep your portfolio website fresh! When you regularly update your content and keep up with the latest trends, you will make it more relevant and authentic. It will also further improve your ranking in search engines. In addition, it is a signal to recruiters and prospective clients that you are developing in your field and have an overview of current events.

Portfolio website templates

Having an appealingly designed portfolio will make your work automatically more attractive. This is why choosing the right portfolio website template is crucial at the start. Webnode’s free portfolio website templates are created by our professional UX Designers. They follow the latest trends in web design.

Examples of portfolio website templates

Presenting your digital portfolio effectively

It is not only the look and content that will make your presentation great. To get the maximum possible reach, these last ingredients will enhance your professional online presence and let you share it effectively:

1. Your Domain

Bring your name across by registering your own domain name, which reflects your personality. Your domain and professional e-mail address will give you authenticity, trust, and seriousness. Plus, it will establish your brand right from the start.

Tip: If you already have your brand established, you may find extra help in our brand resume.

2. UX (User Experience)

Concentrate on bringing your message across as simply as possible. Keep the content neat, tidy, and concise. Ensure all your pages load fast and are easy to navigate through with minimal scrolling and clicks. Let your call to actions entice the reader to get in touch with you.

3. Constant Marketing

Populate your resume on social media and job platforms as early as possible. As soon as you have your domain connected and are indexed with Google begin to advertise for your work in:

• groups,
• local events and conferences,
• your social media channels.

Be active constantly by posting regularly to raise your client base. Keep readers and followers in the loop by proactively engaging with trends, news, and more. Another way to do this is to write blog posts about topics related to your work, which also shows how knowledgeable you are in your field.

Are you an artist creating a digital portfolio? We have some tips for your online art portfolio. It compliments your existing presence on job platforms and materials such as your resume and recommendations.

An online portfolio is the best visual way to present your work, so get started today and showcase your professional prowess in the online world.

Create your free portfolio website

The post How to Make a Digital Portfolio appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

How to Promote Your Blog on Pinterest

When it comes to leveraging the power of social media to drive traffic to your blog, Pinterest often stands out as a hidden gem. This visual platform, brimming with enthusiastic discoverers, can be a goldmine for bloggers. Here’s how you can amplify your blog’s reach using Pinterest:

1. Start with the Basics: First and foremost, ensure you have a Pinterest Business account. Upload your profile photo and craft a compelling bio that conveys the essence of your blog and contains relevant keywords. If you own your blog’s domain, don’t forget to claim it in the Settings.
2. Create Visually Appealing Pins: Your Pins should be eye-catching, relevant to your blog post, and of high resolution. Using Pin templates offered by simple tools like Canva can help you design attractive Pins even if you’re not a designer.
3. Optimize Pin Texts: A well-optimized description, title, and alt text will boost your Pin’s visibility. Use relevant keywords and phrases that potential readers might use to search for content like yours. Don’t forget to include a CTA such as “Click the Pin to read more”.
4. Organize Pins Into Optimized Boards: Categorizing Pins into themed boards with clear titles and keyword-rich descriptions boosts user navigation and SEO on Pinterest. Regular updates keep boards relevant, and a streamlined profile guides users effectively to your content.
5. Pin to Shared Boards With the Same Topics: Group boards are collaborative spaces with multiple pinners. Pinning relevant content to these boards exposes your blog to a wider audience.
6. Utilize Rich Pins: Especially the ‘Article’ type, to lend credibility and context to your posts.

How to Get Traffic from Pinterest to Your Blog

Harnessing Pinterest’s potential to drive traffic to your blog requires a blend of strategy and understanding the platform’s algorithm.

There’s no one specific strategy that works for every blog account on Pinterest. But optimizing your profile according to Pinterest’s best practices is the first and most important step.

Also, consistency is key on Pinterest. Post new Pins regularly to maintain visibility and signal activity to the platform’s algorithm. This can boost engagement and drive more traffic to your blog. Scheduling tools (like Tailwind or Pinterest itself) can help ensure a steady posting rhythm. Consistency in pinning keeps you prominent in your followers’ feeds, while Pinterest’s promoted pins can spotlight your top content.

How Much Traffic Can You Get from Pinterest

Bloggers in niches like fashion, DIY, recipes, and travel have reported seeing a significant percentage of their overall traffic coming from Pinterest. However, the exact number varies based on your niche, Pin quality, and engagement rate.

It’s worth noting that Pinterest users are active and ready to discover useful content, which gives bloggers an excellent opportunity to capture a motivated audience. By ensuring that your Pins and boards are optimized, you can tap into a vast pool of users eager to broaden their horizons with your content.

How Long Does It Take to Get Traffic from Pinterest?

While Pinterest can be a goldmine for traffic, it’s a long-term game. Usually, it takes Pinterest about one to two months to index your Pin properly and start showing it to the right audience.

However, when it comes to a Pin’s lifespan, it’s very different from platforms like Instagram or Facebook. On Pinterest, a Pin can drive traffic for months or even years after being posted. The quality of a Pin is not determined by the time of posting or the number of followers. The key factor is using the right mix of keywords.

While Pinterest can be a game-changer for bloggers, managing a Pinterest account effectively can be time-consuming. If you’re looking to harness the power of Pinterest but need guidance or someone to manage it for you, we recommend our partner Soapbox – Pinterest & Content Marketing Agency that has helped set up Webnode’s Pinterest strategy, too.

Start leveraging Pinterest today and witness the transformative effect it can have on your blog’s traffic!

How to Use Pinterest for Blogging: FAQs

1. How many Pins should I create for my blog posts?
   • For each blog post, creating at least 3-5 diverse Pins is recommended. Varying both visuals and descriptions allows you to appeal to different user tastes and target multiple keywords. Instead of pinning all at once, space them out over a few weeks to ensure consistent promotion.
2. Should I use promoted Pins?
   • Promoted Pins are Pinterest’s paid advertising option. If you have a budget and are looking to boost a specific post or product, promoted Pins can help increase your organic traffic.
3. What size should my Pinterest images be?
   • The recommended Pin size is a 2:3 ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels) for static Pins and 9:16 for Video Pins.
4. How do I use keywords effectively on Pinterest?
   • Keywords are essential for Pinterest SEO. Incorporate relevant keywords in your Pin titles, descriptions, and even board names. To find suitable keywords, use the Pinterest search bar to see the autocomplete suggestions related to your niche or look for the most popular keywords on trends.pinterest.com.

The post How to Use Pinterest for Blogging appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

Benefits of Earning Money Online for Students 

The number one advantage of working online is flexible work hours. Structuring your own schedule and setting your own rates makes you better organised, time-effective, and financially independent.

Acquiring new skills will help you build self-assurance and improve your communication and social skills. Remote work will also give you an opportunity to engage in collaboration with clients from other countries and exposure to a range of professions.  

How to find online jobs for students 

Perhaps you were wondering, “how can I earn money online as a student?”. There are a lot of platforms where you can find online jobs relevant to your skills and qualifications.

Platforms like Internshala, Naukri, LinkedIn, Fiver, and Upwork, offer online jobs for students and are great sites where you can find this type of work. We’ve also included additional ideas below for each job category.

How to make money as a student

Almost every college student wants to know how to make money while in school. Tuition, room, and board at college can be expensive. Thus, making money while studying can be useful and sometimes necessary. 

Online Jobs for Students to Earn Money

1. Online Tutoring 

Online tutoring is a popular job option for students looking to earn money online. What exactly do tutors do? Tutors oversee gathering course materials, responding to students’ inquiries, assessing their work, and keeping track of their progress.  

Tutoring is a great way to take what you are good at and make some extra cash. Are you great at Spanish? Or do you love biology? Choose which subject area you’ll focus on, set up your own prices and a working schedule for working with students. Customize your invoice templates for an effective billing process. Then you are able to start promoting your tutoring services. 

You may want to check out Tutor.com, Wyzant, Udemy, SkillShare, Coursera, and Chegg.  

2. Freelance Writing 

Freelance writing is one of the most popular online writing jobs available to students. You don’t need a years of experience, but all you truly need is a flair for writing and good portfolio.

You can publish your writing for free in several journals, blogs, and newspapers on Medium. This is a great way to start building a portfolio for applying to paid online writing jobs or even online essay writing services, which often seek skilled writers.

Once you’ve developed your portfolio, you can then start looking for freelance assignments on websites like Problogger and Freelance Writing Jobs. You may also want to sign up for sites like UpWork and Fiverr to get started.

Enjoying writing? Other online writing and typing jobs for students include working as a resume writer, proofreader, or transcriptionist.

Tip: When your work is finished, you can generate an invoice using the freelance invoice template.

3. Online Data Entry 

If online part-time jobs for students sound more appealing than one-off gigs, then online data entry might be a great option to consider. With this type of job, you will be expected to update the data from various sources on the company’s server.

It will be your responsibility to keep the company’s data current and available to anyone. The following platforms are a good place to start: Freelancer, Data Plus, Clickworker, Guru, and PeoplePerHour. 

4. Virtual Assistant  

Virtual assistant positions are quickly growing in popularity. They work remotely and assist customers and companies with their administrative needs. These positions are appealing to students because they often don’t require any particular training.  

The duties of a virtual assistant include scheduling meetings, establishing schedules, and managing small tasks. Making calls, responding to emails, conducting research, entering data, and proofreading, are also your tasks as a virtual assistant.

If you have specialised skills, for example in marketing, you can apply for a position as a virtual marketing assistant. They are usually paid more. Here are some platforms to go to: Time etc., Upwork, RemoteCoWorker, Fiver, and Zirtual.

5. Online HR Recruiter 

Do you have great marketing and human skills? Then the role of an online HR recruiter may fits you. HR recruiters arrange, execute, and hire candidates who are best suited for a position and company.

Daily tasks often involve reviewing resumes, conducting phone interviews, informing staff members about the training procedure, and headhunting potential candidates. For available jobs, check out platforms Naukri.com, Upwork.com, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, JazzHR, and Zoho Recruit. 

6. Graphic Design 

Another excellent online job option for creative students is graphic design. Companies and brands seek aspiring graphic designers that can produce captivating images for their products and services. There are many prospects for employment in graphic design, including developing logos, menus, illustrations, layouts, book covers, and product packaging.

To search for graphic design gigs, try these platforms: Internshala, LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork, or Freelancer. 

7. Apps and Websites Reviewer 

Being an app and website reviewer is another way to earn money online as a college student. Several product review sites are looking for people who get paid to write product reviews. All you need to do is test the app or website and provide an evaluation based on the criteria.

You’ll evaluate the item based on its usability, performance, and usefulness as well as how it performs online and how user-friendly the website design is. To find reviewing jobs, visit the following platforms: Product Hunt, MobileAppDaily, and GetApp 

8. Social Media Manager 

Do you spend time on social sites? Consider becoming a social media specialist or manager. To apply, you ideally have previous experience managing social media accounts and driving traffic to them, even if it’s just your own account. Most businesses have social accounts and seek somebody to manage them on their behalf.  

As a social media manager, planning, leading digital marketing activities, and boosting the brand’s visibility on social channels will be your daily routine. You’ll likely be expected to create engaging content for different platforms, post regularly, and respond to messages that come through the accounts.

To see job offers go to platforms Internshala, LinkedIn, Fiverr, and Upwork.

9. Photo / Video Editor 

Video and photo editors are now in high demand and it is a good option to make money online for students. Work for customers and assist them in creating films and photographs for their company.

You will need to edit raw video and still images into a finished product as a video and picture editor. If you like to play with the lighting or background of images, enhance photos or add special effects, the job of a photo/video editor is perfect for you. It’s an ideal option, especially for those starting a freelancing journey with a passion for video editing.

There are numerous free video editing options available, boasting highly functional features while requiring minimal budget expenditure.

To look for work in this area, check out websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.

10. Web developer  

You can start a business as a developer if you have the right skills. There are plenty of courses where you can teach yourself valuable coding skills. You won’t become a professional coder overnight, but you can build a solid foundation from online course platforms that will help you get started.

Start with smaller projects and work up from there. Check out Authenticjobs or Skillcrush for open positions. Coding pro bono for local non-profits is also a great place to start if you’re looking to get some practice in and build your portfolio.   

Showcase your skills and services online 

If you are a student and wondering how to make money and get a good online job, you need to promote your skills and services.   

• Identify your skills: Make a list of all the skills you have that could be valuable to others. Are you good at writing, graphic design, or video editing? Do you have experience in customer service, social media management, or event planning? It’s often better to focus on one thing first rather than trying to do too many things at once. Figure out what your main strength is and start there.

• Create an online portfolio: Create your professional portfolio website that showcases your skills, experience, and work. Make sure to include samples of your work, client testimonials, and a clear description of the services you offer. Even if you’re just starting out, a portfolio is important to have. You can create samples of your work to include that show potential clients what you can do. 

• Build your online presence: Be active on social sites (LinkedIn is very useful for job opportunities), engage with potential clients, and share your work regularly. Make sure your profiles and bios clearly state what services you offer and how to contact you.  

• Utilize freelance platforms: Sign up for free freelance platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer that allow you to create a profile and bid on jobs. These platforms can be a great way to connect with clients who are specifically looking for your skills and services.

• Network with others in your industry: Join online communities and forums related to your industry, attend virtual events and conferences, and reach out to other professionals in your field. Getting a mentor might help you get started if you’re new to the field.

• Offer competitive pricing: Do some research on what other freelancers in your industry are charging and set your prices accordingly. As you gain more experience and build your portfolio, you can increase your rates.

Remember to be persistent, patient, and always strive to provide high-quality work that exceeds your client’s expectations.

Pitfalls to avoid when applying for jobs online 

To find the perfect job for you, avoid the following common mistakes:  

• Falling for quick money schemes  

Don’t look at the rapid money-making programs. Most internet scamming websites pay well for subpar work. Use caution with such offerings.  

• Giving up too quickly  

Keep in mind that earning money online involves patience and commitment. It takes time to develop.  

• Having a limited job search  

Do not restrict your employment search to a single website or platform. Be proactive. Look for different websites, contact your network of friends and ask, if they know anyone looking for your services.

• Applying only to large corporations  

Don’t limit your applications to large corporations; include small businesses as well. Many smaller businesses prefer to work with freelancers and may be more open to hiring students. 

• Lack of Portfolio  

Your web portfolio should be prepared before you start applying for jobs. Without a portfolio of work demonstrating your skills, it might be difficult to communicate your abilities to potential employers. Include your best work and show them what you can do!

Get your work experience while studying 

Working online not only helps you earn extra money, it also helps you network, learn new skills and build a solid CV. Don’t let your student status hold you back from financial independence. Take charge of your future, embrace your online side hustle, and pave your way to success while still studying.

Start now, create your professional online portfolio, and let the world become your gateway to earning money.

Create your professional online portfolio

The post How to Earn Money Online for Students: 10 Ways to Increase Your Income appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.