admin

Author Archives: admin

Mindset and Personal Development

Introduction:

Personal development is one key element that stands out as the cornerstone of success and fulfilment. Mindset shapes our thoughts and feelings of how we perceive the world, influencing our actions, decisions, and ultimately, our outcomes. Let us look into the impact of mindset on an individual’s life. The connection between thoughts, emotions, and personal development. Discover how negative emotions can act as roadblocks to creativity. Learn the steps to achieve clarity and focus, paving the way for a more positive and successful life.

Personal Development, Thoughts and Feelings:

At the heart of personal development lies the acknowledgement that thoughts and feelings are not mere fleeting experiences but potent forces that shape our reality. Every thought sends ripples through the intricate web of our neural connections, triggering corresponding emotions and influencing our behaviour. When we cultivate a positive mindset, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities and opportunities. Conversely, a negative mindset can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, constraining our potential and limiting our achievements.

Negative Emotions as Creativity Blockers:

Creativity, a vital component of personal and professional success, is particularly sensitive to the influence of emotions. Negative emotions such as fear, doubt, and anxiety can create mental barriers, stifling our creative expression and problem-solving abilities. Understanding the dynamics of these emotions is crucial for unlocking our creative potential. By identifying and addressing the root causes of negativity, we can remove the roadblocks that hinder our creative flow. Read Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset.

The Need for Clarity and Focus:

In the chaotic hustle and bustle of daily life, achieving clarity and focus can seem like an elusive goal. Yet, these attributes are essential for navigating the tumultuous waters of personal development. Clarity provides us with a clear vision of our goals, enabling us to align our actions with our aspirations. Focus, on the other hand, allows us to channel our energy and efforts toward meaningful endeavours. We avoid the pitfalls of distraction and procrastination.

Steps to Attain Clarity and Focus:

Mindfulness Practices: Cultivating mindfulness through techniques such as meditation and deep breathing helps us gain control over our thoughts and emotions. By living in the present moment, we can reduce anxiety about the future and let go of past regrets, fostering a clear and focused mindset.

Goal Setting and Prioritization: Clearly defined goals act as beacons, guiding our actions and decisions. Setting realistic, achievable objectives allows us to break down larger aspirations into manageable steps, preventing overwhelm. Prioritizing tasks ensures that our efforts are directed toward the most impactful areas of our lives.

Positive Affirmations: Harnessing the power of positive affirmations rewires our thought patterns, replacing self-limiting beliefs with empowering statements. Affirmations reinforce a positive mindset, fostering a sense of self-confidence and resilience in the face of challenges.

Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Embracing a growth mindset involves viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. By remaining open to new ideas and adapting to change, we cultivate a mindset that thrives on challenges. This leads to greater clarity and focus.

The Role of Mindset in the Path to Success:

Mindset is not just part of the journey to success; it is the very foundation of success. Our beliefs about ourselves and our capabilities shape the actions we take and the paths we choose. A fixed mindset, characterized by a belief that abilities are innate and unchangeable, can limit our potential. With a growth mindset, challenges are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement. This propels us forward on the path to success.

The need for a supportive environment for personal growth:

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions, as well as empathize with others. When we are tuned in to our emotions, we gain insights into our thought patterns, enabling us to make more informed decisions and respond to challenges. Personal development involves self-reflection and awareness and acknowledgement of where we are emotionally. When a person has experienced loss of any sort they can experience profound grief, these lower vibrational emotions are natural and are part of the grieving process. Making decisions while in a place of fear and uncertainty can result in “irrational decisions” that can cause harm to ourselves or others. When we build strong interpersonal connections we can create a supportive environment for personal growth that helps us to overcome fears and challenges.

The Growth Mindset

Instead of viewing challenges as insurmountable obstacles, individuals with a growth mindset see them as opportunities for learning and growth. Developing a growth mindset involves reframing challenges, celebrating efforts, and embracing the process of learning. By seeing failures are stepping stones to success, individuals with positive thoughts and a growth mindset often succeed beyond the expectations of others. These individuals often have a focus on continuous improvement in various aspects of life.

Understanding the Impact of Negative Emotions on Creativity.

Roadblocks to creativity:  Negative emotions can act as barriers, hindering the free flow of creative expression.  Fear, doubt, and anxiety create a mental blockade that stifles imagination and restrains our innovative thinking processes. 

Understanding this connection is crucial for individuals seeking to unleash their creative potential. Getting to the root causes of negative emotions provides a way to release these lower vibrational emotions. This helps us reach our untapped creativity.

Overcoming Creative Stagnation

How do we break through the negative emotions that keep us stuck in the downward spiral?  Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, affirmations and stress reduction, become powerful tools that can help us to move out of harmful emotions. When we process anger positively it helps us to become stronger in our resolve to succeed. These practices enable individuals to detach from negative thoughts and emotions, creating space for fresh ideas and helping our creativity to emerge.

Mary Morrissey - 8 Spiritual Secrets for Multiply Your Money

Join A FREE Abundance Masterclass
Overcome The 3 Most Common Abundance Blocks To Unlock Greater Joy, Fulfillment, and Time & Money Freedom.

Clarity and Focus The Twin Pillars of Positive Results

Clarity: Gaining clarity of personal development we discover a clear understanding of our values, goals, and purpose. We should ask ourselves questions and take time to sit and think about the answers, journaling our thoughts is useful.
Here are a few questions we can start to think about.
What do I like about my life?
What do I dislike about my life?
What changes do I want to make?
What do I truly want to achieve?
What values underpin my decisions?

Answering these questions and using techniques such as journaling, goal-setting, and vision-boarding are invaluable tools in the pursuit of clarity. Journaling, in particular, provides a reflective space to explore thoughts and feelings. We can uncover patterns that may have otherwise remained hidden. Setting and visualizing goals through techniques like vision boards solidify the roadmap to a clearer future.

Channeling Energy through Focus:

While clarity sets the direction, focus is the engine that propels us forward. The ability to channel energy toward meaningful tasks and avoid instant gratification is a skill that underpins personal and professional success. We need to avoid distractions and procrastination. Practising monotasking – when we focus attention on one task at a time. Help us to combat multitasking, allowing for deeper engagement and higher-quality output.

The Foundations of Success: Mindset and Personal Thoughts

The pursuit of success is not an isolated destination but a continuous journey. Our mindset, thoughts and feelings influence the choices we make and impact our lifestyle and our journey to success. By actively choosing empowering thoughts, we rewrite the script of our lives, we have the power to transform our situation.

The Ripple Effect:

The impact of mindset and personal thoughts extends beyond individual transformation. It creates a ripple effect that touches the lives of those around us. Positive energy, infectious in its nature, has the power to inspire and uplift others. In fostering a culture of positivity, we contribute to a collective journey of growth and empowerment.

Leaders, in particular, play a pivotal role in shaping the mindset and thoughts of their teams. Effective communication and a commitment to continuous learning create an environment that nurtures personal development. When husband and wife have the belief in the power of a positive mindset a power couple can form. When there is no struggle to outperform each other but they align to a common purpose a power couple quickly move to success.

Personal Thoughts as Catalysts for Change:

The transformative power of personal development begins with a conscious choice to reshape our thoughts and beliefs. We should be aware of our inner dialogue and challenging negative self-talk. We can lay the groundwork for a more positive and constructive mindset. Our thoughts are not fixed. We can shape them, this allows us to change the narrative, creating our blueprint for success.

As we move through our journey for change and self-discovery, let’s recognise the power within us to shape our thoughts, emotions, and ultimately, our reality. Our mindset is the transformative power of positive thinking and intentional living.

Conclusion:

Mindset emerges as the leading actor of our thoughts, emotions, and actions. A positive mindset, cultivated through personal development, acts as a catalyst for transformative change. As we unlock our creative potential and pave the way for success. By understanding the impact of negative emotions on our creativity, we can strive for clarity and focus. Recognizing the role of mindset in the journey to success, we can start on a path of continuous growth and fulfilment. We all have the power within us, to shape our thoughts and feelings and create a life we love. A life rich with positivity and purpose, money, abundance and success.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing with No Money

Zero to Hero:

Introduction:

Affiliate marketing has emerged as a lucrative opportunity for individuals looking to make money online, and the best part is, that you don’t necessarily need a hefty budget to get started. In this guide, we will delve into the strategies and platforms you can leverage to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey without spending a dime. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear roadmap on how to turn your zero investment into a profitable affiliate marketing venture.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing:

Before we dive into the practical steps, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of affiliate marketing. In essence, affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing model where you earn a commission for promoting someone else’s products or services. The key is to drive traffic and generate sales through your unique affiliate link.

Step 1: Identifying Your Niche:

While it might not cost money, finding the right niche is the cornerstone of a successful affiliate marketing venture. Choose a niche that aligns with your interests and has a demand in the market. Tools like Google Trends and keyword research can help you identify trending topics and products within your chosen niche. In the book Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson, he explains there are three main markets. Those are Wealth, Health and Relationships and each broad market has sub-markets and then smaller niches. So in thinking about your own niche, it needs to be something that you can believe in wholeheartedly. For example, Wealth includes finance, investing, property or real estate, and money. Each sub-market has many niche markets.

For Example
Wealth – Online business – organic lead generation via TikTok
Health – Weightloss – Keto diets for new mums
Get the idea.

Step 2: Selecting Affiliate Products:

After choosing your niche, it’s time to find suitable affiliate products. Look for products that offer competitive commissions, have a good reputation, and resonate with your target audience. Popular affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, ClickBank, and Digistore24 are excellent places to start, and they don’t require any upfront fees or any verification. Two other places are Warrior + and  JVZoo which are platforms where affiliate marketers promote their softwares and other types of online digital programs,  with these two platforms you do need to get verified in order to promote the products.

Step 3: Building a Platform:

While you may not have money to invest, you do have time and effort. Use free platforms like WordPress, Blogger, or Medium to set up a blog. You can even publish content on Google Sites. Quality content is crucial in attracting organic traffic, so focus on creating valuable, informative, and engaging articles related to your chosen niche. When using Clickbank and Digistore24 the vendors usually have a lots of free tools and content to help you promote their offers take advantage of the content they have created and model on what they have created.

Best Social Media Platforms for Promoting Affiliate Offers:

Once your platform is set up, it’s time to leverage social media to amplify your reach and drive traffic to your affiliate offers. Here are the three best social media platforms to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey:

  • TikTok:
    • Create eye-catching and informative 15 to 60-second videos related to your affiliate products.
    • Post two to three short videos every day within your niche to expand your reach. You can do face-to-camera or faceless videos. 
    • Optimize titles and use keywords to enhance searchability.
    • Post consistently and experiment with different types of content to identify what works best.
  • Instagram:
    • Create a visually appealing Instagram profile that reflects your niche.
    • Leverage Instagram Stories, IGTV, and Reels to showcase your affiliate products creatively.
    • Use relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability of your posts.
    • Collaborate with influencers in your niche for shoutouts or features.
  • Facebook Groups:
    • Join and actively participate in relevant Facebook groups related to your niche.
    • Share valuable content and engage with group members to build credibility.
    • Avoid direct promotion; instead, focus on solving problems and answering questions.
    • Occasionally talk about the affiliate products you are promoting when they provide genuine value to the group.

TIP
You can also repurpose your short video content on Instagram, Facebook Reels and YouTube to maximise your reach.
You might also want to read Beyond 9 to 5

Advanced Strategies for Zero-Cost Promotion:

  • Content Marketing:
    • Write SEO-friendly blog posts targeting relevant keywords.
    • Utilize guest posting on other blogs within your niche.
    • Leverage Quora and Reddit to answer questions and talk about your solutions.
  • Email Marketing:
    • Collect emails through your blog or social media channels.
    • Send regular newsletters with valuable content and affiliate product recommendations.
    • Use a free email marketing account and autoresponder tools at  Aweber or try Elfsight to create a contact form for your free Google Site.
  • Networking:
    • Connect with other affiliate marketers in your niche.
    • Participate in online forums and communities to share insights and learn from others.
    • Offer to collaborate on joint ventures or promotions to expand your audience.

Conclusion:

Starting affiliate marketing with no money is undoubtedly challenging, but with the right strategies and dedication, it’s entirely possible. By identifying your niche, selecting the right products, building out a platform, and strategically using social media, you can start implementing strategies for a successful affiliate marketing journey. Remember, consistency and patience are key, and as you gain momentum, and start earning commissions, reinvest your earnings into scaling your efforts for even greater returns.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. #DVAM2023.

Not all domestic violence is physical
It also includes:

Emotional and psychological abuse, Financial and Economic Abuse, Coercive and Controlling behaviours, Sexual Coercion, Verbal Abuse, Stalking and Harrassment, Legal Abuse and none of this leaves any bruises or broken bones.

When I self-published my story in May 2022, it was for three reasons.

1. To raise awareness of hidden emotional and psychological abuse in intimate relationships.

2. Highlighting the gaps in the laws that often fail women. As a warning to unmarried couples especially women who become or are financially dependent on their partners.

3. For information and educational purposes signposting to helpful resources.

Readers will discover

2 Resources for keeping a record of bullying & abusive incidents.

Writing as a way to heal – Letters to the ex – Letters to the other women

40 Signs of Emotional Abuse

4 Steps to Release Anger & Resentment

5 Ways to Recover & Heal

Self-Published Author

I published it under my pen name Loren Keeling. Changing the names of the various significant people in the story, as well as the names of the solicitors involved. To protect the individuals but allow me to tell the truth of the situation that I experienced.

I also researched the legal implications in Spain and in the UK and my findings might shock some people. Women are often failed when they report domestic abuse, they are failed by police, lawyers, social services, judges and justice systems. It is not just in Europe, this happens in many countries across the world, irrespective of social class or educational attainment.

I never ever thought that I would be given legal advice to file a Gender Violence complaint against my former partner. Or that in doing so I would be failed by the system that is meant to support women in these situations.

The Idea To Write My Story

When I had the idea to write my story on the night that the ex-partner terminated the relationship none of what unfolded had taken place. I had in fact voiced my idea to him that very night on August 27th 2020.

Not only did he end the relationship in a time of Covid lockdown he offered “financial security” and then pulled the rug from under me within two weeks of leaving me in our Spanish home when I had no income, no job, and I was experiencing emotional trauma.

Own Your Journey, Own Your Story,

Rebuilding my life after emotional and financial devastation. The easiest way, learn more, earn more, do more, and be more. YouTube Channel Podcast Connect On Facebook

It’s not over yet.

“Post Separation Abuse, Betrayal & Abandonment, What Type Of Man?” by Loren Keeling

Find it on Amazon and Digital ebook Stores

★☆★ Amazon ★☆★

Spanish Version

★☆★Digital Platforms ★☆★

Spanish Digital Version

How I wrote a chapter in a collaborative book.

Back in August 2020 on the very night that the ex abruptly terminated our relationship, I remember saying to him that I was going to write the book. I had no idea at that point how things would unfold. It took me eight months before I could focus on anything, I started to feel a little more positive although my situation was far from secure. I engaged a company in January 2021 and they had led me to believe that they helped in conflict resolution and mediation. So with this company supposedly helping me, I did feel that things might improve.

My First Book

Around the time that I started the outline of my book, I had been active in a group called GriefHab by Samatha Ruth on Facebook. I had made a comment in the group that I was starting out to write my first book. I was then invited by Samantha to take part in writing a chapter for a collaborative book. Thinking about my situation I didn’t want to write about that before I had completed my book. So, I chose to write about an experience I had when I was just 27 years of age.

I first met Samantha M Ruth through her Facebook group #GriefHab I know the pain of losing a partner very suddenly. I was 47 at that time he was 52 he suffered a fatal heart attack. However, when I found GriefHab it was because I had been abruptly discarded by the partner I had been with for the past 11 yrs.

Regained Some Confidence

At 59 yrs of age, you think that you have come to a time when life is about enjoying the future. I had regained some confidence after a period in which my partner had confessed to my face about seeing another woman while in the UK. The pain and deep trauma was unbearable. He didn’t confess in order to make things better, he wanted me to accept he could have a double lifestyle. The panic attacks, the sleepless nights, the thoughts spinning in my head. I had no clue how I could get through the anxiety. I had all different emotions of fear, anger, hurt and disappointment.

Throughout my life, I have studied a lot of personal development. The thoughts of being grateful thankful and forgiving were far from my mind. One morning I woke and the inner voice said to me. “You are killing yourself slowly”. So I had to do something to help myself. I went back to the personal development materials and yes, negative thoughts and emotions can lead to physical illness.

Forgiveness Statements

I found my own way through releasing anger. I didn’t journal at that time but I did write some letters to the universe. Including my letter to the other woman. Then I had some statements that I would repeat out loud every night and every morning. My own forgiveness statements. It started to work. Eventually, after 9 months my partner ended the affair with this other woman. I started to recover and regained confidence. Started to live my life again. Hopeful for the future. I created three blank journal books and put them for sale on Amazon.

During 2019 I had put the pain behind me I started enjoying yoga, I did a couple of art classes, I began to have ideas again around building an online business. I even joined a dance group with my Spanish neighbours to join in the Cartagena Carnival that would be in February 2020. Life felt good. Then obviously COVID hit the world in March. My partner made the decision not to return to the UK he didn’t want to get stuck in the UK unable to return to Spain, we spent six months together doing lots of DIY projects at our home.

Transformation Breakthrough Therapy

We spent time together talking about plans for the future and working on projects around the villa. I was transforming the land creating paths and planting cactus and succulents. The flight restrictions were lifted. My partner returned to the UK the plan was to pack a hired van with a lot of furniture and personal items. He left in July and booked his return for August. While in the UK he booked a 2 day transformation breakthrough coaching program. He wanted to improve his health and reduce his back pain. He flew out to Spain the day after the breakthrough therapy. The day after he arrived we spent the whole day talking he wanted to tell me everything about his experience. How he had had this massive transformation and how he felt so much better.

Help Me To Find The Success In Business

It was so very strange. He even talked about paying for me to have the same experience. He even talked about booking flights to return to the UK, how he would hire a car, book a hotel and be with me while I did this 2-day transformation breakthrough. I questioned him as to why I would want to do that. His reply was that he thought it would help me to find the success in business that I always wanted. I wasn’t sure. The next day was also very strange. He was acting differently towards me. It was later in the evening that I would discover why. (On reflection, maybe it was a way for him to get me back to the UK and out of the Spanish property before discarding me, who knows what goes through the thoughts of a person whose mind has been shaken up like a snow globe.)

Alarm Bells Ringing In My Head

We had entertained friends at the villa as soon as they left he said let’s have a nightcap and sit in the comfy seats on the porch. We both sat down on the porch and the first sentence started alarm bells ringing in my head.

“I’ve got something to tell you,” he said.

Flashback to 2017 and his confession to my face.

The next sentence out of his mouth was.

“I’m in love with another woman, we can remain friends if you want to remain friends, we just can’t have sex anymore.”

Self-Published May 2022

This is my story. I started to write my book in April 2021. I self-published in May 2022 using my author pen name Loren Keeling. There is a message in this book. Now, I hope that I can get this message out to all the people who need to hear it. I want to be able to educate, inform and bring about changes, yes all very big goals. I am determined that I will achieve this.

This was how I became involved in the project for “Faces Of Mental Illness” I posted in the GriefHab group about my experience of grieving and anxiety, and about my reasons for writing my book.

The Collaborative Book Project

The “Faces Of Mental Illness” book project was inspired by Claudia Fernandez-NiedzielskiSamantha Ruth and also Kate Butler as publisher. You can read my story and nineteen other stories from people who have lived experiences of mental illness. We share our stories in “Faces Of Mental Illness” in a collective effort to break stigmas, inspire hope, and change the way the world views Mental Illness.

You can read my story and nineteen other stories from people who have lived experiences of mental illness. We share our stories in “Faces Of Mental Illness” in a collective effort to break stigmas, inspire hope, and change the way the world views Mental Illness.

The forward is written by Jack Canfield.

My First YouTube Channel

Also in April 2021, I started my first YouTube Channel. I had no clue what I was doing I was modelling videos that I was watching and learning from. Then in June 2021, I invested in training to learn more about creating videos and monetizing with affiliate links. I started posting review videos on this second channel. However, it seemed that every time I took a step forward in my life to try and make better of my situation the Ex was one step behind.

He was pushing me to leave the property, setting deadlines and offering derisory sums. From March and April 2021 with the mediator as the go-between, I was offered £13,000. While the original offers were 50% of the sale value he was willing to sell the property to me for the €115,000 which was 50% of the valuation that had been done in August 2020. Then after I took things into my own hands, there was an agreement of £40,000 the mediator informed me that they had received an initial sum of £3,000 and I would receive this as soon an arrangement was made for the Ex partners MG Sports car to go into storage, I packed up all of his personal items as well.

Manipulated Again

The storage company arrived as planned and the vintage sports car was moved onto the trailer all the suitcases and his personal possessions were removed to go into storage. So I kept my side of the bargain. I had been told the £3,000 would be in my account a few days later. One week went by, and I asked about the payment, and the mediator had an excuse about being busy with court cases. Another week went by and again I received another excuse from the mediator, he thought he might have COVID. Another week went by, I am now thinking I have been manipulated again. When I call I get another excuse, there has been a death in the family. The truth was that no sum of money had been paid into the company account. He had lied to me.

I posted this video on Facebook on the 18th of June 2021. After I had discovered that the Ex-partner and the mediation company had lied and manipulated the situation.

Truthbomb

The ex-partner offered me 50% of the value of the home we were meant to share. €115,000. 29th August 2020. Within days I was being threatened with being thrown out onto the streets. 4th September 2020. Then again September 15th 2020 I had to listen to him as he went through what he wanted and what he needed. As he lost control I became the person to blame.

The Financial Offers Kept Changing

The goalposts were moved so many times. It has been one huge roller coaster ride. April 2021 offer was £13,000 then it went to £40,000 In June 2021 he wrote his offer was £25,000. A week later it was £30,000

In July 2021 an agreement of £40,000 was reached in two payments £10,000 in 1 month then £30,000 on sale agreed. In fact, the prospective buyers were ready to pay a deposit and were going to meet the next day to sort it all out. The only thing was he moved the goalposts again. He altered the agreement to say that the £30,000 would not be paid until after I moved out of the house or vacant possession. The gender violence solicitors had been telling me all along that it should be money first then leave.

Moving The Goalposts

He emailed the agreement to me the night before the deposit was due to be paid.
The next day I tried to contact him, no answer. I was pacing the floor I had a very strange feeling like I felt nauseous. I had no communication until later in the day when he told me the buyers had dropped out. Even when I informed the ex-partner he could have his house back, he could have vacant possession, and that I had somewhere to go he refused to meet or pay any of the money or even to communicate again. You see he was in control, I had NO power, he held all the power, and I had no one on my side to negotiate for me and help me to get out of the situation with some dignity and financial security. He did not treat me with basic human decency, he showed no empathy or respect he would take no responsibility for the situation that he had created.

He Was In Control

This is what happens when one person has control of the finances in the relationship. This is what can happen when you trust someone that you love, and they betray you. They cheat on you multiple times, they lie and manipulate you. They are unpredictable, they change their minds they can go from Mr Nice Guy to Mr Nasty at the flip of a coin.

I heard nothing from him until January 2022. Out of the blue, I received an email. “Happy New Year Loraine” Oh my! as if nothing had happened. He had someone who wanted to view the house.
Would I accommodate a viewing? I did not reply immediately, I had a friend help me to draft a reply. I told him I would accommodate the viewing and he would honour his first financial proposal.

Forcing An Eviction

The next email I received was not friendly at all. He told me I was now at risk of the Guardia turning up unexpectedly and I would leave with just my personal possessions. I’m not being vindictive. I just want my house back. Strange that he would say that because when I offered him his house back in July 2021 when I had the offer of a place to rent, he refused to cooperate or communicate. When the facts were that if he paid the money he had agreed to pay then the purchasers who were willing to pay the deposit could have gone ahead with buying the house. But oh no, not him. He would rather force an eviction and put me through even more trauma.

Sequel To My First Book

I am writing the sequel to my first book, the title of the book is “Deceptions and Illusions. Embroidered with Truth” You can find my first book on Amazon and Worldwide digital platforms. “Post Separation Abuse. Betrayal and Abandonment, What Type of Man?” I will also be launching my PodCast very soon.

12 Useful ways to increase website traffic in 2022

1) Start a blog (if you haven’t yet)

No matter what industry you are working in, a blog is a great way to regularly publish valuable, unique, fresh, and share-worthy content. Search engines and users appreciate this, which immediately leads to traffic growth.

2) Use attractive headlines

One of the ways to increase website traffic is to write headlines that are catchy to the readers. Write headlines that give your visitors an idea of what benefit they will get from clicking on a particular post.

3) Harness the power of video marketing

A pdf report by Cisco says that video will account for 82% of traffic by 2022. Now is the time to consider video marketing in your traffic-boosting strategies. Try using videos on your website and on social networks that offer video publishing options.

4) Create educational content

Online courses, questions and answers, e-books, audio books, ultimate guides, tutorials, etc. will provide value to your audience. This will definitely result in a traffic boost, increase your session duration, and add to your credibility.

5) Hold free webinars

Webinars are a great way to increase website traffic. This can connect you to influencers and engage in a live conversation. Invite your audience to take part in the free event a week or so ahead of the planned date and do not forget to send the presentation or summary after the event.

6) Repurpose old posts

Take some posts that have performed well and republish them in a different format. As long as a particular topic has been successful with your audience, a podcast could become a blog post, a blog post could become a video, and so on, to gain more traffic.

7) Try historical optimisation

The term “historical optimisation” was coined by Pamela Vaughan, key marketing manager of HubSpot. When HubSpot embarked on a programme of historical optimisation they saw organic search views of their updated blog posts go up by 106% on average. It basically means updating old posts to make them fresher and more up-to-date, so they generate more traffic and leads.

8) Use guest blogging

A great way to generate backlinks from a reputable site is to offer to let them publish your blog. Ask their teams if they would be interested in particular topics and agree to post active backlinks. Note that it’s important to offer unique posts, not duplicate your existing one.

9) Examine Your Analytics Data

Google Analytics is an invaluable source of data on just about every conceivable aspect of your site, from your most popular pages to visitor demographics. Keep a close eye on your Analytics data, and use this information to inform your promotional and content strategies. Pay attention to what posts and pages are proving the most popular. Inspect visitor data to see how, where and when your site traffic is coming from.

10)Submit your site to search engines

Also helpful for SEO, you can request search engines to crawl and index your site, increasing your odds at appearing on results pages for relevant queries. 

11) Advertise via ad networks

If you have a budget (it doesn’t have to be big), tap into the opportunity of ad networks. Create digital ads that promote your website, target ads towards your ideal customer, and watch the traffic roll in. 

Some ad networks to check out: 

12) Reach out to reporters on Help A Reporter Out

Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is a tool journalists and writers use to find and connect with sources for stories they’re working on. Publicists and brands use it to find queries for pitches for specific stories. 

Sign up for HARO’s emails in your respective categories and look out for queries you can answer. Pay attention to any specific pitch guidelines to increase your odds at getting accepted. Many times, the writers will talk about your brand and include a link to your site. 

Thrive Themes Plugins that work

Thrive Themes is a suite of WordPress plugins and themes that work together optimise your WordPress website. I’ve personally built a number of websites (including this one) using these tools are what has allowed me to make beautiful looking websites without coding knowledge.

Thrive Themes is a comprehensive package that offers you all the plugins, templates, lead boxes and much more than you will ever need to build a great looking, high converting website and I hope this post will help you in learning more about them.

With this set of tools, you will be able to build beautiful websites and high converting landing pages – all without writing a single line of code.

You won’t have to mix-and-match your WordPress themes and plugins to get the right page elements to work together and will have a complete solution for the blogging and marketing needs of your online business.

In this article, I’ll be answering some of the frequently asked questions that people come up with.

Thrive Themes FAQ’s

What are thrive themes?

They are one of the most advanced, yet, simple-to-use WordPress suite of website tools. They have created conversion-optimized plugins and themes that give a real boost to your online business.

How much is thrive themes?

Pricing. You can either purchase each of the tools individually, or you can opt for complete access to everything for one small fee of $19/month, paid yearly. Individual Thrive Themes tools will cost you:  $97-$127 – Click the image below for more details

Join Thrive Themes as a member from $19 /mo billed annually.

Is Thrive Theme available free?

In short, No.

You can host all of your content within the Thrive Apprentice feature, but it is not a membership area. It is built to be used in conjunction with other membership plugins (some of which are available for free. )

Is thrive architect a theme?

Thrive Architect works themes  independently. All the landing page templates completely override your theme’s page settings and you can use the editor to create and edit content in the content area of any WordPress theme.

10 Ways to Increase Your Conversions

Getting traffic to your website is great, however, if that traffic doesn’t convert, it’s almost useless. This article will outline 10 proven strategies to increase your conversions or getting your visitors to take action.

1. Include as few fields as possible.

When asking for information from prospects using an email opt-in form, ask for as little information as necessary. I usually keep it down to just two fields, name and email address. Some opt in pages ask for just the email, but then you can’t personalise your follow up messages with their name. Using the prospects first name in the follow up can get you a higher open rate.

2. Add a guarantee.

Include your no-questions-asked refund policy on all purchases. This reduces risk, and increased sales will usually more than make up for any returns. Make sure you have a strong guarantee, not the usual stand 30/ 60 / 90 days fluff that all marketers off on the sales page.  Try this instead,  “If for ANY reason you feel this training wasn’t worth your full time and attention, I insist you shoot me an email to ask for a refund. At ANY time, for ANY reason. There is no time limit on this guarantee.”  Source CrazyEgg.Com

3. Use testimonials.

Testimonials provide social proof and reduce risk for your prospects. Use them on product landing pages as well as on your email opt-in landing page. If you don’t have any clients or customers who have tried your product or service, try doing a pre launch with a small group of fans or followers on your social media. Offer a low cost entry of free trial in return for feedback and testimonies.

4. Pay careful attention to your headline.

The headline is the single most important element on your landing page. Think of at least 10 different possibilities write them out then use them on Social Media posts before choosing the strongest one. You will see which headline got you more post engagement.

5. Use video to humanise your brand.

Including simple videos on your landing pages shows there’s a real person behind your product or service. You can use a short welcome message or a brief overview of WIIFT whats in it for them, these types of videos often increase conversions on your website. Often a video is on a second page after opting in this is called a Bridge page, to give prospects an opportunity to see who you are before taking them to the sales page.

6. Use strong calls to action. 

Let your readers know exactly what you want them to do next, whether that’s click a button, read a blog post or fill out a form, a sure way to increase conversions.

7. Tell visitors exactly what they’re going to get.

What are the features and benefits? What does it look like? What are the possible uses? Who will benefit most from it? How will it be delivered? Provide visitors with everything they need to know about your product.

8. Include a privacy statement on opt-in forms.

Having a privacy policy on your opt in pages or sign up form is a must. You need to have this to use many of the advertising platforms, it’s also been passed in law by many countries and you don’t want to get sued. Plus a number of other reason too.

9. Use high-quality image.

Using generic, tacky stock photos can send the wrong message about your brand. Use professional-quality photos where possible. If your start up costs are limited you can use a platform like Canva.com to create designs and image yourself.

10. Include a headshot.

Don’t be afraid to include a personal photo in your sidebar or near your call to actions. It can reduce the sense of risk by showing that there’s a real person behind the website and brand.

Need a Website purchase your domain and hosting with D9.

I have been a customer of D9 Hosting since 2014, I use D9  for all of my domain purchases and website hosting.  
 D9 Offers free Stuff

If you do not have a website yet?
You can get your own domain and hosting and get started at a very low cost via the recommended hosting at D9.

One FREE WordPress Blog Install
When you order the recommended hosting via D9 Domains and Hosting.

Why FREE?
The free WordPress installation service involves buying Hosting services through our affiliate links. Using our links are beneficial to both of us – while you get an amazing hosting service for a discounted price from a recommended hosting partner, (hosting I have used myself since 2014) I also get some commission for referring a new customers.

Order D9 Hosting – United Kingdom
US sales page
Order D9 Hosting – United States

Sixteen Must-Have WordPress Blog Plugins

WordPress Blog Plugins

Some of you may not know that I have been using WordPress since 2005. The main reason I started creating websites with WP was to market my Property Lettings Business. I started out in a niche market for Student Lettings in Sunderland. In 2006 our business was probably the only “Student Lettings” Business in Sunderland that had a searchable website to showcase the properties.  I tried lots of WP Blog Plugins over the years and the list below is some of the most useful plugins I’m using now.

WordPress Blog Plugins

Here is a list of some of the plugins I have installed on my websites.

Akismet Anti-Spam –  Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from spam. Your site is fully configured and being protected, even while you sleep.

Shareaholic – share buttons for your pages and posts, help you and others to share your content around the web via selected social media networks. I also like the print PDF of web page which I found very useful in my property business.

Facebook comments by WPDevart – This Facebook comments plugin will help you to display Facebook Comments box on your website. You can use Facebook Comments on your pages/posts.

Pixel Caffeine – Quickest and easiest way to connect your Facebook Advertising account. Install the base code pixel on your web pages so you can build custom audiences from your website / blog for your Facebook marketing.

Pretty Links Marketers Edition – Shrink, track and share any URL on the Internet from your WordPress website.

NextScripts, Social Networks Autoposter – This plugin automatically publishes posts from your blog to multiple accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ profiles and/or pages.

WP InstaLegalPages – A helpful and time saver premium plugin to auto-add legal pages on your sites. (check and edit where required to fit with your product or service, but very handy plugin.)

YouTube Advanced by Embed Plus – Uses an advanced YouTube player to enhance the playback and engagement of each YouTube embed. Just paste YouTube Links!

Note the White Screen of Death

OptimizePress – OptimizePress plugin for marketers. Create squeeze pages, sales letters and much more with ease. This plugin has caused me some headaches (note “White Screen of Death”) a few years ago.

Yoast SEO – I use this on all of my websites. The all-in-one SEO solution for WordPress, including on-page content analysis, XML sitemaps. It helps you to optimise your headlines and post copy, so that it is search engine friendly.

Google Sitemap – This plugin will generate a special XML sitemap which will help search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask.com to better index your blog.

W3 Total Cache – Improves the SEO and user experience of your site by increasing website performance, reducing download times via features like content delivery.

WP Email Capture – Captures emails for insertion into software such as Aweber or Mailchimp

WordPress Editorial Calendar – The Editorial Calendar makes it possible to see all your posts and drag and drop them to manage your blog

WP Content Copy Protection & No Right Click – This WP plugin protects the posts content from being copied by any other web site author, if you don’t want your content to spread without your permission! There will be no copy and paste function.

WP Property – WP- Property is a leading WordPress plugin for creating and managing real estate sales and property rentals and management.
This WordPress Blog plugin I used to showcase the student rental properties. Not using this now, but it is still available to transform WordPress sites into Property Marketing websites.