Postach.io Team Bloghttp://blog.postach.io/feed.xml2019-01-06T22:22:54.164000ZWerkzeugHappy New Year from Postach.io!https://postach.io/blog/post/happy-new-year-from-postach-io2019-01-06T22:22:54.164000Z2019-01-06T21:38:07ZThe Postach.io Team<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Happy new year from the team at </span><a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">! We wish the best of success with the new year to you and your loved ones.
</span></div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9603e430-3931-4463-94c8-112b066c4ae0/7fa67228-f25f-44a0-b3c3-f35a685ae2fc.gif" /></en-media></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">You've heard from us a bit less over the last few months, but we've been hard at work on new features and stability.
</span></div><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 600;-en-paragraph:true;">HTTPS Support</span></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We launched HTTPS support in the Fall, both for </span><a href="http://postach.io/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> subdomains, and custom domains. That means your site will no longer be flagged as "not secure" by your browser, ensuring the best user experience for your visitors (and an SEO boost on top!)
</span></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">HTTPS support is automatically enabled for all </span><a href="http://postach.io/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> subdomains, but if you have a custom domain, you'll need to enable it yourself by checking "Automatic HTTPS Redirect" in your site settings.
</span></div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9603e430-3931-4463-94c8-112b066c4ae0/38f1d7f7-4dd1-4e5c-9269-6068836ac124.png" /></en-media></div>
<div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 600;-en-paragraph:true;">Code Blocks</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">A long awaited feature! Evernote code blocks were very tricky to render properly, and caused issues for many of our more technical users that use them extensively. We've finally nailed down the formatting, and they look great! </span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Here’s a code block:</span></div>
<div><code><div>Your code goes here!</div></code></div><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 600;-en-paragraph:true;">External Links</span></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">A few users asked us for a way to open external links referenced in your posts in the same tab as the post is open. We've added that option to your site settings!
</span></div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9603e430-3931-4463-94c8-112b066c4ae0/95cb06d6-26d8-4b4f-877f-c9689c269895.png" /></en-media></div>
<div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 600;-en-paragraph:true;">Sync and Auto-Share Reliability</span></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">On the more technical side of things, we've improved our sync and automatic sharing reliability - if a new note or new sync ever fails to sync up with your site, or if an automatic share to social media ever fails, our system will retry automatically until it completes successfully.
</span></div><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Business and Shared Notebooks</span></span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We now support creating a blog from an Evernote Business notebook, and from a shared notebook that you were invited to, but didn’t create yourself (a long standing feature request!)</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We’ve got all sorts of new features in the pipeline. Stay on the lookout in 2019!</span></div>
The Simple (Yet Complete) Guide to Blogger Outreachhttps://postach.io/blog/post/the-simple-yet-complete-guide-to-blogger-outreach2018-09-12T19:56:52.990000Z2018-08-21T17:37:28ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/897e4334-5c35-427f-80ec-775402e57adf/069da0eb-fc8a-4a1a-9ea7-74a9e0ab69e8.png" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 20pt;"/></h1><div><span style="font-style: italic;">“Content is king, but distribution is queen... and she wears the pants." — Jonathan Perelman</span></div>
<div>Here at Postach.io, we have helped many bloggers find their voice. For some, they simply blog out of personal enjoyment — using <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a> as their personal note-taking, idea-spilling platform. However, the majority of bloggers we work with want their content to be seen and enjoyed by as many people as possible.</div>
<div>After all, that's often what blogging is all about — sharing ideas, thoughts, and experiences with those near and far.</div>
<div>Many enthusiastic bloggers quickly discover, even those who have the best quality content need to promote their blog. This allows them to boost traffic to their blog while gaining backlinks for SEO purposes.</div>
<div>As they say in the world of blogging, "Just because you build it, does not mean they will come." That's because successful blogging is all about building strong relationships online.</div>
<div>If you have already started crafting up amazing content, then it’s time to develop an outreach strategy. We want to help you build relationships and increase your reach, which is why we created this simplified (yet detailed) guide.</div><h2>What Exactly Is Blogger Outreach?</h2><div>If you are aiming to increase exposure for your blog (outside of social media marketing), you will need to consider the benefits associated with blogger outreach. As you connect with other bloggers, especially those who focus on topics within your industry or niche, you will gain access to a much wider audience.</div>
<div>We know that this is easier said than done. However, when you stay committed to blogger outreach strategies, you will be able to achieve more rapid growth as your traffic continues to climb.</div>
<div>Perhaps you have already heard of <span style="font-style: italic;">influencer marketing</span>. Well, this is a big piece of the blogger outreach puzzle. When you team up with other bloggers or influencers who have a significant following, you will be able to maximize your targeted audience.</div>
<div>In summary, some of the reasons why you'll want to focus on an outreach strategy include:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Expanding your audience to create awareness in regards to your blog/brand.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Build more inbound links from other authoritative blogs in your niche (as you generate more backlinks, you will rank higher on Google).</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Achieve growth on social media which in turn, will increase traffic to your blog.</span></div></li></ul><h2>Create Your Cross-Promotion “Hit List"</h2><div>In many cases, as long as you are posting quality content, other bloggers will be happy to build relationships based on cross-promotion. This leads us to <span style="font-weight: bold;">step one: identify bloggers who are not only the most popular but are also in line with your blog (especially in terms of your personas)</span>.</div>
<div>Acting as your initial “hit list," you will need to research some of the best bloggers in your niche. Ask yourself, whose networks would you love to tap into? Who "speaks" to your targeted audience? This is an ideal place to start.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Please note</span>: There are three types of influencers, including micro-influencers (highly engaged following with less than 100k followers on average); macro-influencers (100-500k followers); and mega-influencers (500k-1 million+ followers). If you are still relatively new to the blogging world, focus on micro-influencers to build more rapid traction.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Guide</span>: <a href="https://postach.io/blog/post/blog-examples" style="text-decoration: underline;">7 Examples of Simple Blogs That Are Killing It</a></div>
<div>To remain organized, create a spreadsheet so that you can input all relevant information.</div>
<div>For example:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Column A: Blog Name</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Column B: Blogger</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Column C: Blogger’s Social Media</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Column D: Contact Info</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Column E: Notes</span></div></li></ul><div>To nurture these relationships, you will need to actively share their content, respond to questions they ask on their social media accounts, comment on their blogs, and reach out directly with an idea that adds value to both parties (for example, offer your expertise in the form of a guest blog post).</div>
<div>When you develop a guest blogging strategy, you can leverage your newly developed relationships to get in front of their audience. As an added bonus, you will also build a backlink from your website to theirs — which also optimizes your blog in terms of SEO.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top tip</span>: When you are reaching out to other bloggers, they will likely head directly to your “About Me" page. If you have not yet created a polished “About Me" page, <a href="https://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-write-an-about-me-page-for-your-blog" style="text-decoration: underline;">here is a great resource</a>.</div><h3>More on the pre-outreach phase</h3><div>As stated above, once you have an organized list, you can then begin to take action. Instead of just sending a cold email, you will want to at least build somewhat of a relationship. Whether that means tagging them in your social media posts or specifically targeting them through brand awareness campaigns, this will increase your chances of success once you do email them.</div>
<div>As a side note, know that the email address of an influencer will not always be displayed publicly. If you feel comfortable, you can use a tool, such as <a href="https://hunter.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Hunter</a>, which will help you find email addresses in seconds. Used by 1,000,000+ professionals, it is certainly a reliable way to connect with other people.</div><h2>When You’re Ready to Send an Outreach Email</h2><div>At this point, you will have put in the legwork and are now ready to send an email. To do so, here are some key tips:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Remember, you will not be the only one reaching out to the influencer in-question. Considering the influencer marketing industry is predicted to make around</span> <a href="https://www.velocenetwork.com/influencer-marketing/55-powerful-influencer-marketing-statistics-and-facts-you-need-to-know/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">$1.7 billion</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">this year, influencers get A LOT of emails. Once again, that is why it’s best to start small and work your way up.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">To increase your chances of success, your email should stand out and be personalized. Since you will have already engaged with them (on social media, by commenting on their blog, etc.), your email will not technically be overly cold.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Due to the high volume of emails influencers receive, many will actually post “pitch guidelines" on their blog. If this is the case, make sure you follow their directions. When you do send them an email, ALWAYS address them using their name.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Write an email that is direct but also showcases your personality. Also, ensure that the subject line shows clear intentions and within the email itself, show them you’re familiar with what they do. Then, pitch a few ideas and most importantly, stay humble and keep it short. Research shows that the most successful outreach emails are those that</span> <a href="https://www.leadgibbon.com/blog/cold-email-templates/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">are less than 200 words</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li></ul><div>If they do not respond, send a follow-up email. Some of the main reasons why outreach emails fail are because:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The sender doesn’t seem genuine</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The sender is simply asking for too much right away</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">There are too many typos</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The email seems like a template</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The sender makes is all about them</span></div></li></ul><div>Keep these in mind when you’re crafting up your first series out outreach emails.</div><h2>Additional Tips to Consider</h2><div>At first, creating an outreach strategy can seem overwhelming. That is why we recommend the following, as it will make your life a lot easier and in turn, blogging much more enjoyable.</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Start by contacting bloggers in your niche who are asking for guest posts! If you don't know where to begin, leverage a tool such as</span> <a href="https://myblogguest.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">MyGuestBlog</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li></ul><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related</span>: <a href="https://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-leverage-guest-posting-to-drive-traffic-to-your-blog" style="text-decoration: underline;">How to Leverage Guest Posting to Drive Traffic to Your Blog</a></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Once you have sent a personalized email, shoot the blogger a message on social media. This will bring awareness to your efforts, ensuring that your email isn't lost in a sea of spam.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">In your email, tell the blogger how you found them and how they have added value to your blogging journey. Then, focus on how you would add value (you can also include a link or two to any previous guest posts you've written).</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Do not just consider the number of followers another blogger has. If you find a blogger within your niche that continuously creates quality, relevant content; has a lot of comments on their blog (and engagement on social media) and has</span> <a href="https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">a high domain authority score</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">, they are likely a great candidate.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">When you do partner with another blogger, take the time to nurture that relationship. You can continue to benefit one another as you develop new goals and strategies.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Use available tools, such as</span> <a href="https://ninjaoutreach.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Ninja Outreach</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">,</span> <a href="https://www.tomoson.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Tomoson</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">, and</span> <a href="https://www.buzzstream.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">BuzzStream</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li></ul><h2>We Are Here to Help</h2><div>Our team at Postach.io understand that blogging is a commitment with many challenges along the way. However, those who are patient and continue to develop their craft are rewarded in a big way.</div>
<div>Whether you strive to one day become a full-time, paid blogger or would simply like to help others based on your own personal experiences, we have resources for everyone.</div>
<div>Stay up-to-date with <a href="https://postach.io/blog/" style="text-decoration: underline;">our blog</a>, as we continue to share detailed guides and resources that will help you take your blogging efforts to the next level. If you're just starting out as a new blogger, you may also visit our <a href="https://help.postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Help Center</a>.</div>
<div>We hope that you found this guide useful and that you continue sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world. As you grow, remember to cherish the relationships you build, and always blog in order to share, connect, create, and inspire.</div>
<div><br/></div></div><div><br/></div>
How to Leverage Guest Posting to Drive Traffic to Your Bloghttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-leverage-guest-posting-to-drive-traffic-to-your-blog2018-08-07T12:00:58.753000Z2018-08-07T11:55:10ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50516e12-eda4-4d1d-a55e-b441f408173a/228f50fe-511d-4fed-882e-f0142859df29.png" /></div>
<div>Of all the objectives you have as a blogger, attracting website traffic is definitely one of the most important. Whether you're trying to make money from third-party ads, engaging in affiliate marketing, selling your own product, or just blogging for fun, you need to get your content in front of the widest possible audience.</div>
<div>Fortunately, unlike the pioneering bloggers of 1999, today's fledgling bloggers have many tools at their disposal, and many of them are free. Among the best free tools you can keep in your blogging toolbox is the carefully crafted guest post.</div>
<div>Today, we'll discuss the beauty of guest posting and the compelling reasons why it should be part of your SEO and growth strategy.</div><h2>What Is Guest Posting?</h2><div>Simply put, a guest post is a post written by someone other than the owner of the blog on which it is posted. This could mean that you write a post that's published on someone else's site, or it could mean that you publish a post written by someone else on your site. In these scenarios, both of you are "guests."</div><h2>The Goals of Guest Posting</h2><div><a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/guide-to-guest-blogging/" style="text-decoration: underline;">According to Neil Patel</a>, named one of the top 10 internet marketers by Forbes, there are three main goals for guest posting.</div><ol><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">To drive traffic to your site</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">To establish yourself as a voice of authority within your niche</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">To build backlinks to your site</span></div></li></ol><div>As defined by <a href="https://www.postmm.com/seo/building-quality-backlinks/what-backlink-examples/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Modern Post Marketing</a>, a backlink is "any link in or on a website page that points (or “links") back to your website/page."</div>
<div>Backlinks not only let others click through to your blog from somewhere else, but they also help your site appear further up in the search engine results pages (SERPs). The more authoritative the site your backlink rests on, the greater the weight your backlink will carry with Google and other search engines. They will also factor in the relevancy of the backlink's host site when deciding its importance.</div><h2>Other Benefits of Guest Posting</h2><div>James Parsons explains additional reasons <a href="https://guestpost.com/blog/2017/10/reasons-guest-blogging-benefit/" style="text-decoration: underline;">why guest posting is good</a> for your blog. Some of these include:</div>
<div>1. Guest posting lets you build a portfolio of articles, possibly on some major sites. You'll probably have to work your way up, but once you've got one major site under your belt, you'll have a greater chance of being able to post on sites like Forbes or Huffington Post, either of which could give your site significant exposure.</div>
<div>2. Your blog can increase in value. Down the line, you may want to sell your blog, and a healthy backlink profile that reflects tons of hard work can make your site a valuable asset.</div>
<div>3. You get to play with formats you're not used to as you try to fit in with the style of the site that you're posting on. This lets you experiment a bit, which in turn helps you learn new things.</div>
<div>4. You can reach a new audience. Guest posting is a great way to get yourself out in front of people who wouldn't otherwise find you because they are searching for a relevant, but different, niche.</div>
<div>5. You can glean invaluable feedback. The editors at the sites you post on may have some comments for you, or they may suggest changes before they will publish your post. Of course, you'll need to be open to constructive criticism (a must for any writer) and make any changes to your post that they see fit. That's just par for the course when you write for any site.</div>
<div>6. You can hopefully write for particular bloggers over and over again. Building an ongoing relationship with influencers in your niche will also help you build a relationship with their audience.</div>
<div>As you can see, many are the reasons for guest posting on the sites of others. However, it doesn't need to stop there. Guest posting can, and should, be a reciprocal activity.</div><h2>It Works Both Ways</h2><div>As you merrily guest post your way across the web, you should let others post on your blog as well. After all, it's a win for everyone involved. Guests posters on your blog will enjoy the same benefits (traffic, authority, exposure, backlinks) as you do when you post on other blogs, and you will get more content for your site, which is a powerful plus.</div>
<div>You see, content is still king, and the more content you have on your blog, the greater the traffic to it will be. As the content on your blog grows, Google and other search engines will show it more and more love, and the higher up it will land in the SERPs. Having external links on your site doesn't hurt either. It actually helps with SEO, so says <a href="https://www.pageonepower.com/linkarati/guest-blogging-seo-beginners-guide" style="text-decoration: underline;">Linkarati</a>.</div><h2>What's Good for the Goose...</h2><div>Guest posting can be so effective that even brands such as <a href="https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/8-brands-that-benefit-from-guest-blogging/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Intel, Evernote and Xbox</a> do it, according to Social Media Examiner. They are obviously doing something right. You can do "something" right too.</div><h2>How to Locate Places to Guest Post</h2><div>Before you can guest post, you need to find places that will let you do it. The best sites to look at are those that are relevant to your industry. Neil Patel suggests that you search for blogs that <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/guide-to-guest-blogging/" style="text-decoration: underline;">fit the following criteria</a>:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The content is focused on your niche/industry</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The audience of the blog will be interested in your industry</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The blog has engaged readership (posts have been shared socially and commented upon)</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The blog owner is active on social media (so you know that they will be promoting your work on their site)</span></div></li></ul><div>Posting to sites that are relevant to your niche and target your desired audience is critical, as it gives you the best chances of success. Posting to sites unrelated to your niche could get you a bit of traffic, but it will not likely be traffic that converts. You want to get your posts in front of the audience most likely to help you reach your end goals.</div>
<div>Some sites, such as SEO Hacker, even <a href="https://seo-hacker.com/guest-post/" style="text-decoration: underline;">solicit guest posts</a> specifically for their niche. A simple Google search can turn up the sites that do this. <a href="https://backlinko.com/the-definitive-guide-to-guest-blogging" style="text-decoration: underline;">Brian Dean of Backlinko</a> compiled this comprehensive list of search terms for finding sites that are eager to publish guest posts:</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; padding: 8px; font-family: Monaco, Menlo, Consolas, "Courier New", monospace; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-radius: 4px; background-color: rgb(251, 250, 248); border: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);-en-codeblock:true;"><div>* Your Keyword “guest post"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “write for us"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest article"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest post opportunities"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “this is a guest post by"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “contributing writer"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “want to write for"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit blog post"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “contribute to our site"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest column"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit content"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit your content"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit post"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “This post was written by"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest post courtesy of "</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest posting guidelines"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “suggest a post"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit an article"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “contributor guidelines"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “contributing writer"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit news"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “become a guest blogger</div>
<div>* “Your Keyword “guest blogger"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest posts wanted"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “looking for guest posts"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest posts wanted"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest poster wanted"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “accepting guest posts"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “writers wanted"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “articles wanted"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “become an author"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “become guest writer"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “become a contributor"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit guest post"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit an article"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “submit article"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “guest author"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword “send a tip"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword inurl: “guest blogger"</div>
<div>* Your Keyword inurl: “guest post"</div>
<div>* allintitle: Your Keyword + guest post</div></div><h2>Pay Attention to Quality</h2><div>Your success as a guest blogger depends on high-quality content.</div>
<div>High-quality content is favored over poor copy by both users and search engines. Lifewire says that "the quality of your posts is <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-guest-blogging-3476279" style="text-decoration: underline;">determined by several criteria</a>:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Does your subject matter expertise show in your writing?</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Is your writing free of grammatical errors and typos?</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Does your writing include links to reliable sources on the topic of your post?</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Do your guest posts receive likes, shares, or comments (all of which indicate your work is being read and appreciated)?"</span></div></li></ul><div>Along with the above, make sure your posts are free of misspellings, and don't submit duplicate content. Blog owners who allow guest posts are typically looking for unique posts, not those already published on your own blog or a competitor's site.</div>
<div>Additionally, don't forget to include your name along with a link to your blog in every post. You can also leave a short bio on some blogs. Check to see if the blog owner allows it. If they do, keep it focused and fun. A good bio will make readers want to know more about you.</div><h2>Final Thoughts</h2><div>At Postach.io, we believe that guest posting, when combined with other SEO tools and the <a href="https://www.postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">right blogging platform</a>, will help you reach your traffic goals sooner rather than later. In fact, There's no understating how a beautifully written guest post can attract attention, help you build your following, and increase your brand awareness.</div></div><div><br/></div>
The Simple Guide to Starting a Food Blog in 2018https://postach.io/blog/post/the-simple-guide-to-starting-a-food-blog-in-20182018-07-30T17:25:12.291000Z2018-07-30T17:19:02ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/e8872626-63bf-468f-ac49-e8cf95c9bc4b.png" /></div>
<div>Here at Postach.io, we are experts in the world of blogging. We relate to those who thrive on sharing their ideas, thoughts, and achievements, which is why we wanted to touch on a MASSIVE topic in the blogging community — food blogging.</div>
<div>Whether you’re scrolling through Pinterest or Facebook, food blogs are everywhere. According to <a href="https://brandongaille.com/27-tasty-food-blogging-tips-and-statistics/" style="text-decoration: underline;">one key survey</a>, although 88 percent of bloggers in this space are motivated by their passion for food, 41 percent hope to turn their passion into a career.</div>
<div>This is where it can get tricky, as there is a lot more to a successful food blog than great recipes and stunning photos. As a food blogger, you need to understand analytics, food culture, marketing, content creation, and even sales metrics. If you have been contemplating whether or not you should begin your food blogging journey, this is the guide for you.</div>
<div>We want to help you grow a food blog that gets people talking — here’s how!</div><h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/54a557c4-9e3b-4419-a17f-25063fbb2686.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></h2><div>(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/woman-computer-cooking-online-learning/80326054?prev_url=detail" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2>How to Start a Food Blog</h2><div>Before we get into the nitty-gritty, above all else, you need to love food in order to run a successful food blog. Those who have the most passion towards food tend to grow a more loyal following. After all, the more passionate you are about something, the more that passion shines through.</div>
<div>In this case, that passion may translate into thoughtful, humorous blog posts that your audience can’t get enough of. For others, their passion may be apparent based on their unique recipes, their forward-thinking photography, or their willingness to just share, share, share!</div>
<div>If you are ready to become the food blogger you always dreamed of, here is a step-by-step process on how to achieve that dream.</div><h3>Step one: Build a website (well, sort of)</h3><div>Although many bloggers think they need to hire a web designer, this is no longer the case. You can create a beautiful blog yourself — even as a beginner! This is what’s known as a self-hosted blog. You will find your full guide to blog hosting <a href="https://postach.io/blog/post/your-complete-and-simplified-guide-to-blog-hosting" style="text-decoration: underline;">here</a>. In this case, you will have options such as <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress.org</a>, as well as <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> (which was actually developed with novice bloggers in-mind).</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Additional tip: You will also want to invest in a domain name that is short and sweet, yet memorable. Remember, you want to essentially build a brand around your food blog. This is particularly true for those who strive to make money. Choose a blog name (and associated domain) that represents YOU and your blog. As a Postach.io member, domain name registration is included!</span></div></li></ul><h3>Step two: Pick a theme</h3><div>To customize your site (and enhance your audience’s experience), you will need to select a ready-made theme <a href="http://blogoff.postach.io/post/custom-postach-io-theme-examples" style="text-decoration: underline;">or create a theme</a> yourself. You should also familiarize yourself with available <a href="https://help.postach.io/tag/theme-code" style="text-decoration: underline;">theme codes</a> so that you can make your site as functional and beautiful as possible.</div><h3>Step three: Start creating content</h3><div>Each platform is different in terms of content creation. If you are someone who wants to express and share your love of good food but are anxious about actually creating content, Evernote is for you. Helping novice bloggers take their content to the next level, this software is much more than a note-taking app. Offering plenty of add-ons and tools, Evernote will quickly become your online workspace.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related</span>: <a href="https://postach.io/blogpost/evernote-blogging-how-to-do-it-right" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote Blogging: How to Do It Right</a></div>
<div>Tips for creating food blogging content:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Be authentic and be yourself</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Don’t be shy to show your personality, as if you were talking to your friends or family</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Make it easy to share your content</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">ALWAYS cite your sources</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Post as much as possible to grow your following (either daily or weekly)</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Don’t underestimate the power of images (making everyone drool over your famous meatloaf starts with the pictures you take)</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Use keywords — this is important for SEO</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Remain relevant in terms of recent trends, seasonal foods, etc.</span></div></li></ul><div>If you’re looking to write your first (amazing) blog post, <a href="https://postach.io/blogpost/how-to-write-a-blog-post-the-ultimate-guide" style="text-decoration: underline;">here’s how</a>.</div><h3>Step four: Promote your blog!</h3><div>In the blogging world, just because you build it, does not mean they’ll come. You have to put yourself out there, marketing who you are and what you offer. Social media is a great outlet, which is why you need to share often and <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/setting-up-your-postach-io-premium-features" style="text-decoration: underline;">add social links to your blog</a>. That way, you can grow your social media following through your blog (and vice versa). Also, be sure to generate an email list, as you can leverage in regards to monetization.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/33fd916f-1ad5-4b4b-8626-43fdc8b2c866.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/silvana-comugnero/78344599?prev_url=detail" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2>How to Make Money Food Blogging</h2><div>If you’re looking to make a bit of extra cash, food blogging can certainly be a lucrative side gig. There are even some bloggers that are making thousands of dollars a month. Food blogging can open up many doors, including paid reviews and sponsored content.</div>
<div>One blog, which we will discuss below <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/how-much-food-bloggers-make_us_590209e9e4b0af6d718c4e70" style="text-decoration: underline;">made $802,144.55</a> in a 12-month period (with a profit of $482,883.51). Yes, you read that right. <a href="https://pinchofyum.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Pinch of Yum</a> treated their blog as a business — and you can too.</div>
<div>Today, we’re going to discuss the two main revenue streams for food blogs, which includes affiliate programs and advertising opportunities.</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Affiliate programs</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">— Affiliate marketing allows you to make money by promoting a product or service. For example, say you advertise a mixer offered by a third-party. Due to</span> <a href="https://www.wowtrk.com/blog/tutorials/how-does-affiliate-tracking-work/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">affiliate cookies</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">, once one of your readers goes to their site and makes a purchase, you get a percentage of that sale. In some cases, bloggers also get paid per click or paid per lead. Some of the most common affiliate programs to get you started include</span> <a href="https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Amazon Associates</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">,</span> <a href="https://www.gourmetads.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Gourmet Ads</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">(which ties into advertising), and</span> <a href="https://www.sovrn.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Sovrn</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Advertising</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">— When it comes to earning money through advertising, your best place to start is</span> <a href="https://www.google.com/adsense/start/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Google AdSense</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">. As mentioned above, most bloggers will get paid based on a “per click" or “per view" basis. To make this revenue stream successful, you need to increase your traffic. As a side tip, be sure to</span> <a href="https://postach.io/blogpost/how-to-write-an-about-me-page-for-your-blog" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">write a strong “About Me" page</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">that will make people not only stay on your blog but come back for more.</span></div></li></ul><div>As you get the hang of blogging and find your voice within an exciting niche, the world is your oyster. Write your own cookbook, record and sell training videos, review recipes and restaurants—the list goes on and on! Like anything, if you want to make money from your food blog, you'll need to invest some cash in order to make a living. Bidding on keywords relevant to your niche through <a href="https://adwords.google.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Google Adwords</a> is a good place to start.</div><h2>Examples of Successful, Independent Food Blogs</h2><div>Sometimes, it’s best to see what others are up to in order to find inspiration. Of course, you will want to be unique and authentic, but that does not mean that you cannot learn from the online strategies of others — especially those who are successful.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><a href="https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;"><font style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>Sally’s Baking Addiction</b></font></a></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/85da11e5-7274-40e4-b456-c9bbdd79d48f.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><b><font style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://pinchofyum.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Pinch of Yum</a> — which later developed into <a href="https://www.foodbloggerpro.com/?utm_expid=.CMroWXzfTredWzLRcO0qzQ.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fpinchofyum.com%2F" style="text-decoration: underline;">Food Blogger Pro</a></font></b></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/1ef5e44d-5d48-4104-be04-94d5f0e7139f.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><a href="https://minimalistbaker.com/resources/" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><font style="font-size: 14pt;">Minimalist Baker</font></b></a></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/ad9feec5-db63-4e64-8c01-191bf2ec014b.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><a href="http://naturallyella.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><font style="font-size: 14pt;">Naturally Ella</font></b></a></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><a href="http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><font style="font-size: 14pt;">Green Kitchen Stories</font></b></a></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9aa25d30-8751-4201-ab3f-5e184a25dfb3/e0793661-d603-481f-97b5-baee2c94c75a.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</span></div>
<div><a href="http://ohsheglows.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><font style="font-size: 14pt;">Oh She Glows</font></b></a></div>
<div>Although all of these blogs are unique—they have each developed their own niche market and audience—they share a lot of similarities. The most important common denominator is that they all create and publish great content — which is vital!</div>
<div>After all, you know what they say, "Content is king." Always have this in the back of your mind when you're planning and writing your content. Study the above blogs and make notes about the strategies they use, their key design elements, and never stop sharing!</div>
<div>Food blogging requires time and patience. You can't build an empire overnight. You need to remain dedicated to your craft.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Additional tips:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Always do your research: Food blogging is a journey, and you should never stop learning. Focus on the best social media practices, develop your photography/video skills, understand the importance of SEO, etc.</span></div>
<div><br/></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Understand your audience: Although you will want to stay true to yourself, you need to appeal to your intended audience. What are their interests? Where do they hang out? Once again, this will take some time and commitment in terms of research. Over time, build your "fan" base.</span></div>
<div><br/></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Keep it simple: A blog doesn't need to have a million features. Instead, food blogs should be easy to navigate.</span></div>
<div><br/></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Network, network, network! You would be surprised to know how many bloggers are willing to help other bloggers in need of advice. Comment on other blogs to make friends while increasing your blog's exposure.</span></div>
<div><br/></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Food photography matters, big time! Invest some time in learning the basics, especially in terms of photo editing software. If you don’t want to invest in</span> <a href="https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Adobe Creative Cloud</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">,</span> <a href="https://www.gimp.org/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Gimp</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">is powerful, free open-source image editing software that can take you a long way.</span></div></li></ul><div>If you're ready to start a food blog, there is no better time than the present. Start sharing your recipes and food experiences with the world!</div>
<div>Most importantly, don't worry about everything being perfect right away. Blogging is a craft and skill that you will develop over time. That is why you should dive in with passion and confidence, as you create your food blogging empire.</div>
<div>Have questions? We want to help you reach your food blogging goals! Be sure to check out <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/frequently-asked-questions" style="text-decoration: underline;">our FAQ page</a> for helpful resources. Happy cooking, writing, and sharing!</div></div><div><br/></div>
Checklist for Repurposing Historical Content [Infographic]https://postach.io/blog/post/checklist-for-repurposing-historical-content-infographic2018-07-23T09:49:04.523000Z2018-07-16T12:19:17ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/d7869af6-24b4-4d28-8438-b8152b44af66/8431c177-b36c-4c64-9e5f-fe12e640b089.png" /></div>
<div>Repurposing or “recycling" old content is a marketing hack that will help lift your blog to the next level. It comes with many benefits, which we will go through later on, and the best thing about it?</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You simply use content that you have already created.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>There’s no scratching around for new topic ideas and spending hours on creating a new post.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/d7869af6-24b4-4d28-8438-b8152b44af66/431cccf5-d0e8-42de-8d78-f7fddfe90910.png" /></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div><h3>Why You Should Repurpose Historical Content:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Variety:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Individuals have their own preferences in terms of media. Some may prefer videos, while others like a standard written blog post. By presenting your old content through different forms of media, you will be reaching out to a</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">new audience</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">SEO:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">By reusing high-quality content, you will be building your reputation as a trustworthy source of information by search engines.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Driving home your core message:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Ever wonder why politicians say the same thing, time and time again? That’s because it has been</span> <a href="http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/the_rule_of_seven.htm" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">scientifically proven</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">that people do respond to repetition. Repurposing your content in different format is a subtle way of doing this.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Time-efficient:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The content has already been created, so all you need to do is bring it together again and present it in a fresh way.</span></div></li></ul><h3>What Content Should You Focus On:</h3><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Evergreen content:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">When we talk about “evergreen," we are talking about content that has long-term appeal. For example, topics like</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">financial advice, healthcare,</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">or</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">motherhood</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">are all evergreen niches. In contrast,</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">TV programs, fashion trends,</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">or</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">video games</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">all have a comparatively short shelf life. You should also look at specific long-term niches within your industry or field.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Popular posts:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Analyze your own data and see which posts have been particularly popular on your blog. Look into the reasons why - whether it’s the topic, statistics within the content itself, or a strong keyword. Let your findings influence your plan. By repurposing these pieces of content, you’ll be reaching out to a new audience.</span></div></li></ul><h3>How You Can Repurpose Historical Content</h3><ol><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Infographics:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">As you are reading one right now, you’ll appreciate it’s a fun and engaging way to present content. After all,</span> <a href="http://www.phschool.com/eteach/social_studies/2003_05/essay.html" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">65% of us</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">are visual learners. Infographics are also more likely to be shared on other platforms, thereby extending your reach. It also increases traffic to your</span> <a href="https://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-topics/rich-media/2906-the-power-of-visual-content-infographic.html#.VKtkmIc9-7m" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">blog by 12%</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">according to one report.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Video/Vlog:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Video content has proven to be a powerful marketing tool. In one 2017 survey,</span> <a href="https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics-2017/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">76% of businesses</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">who use video on their site see an increase in web traffic. Take the opportunity to revisit an old blog post and explain some of the key points in greater detail. Doing so will help boost your authority.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Listicle:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">During the course of creating epic blog posts, it’s highly likely you will have found some killer stats. Bringing them together in one</span> <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/blog-post-ideas?utm_source=drip&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7+Blog+Post+Ideas+to+Set+You+up+for+Success" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">listicle</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">and link those key facts to your own posts, as well as others.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Social Media:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">With</span> <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">2.2 billion monthly active users</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">on Facebook alone, social media offers immediate access to a huge audience. You can utilize this by highlight specific facts or statistics relating to your industry or field.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Slideshow:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Like infographics, you can make this highly visual and break up your post into digestible chunks. It’s easy to set up on</span> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Slideshare</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">, one of the</span> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/about" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">top-100 most visited sites</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">in the world. Ensure your slideshow is fun, engaging, and informative.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Email Course:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Emails have a return on investment (ROI) of</span> <a href="https://magemail.co/blog/email-marketing-cheatsheet/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">$44 for every $1 spent</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">.</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Tap into this enormous potential by setting up an email course, which can take place over a number of days or weeks. The best thing? You can just use some of your old blog posts as content, with a few minor tweaks.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">E-Books:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">In a similar way to an email course, e-books present a great opportunity to share your knowledge with your audience.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Update Your Posts:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Every so often, it’s a good idea to go through some of your old posts, and see where they need updating. For example, if I said “last year" in a post written in 2017, it would look a bit strange. So I would replace that term with “in 2017." These details may seem small, but up to date posts fare better than those which have been left behind.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Expand Your Posts:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">If you have created a post on the top ten Italian restaurants in your area, then you could turn it into a series. Top ten Indian restaurants, cocktail bars, or ice cream places.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;">Create a New Post:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Well, kind of. You can look back to your archive, and you can use old content to create a new post. You can either take a key statistic or section, and expand on some of the key points made.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Quora:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">With over</span> <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/21/uniquorn/?ncid=rss&guccounter=1" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">190 million</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">monthly active users,</span> <a href="https://www.quora.com/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Quora</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">is a globally respected question and answer platform. You can use some of your old posts to help answer some questions, which will build your reputation and even generate leads.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Guest Posts:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This requires striking a balance between simply copy and pasting, and coming up with new content. Other blogs and publications will welcome high-quality, original content, and not something that can be found on your site. However, there’s nothing stopping you from turning back to your old posts for inspiration - which can save you hours of research.</span></div></li></ol><div><br/></div></div><div><br/></div>
Your Complete (And Simplified) Guide to Blog Hostinghttps://postach.io/blog/post/your-complete-and-simplified-guide-to-blog-hosting2018-07-23T09:48:47.238000Z2018-07-02T16:38:46ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9da12728-8216-402d-abfa-1fc25d787ef1/babfbc2a-08c0-4a99-9b0f-218d64bd31bf.png" /></div></div><div><br/></div>
<div>Whether you aim to market your business effectively or are interested in starting a personal (yet profitable) blog, you're not alone. Across the internet, all forms of blogging are on the rise.</div>
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<div>Here at Postach.io, we've worked with many bloggers, helping them <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-a-profitable-niche-for-your-blog" style="text-decoration: underline;">find their own niches</a>. We've also found that those who are just starting out may need some guidance. After all, there’s a lot to learn, and thanks to evolving technology, there's also a significant learning curve.</div>
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<div>That's why we decided to create a comprehensive guide to blog hosting. Our goal is to help you enter the world of blogging with not only excitement and passion but also knowledge and confidence. Let’s get started.</div><h2>Why Start a Blog?</h2><div>First, it’s important to look at the impact blogging has on website traffic, growth, and brand awareness. <a href="http://www.techclient.com/blogging-statistics/" style="text-decoration: underline;">According to Tech Client</a>, when your website features a blog, it has a 434% greater chance of being ranked highly on search engines.</div>
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<div>This means your target audience is able to find you more easily. After all, 77% of internet users read blogs. Once they find yours, you can <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/how-to-add-a-mailchimp-sign-up-form-to-postach-io" style="text-decoration: underline;">implement key strategies</a> to keep them coming back for more.</div>
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<div>If you already have a small business and would like to maximize your marketing budget, you’ll be pleased to know that 82% of those who <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/2013-inbound-marketing-stats-charts" style="text-decoration: underline;">blog daily</a> experience a positive return on investment.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tip</span>: In order to ensure a greater return, it’s important to implement key habits from the get-go.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Always remember to:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Promote your posts across a number of social media platforms and encourage your readers to share. Once traffic increases, you can focus on a successful subscription module. After all, email marketing continues to be one of the most effective strategies.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Consider</span> <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/tips-on-tags-in-postach-io" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">search engine optimization</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">and use keywords you think your target audience will search for. Include strong keywords in your content’s text, in the title, and in your URL.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Make your content useful as well as enjoyable to read. Get into the habit of creating content that's attractive and easy to scan. Don’t be shy of images, headers, and bullet points.</span> <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/how-to-write-a-blog-post-the-ultimate-guide" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Here's the ultimate guide</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">for writing killer blog posts.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Include a call to action. The whole point of publishing a blog is to generate leads. If you're missing a call to action, you'll miss out on some great opportunities. For example, you can include an option to download a specific resource. You can also highlight</span> <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/best-affiliate-marketing-programs-for-bloggers-in-2018" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">affiliate marketing programs</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div><h2>Blog hosting for beginners: 5 blog hosting platforms</h2><div>If you have a passion for blogging or want to share your ideas with the world, there’s no better time than the present to get started.</div>
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<div>Although this critical step is often overlooked, choosing the best web hosting platform for your needs is one of the most important steps in creating a successful website. Whether you aim to gain traffic or boost sales, the hosting platform you choose can make all the difference.</div>
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<div>This leads to the burning question on everyone’s mind: With so many options, how do you choose? Let’s take a closer look at five popular platforms, so you can choose one that maximizes your time, productivity, and long-term success.</div><h3><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9da12728-8216-402d-abfa-1fc25d787ef1/328b1b8f-ee12-4e50-ad8d-81b0e6c91d9e.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></h3><div>(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.</span> <a href="https://wordpress.org/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">WordPress.org</a></h2><div>One of the most common hosting options, <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress.org</a> (not to be confused with <a href="http://wordpress.com/">WordPress.com</a>), was launched in 2003. Today, this self-hosted platform powers a significant percentage of websites. WordPress is a solid choice, as it allows you to maintain a high level of control over your content and blog.</div>
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<div>With WordPress, you can integrate free themes and plugins, and utilize various e-commerce services. Ideal for businesses and pro-level bloggers, WordPress requires some technical knowledge and experience to take advantage of all its features.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Top benefits</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Vast array of customizable features.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Large selection of available themes (some free).</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">More than 45,000 supporting plugins available for download.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Extensive, supportive community.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>Although WordPress is a powerful option, there's a significant learning curve. For beginners, this can be overwhelming. The customizable features are great, but initially configuring your site takes a lot of time. In addition to the <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress.org</a> platform, you'll also need a web hosting plan from a service such as <a href="https://www.bluehost.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Bluehost</a>, which is an added cost, and you'll need to implement security features, too.</div>
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<div>On the flip-side it comes with some epic plugins, such as <a href="https://elementor.com/">Elementor</a>, a super-flexible page builder.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/9da12728-8216-402d-abfa-1fc25d787ef1/d17bcae4-b22a-427b-8b0f-4c64bae0f0b0.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.</span> <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a></h2><div>Our team at Postach.io understands the importance of a positive user experience. After all, the better your experience, the more you’ll continue to blog, leading to sustained success. Without a doubt, Postach.io is one of the best options for beginners and will enhance your overall passion and desire to blog.</div>
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<div>In fact, we developed Postach.io with novice bloggers in mind, catering to their evolving journeys. Utilizing <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a>, Postach.io makes it easy to turn your ideas into reality — just like that. Best of all, you can <a href="http://blogoff.postach.io/post/custom-postach-io-theme-examples" style="text-decoration: underline;">access quality themes</a> with ease. As you learn more, you can customize these themes using HTML.</div>
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<div>If you're focused on creating great content that reads well and is easy to publish and share, Postach.io is a no-brainer.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Core benefits</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use, allowing you to focus on what matters most — fabulous content.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Helps you utilize social media marketing.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Allows you to track and monitor your blog’s traffic and progress via Google Analytics.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Enables you to create a fully customized blog without any significant tech experience.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Cost-effective, making it an ideal option for novices who'd like to gain more experience without breaking the bank.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>The only downside is that you can't preview your posts. However, as you become more comfortable with Evernote, you'll find that this feature is not especially important.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.</span> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/about/?r=1-null_user" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Blogger</a></h2><div>The Blogger platform has been around since 1999, making it a fond memory for some of the earliest bloggers. Google purchased the platform in 2003 and operates it to this day. Free and simple to use, Blogger is a reasonable choice for beginners. However, it offers you less control over your content and — because it's owned by Google — your blog’s potential lifespan.</div>
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<div>Blogger has built-in tools that do not require an extensive tech background, which is a bonus. However, the lack of features and editing options make it a poor choice for anyone who plans to maintain a professional, profitable, and highly customizable blog.</div>
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<div>Overall, Blogger is ideal for those who would like to explore the world of blogging before making a commitment. It's free and user-friendly, but fairly limited. Novice and advanced bloggers often complain that it offers little room for growth.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: Author’s Screenshot)</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4.</span> <a href="https://www.wix.com/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Wix</a></h2><div>For first-time bloggers, Wix can be an attractive option. Being able to drag and drop website elements makes building a functional website reasonably straightforward. With a wide range of free fonts and templates, as well as a free text editor, you'll feel like a pro as you create a fun, fully functional website.</div>
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<div>Once you've built your website and gained some experience, though, you may find yourself dipping into your pocket quite a bit. That's because many of Wix's more advanced features, which you'll need to transform your website from good to great, will cost you a pretty penny. Wix also has limited apps and extensions, particularly on its free plan.</div>
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<div>In summary, Wix offers free access, online store functionality, and hundreds of design options. This makes it a worthwhile option for novice bloggers or small business owners. However, when you use the free version, your site will be plastered with Wix branding, and once you build your site, you can’t make any changes to your theme.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">(Author’s Screenshot)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5.</span> <a href="https://www.weebly.com/ca" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Weebly</a></h2><div>If you're interested in the SEO potential of your blog, Weebly may be for you. Like Wix and another popular option, <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Squarespace</a>, this platform offers drag and drop features, making it ideal for beginners. It's free at first, so you can explore the available options to see if it’s the right fit for you. As you grow as a blogger, you can then access paid upgrades.</div>
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<div>Weebly's built-in hosting is an added bonus in terms of speed and security. When you invest in a business plan, your entire site gets <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/product-update-for-september" style="text-decoration: underline;">SSL certification</a>. Best of all, as you build your website, you'll gain access to supportive onboarding.</div>
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<div>As your blog grows and you create more content, Weebly can become a bit tricky. The content management system leaves much to be desired. Since Weebly lacks advanced marketing tools, such as custom analytics, A/B testing software, and email marketing, you may find it challenging to promote your content effectively .</div>
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<div>Offering similar advantages to Wix, including 24/7 support, a free version you can use to set up a website quickly, and an efficient drag-and-drop editor, Weebly is certainly an option for beginner bloggers. However, it has limited add-ons, and if you decide to move your site to a new platform, you may find it quite challenging to do so.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best of the Bunch</span></h2><div>Depending on your blogging goals, the most well-rounded hosting platform for power users with a degree of technical proficiency is likely <a href="http://wordpress.org/">WordPress.org</a>. However, Postach.io is likely a better choice for beginning bloggers who are motivated to continue learning and growing.</div>
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<div>Offering optimal customer experience, our team is here for you as you begin your blogging journey. To get started, <a href="https://postach.io/site/register/create" style="text-decoration: underline;">create your own site for free today</a>!</div>
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The 5 Best-Written Blog Post Examples Everhttps://postach.io/blog/post/the-5-best-written-blog-post-examples-ever2018-06-18T12:42:17.796000Z2018-06-18T10:03:21ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/cb2d85bc-4447-4205-bc59-e1acdd352f04.png" /></div>
<div>The blogging boom shows no sign of abating. Ever since the very first blog was created <a href="http://nymag.com/news/media/15971/" style="text-decoration: underline;">in 1994</a>, the landscape has shifted and evolved dramatically. The rise of services like Postach.io, Medium, and Tumblr makes it tricky to work out exactly how many blogs there are.</div>
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<div>The best estimate is that there are at least <a href="http://mediakix.com/2017/09/how-many-blogs-are-there-in-the-world/#gs.rPt4QKI" style="text-decoration: underline;">440 million blogs</a> around the world, but the real figure is likely to be far higher.</div>
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<div>What we do know is that around <a href="http://www.worldometers.info/blogs/" style="text-decoration: underline;">5 million blog posts</a> are published per day. That’s nearly <span style="font-weight: bold;">58 posts a second</span>.</div>
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<div>Therefore, blogging presents both an opportunity and a challenge. A quick search on Google will reveal stories of how people make millions of dollars from blogs. The reality is that to achieve those lofty heights you will need talent, along with a healthy dose of luck.</div>
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<div>The competition is fierce, and you need to consider different factors to make your blog stand out, including:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Design:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Is the design of your blog attractive to your readers? Does it complement the blog or does it distract from the content? It needs to be up to date and fresh. There are many blogs whose design and layout haven’t been updated for a decade and, well, you can tell.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Title:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Your title should be relevant, memorable, and catchy. Simplicity is key here too, and consider your “brand." What type of audience do you want to attract?</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Content:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This is what your readers are coming for - your thoughts, ideas, and news in your posts. Once you have the first two factors ready to go, your focus should be on your content.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>Creating high quality, relevant, and engaging content is one of the most important things you need to do with your blog. It will separate you from your competitors and build your reputation within the niche or industry. One of the best ways to learn is to take a look at what other successful bloggers do.</div>
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<div>So, we’ve put together an epic list of the best blog posts of all time:</div><h3>1. How Blogging Saved My Life - Mark Schaefer</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/42edf72d-3547-414f-8efa-7ecb0d71d3ef.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://businessgrow.com/">Businessgrow.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Personal, witty, engaging - Mark Schaefer’s blog post ticks each of the boxes. Even the title grabs your attention.</div>
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<div>If <a href="https://www.businessesgrow.com/2014/11/11/speech-will-never-hear/" style="text-decoration: underline;">How Blogging Saved My Life</a> seems a little dramatic for a title, then you should read the post. The main body of it is a transcript of a speech Mark delivered at a conference. It describes the dark times he endured, going into detail about the various life-changing events.</div>
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<div>Divorce, injury, losing friends to illness, and suicide. Throw in starting a new business into the mix, and you get the idea.</div>
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<div>Yet Mark still manages to infuse the speech and post with wit and humor. The overall gist is relentlessly optimistic and reassuring. Not everyone will go through the challenges he had to face, but we all go through our own.</div>
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<div>This post connects with the readers and finishes off on an encouraging note:</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“When you are in the middle of it — as the horrible pain is happening — you can’t possibly know what is ahead. You’re just trying to get through each day.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“But just keep in mind that down the road you will realize that this darkness and pain will become a gift. You can emerge as a new person, you can become something new, something stronger, because you are being awarded a powerful new cape of superpowers of your own."</span></div><h3>2. The Myth of the 4-Hour Workweek - SpartanTraveler</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/3c31501a-1ff1-4ea1-b9db-cded8f32a5dd.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://spartantraveler.com/">Spartantraveler.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss is so widely read that it could almost be considered as an entrepreneur’s bible. And there are many blog posts that aim to bust the myth that it’s not about working 4 hours a week. SpartanTraveler does it right though.</div>
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<div>The writer, Clayton, keeps the format simple and shares his personal take on the lessons he drew from reading the book. The Myth of the 4-Hour Workweek tackles some of the key points the book makes and how it should be applied in real-life.</div>
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<div>Though it’s quite long, over 3,500 words, Clayton writes in short, crisp sentences. It’s highly actionable, with most paragraphs drilling home a point or two. The overall argument of the post is that you should use the book to make your business/businesses more productive.</div>
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<div>In essence, don’t become lazy.</div>
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<div>At the end, Clayton writes out the key lessons again with bullet points - just in case you missed them the first time.</div><h3>3. I Quit Carbs and Sugar and Here is What I learned - Tropical MBA</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/b7f7bca3-ada2-444c-b0f5-d774accd8ef6.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="611"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://tropicalmba.com/">Tropicalmba.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Dieting is one of the most popular blogging niches. In a world where everyone seems to be obsessed with what they eat, it’s refreshing to read a straightforward post on the topic.</div>
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<div>Dan Andrews took the opportunity to share his experience of <a href="http://www.tropicalmba.com/what-i-learned-by-quitting-carbs/" style="text-decoration: underline;">quitting carbs and sugar</a>. He takes a straight-talking approach; “<span style="font-style: italic;">Quitting carbs isn’t some hack. It’s a freakin’ slog. Pizza is one of humanity’s greatest creations, and staying away from it, and a world of other delicious stuff is almost impossible (almost nobody does it…)"</span></div>
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<div>Using this kind of language and admitting to his temptations enables him to connect with the reader. Most of us will find it hard to resist the lure of our favorite food, whether it’s pizzas, burgers, or cakes. Dan also uses a numbered list to line out the different lessons he learned.</div>
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<div>It’s well-written too, and the tone is laced with humor. Once again, the points raised in this post are actionable and attainable for readers.</div><h3>4. My Million Dollar Mistake</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/e953a8c8-384a-4575-9d54-dd6beec20f46.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://quicksprout.com/">Quicksprout.com</a>)</div>
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<div>This list wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of <a href="https://neilpatel.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Neil Patel</a>, the godfather of blogging. His posts have a well-earned reputation for being engaging and informative. “<a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2009/11/10/my-million-dollar-mistake/" style="text-decoration: underline;">My Million Dollar Mistake</a>" is a great example of Neil’s talent for writing.</div>
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<div>The post focuses on the story of one of his business failures which cost him, you guessed it, a million dollars. Neil then deconstructs the events that occurred around it and points out the mistakes the business made. He does this by using bullet points so the reader can clearly understand the message:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/0a3b5a8d-df11-4738-bf36-edf6f51e7108.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://quicksprout.com/">Quicksprout.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Neil also refrains from using emotional language, resulting in a coherent, relevant post with readers being able to take away key lessons.</div>
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<div>There’s also a running theme here: time and money. The startup eventually ran out of both key resources. Despite this, the conclusion at the end is a positive one:</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“Although I hope you won’t make big mistakes like I have made, chances are you will. But what separates the true entrepreneurs from the phony ones is that true entrepreneurs don’t give up."</span></div><h3>5. 10 Things That DO NOT (Directly) Affect Your Google Rankings - Whiteboard Friday at Moz</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/caba791f-3821-42d1-8cb4-ab44429d6d72/e36ab588-903f-4676-895a-166444efae53.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://moz.com/">Moz.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Rand Fishkin’s Whiteboard Friday is full of so many excellent posts that it’s hard to pick one. In the end, we followed Moz’s own rankings and picked its best post from 2017. What sets these posts apart from its competitors is the <a href="https://moz.com/blog/10-things-do-not-affect-rankings" style="text-decoration: underline;">highly engaging video</a> in which Rand presents each week. Moz also publishes a transcript, complete with images.</div>
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<div>This style of post, which flips the common “How to" format for a list of “Don’ts," makes the content more memorable and challenges common misconceptions, making it stimulating for readers.</div>
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<div>SEO can be daunting for many of us, and there are plenty of misunderstandings on the topic. As Rand says in his video:</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“So it turns out lots of people have this idea that anything and everything that you do with your website or on the web could have an impact. Well, some things have an indirect impact and maybe even a few of these do. I'll talk through those. But tons and tons of things that you do don't directly affect your Google rankings. So I'll try and walk through some of these that I've heard or seen questions about, especially in the recent past."</span></div>
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<div>By saying “lots of people," Rand makes the reader feel they’re not alone in struggling with SEO. The personalized tone is also evident with references to questions he’s seen and the word “you."</div>
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<div>The post structure is easy to follow, with each section separated with headers and short paragraphs. There’s also a downloadable image of the whiteboard which we can see behind Rand.</div>
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<div>Individuals each have their own preferences in how to digest information. By providing so many different formats in one post, Moz is catering to a wide section of its audience, if not all.</div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>There are many other excellent blog posts out there, but these five are among the very best. Why? Each has these factors in common:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Expertise:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">All five of the posts have been written by highly knowledgeable individuals who are leaders in their field.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Passion:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The writers are evidently passionate about what they do, and this carries through to the readers.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Simplicity:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The posts aren’t trying to do too much. They’re all focused on the topic at hand and delivering useful, informative content.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Personal:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Describing your personal experiences enables your readers to relate to the points you make in your post. It’s more convincing if the reader knows you have personally experienced the situations you write about.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Structure:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This matters. Things like short paragraphs, bullet points, and headings all affect the readability of your posts. Do it right, and your readers can get all the key points by skimming through your content.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>Being knowledgeable and passionate about your topics is crucial. Blogging is not always easy, and it’s the passion that will get you through the challenging times. The knowledge will help you to create epic posts that your audience will want to read and keep them coming back for more.</div>
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<div>For each post, it’s important to maintain a focus. Trying to write too much and simply doing a “brain dump" can be tempting but it will result in hard-to-follow content. Remember to structure your posts clearly with sub-headings and short paragraphs. No one wants to read a wall of text.</div>
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<div>By following these key lessons, you will be able to create engaging, relevant content that entertains and informs your readers.</div></div><div><br/></div>
9 Best Examples of Business Blogs for 2018https://postach.io/blog/post/9-best-examples-of-business-blogs-for-20182018-06-05T13:57:29.932000Z2018-06-05T12:36:26ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/9f4e2908-ab5b-4837-938f-b193bb89fbd1.png" style="font-weight: bold;"/></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The health of blogs is as robust as ever. They cover countless niches including lifestyle, motherhood, and traveling - and everything else in between. People read them because it adds value to their lives in some form or another. One of the most popular topics is business.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">For businesses, content is King. After all, companies who have an active blog generate</span> <a href="https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/blogging-statistics-to-boost-your-strategy" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">67% more leads</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">than those who don’t.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Blogs offer businesses a platform to share their knowledge and expertise. The goal</span> is to build authority within your industry and niche. By creating engaging, informative, and relevant content, you would put your company ahead of the competition.</div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If you’re looking for advice too, then this list will provide you with some invaluable resources. There are many entrepreneurs and business leaders willing to share their own, unique perspective.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">To provide you with some inspiration, we have put together a list of the top business blogs in 2018. The criteria is simple:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Regularly updated posts</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Engaging, high-quality content</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Relevant to its audience</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Following these principles, here are the top blogs you should add to your reading list:</span></div><h3>1. Virgin</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/23309fbf-c0f2-48e1-b1f8-85b782d3b259.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://virgin.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Virgin.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Leading British brand</span> <a href="https://www.virgin.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Virgin</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">has interests in many types of businesses, from airlines to media. Headed by high-profile entrepreneur Richard Branson, the company has an active and engaging blog.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The emphasis is on sharing ideas and advice. The lead posts are often real-life case studies that entrepreneurs and business owners can learn from. Recent articles include:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/data-driven-businesses-solving-everyday-problems" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Data-Driven Businesses Solving Everyday Problems</a></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/why-connected-technology-vital-new-age-customer-experience" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Why Connected Technology Is Vital in the New Age of Customer Experience</a></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/why-you-should-think-more-pirate" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Why You Should Think More Like a Pirate</a></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The mix of content written by its own team and guest writers all offer a new perspective and useful ideas. If you’re looking for some out of the box thinking - classic Richard Branson style - then you should follow this blog.</span></div><h3>2. Guy Kawasaki</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/ecebf2b8-b657-47be-82dc-229a35daf5cc.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source: Guy Kawasaki)</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://guykawasaki.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Guy Kawasaki</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">has been involved in leading technology companies including</span> <a href="https://www.apple.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Apple</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">and</span> <a href="https://www.canva.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Canva</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">for decades. He’s also leading author of several books on startups and social media. His blog is an invaluable addition for entrepreneurs who want to read more than just posts on “how to be an entrepreneur." Topics range from business ideas to lifestyle posts, including reviews on top of the range cars and cameras.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Like any reputable business blog, there are contributions from guest authors as well as Kawasaki himself. This adds variety to the content, and value for the readers.</span></div><h3>3. Noobpreneur</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/4c943faa-0070-415d-a76e-8078e8810635.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://noobpreneur.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Noobpreneur.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The first couple of entries had a focus on technology-led businesses.</span> <a href="http://noobpreneur.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Noobpreneur.com</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">is a blog for all kinds of small businesses. The articles are more functional and focus on what many may say is the dull side of running a business, like audits and GDPR.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">It’s a very active blog too, averaging around two new posts a day. Each one offers real insight, and brings plenty of value for readers. The name, Noobpreneur is a twist on “Newbie Entrepreneur." The idea is that no matter how much experience you may have, you’re always learning as much as you did on day one.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">It’s that philosophy that sets this blog apart - constantly generating content for you to learn from,</span></div><h3>4. Fast Company</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/af69e462-72e3-46e2-bf2c-c0b98f9b85e8.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://fastcompany.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Fastcompany.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Packed with engaging, informative, and original content,</span> <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Fast Company</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">is more than just a business blog. It takes a look at the latest news as well as offering in-depth reports on business stories.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The leadership section covers some excellent topics on productivity and work/life balance. For business leaders, it’s worth taking a 15 minute break from your schedule to read the latest posts. As for technology, you’ll find some stories in there that’s not being covered by mainstream papers, yet entirely relevant to you.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If you’re lacking motivation or ideas, a browse on Fast Company could provide some much needed inspiration.</span></div><h3>5. Forbes</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/ed75e369-77dd-470c-a8c6-8057d0e48a3e.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://forbes.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Forbes.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.forbes.com/forbes/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Forbes Magazine</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">has long been one of the must-read publications in the business world. Its blog has become a leader in its own right.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The Forbes blog covers news from all over the world, and you can set it to your location, whether you’re in US, Asia, or Europe. Recent posts include video interviews with global business leaders, including Allan Zeman, Chairman of Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong Group.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If there’s anything that Forbes is famous for, it’s the rich list. The blog version has an entire section dedicated to lists of all kinds, from wealthiest people to best employers. If you’re looking to find out what separates the very best from the good, this section is an excellent resource.</span></div><h3>6. <a href="http://entrepreneur.com/">Entrepreneur.com</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/aaaa93c1-db20-4d79-84ea-0a0a06b3ef4f.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://entrepreneur.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Entrepreneur.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">This is one of the better known blogs.</span> <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Entrepreneur Magazine</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">has been around since 1977, and has several editions around the world. The content on its blog reflects this, and like Forbes, you can set your edition to reflect where you are on the globe.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Together with the usual posts offering tips and advice, Entrepreneur offer videos and podcasts. The podcasts are split into a number of different series, including Enterpreneur Weekly and The Playbook - which interviews former sports stars jumping into the world of entrepreneurship.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Another neat feature of the Entrepreneur blog is the “Start a Business" section. It allows you to search businesses and franchises for sale.</span></div><h3>7. CorpNet</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/974fb818-488a-427c-9bac-f5ad5a8e7f36.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://corpnet.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Corpnet.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.corpnet.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">CorpNet</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">is a no-nonsense blog for small business owners. It also serves people who are looking to start a business, with handy tips and advice from its team.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The topics are hardly likely to set the world on fire, with recent posts on accountants and trademarks. However, in a sense, that’s what this blog is about. As a business owner, you’re not always looking for inspiration - but rather good solid advice on specific issues.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">CorpNet is a good blog for a weekly read, with posts being uploaded every few days.</span></div><h3>8. Location Rebel</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/54ab3732-2bec-40ef-a32c-b4caf2243e14.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://locationrebel.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Locationrebel.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.locationrebel.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Location Rebel</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">offers a course which enables people to work from anywhere in the world. The content of its blog is all about helping its readers to take control of their lives and gain freedom. The primary writer, Sean Ogle, considers himself to be a “Lifestyle Entrepreneur," and wants to help others follow his footsteps.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The blog has been going for nine years, long before the term “digital nomad" became a thing. The posts are focused and concise. There’s new content uploaded every few days, so it’s a good add to the weekly reading list.</span></div><h3>9. Bplans</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50fdde58-cf8e-494b-a9ab-d18c4e1d84d1/2a57986a-b593-43ef-9036-d65325810228.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span> <a href="http://bplans.com/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Bplans.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><a href="https://www.bplans.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Bplans</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">offer the full range of advice and information on starting businesses but has specialist knowledge on business plans. The content is all about starting up and allowing companies to grow.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Many posts are also about how to secure investment and to nail that pitch. If you’re just starting out, this will be an excellent resource for you to turn to, and build your confidence.</span></div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">As a business, having an active blog will not only drive traffic to your main site but also give you the opportunity to stand out as a thought leader. By sharing your expertise and knowledge, you’ll be improving the reputation of your company. Before you know it, your blog could become your number one lead generator.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The trick is to focus on creating content that’s relevant for your business. As you will have already seen, this does not mean simply selling your products. That will switch off your readers. Instead, give them useful amd valuable information.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">For readers, the top business blogs serve as an excellent platform for learning. The level of insight and different perspectives could lead you to a solution for an issue you may have been struggling with.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">It’s also important to pick blogs that suit your needs. Forbes, for example, is great for stories and interviews with leading entrepreneurs but for actionable business advice, you’d be better served reading CorpNet.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Business blogs can create a win-win situation for both companies and readers. Start yours today with</span> <a href="https://postach.io/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> for free!</span></div></div><div><br/></div>
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Profitable Niche for Your Bloghttps://postach.io/blog/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-a-profitable-niche-for-your-blog2018-05-22T16:46:39.095000Z2018-05-22T16:38:09ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f08b0dcf-4df7-45b5-9964-3d600f3804e5/108c3f66-261f-4918-ae38-222d98e4406f.png" /></span></div>
<div>As an online business, blogging has immense potential. Top bloggers can make <a href="https://blogging.com/top-bloggers/" style="text-decoration: underline;">six-figure monthly incomes</a>, and even a moderately successful blog can generate enough income to replace a full-time job. Despite the significant potential to make money through niche blogging, a 2012 survey of 1,000 bloggers found that an astonishing <a href="https://blogging.org/blog/blogging-stats-2012-infographic/" style="text-decoration: underline;">81 percent</a> had never earned even $100 from their blogs.</div>
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<div>If you want to join the minority of bloggers who earn full-time incomes from their blogs, you need to make sure you're choosing a profitable niche. Here at Postach.io, our mission is to help people just like you turn their Evernote notebooks into amazing blogs. To help you get started the right way, we've compiled the following guide to choosing a profitable blogging niche. If you've ever thought about making money by blogging but didn't know where to start, you've come to the right place!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f08b0dcf-4df7-45b5-9964-3d600f3804e5/acecd5d1-dba4-4099-a46c-8e217f6cf9db.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624"/></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/teamwork-leadership-business-concept/94508661?" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: normal;">Consider What You're Knowledgeable and Passionate About</span></h2><div>One of the first steps in finding a profitable niche for your blog is to consider your <a href="https://www.creativerevolt.com/how-to-pick-a-blog-niche/" style="text-decoration: underline;">personal interests, hobbies, and areas of expertise</a>. Although your level of interest in a subject doesn't directly correlate with its profitability, your ability to blog in a niche that legitimately interests you will make you more likely to succeed. The reason for this is that blogging success takes a great deal of time, effort, and work. Working with a niche that doesn't interest you makes you <a href="https://www.bloggingbasics101.com/choosing-a-blogging-niche/" style="text-decoration: underline;">more prone to getting burnt out</a> on your blog. Blogging about something you're interested in also makes it easier to produce the large amount of content needed for blogging success, since you'll likely have a reasonably good base of existing knowledge in that niche.</div>
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<div>At Postach.io, we believe that Evernote can be a powerful tool when it comes to blogging. If you use Evernote extensively, you'll discover how it can be an excellent way to identify some niche ideas that relate to your interests. If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, try going back through your notes in the app and seeing what types of topics you create notes about. Although there's no guarantee that any of these topics will translate into profitable niche ideas, revisiting your notes in Evernote is a reliable way to start brainstorming for possible niches.</div><h2 style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f08b0dcf-4df7-45b5-9964-3d600f3804e5/cf9c5eef-d383-4ec3-8026-c5e08ee4d948.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624"/></h2><div style="text-align: center;">(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/competitive-edge/103414679?" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: normal;">Determine Competitiveness and Public Interest</span></h2><div>While your niche should be something you are knowledgeable and passionate about, it should also be something that will interest a substantial audience of people. At the same time, certain niches are thoroughly saturated with well-established blogs, making it difficult for a newcomer to break in and create a profitable new blog. The niches that will give you the best chance of making good money from your blog are those with <a href="http://www.chrisducker.com/finding-your-niche/" style="text-decoration: underline;">medium or large potential audiences</a> but low competition. You need a niche in which the competition is low enough that a new blog at least stands a reasonable chance of attracting readers.</div>
<div>There are several ways to find out how competitive a niche is, and one of the easiest is to <a href="https://bloggingwizard.com/choose-perfect-niche-for-your-blog/" style="text-decoration: underline;">conduct keyword research</a>. This research will tell you if there are search terms relevant to your niche idea that get a good volume of monthly searches but don't turn up many search results. To get a basic idea of keyword search volume and competition levels, you can use Google's <a href="https://adwords.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Keyword Planner</a> tool. For more in-depth information, you can also use a tool called <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/review/348807/spyfu" style="text-decoration: underline;">SpyFu</a>, which provides a more comprehensive set of keyword data.</div>
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<div>Although the easiest niches to break into tend to be those with medium search volumes and low to medium competition levels, there are exceptions. If you find a high-competition niche in which most blog posts are too short or of low quality, you may be able to establish yourself in that niche by merely <a href="https://nichehacks.com/chapter-7-evaluating-testing-niche/" style="text-decoration: underline;">offering better content</a> than your competitors. Similarly, some niches are so large that, despite stiff competition, there's always room for new content creators. Niches that are large and popular enough will have income potential <a href="http://profitblitz.com/love-blogging-crowded-niches/" style="text-decoration: underline;">even for smaller blogs</a>, making it possible for you to succeed without becoming a leading authority.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f08b0dcf-4df7-45b5-9964-3d600f3804e5/53626636-2b3c-4b45-8535-75d3e9812dba.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624"/></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/monetize-red-text-on-typography-background-3d-rendered-royalty-free-stock-image-this-image-can-be-used-for-an-online-website-banner-ad-or-a-print-postcard/137938486?" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: normal;">Evaluate Ideas Based on Monetization Methods</span></h2><div>Once you have a few niche ideas, you need to select one based on its ability to be monetized. Ideally, your blog's niche should give you the ability to monetize it in several ways. Having multiple types of revenue coming in from your blog will <a href="https://obstacle.co/how-to-make-money-blogging/" style="text-decoration: underline;">protect</a> you from the failure of any single source, and it will give you more ways to capitalize on your site's traffic. Consider whether or not any niche idea you have will allow you to monetize your blog via two or more of the following methods, to ensure it can produce multiple streams of income.</div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Advertising</span></h3><div>Probably the easiest way for new bloggers to monetize their sites is through advertising. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads, such as those <a href="https://sideincomeblogging.com/monetize-your-blog-adsense/" style="text-decoration: underline;">available through Google's Adsense program</a>, are simple to integrate into your blog posts and pages. Although it's an easy way to get started, hosting PPC ads is a method with considerable limitations. Unless you have a blog that gets enormous amounts of traffic, your earnings from advertising alone <a href="https://smartblogger.com/blog-ads/" style="text-decoration: underline;">won't be enough</a> to generate a serious income. Once your blog gains an appreciable following, you can make more money from advertising by <a href="https://www.blogmarketingacademy.com/how-to-sell-ads-on-your-blog/" style="text-decoration: underline;">directly selling ad spaces</a> to advertisers.</div>
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<div>Practically any niche can be ripe for advertising, but if you want to maximize your income from advertising, it's vital to find either a moderately large niche or a smaller niche in which the products advertisers want to promote are high enough in price that they'll be willing to pay well to get their ads seen by lower numbers of visitors. Earnings from ads can vary, but a general average rate is <a href="https://problogschool.com/sell-ads-blog/" style="text-decoration: underline;">$2 for every 1,000 visitors</a> who view the ad.</div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">Affiliate Marketing</span></h3><div>Among the most profitable ways to monetize your blog is through <a href="https://neilpatel.com/what-is-affiliate-marketing/" style="text-decoration: underline;">affiliate marketing</a>. In an affiliate marketing arrangement, traffic from your blog is directed to a sales website through unique tracking links. When that site makes a sale to one of the visitors sent there from your blog, you receive a commission. Affiliate commissions can vary widely, from low percentages on small sales to <a href="http://benguonline.com/high-paying-affiliate-programs" style="text-decoration: underline;">thousands of dollars</a> for a single purchase of a high-priced item or service.</div>
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<div>One of the absolute best ways to determine whether or not a niche is profitable for affiliate marketing is to <a href="https://www.affiliateresources.org/how-to-determine-if-a-niche-is-profitable/" style="text-decoration: underline;">look for existing sites</a> in that niche that are promoting products as affiliates. Although you should be looking for lower-competition niches, discovering a complete absence of competition probably means that the niche isn't profitable. You should also check to see that there is a reasonably wide range of products you can promote in your niche. If you're selling physical products using a program such as Amazon's <a href="https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Associates</a> network, you should look for <a href="https://www.prourls.com/blog/recommended-price-range-for-amazon-affiliate/" style="text-decoration: underline;">higher-priced products</a> to promote, since these will pay you higher commissions. You can also <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/find-profitable-niche-affiliate-marketing/" style="text-decoration: underline;">check sites like Clickbank</a> for information-based affiliate products related to your niche. If you can't find a reasonably good number of products that will pay generous commissions, the niche you're looking into likely won't be profitable.</div><h3><span style="font-weight: normal;">E-Books and Courses</span></h3><div>Another effective way to monetize a blog is by selling digital products, such as online <a href="https://problogger.com/how-to-tell-if-your-idea-for-an-ebook-or-course-is-a-profitable-one/" style="text-decoration: underline;">courses and e-books</a>. To determine if a niche can be monetized with these products, try to find specific problems to be solved or skills to be taught that relate to your niche. If you can solve problems or teach skills in a niche, chances are that it's a good candidate for monetization via a course or ebook. For confirmation, search for existing digital information products relating to your niche, and find out if they're selling well. Selling these products not only gives you complete control over one of your income streams, but it can also be extremely lucrative. In fact, some online courses can sell for <a href="https://convertkit.com/price-online-course/" style="text-decoration: underline;">$2,000 or more</a>, and even mid-priced ones can range well into the hundreds of dollars.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f08b0dcf-4df7-45b5-9964-3d600f3804e5/3ff6f908-6c31-447a-89b0-2e0196709891.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="624"/></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">(Source: <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/blog-now/68831345?prev_url=detail" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adobe</a>)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Final Step: Getting Started</span></h2><div>If you can find a niche you're passionate and knowledgeable about, is relatively popular with low to medium competition, and can be monetized in multiple ways, the chances are good that you've hit upon a profitable niche for your blog. To begin making money from blogging, though, you'll still need to set up your site and put in the time and effort to create content. Success as a blogger won't come overnight, but with dedication and consistency, you can realize a good side income from your blog <a href="https://amylynnandrews.com/how-to-make-money-blogging/" style="text-decoration: underline;">within six months</a>, and possibly even replace your full-time income within two years.</div>
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<div>If you want to streamline the process, try using our Evernote-powered blogging platform. When you use Postach.io, you can publish articles to your blog by creating an Evernote notebook in which each note becomes its own post. Our user-friendly system makes creating, designing and populating your site with content as simple as possible, leaving you free to focus on building your blog and increasing its profitability.</div></div><div><br/></div>
Best Free Blog Software to Get You Startedhttps://postach.io/blog/post/best-free-blog-software-to-get-you-started2018-05-15T10:36:21.208000Z2018-05-14T12:26:21ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/298cc0ae-ddab-4cf2-9592-2a138fbf683c.png" /></div>
<div>The criteria for blogging software very much depends on the individual or business requirements. However, there are some universal factors at play too. You want a platform or software that’s easy to work with, flexible, and allows to create content in the way you want.</div>
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<div>When you’re starting a blog, you need to think about the long-term plan. As your readership grows, you will want to keep improving the features that make your site stand out.</div>
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<div>This means it’s critical for you to choose the right option that gives you room to grow.</div>
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<div>Avoid the trap of picking the easiest platform in the short-term. Once you have an established audience and URL it can prove extremely difficult to switch later on.</div>
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<div>Even if you’re starting out as a hobby, if it’s a subject you are passionate and knowledgeable about, then people are likely to want to read your content. So, it’s a smart move to leave open the opportunity to develop and monetize your blog:</div>
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<div>So, with these factors in mind, let’s dive into the list of the best blog software to get you started.</div>
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<div>It’s important to note is this is in no particular order because one platform might work for one person but not for others:</div><h3>WordPress</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/2345a0b6-1010-4f80-8756-2de9ebfdf888.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://wordpress.org/">Wordpress.org</a>)</div>
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<div>This is the world’s most popular blogging platform. There are two versions of WordPress:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://wordpress.org/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">WordPress.org</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">An open-source software that allows you to create a blog. It’s a self-hosted platform, which means you will need to find a WordPress hosting service provider.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><a href="https://wordpress.com/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">WordPress.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This is a hosting platform, which offers basic features for free.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>Both combine to make it a very appealing option for many bloggers. WordPress itself has widened its focus to include websites and apps, as well as blogs.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Opportunity to grow:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">There are countless features that can be added to a WordPress site. You could include forums to encourage interaction with your readers or even online stores.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Thousands of themes:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">“Themes" is blog-speak for designs and</span> <a href="http://wordpress.org/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">WordPress.org</a> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">has thousands of them for you to choose from. This enables you to create your own, unique, and customized blog design. Many of these are free, but it could be worth checking out some of the premium options.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Free plugins:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Over the past decade, WordPress has built a bank of more than 45,000 free plugins. And many more at a low cost. As your site or blog grows, you can develop it even more.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Search engine friendly:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">As an early adopter to search engine optimization (SEO), you can be assured this platform does everything it can to ensure your blog gets found on Google.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Can be a challenge for beginners:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">With so many tools and features, WordPress can be a little overwhelming to begin with.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Security and hosting:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You will need to arrange this yourself. If you’re a novice, this will take time and research.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Using the</span> <a href="http://wordpress.org/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">WordPress.org</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">software is free. However, you will still need to buy a domain name which typically costs around about $15 a year. Hosting starts from around $8 a month.</span></div></li></ul><h3>Postach.io</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/ab6a52bc-e63d-4063-b08f-80aa6c716cca.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Postach.io)</div>
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<div><a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> is one of the easiest setup options out there, especially if you already use <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a>. You can use this platform to automatically turn your notes into a blog post.</div>
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<div>Like WordPress, you can use one of its standard themes or create your own. This simple step is all it takes to turn your Evernote Notebook into an eloquent and well-designed blog.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use and set up:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">As you develop your blog, you will want to make sure you can easily upload your content. Evernote is designed specifically for the purpose of taking down your thoughts and notes as you move. For example, if you had a particularly memorable moment while travelling, you can write it down on Evernote, edit it later, and publish when you’re ready.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Customizable themes:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You can create your own, personalized desing for your blog. It will help form the brand and image that you want to project and connect with your readers.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Free hosting:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Hosting is all included in Postach.io. This will save you around $8 a month.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Domain names:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The free plan allows you to use the Postach.io domain as part of your URL. From just $5 a month, you can use your own. Creating a domain name typically costs around $15, or more for popular options.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">SEO friendly:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The platform makes it easy for you to optimize your content for SEO.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Works best with Evernote:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">To say this is a disadvantage is a little harsh. However, if you do not use Evernote, then you will not reap the full benefits of Postach.io.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Free domain name:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">With the free plan, you must include Postach.io in your domain name. For example;</span> <span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">example.postach.io.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The basic plan at Postach.io is free but there are also premium options starting from just $5 a month.</span></div></li></ul><h3>Blogger</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/c226be03-2656-4d98-9df8-b8250a537116.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://blogger.com/">Blogger.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Founded in 1999, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Blogger</a> is one of the early players in the blogging world. Since 2003, it has been owned by Google and enjoys all the benefits of its relationship with the technology giant.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The key selling point of Blogger is that it’s very easy to set up. For a non-techie, this is an excellent starting point.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Google features:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://blogger.com/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Blogger.com</a> users can enjoy all the analytical prowess from Google as part of the package. This includes the ability to measure stats and earnings from individual posts.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Completely free:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Unlike other platforms, Blogger has no paid-for plans. You can be assured you can access all the features for free.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Multiple blogs:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You can have upto 100 blogs per account, which gives you plenty of flexibility.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Basic themes:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You do have the option of customizing your themes but the choice is limited.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Limited features:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">As your blog grows, you may find yourself held back by the limited tools on offer.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Few updates:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Perhaps as a consequence of being a smaller cog in a big tech giant, Blogger does not recieve many updates. Again, as you develop your blog, this could be an inhibiting factor.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Completely free. If you want to use your own domain name, then you will have to pay for the right to use it.</span></div></li></ul><h3>Medium</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/38dda30a-e186-43ec-8487-3e8ad65d1f2d.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://medium.com/">Medium.com</a>)</div>
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<div><a href="https://medium.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Medium</a> is a community of bloggers, writers, and journalists. Admittedly, it’s more like Huffington Post than a conventional blogging platform but it’s a great starting point if you’re looking to gain more experience.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Easy to join:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You can join Medium using your Google or Facebook account.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">A community:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You will be able to reach to a pre-existing community who share your interests. You can engage with them to learn and develop your own knowledge and skills.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Focus on writing:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Medium takes away all the stress and hassle of designing a site, allowing you to focus on writing.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">No customizable design features:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">All Medium contributors use the same layout and design, making it difficult for your blog to carve out its own identity.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Medium own your audience:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">If you build up a audience, and switch to another blog platform, it can make it difficult for your readers to follow.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Limited monetization opportunity:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Due to the restrictions of the Medium platform, it can prove tricky to monetize your blog. You cannot, for example, run your own ads.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Completely free.</span></div></li></ul><h3>Wix</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/86f7a421-675a-4155-af3a-ec354cf409ec/61f2733e-ae05-459c-a4d5-6d68d868662a.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://wix.com/">Wix.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Wix is a little more advanced than a standard blog platform, but it’s still free and enables your blog to carve out its own identity from the beginning. You can also use Wix to create your own website and attach a blog to it.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Dozens of templates:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You can also use third-party apps to create your own theme or design.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Drag and drop model:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The site builder is easy to use and requires no coding. The drag and drop model has proven to be popular for many small businesses looking to build their first site.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Quick and easy setup:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">As with most blog platforms, the setup is quick and easy to follow.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Limited free plans:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">They do not have all the features you would need as your blog grows. You would also have to put up with Wix logo and ads on your site.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Inability to change your template:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This could be a source of frustration if your template does not meet the needs or image of your blog.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">E-commerce features limited to paid plans:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">If you’re looking to monetize your blog, you’ll need to pay for it first.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pricing:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The basic plan is free, with multiple pricing tiers for premium features.</span></div></li></ul><h3>Final Thoughts</h3><div>When starting out, it can be difficult to imagine where your blog will be in two, five, or ten years from now. Yet, picking the right software from day one could be pivotal to the success of your blog.</div>
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<div>It’s a good idea to look at the more established blogs within your niche to form a picture of where you could be in the future. Doing this will help you understand the features you will need as you build your audience.</div>
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<div>The key is to look past the “easy" options, with fast setups and free accounts. Take the time to research the full features each platform has to offer and look at the paid plans. If you get a big enough following, then it will be a small investment to pay for potentially lucrative returns.</div>
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<div>Keep an open mind, and choose the software that will allow your blog realize its full potential.</div>
<div><br/></div></div>How to Write a Blog Post: The Ultimate Guidehttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-write-a-blog-post-the-ultimate-guide2018-06-05T13:55:16.127000Z2018-04-27T18:04:04ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/51dc5d97-40a5-4b9c-8e3b-a1ec16bb05e0/00c79714-2775-4b97-adb0-13e5e8036d8c.png" /></div>
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<div>Writing blog posts isn’t an exact science. There’s an element of art in creating an engaging, informative, and relevant content for your audience. Yet, there is a formula that you can follow to deliver the posts that add value for your readers.</div>
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<div>The best blog posts are focused to a specific audience, addressing a particular issue or problem. This very one is aimed at novice or intermediate bloggers guiding them on how to write posts, for example.</div>
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<div>A well organized blog, full of high-quality content can be one of the most valuable marketing assets for your business. Statistics show that companies who have an active blog receive <a href="https://www.simplemarketingnow.com/services/blogging" style="text-decoration: underline;">55% more traffic</a> than those that don’t.</div>
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<div>This is driven by the fact businesses using blogs enjoy <a href="https://www.business2community.com/blogging/10-unbelievable-statistics-sell-boss-business-blogging-0903221" style="text-decoration: underline;">97% more inbound links</a>, which boosts their SEO, leading to higher ranking in search engines. There’s also the additional appeal being able to share your expertise and knowledge, which helps to build your brand authority.</div>
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<div>And it can all be done on a tight budget, without all the costs that come with advertising or trying to shortcut your way up the search rankings.</div>
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<div>We could go on and on about why you should be writing epic blog posts, but without any further ado, let’s dive into the first step of the formula:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/51dc5d97-40a5-4b9c-8e3b-a1ec16bb05e0/94da8464-e71f-45be-953f-1ca2a1bdb534.jpg" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://stock.adobe.com/">Stock.adobe.com</a>)</div><h3>Step One: Identify Your Audience</h3><div>Even if you feel you know your audience, it’s always worth keeping on top of the latest trends. It’s important to view your readers as a collection of individuals rather than one big group with the same interests. Within those groups, you will make some surprising discoveries.</div>
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<div>In-depth research and analysis of your readers will be the foundation for your content. An <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/202334" style="text-decoration: underline;">article from Entrepreneur</a> delivers a revealing insight into the different demographics of the United States. One of the more eye-catching statistics points out that over-50s buy 25% of toys sold in America.</div>
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<div>This is a prime reason to create “buyer personas."</div>
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<div><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyer-persona-research" style="text-decoration: underline;">Hubspot</a> uses a good definition:</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“Buyer personas (sometimes referred to as marketing personas) are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“Buyer personas are useful because they can be used to tailor your marketing strategy to specific groups of customers.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“Personas help us all — in marketing, sales, product, and services — internalize the ideal customer we’re trying to attract, and relate to our customers as real humans. Having a deep understanding of your buyer persona(s) is critical to driving content creation, product development, sales follow up, and really anything that relates to customer acquisition and retention."</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to Build Buyer Personas</span></div>
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<div>The best way to gather the information required to build personas is communicating with your readers. Incentivize them to take part in surveys or comment on your posts. Encourage discussion and respond to feedback. Combining primary and secondary research will give you a complete picture.</div>
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<div>For a survey, the questions you ask need to be relevant to your business and its products. Here are the areas you should cover:</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who are they?</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Age</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Gender</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Profession</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Location</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Family status</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Income level</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Leisure time activities</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Education level</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Home ownership</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">What do they buy?</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">What products they buy (If any)</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How often</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How do they use your products</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Feedback</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Ratings</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Referrals</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Brand loyalty</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>The answers will give you an indication of the lifestyles of your readers, what their interests are, and what they are likely to read.</div>
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<div>Once again, Hubspot has some great <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/buyer-persona-questions#.WaOpmuBGoLU.mailto" style="text-decoration: underline;">tools and templates</a> you can use to gather the information you need.</div><h3>Step Two: Choose the Right Topic and Nail the Title</h3><div>Now that you understand your audience and know the type of content they want to read, you’ll be ready to find the right topics. To begin with, you need to consider these factors:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Relevance:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">The topics should be relevant to your business. For example, a post on backpacking is more appropriate for a travel agency than a law firm. Readers come to your blog to read specific content.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Expertise:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">Given the fact posts should be at least 1,000 words long, you need to have the knowledge on your selected topic.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Keywords for SEO:</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">You should carry out keyword analysis to see which keywords can help your post rank on Google. Consider using</span> <a href="https://moz.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">Moz</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">or similar tools. Utilizing them will drive traffic to your blog and therefore, your business.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>When you have come up with an idea for a topic after going through these factors, come up with a “working title." This will not necessarily be your final headline but it can be used to focus your content as you begin writing.</div>
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<div>Let’s take a look at a recent post, <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/how-to-start-a-fashion-blog-the-easy-way" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">How to Start a Fashion Blog the Easy Way</a>. The keyword here was “fashion blog." So I had a play around, and eventually decided I was going to write on starting a fashion blog. The working title then became “Starting a Fashion Blog."</div>
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<div>This allowed me to have a focus to work with and begin writing the post. Once I was completely settled on the idea, I could then come up with an engaging headline which evolved to become: <span style="font-weight: bold;">How to Start a Fashion Blog the Easy Way</span>.</div>
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<div>As you can see, coming up with a topic and then a title is an evolving process. The important thing is to get a focus early on, which will allow you to be flexible as you put together the body of your post. The title needs to include the keyword and reflect what the post is about.</div>
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<div>It needs to be engaging, not misleading. Over-hyping and under-delivering will only put readers off.</div>
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<div>If you’re still struggling to come up with ideas, then you should use this <a href="http://www.title-generator.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">title generator tool</a>.</div><h3>Step Three: Organize Your Posts</h3><div>It’s a good idea to come up with topic ideas in advance so you can plan your content calendar. While you should be consistent in the sense of writing about things relevant to your business, you should have variety. Organizing your posts should allow you to do this.</div>
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<div>Do the keyword research at the end of each quarter, identify promising topics, and then schedule ahead for the next quarter. This will help you avoid clashing titles such as: “How to Write a Travel Blog" and “The Ultimate Guide to Travel Blogs," within a week of each other.</div>
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<div>Creating varied content will keep your readers engaged, and come back for more.</div><h3>Step Four: Writing Your Post</h3><div>Now we finally come to the meat of the formula - writing your post. As you’d expect, there’s a number of factors to think about here and we’ll go through them one by one:</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Write a Killer Intro</span></div>
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<div>As well as the title, the first paragraph is critical to grabbing the attention of the reader and keeping them engaged. Recent studies have shown that <a href="https://blog.wishpond.com/post/60276168559/10-sure-fire-blog-title-formulas-that-attract-readers" style="text-decoration: underline;">80% of blog visitors</a> read the title and ignore the rest. This underlines the importance of both of title and introduction.</div>
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<div>You need to captivate your readers with empathy and set out what your post is about. Throw in a statistic or interesting fact to give the air of authority. Make it personal and set the tone for the rest of the post.</div>
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<div>Take your time on this small, yet critical part of your post. Lose your readers here and you will not get them back.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Main Body</span></div>
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<div>The main body of the post is the bit between the introduction and conclusion. To keep your readers engaged, you need to avoid creating a wall of text. Make it scannable with headings and sub-headings. Keep your paragraphs and sentences short.</div>
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<div>In terms of formatting, don’t be afraid to use bullet points to break up a wall of text. Bold key sentences and use color to separate the headings from the main paragraphs. Take a look at a snapshot of a previous post below:</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/51dc5d97-40a5-4b9c-8e3b-a1ec16bb05e0/ecee61e7-75fd-4546-bd77-ed9c336b88a2.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>As you can see, the reader will be able to follow what the main points are without having to read the text in great detail. Smart use of formatting and the way you structure your post can make all the difference in retaining visitors.</div>
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<div>Essentially, you need to make your posts as easy as possible to read.</div>
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<div>The content itself needs to be useful and informative. Show some examples and share links to support your point. The tone should reflect your brand and audience.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></div>
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<div>This is the part where you sum up all the key points in a few paragraphs. You should be assertive and confident whether you’re stating facts or expressing your views.</div>
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<div>State the key takeaways for readers and outline the actions they should take going forward. Once more, don’t be afraid to break up the text by using sub-headings or bullet points to reinforce the key points.</div>
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<div>Keep your conclusion concise and focused. The last thing readers will want to read at the end of your post is a rerun of the main body.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Images</span></div>
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<div>Using images is a great way to keep the reader’s attention throughout the post. They not only break up the text but also help to lift your content to another level.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/51dc5d97-40a5-4b9c-8e3b-a1ec16bb05e0/19a84b2e-b043-4a8d-ae9f-0f0b1beeb259.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>The screenshot above is a great example of how images can add value to your post. It shows you how to set up a notebook far more clearly than text could do alone.</div>
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<div>Images of real-life examples can enable you to build empathy with your readers and show solutions, rather than simply telling them what to do.</div>
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<div>There’s the golden rule of correctly attributing images to the correct source. Usually, simply including the website is enough but ensure you are protected from copyright breaches.</div><h3>Step Five: The Extras</h3><div>You’ve written your post, thought of a great headline, and now it’s all published. That’s it, right? No - there’’s a number of things you can do before you hit that final publish button:</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Featured Image</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/51dc5d97-40a5-4b9c-8e3b-a1ec16bb05e0/80f6f8ed-aea5-4fb3-ab59-ebf53117711f.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>The image you see at the top of the post is a “Featured Image." It helps you to engage with your readers instantly. It should reflect the topic of the post in a creative and fun way.</div>
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<div>Featured images are also useful for sharing your content on social media. This is underlined by the fact tweets with images get <a href="http://www.adweek.com/digital/twitter-images-study/" style="text-decoration: underline;">150% more retweets</a> than text only versions.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meta Descriptions</span></div>
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<div>Meta descriptions are found below the page title on Google’s search results. They provide a short summary of your posts before the searcher clicks on it. Ideally, they should be no more than 150 characters and start with a punchy verb like “Discover," “Learn," or “Read." It’s important to note that meta descriptions no longer contribute to Google’s search algorithms but they can improve your click through rate from search engines.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Finally… Edit and Proofread Your Post</span></div>
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<div>This is the number one rule to follow before publishing your post. You need to get your piece proofread - ideally by others as well as by yourself. This will filter out any inevitable typos and spelling mistakes. Reading through your post will also lead to edits that will improve your post even further. You should use tools like <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Grammarly</a> and <a href="http://www.hemingwayapp.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Hemingway Editor</a> to streamline your content for your readers.</div>
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<div>It’s worth remembering that the tools are only as good as the user. Do not blindly accept all of their recommendations and think about how each one improves your post.</div><h3>Final Thought</h3><div>By following the steps in the formula set out, you will be ready to write high-quality posts that engage your readers.</div>
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<div>The first step is to get to know your audience. Even if you think you already know them well, there’s always more research you can do. Understanding your readers will lead you to creating the posts they want to read.</div>
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<div>The key is to keep focused on the topics you write about, ensure those topics are relevant to your business. The title needs to contain a competitive keyword for SEO and grab attention at the same time.</div>
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<div>In terms of the content itself, consider the layout. Make it scannable and highlight the key points through formatting. In today’s fast-paced digital age, the reader’s time is short and valuable. Images also help to break the text up and keep your reader’s attention.</div>
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<div>Then there’s the extras. A carefully crafted meta description will drive up your traffic from search engines. The Feature Image can boost engagement not only on your blog but also on social media.</div>
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<div>In the final step before hitting that publish button, <span style="font-weight: bold;">proofread</span> your post. Iron out any typos and make the last edits.</div>
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Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Bloggers in 2018https://postach.io/blog/post/best-affiliate-marketing-programs-for-bloggers-in-20182018-04-10T10:54:38.645000Z2018-04-10T10:36:27ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h1><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/c93eafeb-f7e2-422b-8aa7-794cca4b8bf2.png" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 20pt;"/></h1><div>If you have a blog and you’re not earning money through affiliate marketing, you are leaving a lot of money on the table.</div>
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<div>If you just want to know the best affiliate marketing programs for bloggers in 2018, scroll down to the “General Marketplaces" section.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2>What Is an Affiliate Program?</h2><div>An affiliate program is an agreement between two parties. Party one is the owner of the product or service and party two is the affiliate marketer responsible for promoting the product or service to his/her audience.</div>
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<div>The merchant uses the marketer's website to promote his/her content and pays the marketer a commission for “actions" performed.</div>
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<div>The action that brings a commission can be a variety of things ranging from merely filling out a form to purchasing the merchant’s site. The merchant provides the marketer with a unique link or promo code so when someone uses that code, you get a cut of the sale.</div>
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<div>So, this applies to you like so. If you promote relevant products or services on your blog and someone clicks on that ad, you may be eligible for a commission. Affiliate Marketing is how a lot of bloggers make money.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/15909399-fb19-4612-879e-edba315dbac8.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="525"/></div>
<div>Photo from <a href="https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/income-reports/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Smart Passive Income</a></div>
<div><br/></div><h2>How to Identify a Good Affiliate Marketing Program</h2><div>A program that makes sense to you may not work for someone else. The quality of an affiliate program is entirely dependent on your niche, your level of expertise, your audience, your volume of traffic, and other factors.</div><h3>Use Common Sense</h3><div>Choose a program that has products related to what you write. If you have a Food Blog, you naturally won't promote “dog grooming services" on your blog.</div><h3>Choose Your Passion</h3><div>When picking an affiliate program, it helps to choose something interesting to you. Hopefully, you decided on a niche when you started your blog.</div><h3>Pay Attention</h3><div>The most important thing you can do when identifying a good affiliate marketing program is to pay attention to your audience. For example, if you have a Food Blog but you know most of your readers are under 21 - you wouldn’t want to be promoting recipes or anything relating to alcohol.</div>
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<div>Watch and follow trends too. Spotting trends is a great way to capitalize in the short term on something that is popular now but won’t be in a few months.</div><h3>Digital vs. Physical</h3><div>The big debate in the affiliate marketing realm - what sells better, digital or physical products?</div>
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<div>We believe that it depends entirely on the product itself. There are a lot of sketchy digital products out there that make big claims and typically under-deliver. Additionally, some physical products provide consistently long shipping times and lousy customer service.</div>
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<div>Before committing to promoting any product on your blog, make sure you do a lot of research on the product and the merchant. Advertising a lousy product on your site will reflect on you and your trustability as a blogger.</div><h3>Trust the Big Names</h3><div>When it comes to affiliate marketing programs and products, we always go with the most trusted sites. These large sites are called affiliate networks, and they have thousands of products to promote in any niche.</div>
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<div>These large sites will usually have real-time tracking, payment processing, and contact information for merchants.</div>
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<div>Affiliate Networks often display the success rate of other marketers with a specific product. Success rates show you who is making money and what they are promoting. It pays, in the beginning, to go with the trusted names. We will cover the specifics of what networks to choose shortly.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2>Why You Should Do Affiliate Marketing as a Blogger?</h2><div>The money of course - There are bloggers out there making $50k -$100k a MONTH just from affiliate marketing on their site. We’re not saying you will ever make that kind of money, but it is entirely possible. Just ask <a href="https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Pat from Smart Passive Income</a></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/db30b18a-3178-4dc6-a6c5-ec675ef8b7a6.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>Photo from <a href="https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/income-reports/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Smart Passive Income</a></div>
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<div>Affiliate Marketing is also very passive. All you do is post links on your blog and forget about it. If the ads are relevant and well received by your audience, you WILL make money.</div>
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<div>For example, let's say you did a product review on your Food Blog. You did a complete study of the best home espresso machine, and within that review, you included your unique affiliate links. You earn a commission from every person who clicks that link and buys a machine.</div>
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<div>If you have a large audience and you did a quality review people will buy from you. Reviews are how so many bloggers are making a killing through affiliate marketing.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2>What Are the Different Types of Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers?</h2><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Banner Ads</span> - This is a widespread form of affiliate marketing that I know you have seen before. It is an image either static or animated that displays on a webpage. When you click on the icon, it takes you to the advertiser's website. Some Banner Ads offer a commission to you “per click," others require a sale.</div>
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<div>For great information on how to maximize your earnings through banner ads, check out The <a href="https://blog.bannersnack.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Bannersnack Blog</a>.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Email/Newsletter Advertising</span> - Another standard way of generating income from affiliate marketing. With this method, you use your email subscriber list to send traffic to your affiliate product.</div>
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<div>You can include links in the email to send them directly to the offer, or you can link to your website - the less clicks the consumer needs, the better. Just make sure to read the specific restrictions the merchant has. You can't promote all offers through email marketing.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Product Reviews</span> - Social proof is what earns commissions. People are always looking for reviews on things before they decide to make a purchase. You can be the go-to person for honest and trustworthy reviews on niche products.</div>
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<div>To separate yourself from the competition, incorporate videos into your blog when doing product reviews!</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Remember: You must disclose your affiliate relationship somewhere on your site - some like to create an entire page for it, while others just put it in the footer. Here is an example of what an affiliate disclosure is.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/39c73663-2800-4a94-bfd4-972892b1aaa6.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>Photo from <a href="https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/operating/agreement" style="text-decoration: underline;">Amazon Affiliate</a></div>
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<div>Now that you understand the basics let’s jump into the Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Bloggers in 2018.</div><h2>General <span style="font-weight: bold;">Affiliate Programs</span></h2><h3><a href="http://www.shareasale.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Shareasale</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/a4b1fd72-9617-4cc6-94ae-8608d961dabe.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Shareasale is one of the most extensive affiliate networks out there. The platform houses about 4,000 merchants in hundreds of different niches. You are guaranteed to find something on this site.</div>
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<div>This network is very exclusive because over one thousand of their affiliate offers are unique to the site.</div>
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<div>Shareasale has offers that payout per-sale, per-lead, and per-click.</div>
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<div>The site also publishes a fair amount of data on the success of their offers including:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average earnings per click</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Reversal Rates</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Sale Amount</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Commission</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Shareasale:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Massive Network of over 4,000 merchants.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Wide Variety of offers in micro-niches.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Consistent Payment on the 20th of every month.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Shareasale:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Clunky Reporting Dashboard that is difficult to learn and hard to navigate.</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.clickbank.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">ClickBank</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>ClickBank is the most popular marketplace for digital products. The site represents over six million products and two-hundred million customers.</div>
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<div>There is a lot of skepticism surrounding digital affiliate products because they are known to be of little value. But, Clickbank is known for weeding out the scams and sticking to quality offers. This network is one of the best affiliate marketing programs for bloggers in 2018.</div>
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<div>ClickBank offers a variety of data including:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average earnings per click</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Sale Amount</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Commission</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Gravity Rating (displays how popular the product is with affiliates)</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>ClickBank also offers courses on how to get started with affiliate marketing.</div>
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<div>Commissions come per-sale and range anywhere from 50-75% with recurring benefits.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of ClickBank:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Enormous Network of offers</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Training for beginner affiliates</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Immediate acceptance of most proposals</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Trustworthy and Well-known for creating successful affiliates</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High Commissions of 50-75%</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of ClickBank:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">Digital Products are the only offering</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="http://www.cj.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">CJ Affiliate</a> (Commission Junction)</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/ee2e1cd2-4902-489d-8af3-3565123b1fec.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>As one of the oldest and most reputable networks around. CJ Affiliate prides itself in offering commissions from big names like <a href="http://nfl.com/">NFL.com</a> and Expedia. There are thousands of advertisers on this network for both digital and physical products.</div>
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<div>The advertisers have created a ton of customizable options for banners which gives you more control over how you display ads on your blog.</div>
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<div>Many of the offers on CJ require that you get approved by the merchant, this can make it difficult for beginners to get involved in any good offers.</div>
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<div>Commissions come per-sale, per-lead, and per-click ranging from 2-75% depending on the desired action.</div>
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<div>This network also provides an array of data to help you choose an offer:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average earnings per click</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Sale Amount</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Average Commission</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Popularity</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of CJ Affiliate:</span></div>
<div>Vast Network of merchants with a variety of advertising options makes CJ good for bloggers.</div>
<div>Big popular names make this network reliable and trustworthy.</div>
<div>Good Variety of offers and desired actions.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of CJ Affiliate:</span></div>
<div>Steep Learning Curve: We believe this network has an old dashboard and members area that makes it difficult for beginners. Many of the offers on this site also require that you have experience building money on CJ before they accept you.</div><h3><a href="https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/operating/agreement" style="text-decoration: underline;">Amazon Affiliate</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Amazon has an incredibly popular affiliate program with a lot of bloggers making serious money. This network is great for beginners and experienced webmasters because you can advertise anything you want, and all you need is a website to start.</div>
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<div>The best thing about Amazon is, there’s a <a href="https://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Internet/all_about_cookies.asp" style="text-decoration: underline;">24-hour cookie</a> that applies to the entire site. So, if someone comes to your blog and clicks a link about cat toys - then goes to Amazon and buys a flat screen TV, you get the commission for the TV.(wouldn’t that be nice?)</div>
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<div>Commissions are on digital and physical products, they pay-per-sale and range from 1-10%.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Amazon Affiliate:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to get started and great for beginners</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Promote anything you want on Amazon</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">24 Hour cookie on the entire site</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use Sellers Dashboard</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Amazon Affiliate:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Low commissions compared to other networks</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://rakutenmarketing.com/en-uk/affiliate" style="text-decoration: underline;">Rakuten (Linkshare)</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Rakuten is a smaller network but still houses some big names like Macy’s and Sephora. There is also a few great features of Rakuten that earn it a spot on this list.</div>
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<div>You can rotate banner ads on your blog which helps increase conversions because readers won’t always be viewing the same offers.</div>
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<div>Rakuten is good for beginners as well because they don’t require any extensive coding or design know-how to get ads from the network to your blog.</div>
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<div>The best feature about Rakuten is their “deep linking." This strategy allows you to send your traffic to a specific merchant page, chosen by you.</div>
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<div>For example, for many other networks, if someone clicks on a banner ad for cat toys - it will take them to the cat toy main page. With “deep linking" on Rakuten, you can send them to whatever page you want. Deep linking gives you a competitive advantage.</div>
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<div>Commissions are on physical and digital products per-sale and range from 5-15%</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Rakuten</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Great features on their dashboard make Rakuten easy to use</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">“Deep Linking" gives you an advantage over your competition</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Customizable and Rotating banner ads help increase conversion rates</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Rakuten</span>:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High fees to sell and per sale, around $33 a month and 99 cents for every transaction (depending on niche)</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A smaller network of approximately 1,000 programs</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Inconsistent pay structure: They only pay you when they collect payment from the merchant</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div><h2>Health-Related <span style="font-weight: bold;">Affiliate Programs</span></h2><h3><a href="https://www.markethealth.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Market Health</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>This network has some of the highest paying commissions for physical products. Market Health sells within the health, beauty, weight loss, and skin care niche.</div>
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<div>The reason we like Market Health so much, is because you work directly with the network. There are no merchants on this site, so the result of that is super high payouts. MarketHealth is one of the best affiliate marketing programs for bloggers in 2018.</div>
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<div>Commissions are per-sale on physical products and range from 25-75%</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of MarketHealth:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Huge commissions due to no middleman</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A robust array of products to appeal to just about anybody</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Simple and easy to use dashboard</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Anyone can apply and get accepted immediately</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of MarketHealth:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Not all products work as described, research something before you try and promote it</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.sellhealth.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">SellHealth</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/d99c6037-9293-4721-84ba-55be6489da00.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>It’s free to join the SellHealth affiliate program, though you do have to apply and be accepted before you can start promoting their products. Once you’re approved, you’ll have access to some tools, graphics, banners and more that you can use to promote SellHealth products.</div>
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<div>The dashboard for this site looks clean and operates well, but the overall complexity of advertising options can be intimidating. This network might be better for someone with a little experience with affiliate marketing.</div>
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<div>Commissions are per-sale on physical products and range from 25-40%</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of SellHealth:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Customizable options for banners and graphics</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Good commissions on all products</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of SellHealth:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">One of the most complex networks makes it not as good for beginners</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div><h2>Cryptocurrency Affiliate Programs</h2><h3><a href="https://cex.io/affiliate-program" style="text-decoration: underline;">CEX.IO Affiliate</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/6bb99176-adf3-45dd-8fde-4a03f4047e9e.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>CEX.IO was the first ever cloud-mining provider and has the most popular exchange for marginal trading. With high payouts and lifetime recurring commissions on referrals, the potential for earnings on CEX.IO is staggering.</div>
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<div>This program has a ton of promotional tools including promo codes, referral links, and banners and they payout thirty days after your referral signs up. The site also claims to have a very serious grasp on security to protect your investments.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of CEX.IO:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Earning potential is high with this program</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Secure payment and trustworthy brand</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Recurring commissions</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Free to sign up and get started</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of CEX.IO:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High fees as with any cryptocurrency exchange</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://changelly.com/affiliate" style="text-decoration: underline;">Changelly Affiliate</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/17618b2b-515c-4810-bb22-805574c2cdde.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Changelly is another popular exchange where you trade in your dollars for a variety of crypto. The thing that is most appealing about this exchange is that they search to find the best exchange rate for you, so you don’t have to settle for the sites flat rate.</div>
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<div>The affiliate program is pretty cool as well, offering affiliates a 50% revenue share for the life of the customer you refer to them. They pay you 50% of the commission they earn on deals made by the user.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Changelly:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Good quality exchange makes it easier to promote</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Recurring commissions</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Free to sign up and get started</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Get paid the next day</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Changelly:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Minor issues with security</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://support.coinbase.com/customer/portal/articles/683805-how-does-the-coinbase-referral-program-work-" style="text-decoration: underline;">Coinbase Affiliate</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/f004928f-abad-4a30-aa78-666b1d7c5d44.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Coinbase is one of the more popular bitcoin processing sites online. Coinbase offers $10 for a referral that buys or sells at least $100 or more within 180 days of registration.</div>
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<div>What makes this referral program so popular is that your referral will also receive $10. You can both expect the payment within four business days after the buy/sell. Even if your referral does not sign up the day they visit the site, they have ninety days from that to come back and join.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Coinbase:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Referral process ensures success</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy and straightforward to get started</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Coinbase:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Payment is inconsistent and delayed</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">The site goes down a little too frequently for us</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://localbitcoins.com/affiliate/" style="text-decoration: underline;">LocalBitcoins Affiliate</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/da70f01c-7159-47f2-892e-5a3ebfa6e957.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>Similar to the other exchanges, LocalBitcoins is a trading site that allows people from all over the world to trade and exchange. This marketplace offers 20% commissions, and the money goes directly into your bitcoin wallet which makes the process fast and simple.</div>
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<div>The only bad thing is that the commissions are only recurring for three months, after that you will not receive any more sales from your affiliates.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of LocalBitcoins:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High commission rates</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy and straightforward to get started</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of LocalBitcoins:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Does not have a lifetime recurring commission structure like the competition</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div><h2>Business/Entrepreneurship Programs</h2><h3><a href="https://thesixfigurementors.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">The Six Figure Mentors</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/11ddcaa23e7e921e36cc52489de03934.gif" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>The entrepreneurship niche is enormous, and everyone knows that. You can promote just about anything in here from $40,000 courses to $10 E-books, in this niche you want to stick to the high payout offers.</div>
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<div>The Six Figure Mentors is an online training platform that teaches people how to build profitable businesses online. The training focuses heavily on mindset. They show people how to understand that making money online is difficult and we need to reprogram our brains to see failure and struggle differently.</div>
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<div>With that being said, the training is top of the line; you get lifetime residuals on all sales, a personal coach to help you through the training, and (wait for it) up to $8,000 commissions for a single purchase.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of Six Figure Mentors:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Serious earning potential with high-ticket offers and backend recurring commissions</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High-quality training in a hot niche</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">30-day free trial</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of Six Figure Mentors:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Requires a bit of knowledge but if you are in this niche you probably know what you’re doing</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Not for beginners</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://www.semrush.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">SEMrush</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/956dc9e2-f2f4-41b6-a749-939dcdfd14a3.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>SEMrush is a necessity for ranking and SEO. Digital marketers all over the world have been paying close attention to Google's algorithm and trying hard to unravel it. A tool like SEMrush is a great way to rank up and generate more high-quality traffic to your site. While you are doing that, why not promote it?</div>
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<div>SEMrush has a wide variety of tools to help track keywords, gauge ranking difficulty, and even spy on competitor’s keywords to see how they are ranking.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of SEMrush:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Uses a “first cookie" model, meaning you will receive the commission from a person who comes to you first no matter what.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High ticket offers make you upwards of $160 a month in residuals.</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of SEMrush:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No upsells</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Not a lot of promotional material, this offer would need to be promoted through email or direct link on your blog</span></div></li></ul><div><br/></div><h2>Dating Affiliate Programs</h2><h3><a href="https://www.crakrevenue.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">CrakRevenue</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/adacf76e-8a4f-48ab-a5ad-00909b008ca7.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>This network is pretty different than the others on this list. Recognized as one of the most prominent <a href="https://themodernentrepreneur.com/about-cpa-cost-per-action-marketing/" style="text-decoration: underline;">CPA (cost-per-action)</a> networks out there, they have a massive slew of statistics including live traffic monitoring, success statistics, gravity ratings, average commissions, and more.</div>
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<div>CrakRevenue has thousands of products and services within the dating realm. Reviews claim they have excellent customer service and a proper pay consistency. The success rate of affiliates makes CrakRevenue one of the best affiliate marketing programs for bloggers in 2018. If you are in the dating niche, you should be on this site.</div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of CrakRevenue:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Pay-per-lead and pay-per-sale offers increase earning potential</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A vast array of offers in multiple niches</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Very popular and trusted by affiliates</span></div></li></ul><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of CrakRevenue:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Some sketchy products/services, so just do your research before promoting anything</span></div></li></ul><h3><a href="https://cpamatica.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">CPAmatica</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/b3d36547-2420-4b93-b192-1ed36fe3669a/3f38567b-b90a-476b-a213-f54d7906196a.png" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad); -webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: Authors screenshot)</div>
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<div>CPAmatica is a premium CPA network that yields some of the best offers and payouts in the adult/dating niche. Upon signing up, you also get a dedicated account manager to help you make money. CPA is so great for blogging because you can make money from people just clicking on the ad.</div>
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<div>CPAmatica has its custom tracking software which runs smooth and efficiently.</div>
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<div>The best thing about this network is that you receive weekly payments via PayPal, WebMoney, and wire transfer.</div>
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<div>If you are in the adult/dating niche, you should check out CPAmatica.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pros of CPAmatica:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High payouts for this type of market</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">CPA is a great way to start earning on your blog</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A wide variety of offers</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Weekly payments</span></div></li></ul><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cons of CPAmatica:</span></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Some sketchy products/services, so just do your research before promoting anything</span></div></li></ul><h2>Conclusion</h2><div>There is probably not a “one size fits all" when it comes to affiliate marketing programs, your choice will be entirely dependent on your niche, your audience, and your overall style.</div>
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<div>In the end affiliate marketing is the most popular way of monetizing your blog so it’s important to take it seriously and make the most out of your traffic. If you follow the steps above and choose a reputable network, you will be making money in no time!</div></div><div><br/></div>
7 Tools That Help With Blog Writing - Blogging 101https://postach.io/blog/post/7-tools-that-help-with-blog-writing-blogging-1012018-04-10T10:02:45.687000Z2018-03-26T03:34:38ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/85b97d7b-a539-4444-a76f-a577497337f7/01670f78-f396-4261-95c2-b15cb2d9c77f.png" /></div></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Being a successful blogger means more than publishing posts</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">. You need to be taking notes, writing down observations, and keeping track of the random ideas that might one day become a great read. It’s no wonder</span> <a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/09/13/the-pocket-notebooks-of-20-famous-men/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">so many great writers</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">in history kept journals, or brought notepads with them wherever they went. You also need a way to organize and keep track of all this preliminary writing, and a platform that makes it easy to publish your posts.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">But in the contemporary digital world, we can’t all be Hemingway with his trusty Moleskine in his pocket at a Parisian cafe. A pen and a piece of paper just aren’t the most useful tools to take an idea and turn it into something more. Today, you’re more likely to be carrying your laptop or your smartphone with you. Naturally, many companies have found ways to update the notepad for the 21st century.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">But not all note-taking programs and apps are created equal. Many are basic. They aren’t designed for full-time writers or bloggers, or even those who need to keep track of many projects at once. Many note-taking programs aren’t particularly mobile or don’t work across several platforms.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">With limited means to store ideas, or help you organize different topics, most note taking apps or programs just won’t cut it, even for beginner bloggers. Without an app or platform that includes these kinds of features, research and publishing are much more difficult and time-consuming.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">However, one note-taking tool that rises above the rest is the cloud-based Evernote. Since its initial release,</span> <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/best-note-taking-apps-4136590" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Evernote has remained</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">one of the most complete and consistent note-taking tools around. But it’s more than just a note-taking app. It also has powerful word processing features, image, audio, and video tools, and features that will improve your workflow and efficiency. It’s as close as you can get to a blogging platform, without it being limited to that specific function.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Because of Evernote’s flexibility and power, we at</span> <a href="https://postach.io/site/register/create" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">decided that it would be the perfect tool to integrate with our blogging service.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">This article gives you a rundown of the most significant features of Evernote, and how bloggers use Evernote as an organizational and publishing tool to increase efficiency and workflow. We will also discuss seven of the most useful ways we at</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">have integrated our blogging system to work seamlessly with the Evernote app.</span></div><h2>Evernote: A Quick Overview</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/85b97d7b-a539-4444-a76f-a577497337f7/b99e332b-d914-4c47-8db2-bc459346effd.jpg" width="496"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If you aren’t familiar with Evernote, have no fear. We want to make sure you know about its many features and how they make blogging easier. If you want a much more detailed overview of Evernote’s capabilities, we suggest checking out</span> <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/evernote-blogging-how-to-do-it-right" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">some of the other articles</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">on the</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">blog. Here are the basics...</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The latest release of Evernote works on all major platforms (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and the web). Because Evernote is not tied to a single operating system or environment, it is far more accessible than other note-taking programs, making it perfect for nomadic bloggers who aren’t tied to one environment.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">At its core, Evernote is a note-taking app. Users can type or handwrite notes, depending on what device they are on. Users can also turn photos, audio recordings, or videos into notes. All of the materials you collect save straight to the cloud, so they are easy to access from your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or other web-enabled device.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Looking beyond the note-taking features, you will find a full suite of features bloggers can take advantage of to improve their workflow and efficiency, to take their notes, ideas, and drafts from the Evernote platform and turn them into eye-catching blog posts using</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">In addition to its technical features, Evernote is also pleasing to the eye. As opposed to other content management systems (CMS), especially WordPress, this app is clean, minimal, and portable.</span> <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/minimalist-blogging-platforms/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">According to Mike Johnston</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">of CMS Critic, the sheer number of plugins and add-ons in WordPress have made it less usable in recent years.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">This has led to a search for apps that emphasize writing and dispense with the complications. Evernote’s visual presentation is a breath of fresh air designed to help writers focus on their writing without all the distractions.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Now let’s get down to some of the best features of Evernote and</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">that will make your blogging much easier and more effective.</span></div><h2>1. Work in the Environment that Suits You</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/85b97d7b-a539-4444-a76f-a577497337f7/72577e8d-8578-4de1-95b3-396c332cc615.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We’re all creatures of habit, and when it comes to using digital products, we’re no different. We like what we like. Many blogging services require you to use their platform, which can be a steep learning curve. This learning period can take the wind out of your sails as far as motivation is concerned. While you’re busy trying to find everything related to an idea or post and transfer it over to your CMS, you may lose your creative moment.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Because Evernote is already such a popular app, when we started</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">blogs, we wanted to capitalize on that familiarity. We understood that users would prefer to use something they were already familiar with when creating posts, doing research, and keeping tasks organized. We figured the Evernote environment was already doing that job well enough. All we had to do was figure out a way to turn Evernote into a CMS.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">To do that, we designed a way for users to sync their existing Evernote content right to their</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">blogs.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">All you have to do is</span> <a href="https://postach.io/site/register/create" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">sign up</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">for a</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">account, create a site, and link your Evernote account to your</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">one. Once you’ve done that, you simply create a new notebook in Evernote to automatically feed your content to your blog.</span></div><h2>2. Storing Content Your Way</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/85b97d7b-a539-4444-a76f-a577497337f7/6d932597-fff8-4f3d-892c-26f11224cc03.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Similar to the above, we are also aware that there are a variety of ways to store content. Evernote is a cloud-based app, so many users choose to use the content storage provided by Evernote. Others are comfortable using Dropbox, which has become an industry leader in content storage. Instead of creating our own methods of storing content, we allow users to choose whichever interface they prefer.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The main advantage of using Evernote to host your content is that it is already there ready to push to your blog. Additionally, by using Evernote, you are taking advantage of its native text editor. You won’t have to create new files or folders or direct your blog to those folders. Nor will you have to edit CSS or other style elements in a third-party text editor. However, if you’re more used to using Dropbox to host content,</span> <a href="https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-and-theme-an-evernote-powered-blog-with-postachio--cms-21063" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">there are some simple ways</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">to get</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">synced.</span></div><h2>3. Connect Evernote and <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> with Ease</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Connecting your Evernote notebooks to</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">is one of the easiest things you can do. Just about every review of our service recommends this feature. Once you’ve signed up for a</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">account, you’ll be asked to connect your Evernote account.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">It’s as simple as a single click. After connecting, if you look at your Evernote, you will see that a new folder for your blog content has been created. This folder will contain all your future blog posts.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">You can also point</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">to whichever other notebooks you want to publish.</span></div><h2>4. Work Fast, Publish Quickly</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Instead of a physical notebook, you’re probably carrying an electronic device with you most of the time. Having a digital notebook at your fingertips means that you’re able to do research, plan posts, collect images, and transfer video and audio clips from your phone whenever the mood strikes. If you have a fantastic idea that you know will become a great post, you can start padding it out on Evernote on your morning commute or while you’re at the gym. Just be sure not to get any sweat on your device.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Because you’re already working within the Evernote platform, any time a post is ready to go live, publishing is as easy as adding a tag to it. Use the “published" tag, and Evernote tells</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">to post the note to your blog. If you want to edit it, you can do that right within Evernote. The same for video or images. Just drag the multimedia you want into the post, and it will automatically sync with</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">, updating your blog post.</span></div><h2>5. Themes and Formatting</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/85b97d7b-a539-4444-a76f-a577497337f7/662e93c7-4919-491d-9c4a-b8bfa97da7f5.jpg" width="356"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Not every blogger is an accomplished graphic designer. That’s why we have a variety of ways for you to customize the appearance of your blog.</span></div><h3>Themes</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">First,</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">bloggers can choose from</span> <a href="https://github.com/postachio" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">several themes</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">that will change the visual presentation of the blog. When you sign in, you can navigate through those themes in the Theme Browser, and if you see one you want to use, great!</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">However,</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">also makes it easy to</span> <span style="font-style: italic;-en-paragraph:true;">create</span> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">a theme if you know how to code (or even if you don’t! - see the tip below). What’s even better is that you don’t have to go through any installation process once you’ve designed your themes. Just copy and paste your code directly into our source editor.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;-en-paragraph:true;">Tip: We now offer custom development for a fee, to users who want unique and original, custom themes without having to deal with the source code!</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If you’re someone who prefers to keep your CSS files separated from your blog, you’re covered, too. You just need to host your stylesheet somewhere else. In this case, Dropbox is a perfect place to place your sheet. All you have to do then is link the file to your</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">page. You can read a full set of instructions about how to do this properly</span> <a href="https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-and-theme-an-evernote-powered-blog-with-postachio--cms-21063" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">here</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">.</span></div><h3>Formatting</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Formatting your blog posts is very important. Without the right look, your potential audience will not stick around to read your posts. You want to keep your posts simple, using a web-friendly font that will render on any device.</span></div><h3>Evernote formatting</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">When using</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">, there are two different ways you can format a blog post. The first is to use the default formatting tools that are part of the Evernote platform. The platform comes with all the standard formatting features like font, font size, text alignment, and other features to make your writing look professional.</span></div><h3>Markdown</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The other method of formatting your posts is to use</span> <a href="https://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Markdown</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">. Markdown is a simple formatting language you can use to change the appearance of your text. Markdown uses a plain text formatting syntax, and it is straightforward to learn. The key to Markdown is that it is converted easily to HTML, which means that you don’t have to learn or use HTML tags to change the appearance of your blog.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Using Markdown can be a real time saver, especially when HTML syntax is a great deal more rigid. For example, if you forget to add a closing tag in HTML, your text formatting may be affected. However, Markdown is designed to prevent just such things from happening while still converting your commands into perfectly formatted HTML.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">To activate Markdown head to your</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">dashboard and navigate to the “Details" tab. Check the box for “Use Markdown." You can also go to your site’s notebook in Evernote and add the “markdown" tag to the post you wish to format.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">There are a few disadvantages to using Markdown to format. For example, Evernote does not yet have cross-platform preview features. When you use Markdown, you will not see the changes until you publish your post.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Another thing to remember is that if you have activated Markdown, the default Evernote settings will not work. You’ll need to choose between the two.</span> <a href="https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-and-theme-an-evernote-powered-blog-with-postachio--cms-21063" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Some users prefer Markdown</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">because of the greater control you have over the formatting and presentation of your writing. However, if you drag images into a note tagged with “Markdown"</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">will use the Evernote defaults rather than the image syntax associated with Markdown.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">We recommend that you try both and see which one works better for you. It’s straightforward to switch back and forth, and thanks to the Evernote tagging features, it’s also easy to use Markdown only when you want to.</span></div><h2>6. Multimedia</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">One of Evernote’s best features is its set of multimedia tools. You can drag and drop all kinds of content, such as formatted elements, audio or video clips, and images, right into your notes. You can also embed content from elsewhere on the internet.</span></div><h3>Post Embeds</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">These days, blog posts often include embedded multimedia. There are several different formats and sources, such as the New York Times, Kickstarter, Reddit, and multimedia services like YouTube, Spotify, and Giphy that offer you the ability to</span> <a href="https://help.postach.io/tag/post-embeds" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">embed media in your posts</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">For example, if you write a music blog and you want to post your weekly hip-hop mix, all you have to do is copy the URL of your Spotify playlist into your post, and it will appear as a slick-looking media file.</span></div><h3>Web Clipper</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">When you see an interesting idea in an article, find an important fact in a research paper or encounter a tweet that makes you laugh out loud, use Web Clipper to lift that piece writing and place it in a note. You can do the same thing with images as well. This tool is very useful when you want to add images to your blog posts or quote a source. </span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Web Clipper is available for Google Chrome, and it is one of the most popular features designed for Evernote.</span> <a href="https://evernote.com/products/webclipper" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">You can download Web Clipper</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">from the Evernote website.</span></div><h2>7. Add-ons</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Sick and tired of the add-ons that make WordPress so cumbersome? Don’t worry. At</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <a href="https://help.postach.io/tag/add-ons" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">we’ve only integrated the add-ons</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">we think are essential to the success of your blog. Those include easy Google analytics integration, Disqus commenting, social media embedding, and automatic sharing across social media platforms.</span></div><h3>Google Analytics</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">There is no denying that Google is top of the line when it comes to understanding web traffic and other analytic features of your blog. Integrating Google analytics was a no-brainer for us.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Unlike some CMS services that make it challenging to connect analytics, asking you to modify the code in your theme,</span> <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/adding-google-analytics" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io makes it as easy</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">as a click and a copy-and-paste. After signing up for Google analytics, copy the code. Then sign in to</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">. Click on the pencil icon, under “details" find the Google Analytics field and then paste the code.</span></div><h3>Disqus commenting</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Comments are an essential feature of any blog. They allow you to interact with and listen to your audience. Commenting also has the potential to create a community centered around your writing and ideas. Of course, Evernote wasn’t created with commenting in mind. But with</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/disqus-comments" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">you can integrate</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">the widely-used commenting system Disqus into your blog.</span></div><h3>Cross-posting via Twitter and Facebook</h3><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Bloggers have</span> <a href="https://linkhumans.com/blog/cross-post-social-media" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">very strong opinions</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">about cross-posting. Some people think it’s great; others hate it. There are some major pluses of cross-posting. The most important one is that you save yourself a lot of time by having a blog post shared simultaneously across your social media platforms.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If the majority of your content creation comes from your blog, why waste time logging into Facebook and Twitter just to post the same thing when you can apply a tag to your Evernote note instead? Cross-posting keeps you active across platforms, which can lead to increased engagement with you and your content.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The downsides are that you might post something that is not relevant. Though followers on Facebook and Twitter might be interested in you or your ideas, they may not be interested in the same kind of content. Furthermore, if you have followers across multiple platforms who see the same content, they may become bored or feel like you are just spamming followers.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Some writers argue that instead of cross-posting,</span> <a href="https://www.semrush.com/blog/cross-posting-on-social-media-should-you-do-it/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">you should cross-promote</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">, which means posting to just one or two platforms. Unlike other CMS platforms, the only two social media add-ons we’ve integrated into the</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">platform are Twitter and Facebook, as these are the most widely used.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Limiting your ability to spam followers while still helping you post relevant information is a key feature of the</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">platform. It’s easy to connect your</span> <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/facebook-sharing" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Facebook</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">and</span> <a href="https://help.postach.io/post/twitter-sharing" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Twitter</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">accounts to your</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="-en-paragraph:true;">account.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If that isn’t enough, because of the way Evernote is set up, you have even more control over what gets posted on your other platforms. Whenever you want to promote a new post over your other platforms, simply add the “share" tag. If you don’t want to share a post, or you think it won’t be relevant to your audiences on other platforms, just don’t add the tag.</span></div><h2>Conclusion</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Evernote started out as a relatively straightforward replacement for a notebook or a pen and piece of scrap paper. But, since its first release it has added many features that make it a powerful tool for its users, whether they were using it to keep track of their college classes and schedules, their work assignments, and meetings, or just for keeping notes about winning recipes. As it expanded, it became clear that Evernote was so much more than just a digital notebook.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">At</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">, we realized that the best way we could provide high-quality service to our blogging community was to integrate the program they were already using (Evernote) with a simplified CMS. By doing this, we were able to ensure that users weren’t put off by yet another system of rules to learn, features to become acquainted with, and a CMS that got more and more complicated.</span></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Taken together, many of the features of Evernote, and the products we have created at</span> <a href="http://postach.io/" style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">provide bloggers with the ability to quickly and easily turn ideas into posts anyone can read.</span></div>
<div><br/></div></div>How To Start A Fashion Blog the Easy Wayhttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-start-a-fashion-blog-the-easy-way2018-03-19T21:21:23.096000Z2018-03-12T12:11:32ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/5d4074f8-3d57-4cad-bb30-f0f539f942bf.png" width="662"/></div></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Whether you are a casual admirer of the fashion industry and design, or a knowledgeable aficionado looking to make a name for yourself as an influencer, fashion is an extremely worthwhile topic for a blogger to focus on.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Humans will always want to look stylish. Expressing ourselves through what we wear has been a priority for people of all ages for centuries. Its popularity and the way it is entrenched in human behavior means that it falls very comfortably into a category of industries referred to as “evergreen."</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Evergreen blogs are those that have a year-round appeal for enthusiasts and are unlikely ever to become… well… unfashionable.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While its continual appeal is a big check mark from a practical and financial perspective, the fact that it is inherently a very artistic subject means that a good writer can flex their creative muscles when producing content.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">In this post, we’ll delve into the finer points of setting up your fashion blog, shining a light on the considerations that a prospective fashion blogger must make as they prepare to enter this rewarding, but highly competitive, field.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/1de56efd-24e2-4afc-8275-b290d1122063.jpg" width="550"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/young-fashion-blogger-posting-news-online-creation-and-ideas/84570712" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">stock.adobe.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2>Find Your Niche</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Fashion is a pretty broad topic, and while the temptation might be strong to keep things as generic as possible so that you don’t run out of things to blog about, it’s a good idea to get as specific as possible when picking a topic for your blog.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">What does this mean, practically?</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Instead of blogging about street fashion, focus on a particular style or age-group.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Rather than creating content about fashion shows in general, focus on a specific designer or those held in your hometown.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Choosing how specific you want to get is entirely your call, as long as you consider the reasons for choosing narrower focus over a broad one. When making this decision, bear the following in mind.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Being successful at blogging is all about finding a loyal audience.</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">This means you want to create content that has genuine appeal for potential readers and followers.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">When you choose a more specific topic, the following will happen:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">You’re giving yourself the opportunity to become an expert.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Writing with authority is crucial if you want to win over your readers. You want your opinions to be taken seriously. The best way to do this is to become an expert in your field - something that takes much longer if your field is too wide.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">You’re setting yourself apart from the competition.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">With the number of blogs covering a topic as popular as fashion, it is critical that yours stands out from the crowd. Having a more precise focus goes hand-in-hand with creating a unique tone or “voice" (see below) in this respect.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Your content will be easier to find.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">If you’re writing about something that almost no other blog has covered, your posts will feature more prominently when a visitor searches for keywords that feature in it. See the section on search engine optimization (SEO) below.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h2>Pick a Name</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While this may seem like an easy step in the process of setting up your fashion blog, remember that the name needs to be reflected not only in the site’s branding but also in its URL. This extra consideration complicates things somewhat since you’ll be limited to names that haven’t already been registered.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/22b63871-d0be-4c58-a769-6044f9c6db6f.jpg" width="550"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/fashion-blogger-concept-woman-with-red-polished-nails-working/126088580" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">stock.adobe.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While the above problem may seem resolvable by using an unusual domain extension like “.fashion" or “.pizza," remember that it doesn’t always pay to veer off the well-trodden path. Giving your blog’s name a little more thought may be worth the effort if it’s more likely for people to remember the URL. Do what you can to find a name that can be used with the standard “.com" extension - it’ll be worth the effort.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Here are additional considerations when thinking about a name for your fashion blog:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Feature your niche.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Do everything you can to work your blog’s unique focus into the name. Not only does it mean new visitors will be able to remember your site’s domain, but it will also</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://www.godaddy.com/garage/domain-seo-can-including-keywords-in-a-domain-name-improve-search-ranking/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">contribute positively</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">to your site’s general search engine rank.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Be memorable.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">This doesn’t necessarily mean be overly creative or cute. It means that you should choose a name that is easy to remember and type. Avoid getting too clever with spelling; you’ll want someone to be able to enter the correct URL from being told what it is. Choosing absurd spelling may set you apart but having to specify every time how to type “</span><a href="http://FashinPashin.com" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">FashinPashin.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">" could prove to be more trouble than it’s worth.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Keep it short.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">Domain names can be as long as 253 characters, giving you more than enough space to be clever and memorable, but it’s pretty obvious that there will be diminishing returns if you get too clever here.</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="http://www.gaebler.com/Domain-Length-Research.htm" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Research published by Gaebler.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;-en-paragraph:true;">showed that Alexa’s top 50 websites had an average of only six characters in their domain name. While it may be a stretch to imply causality here, it’s a worthwhile statistic to bear in mind.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><a href="http://Postach.io" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> makes it easy to specify your domain name while setting up your blog. If you want a custom domain - an absolute necessity if you’re creating a blog that you intend to build an audience with - simply check the “I’d like to use a custom domain" checkbox and upgrade your membership.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/db468d67-83dd-46a0-9c13-11b8c24b8aab.jpg" width="553"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/770ace63-3ab6-4e73-ae58-24ab9d273a18.jpg" width="662"/></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">All of the </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://postach.io/site/pricing" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">membership</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">options include domain name registration, along with</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://help.postach.io/post/setting-up-your-postach-io-premium-features" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">several other benefits</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"><br /></span></div><h2>Get the Visuals Right</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While the term “brand" encapsulates more than just the visual aspects of your blog, we’re going to use this section to discuss the aesthetic side of things - essentially, how your blog is positioned visually.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Logo</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While you may be tempted to do this yourself or rope in a friend who has Corel Draw installed on her laptop, consider the benefits of having this done professionally. When creating a fashion blog, you’re likely to attract readers with an eye for design and compromising on aesthetic quality may not be a great idea.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">That’s not to say that you need to break the bank and employ an award-winning design agency. Work brokers like</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://www.upwork.com/hire/logo-designers/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Upwork</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">are the ideal places to find a competent and reasonably-priced designer who can design an elegant and fashionable logo for your blog.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Photography</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">A fashion blog is going to be extremely image-intensive. Blogging about clothing without including photos is not a good idea, regardless of your standing in the industry. Style enthusiasts want to see what you’re writing about and the visuals that accompany your posts need to be of a very high standard.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">When sourcing images online, you’re mostly not going to face problems with quality. The important thing is to ensure that you have permission to publish the image that you found. In many cases, an image can be reused under the</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://alj.orangenius.com/fair-blogging-bloggers-copyrighted-images/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">fair use doctrine</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">. Read up about your rights in this regard and make sure that you’re covered from a legal perspective when using someone else’s work.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">With certain fashion blogs, you will have the opportunity to take your own photos. Depending on how seriously you want to take this endeavor, it’s worth Investing in a decent</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/photography-video-capture/cameras/buying-guide-best-slrs-for-beginners-1251700" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">entry-level</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">DSLR and</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://www.adorama.com/alc/best-budget-dslr-lenses-for-beginners" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">lens</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">and</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://www.udemy.com/courses/photography/" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">learning how to use it</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/e98bcfd6-d54b-4083-a15c-8d24ff372681.jpg" width="550"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://stock.adobe.com/images/camera-taking-photo/140922837" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">stock.adobe.com</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">This is an investment that has value outside of blogging too so if you’re focusing on street fashion or fashion shows in your city, seriously consider equipping yourself to take decent photographs.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Blog theme</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">As with all of the considerations in this section of our post, the blog’s theme needs to be one that has the best balance between visual appeal and usability. Avoid selecting a theme that is beautiful but impractical for a blog. Many blogging platforms, like Wordpress, also offer themes that may be extremely pleasing to look at but weren’t designed for blogs.</span></div>
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<div><a href="http://Postach.io" style="-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> offers a wide variety of themes that were all purpose-built for blogs and users can select and apply a new theme at any point.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/af8891e1-7a29-4abf-93ff-8dfadbe8a7f0/872106e3-5257-4ea4-9f74-cc95147ac41e.jpg" width="662"/></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">(Source:</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/how-to-start-a-blog-in-10-minutes" style="text-decoration: underline;-en-paragraph:true;">Postach.io</a><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">)</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"><br /></span></div><h2>Find Your Voice</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Writing with a particular tone or style helps differentiate you from other bloggers. Think not just about what tone of voice would be most appropriate for your niche, but also about what your competitors are doing and what will appeal to your target audience.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">If you’re blogging about children’s fashion, a snarky, cynical tone probably won’t endear you to your intended reader base while an affected sentimentality may be at odds with what street fashion enthusiasts are expecting.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Also, be comfortable to let this evolve with time. Trying to shoehorn a very specific style into your writing may come across as an affectation that many readers will find annoying.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Be yourself. If you try to adopt a voice that doesn’t come naturally to you, your audience will notice.</span></div>
<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"><br /></span></div><h2>Stay Committed</h2><div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Taking a blog seriously can have enormous rewards but it’s not for the fainthearted. Building an audience and becoming an authority on a specific topic takes time and no small amount of commitment.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">The most important thing to remember as you start this exciting journey is this:</span><span style="-en-paragraph:true;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;-en-paragraph:true;">Publish the best quality content possible, as regularly as possible.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">While it’s important to take your time with a blog post to ensure that it’s better than the majority of other fashion blogs out there, don’t let this compromise how often you publish.</span></div>
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<div><span style="-en-paragraph:true;">Your biggest challenge is going to be finding a balance between post quality and quantity. But don’t let this challenge dissuade you from taking the first steps. Getting yourself in a position where your hobby - the thing you’re most passionate about - can become your full-time job is something that most people only dream of.</span></div>
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<div>So stop reading and start doing. Visit this post to find out how to set up you <a href="https://blog.postach.io/post/how-to-start-a-blog-in-10-minutes" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io blog in under 10 minutes</a> and start working towards your dream of becoming an influencer in the fashion industry.</div>
7 Creative Blog Ideas for Photographershttps://postach.io/blog/post/7-creative-blog-ideas-for-photographers2018-03-19T21:21:21.917000Z2018-02-26T07:13:44ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h1><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/6b97d33c-5541-496e-bf55-eeae497d18cc.png" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 28px;"/><br /></h1></div>
<div><a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">37% of marketers</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">report visual marketing as the most important form of content for their business; Nearly every wedding you attend has a photographer present; Instagram stars claim to make millions posting photos of their lifestyle —</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">photography can be a lucrative profession with many opportunities.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">As a photographer,</span> there are millions of potential chances to gain leads and get clients in the online world. But to have any hope of reaching them, you need a <span style="font-style: italic;">digital presence</span>.</div>
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<div>Your blog is the perfect medium to achieve this goal. By regularly posting image-based content that will appeal to your audience, you can ensure you <span style="font-weight: bold;">get a steady stream of traffic to your site</span> — people interested in the particular style or aesthetic <span style="font-style: italic;">only you</span> can create. But <span style="font-weight: bold;">what should you share to generate an audience?</span></div>
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<div>In this post, we give you <span style="font-weight: bold;">7 creative blog post ideas for photographers</span>. Boost your reputation and your professional standing with a unique photoblog that people will love to share.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Human Interest</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Human interest photos, interviews and stories not only provide us with “social proof" that we are all weird and wonderful in our ways.</span> They also give us different perspectives on <span style="font-style: italic;">people within our communities, within our world,</span> and ones that are often overlooked. Honing in on and confronting issues, impulses, and situations experienced by others from a new angle helps us to empathize. As <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/empathy">James Baldwin</a> once said of books,</div></div><div><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“you think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive."</span></div>
<div>― <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/empathy" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">James Baldwin</a><span style="font-style: italic;">,</span> American Novelist</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Seeing</span> the everyday struggles of others can play the moral purpose of <span style="font-style: italic;">bringing us closer together</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">motivating people into action to help those more in need than ourselves</span>. But people love to hear about people - the lives we all lead and the extremes of culture. Highlight people’s stories and use your photos to bring out the best in them. It could mean your blog not only provides entertainment but makes a positive contribution.</div>
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<div><a href="http://www.humansofnewyork.com/about" style="text-decoration: underline;">Brandon Stanton</a> started the <a href="http://www.humansofnewyork.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Humans of New York</a> project in 2009, with an aim to “photograph 10,000 New Yorkers on the street, and create an exhaustive catalog of the city’s inhabitants." After <span style="font-style: italic;">photographing and interviewing thousands of subjects</span>, Stanton’s blog now has over 18 million followers on Facebook; His book of New York photos spent <span style="font-weight: bold;">31 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list</span>. Use your photoblog to do some good as well as entertain and educate your visitors.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/06084962-b9c4-4841-9673-4e8765873aeb.jpg" width="546"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://mashable.com/2015/10/12/humans-of-new-york-dog-with-ptsd/" style="text-decoration: underline;">mashable.com</a>)</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Behind-the-Scenes</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who are the people following photography blogs?</span> Of course, they are people who “like photography." But what other interests do they have? There is a good chance many who choose to follow your photo-blog not only have a generic appreciation for the photographed world but also <span style="font-style: italic;">in getting behind the camera</span>. Show them you are a <span style="font-style: italic;">photographer worth watching, worth tracking, worth networking with.</span></div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>Don’t <span style="font-style: italic;">just</span> give them leading examples of photography. Share your <span style="font-weight: bold;">working processes</span> with your community of photographer friends - your <span style="font-weight: bold;">tips</span>, your <span style="font-weight: bold;">techniques</span>, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">tricks</span>. If you find it difficult to take a specific kind of shot with your new camera, share photos of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">behind-the-scenes process,</span> so your followers can benefit from what you learn. In turn, they will <span style="font-style: italic;">see you as an authoritative and trained professional worth recognition</span>. As expert creative marketer <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/content-creation-how-to-create-better-content-for-your-customers/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Neil Patel</a> says,</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“you must have a detailed picture of your target audience, in order to create optimal and helpful content types for it."</span></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">—</span> <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/content-creation-how-to-create-better-content-for-your-customers/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Neil Patel</a></div>
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<div>Consider the photography students, the amateur photographers, your network of photographer friends, and give them content that educates with positive impact.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">No one does this better than Felix Hernandez</span>, who, in his <a href="https://www.hernandezdreamphography.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Dream Photography</a> series, shares <span style="font-style: italic;">behind-the-scenes images</span> revealing the secrets of his tiny, fantastical visual worlds.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/ff8a6145-b7fc-479a-a018-7d3332b55cd7.png" width="605"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://www.hernandezdreamphography.com/portfolio" style="text-decoration: underline;">hernandezdreamphography.com</a>)</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Using figurines, lighting, puppetry, and just about anything else he can find,</span> Hernandez creates stunning miniature setups to photograph. Behind-the-scenes photos documenting the design of these setups show the <span style="font-style: italic;">contrast between the world of the artist and the world he creates</span>, making them almost as intriguing as the published photos themselves. The exclusive “backstage" view also provides highly sought out insights on creative praxis, hitting this segment of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">photography blog audience niche.</span></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Industry Events</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Within every area of concern, important public events punctuate the social calendar.</span> The power of <a href="https://www.digitaldoughnut.com/articles/2018/january/content-marketing-trends-in-2018">real-time social engagement and “live" content</a> have shown us that in 2018, no one wants to miss out. In every area of specialism, people need to keep up with the <span style="font-style: italic;">latest news and happenings.</span></div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>As a photographer, you probably have a niche (or a few) — the subject-types and situations you primarily photograph, whether out of interest or for your career. Whatever type of photos you capture, <span style="font-style: italic;">visiting the most important events on your audience’s calendar and documenting them (with style) can put you on its radar</span>.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/e99b093e-a1a2-46fc-935e-56926844f611.jpg" width="578"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/circo.co/photos/a.1017436175076906.1073741844.690106127809914/1017437598410097/?type=3&theater&ifg=1" style="text-decoration: underline;">facebook.com</a>)</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">We had some budding business photographers visit our offices recently for a digital industry event.</span> Though they were paid for their time, they reaped <span style="font-style: italic;">massive rewards in terms of contacts.</span> Their photos were tagged and shared on social media by some of the most influential people within digital industry. In turn, their photos were <span style="font-style: italic;">seen and liked by thousands of influential friends and followers</span>.</div>
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<div>Collecting images of important events on your audience’s calendar can also make your blog the <span style="font-style: italic;">go-to documentation for everyone who did not attend</span>. More than this, <span style="font-weight: bold;">if you take the</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">best pictures</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">, any subsequent news coverage of the event may use your photos in their publications</span>, giving you even more exposure.</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Novelty Recreations</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo-recreations of old photos can gain a lot of traction on social media.</span> They capture the imagination because not only can they be humorous and entertaining, they show the <span style="font-style: italic;">pure craft of being a photographer</span>.</div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>Copying old photos takes a lot of effort and a lot of time. The lighting has to be right. The filters have to be right. Everything from <span style="font-style: italic;">makeup</span> down to <span style="font-style: italic;">wardrobe</span> has to be right. But do it well, and not only will visitors see you have “<span style="font-style: italic;">mad skills</span>," but that you have a keen interest in photographers who came before you. Recreations are not just a show of technique but <span style="font-style: italic;">homages</span> to great photographers of the past. Show you are knowledgeable on the history of your craft and you position yourself as a <span style="font-weight: bold;">seasoned and experienced artistic professional</span>. As noted in a post by the Metropolitan Museum,</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">“art from the past holds clues to life in the past. By looking at a work of art's symbolism, colors, and materials, we can learn about the culture that produced it."</span></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">—</span> <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/teen-blog/renaissance-portrait/blog/studying-art-from-the-past" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">The Metropolitan Museum of Art</a></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Recreating the work of your favorite photographers and photos</span> can help you understand more about your practice and about the photos and photographers you appreciate. In designing and creating these re-enactments, no doubt, you will also <span style="font-style: italic;">learn something new about lighting, perspective, or depth, of which you weren’t previously aware.</span> An artist who shows they know the history of their craft well will not only be a better artist but will be perceived as <span style="font-style: italic;">wiser and more skilled.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/1e29c4cd-c317-4e7a-82a4-e3653143c097.jpg" width="604"/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.demilked.com/john-malkovich-homage-to-photographic-masters-sandro-miller/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">demilked.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Your recreations could be wholly <span style="font-weight: bold;">serious</span>, or wholly <span style="font-weight: bold;">entertaining</span>, depending on your audience. We loved witnessing the evolution of <a href="http://www.sandrofilm.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Sandro Miller</a>’s photography through his <span style="font-style: italic;">novelty recreations in which original subjects are replaced with actor</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000518/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">John Malkovich</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span> This is an amazing example of how recreations can exhibit both <span style="font-weight: bold;">skill and humor.</span></div>
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<div>Miller’s images were completed without the use of <span style="font-style: italic;">Photoshop</span>, yet the lighting, coloring, and perspective are almost a perfect match. Malkovich’s highly recognizable profile even takes a couple of seconds to notice because these photos are so breathtakingly similar to the originals. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Contrasting humor with shows of skill in this way can make for highly shareable photo-based content.</span></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Tell Your Story</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">There are now so many photography blogs because it is easy for anyone to take photos and upload them using a mobile device.</span> As a professional photographer, you need to separate yourself from the amateur crowd.</div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>Photo blogging a “day in the life" or a “photo every day" can be an excellent way to show your followers <span style="font-style: italic;">how hard you work,</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">how much of a personality you are</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">how in demand you are as a photographer</span>. This is one of the best ways to bolster your perceived <span style="font-weight: bold;">authority</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">professionalism</span>.</div>
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<div>One of the ways the big Instagram influencers succeed is by portraying the story of the <span style="font-style: italic;">lifestyle their followers want to lead.</span> Posts that tell <span style="font-style: italic;">your personal story</span> can help to introduce potential leads to you and your work in an honest and upfront manner, yet also show you fit their <span style="font-style: italic;">stereotype of the life that a successful photographer leads.</span></div>
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<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v9wVcW9oj1I" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.popphoto.com/day-in-life-music-portrait-photographer-gretchen-robinette" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">popphoto.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">You could even switch it up and tell your story through video.</span> The likelihood is that if you are a photographer, you dabble in a little videography too. According to studies, video marketers get <a href="https://optinmonster.com/video-marketing-statistics-what-you-must-know/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">66% more qualified leads</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">each year.</span> That’s a massive boost.</div>
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<div>The video above, posted on the <a href="https://www.popphoto.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Popular Photography</a> blog, documents a “day in the life" of music-portrait photographer <a href="https://www.gretchenrobinette.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Gretchen Robinette</a>. Through a mix of still and moving images, it tells the story of a life packed with <span style="font-style: italic;">exciting adventures, cool locations, hard work, and other creative people.</span> This is the perspective your followers need to see - you are an <span style="font-weight: bold;">in-demand public persona</span> as well as an <span style="font-style: italic;">innovative and diligent creative</span>.</div>
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<div>Separate yourself from the crowd. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Show them this is no hobby. For you, photography is life - that’s why you’re the expert.</span></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Before-and-After</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">“Before-and-after" photos can connect people to history in an immediate and highly evocative manner.</span> We are creatures of habit. When we get to know a city or town, we use the routes we have learned again and again, as well as the landmarks that point us through them. But often we forget many of these landmarks, streets, and buildings have rich histories. <span style="font-style: italic;">Scenes from only ten years ago can appear entirely different to their contemporary counterparts.</span></div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>Photoblog posts comparing past photos with current ones taken from the same perspective give us a view <span style="font-style: italic;">through</span> history. <span style="font-weight: bold;">They enable our minds to travel back to how things were before,</span> connecting us to our own sense of place, in a way that makes us more <span style="font-style: italic;">aware of the past</span>.</div>
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<div>Entertainment blogs such as <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Buzzfeed</a>, <a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Bored Panda</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei/" style="text-decoration: underline;">George Takei</a> often share this type of “before-and-after" content. But with your skills as a photographer, you can make your photos even better. The example below, from Buzzfeed, makes clear the contrast between <span style="font-style: italic;">Victorian-era New York</span> and the <span style="font-style: italic;">modernization of the millennial city</span>.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/d8f9445c-cad0-4a04-9337-e1abbe67c968.png" width="513"/><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/new-york-then-and-now?utm_term=.nwzbY43jg#.hoWK05eRo" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">www.buzzfeed.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
<div>Because “before-and-after" posts can <span style="font-weight: bold;">educate</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">entertain</span>, and are often concentrated around a particular <span style="font-weight: bold;">location</span>, they can <span style="font-style: italic;">help people to find you that typically may not.</span> This does not just mean “<span style="font-style: italic;">historians</span>." Anyone with ties to the places you explore through your pictures could take an interest in your “now and then" series. <span style="font-style: italic;">It can be a great way to build a presence online within your local community, especially if you live in a small town which is lacking in this type of historical image-based content.</span></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Get Observational</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Observational comedy isn’t just for comedians.</span> As a photographer, <span style="font-style: italic;">it is your job to observe</span>. And there are so many entertaining and heartwarming accidents and <span style="font-style: italic;">happenings</span> every day, if only you had a camera. Well, <span style="font-style: italic;">as a photographer, you should.</span> Look out for funny or revealing situations that reflect <span style="font-style: italic;">social foibles</span>, cultural <span style="font-style: italic;">awkwardness</span>, and the <span style="font-style: italic;">weird things we all do and see</span> on a daily basis - and snap them.</div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>To quote the cliché maxim — a picture can be “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_picture_is_worth_a_thousand_words" style="text-decoration: underline;">worth a thousand words</a>." Show you can reveal more about the human condition with a picture than a whole library of history books. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Document the weird, the unusual, and the uncanny aspects of life in our contemporary world.</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e8a3a3ab-073f-4e4e-97b7-5dcfd7f8abd9/97277e1b-d6b5-4d18-9696-ffe8590ce4a7.jpg" width="533"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://thingsfittingperfectlyintothings.tumblr.com/page/3" style="text-decoration: underline;">thingsfittingperfectlyintothings.tumblr.com</a>)</div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic;">And you don’t just have to focus on people.</span> One of our favorite “observational comedy" photo-blogs on the net comes from the <span style="font-style: italic;">home of left-of-field photo-feeds</span> - <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Tumblr</a>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Things Fitting Perfectly Into Other Things</span> (TFPIOT) is a blog focused solely on what it says — “totally unrelated objects" nestled inside each other.</div>
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<div>Whether you call the photos <span style="font-weight: bold;">hilarious</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">intriguing</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">conceptually avant-garde</span>, or a mix of all three, each photo reflects the modicum of happiness that arises when this slightly rare, yet not at all uncommon occurrence, happens to us.</div>
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<div>If you can <span style="font-style: italic;">post photos that hit at the core of mutual themes throughout contemporary culture,</span> you can appeal to the “every-person," the general <span style="font-weight: bold;">lover of life and photography</span> - TFPIOT did. By sharing photos of situations previously unexplored in visual art, <span style="font-style: italic;">they hit on a niche with a tangible and entertaining relation to everyday living.</span></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Keep it up</span></h2><div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coming up with a great idea is the first step to becoming a successful photo-blogger. You then need to commit to that idea, run with it, and maintain it.</span></div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>Whatever you do decide to post about, learn from the examples of the photography blogs ideas we’ve covered. They show that <span style="font-style: italic;">regularly posting series of photos exploring a single theme or idea over time</span>, as opposed to a whole series of photos en masse, is how you <span style="font-weight: bold;">forge your brand as a blogging photographer.</span> So even if you take a whole series photos of photos in a single session, make sure you stagger your posts for maximum appeal.</div>
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<div>Defining yourself through your art (having a concept) is essential because <span style="font-weight: bold;">people will remember you if you’re blog is unique.</span> This is what they ultimately want to see in your photography when they are thinking about hiring you as a brand. They want to see high standards and professionalism, of course. But they are looking for a photographer they can get excited about - one with <span style="font-style: italic;">originality, authenticity, and flair.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Choose your theme carefully and ensure you maintain your blog by regularly posting photos that adhere to this signature style. Use the ideas in this guide as starting points - springboards from which you may leap to photography success. And use your creativity, your cunning, and your camera to get snapping!</span></div>
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9 of the Best Free Blogging Platforms Comparedhttps://postach.io/blog/post/9-of-the-best-free-blogging-platforms-compared2018-03-19T21:21:26.387000Z2018-02-12T09:09:58ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h1></h1><h1><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/fabeada9-9967-4071-9e34-f95221ea4f62.png" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"/></h1></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today, it’s easier than ever to bring your ideas to life with your very own blog. But with so many different options available, it can be difficult to know where to start.</span></div>
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<div>That’s where we come in. Read on for our comprehensive review of <span style="font-weight: bold;">9 of the best free blogging platforms</span>. Regardless of the type of blog you’re hoping to start; this guide gives you everything you need to know about the features, pros, and cons of some of the most popular blogging platforms around.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2>Our Picks for 9 of the Best Free Blogging Platforms Compared</h2><div><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">While different blogging options abound, these are our favorites.</span> Whether you’re blogging about food, fashion, art, design, or another niche, you’ll find a good fit in one of the blogging platforms below.</div>
<div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://wordpress.org/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Wordpress.org</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/f71f06e9-ce8a-4ba5-865f-23e2ff66ad67.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://wordpress.org/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">WordPress.org</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>When it comes to blogging, we’d be remiss if we didn’t start with <a href="http://wordpress.org" style="text-decoration: underline;">Wordpress</a>. WordPress is the most popular blogging platform — it powers more than <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/montymunford/2016/12/22/how-wordpress-ate-the-internet-in-2016-and-the-world-in-2017/#5c25bad6199d" style="text-decoration: underline;">one in four</a> websites.</div>
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<div>Unlike many options on the market, which provide all-in-one blogging solutions, WordPress is a simple software you can use to power your blog. You’ll still need to secure web hosting and a domain name to get your blog up and running.</div>
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<div>There is a learning curve with WordPress. First-time bloggers may find learning the ropes overwhelming. But once you learn the ins and outs, you’re likely to find that WordPress offers the powerful features and customizations you need to bring your vision to life.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a>?</h4><div><br /></div>
<div><a href="https://wordpress.org/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Wordpress.org</a> is ideal for pro-level bloggers and businesses looking for the utmost in customization, with the technical know-how necessary to make use of all WordPress’ features.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Advanced customization options</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A vast library of site themes</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Over 45,000 plugins available</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Community of WordPress users</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Learning curve makes it difficult for newbies to get started right away</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Configuring your site is far from intuitive and can be time-consuming</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">You’re on your own for web hosting, security, backups, etc.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://postach.io/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/90eba3a5-6f98-4d1f-82af-b57d8b637180.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://postach.io/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here at </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, we believe user experience is at the heart of every successful blog.</span> We provide you with the easiest path to success, so you can focus on crafting memorable posts, instead of wasting your time navigating clunky interfaces.</div>
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<div><a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> makes use of <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a>, a popular creativity suite that many bloggers use to research topics, create drafts, and document their thoughts. Turning your ideas into finished blog posts is as easy as tagging them “published’" within your Evernote notebook.</div>
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<div><a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> offers a wide array of quality themes for you to create the perfect look for your blog. You can code your own themes if you’re fluent in HTML. Our platform also offers managed services created by some of the tech world’s heaviest hitters, including <a href="https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Google Analytics</a> and comment management from <a href="https://disqus.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Disqus</a>.</div>
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<div>If you’re focused on creating quality content, and you’re worried about getting bogged down with the particulars of other blogging platforms, you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>?</h4><div><br /></div>
<div><a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> is a perfect fit for the aspiring blogger who is more concerned with creating great content than about the “nuts and bolts" of a heavily customizable blogging platform.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Ease-of-use</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Works well with social media</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">One-click integration with Google Analytics</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Fully-customizable</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No post previews</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://wordpress.com/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Wordpress.com</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/b6c33dfb-c63f-489c-8f2f-050a20faf371.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://pixabay.com/en/man-reading-touchscreen-blog-791049/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Wordpress.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">You may be thinking, “didn’t we already cover this one?" Yes and no.</span> While WordPress also owns this service, there are significant differences between <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a> and <a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a>.</div>
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<div>Unlike <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a>, which simply provides the software you need to run own self-hosted blog, <a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a> provides an all-in-one package that includes hosting.</div>
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<div>All the essential features of <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a> make their way over to <a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a>. However, many of the advanced features and customization that make <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a> so popular are missing.</div>
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<div>With <a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a>, you can’t install custom themes, and the plugins available with <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a> are absent. Also, WordPress reserves the right to remove any blog on the platform if they find it violates their terms of service.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use <a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a>?</h4><div><a href="http://Wordpress.com">Wordpress.com</a> is a good choice for anyone looking to create a blog without having to dive under the hood to tie everything together.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to get started</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Includes web hosting and a subdomain for free</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Plenty of themes</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Can’t install custom themes</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Doesn’t have plugins</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Certain countries block </span><a href="http://Wordpress.com" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Wordpress.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> content</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="http://Wordpress.com" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Wordpress.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> reserves the right to delete your blog for TOS violations</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://ghost.org/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Ghost</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/0bdfd557-6930-4347-a7bc-90a87222ac73.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://ghost.org/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Ghost</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ghost is a popular blogging platform with similar functionality to </span><a href="http://Wordpress.org" style="font-weight: bold;">Wordpress.org</a> but without the complexity. Ghost was developed specifically for blogging, and is sure to delight users looking for similar functionality to WordPress with a more streamlined interface.</div>
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<div>Like <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a>, Ghost is a downloadable software product that you can use to run your self-hosted blog. The company also offers a paid version that takes care of web hosting and simplifies the installation process.</div>
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<div>On the other hand, Ghost lacks many of the features that make WordPress so popular. While several important add-ons are built right into the software, you don’t have the option for additional plugins. Many of the best themes available also come with a hefty price tag.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Ghost?</h4><div>For the blogger with a passion for web development and an interest in the latest blogging platforms, Ghost is worth a closer look.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use blogging interface</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Many important features (SEO, social media, commenting) are integrated into the software</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Many themes to choose from</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No plugins available</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Limited customization options compared to WordPress</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Most of the best themes aren’t free</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://www.squarespace.com/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Squarespace</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/c1e912b4-0732-4ecd-92e7-5ea16ac68a0c.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Squarespace</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Squarespace is one of the most popular all-in-one website solutions</span>, and they’re well known for helping small businesses and individuals create great looking websites without any knowledge of coding or web development.</div>
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<div>Squarespace differs from the blogging platforms we’ve covered thus far in that it isn’t simply a blogging platform. While you’re able to establish a great looking blog as part of your site, you can also create landing pages, sub-pages, and even an online store.</div>
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<div>For these reasons, Squarespace and other similar services are a smart option for anyone hoping to flesh out their blog with these additional features and pages.</div>
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<div>Where Squarespace shines is their site templates and ease of use. Not only is creating your site with Squarespace easy, their templates incorporate fancy design elements that would take extensive coding knowledge to create on your own.</div>
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<div>Unlike many of the options we’ve covered, Squarespace is a paid service. If you like what they have to offer, you’ll need to shell out $12 per month for their personal plan, or $18 for business users.</div>
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<div>While affordable, the cost of a Squarespace site adds up over time. If you choose a personal plan at $12 a month, your blog will cost you $144 a year to run. It’s worth considering whether or not all those bells and whistles are worth the long-term costs associated with this platform.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Squarespace?</h4><div>Design-conscious bloggers or small business owners looking to include additional functionality beyond “just a blog" without the coding know-how to build a site from scratch.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Cutting edge theme designs</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Large library of plugins and add-ons</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">24/7 customer support</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Can be costly</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Additional functionality most bloggers don’t need</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Blogger</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/de8a5be7-6ab6-4a77-9c1e-b66732d69a41.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Blogger</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Even someone with no experience in the blogging world will recognize the name Blogger—it’s one of the oldest and most well-established platforms around.</span></div>
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<div>Blogger was acquired by Google several years ago. Creating a blog with Blogger is as simple as logging into your Google account on the Blogger website. From there, you’ll find an intuitive interface that allows you to create a new blog in minutes.</div>
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<div>Blogger provides one of the easiest to use blogging platforms available, and it’s completely free. The only cost associated is a custom domain name, if you’d like.</div>
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<div>As far as customization and plugins, you won’t find much with Blogger. It’s a bare-bones blogging solution that doesn’t provide customization options like themes, plugins and add-ons. With Blogger, you get a content editor and a sidebar— that’s about it.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Blogger?</h4><div>If you’re looking for an easy to use platform that will have you up and running within a few minutes, Blogger is worth a closer look.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Extremely easy to use</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Free</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Includes hosting and a subdomain</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">It takes minutes to set up</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No plugins</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No customization</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://www.joomla.org/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Joomla</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/ca47a0bf-2052-4a9a-b5b8-c87a6c5d9975.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.joomla.org/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Joomla</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Joomla is similar to </span><a href="http://Wordpress.org" style="font-weight: bold;">Wordpress.org</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> and Ghost.</span> Their software provides you with the interface you’ll need to create your blog but you’ll need to host it and connect your domain.</div>
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<div>Much like WordPress, the opportunity for customization is seemingly endless. You’ll find a vast array of different plugins, themes, and add-ons for your site. Joomla can be used to create everything from a simple blog to a full featured website, provided you have the know-how.</div>
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<div>Compared to WordPress, Joomla is relatively new and doesn’t have as large a user base. For that reason, you’ll find fewer options for plugins and customizations than you would with WordPress.</div>
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<div>That said, Joomla’s popularity is growing every day. With growth comes more users, more features, and more support. Over time, Joomla may grow to the point where they offer the same level of comprehensive features and support WordPress does.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Joomla?</h4><div>Joomla is perfect for serious bloggers looking for an alternative to WordPress. If you have the skills, patience, and know-how necessary to create professional or enterprise quality blogs, it may be worth a closer look.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">High powered and flexible</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Many plugins</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Plenty of themes</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">You’re responsible for hosting, security, and backups</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Smaller community than WordPress makes it more difficult to find troubleshooting help</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://www.weebly.com/?lang=en" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Weebly</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/7f6db192-ce26-48ad-8e43-74e4ccbc06b8.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.weebly.com/?lang=en" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">Weebly</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weebly is a hosted web platform similar to Squarespace.</span> Weebly provides an easy to use drag and drop interface you can use to create your custom site from scratch.</div>
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<div>Like Squarespace, you also have access to additional functionality beyond a simple blog— such as an online store — and a dedicated website as well. You can make use of a vast library of different themes, add-ons, and plugins that make it easy to manage every aspect of your new site.</div>
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<div>Unlike Squarespace, Weebly offers a free version that allows you to create your site and blog at no charge. Unfortunately, the free version has limited functionality compared to other blogging platforms.</div>
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<div>If you’re looking for additional functionality, you can opt for one of Weebly’s paid plans which start at as low as <a href="https://www.weebly.com/pricing" style="text-decoration: underline;">$8 a month</a>. To unlock all of Weebly’s advanced features, you’ll need to opt for their pro or business level plans, which are more expensive.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Weebly?</h4><div>Weebly is ideal for bloggers and small business owners looking to establish a professional presence on the web for little or no cost.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use drag and drop editor</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Set up in minutes</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Free version available</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">24/7 customer support</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Limited add-ons and integrations</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Difficult to move your site if you choose to switch platforms</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Weebly branding with free version</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">May offer more functionality than some bloggers are looking for</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h3><a href="https://www.wix.com/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Wix</a></h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f346bcd2-1ad8-4cd6-a617-9e3834c574a5/bc254040-bf9a-4e56-a2c0-f26cc7a0307d.png" width="624"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Authors screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Like Squarespace and Weebly, Wix is a popular website builder that allows you to create beautiful websites with little to no knowledge of web development.</span></div>
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<div>Wix is well known for their beautiful, design-forward themes, a vast library of plugins and add-ons, and a user experience that’s second to none. As you’d expect, Wix is very popular with small businesses and bloggers looking to create an aesthetically beautiful web presence.</div>
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<div>While Wix offers several paid plans designed to meet the needs of different levels of businesses, they also offer a free version. Unlike Weebly, the free version of Wix provides much of the functionality and features of their subscription-based packages.</div>
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<div>Wix also puts an enhanced emphasis on blogging, which is one area where some of their competitors fall short. The <a href="https://www.wix.com/start/blog" style="text-decoration: underline;">Wix Blog</a> app is easy to use, and many important features, like SEO, are built-in.</div>
<div><br /></div><h4>Who Should Use Wix?</h4><div>Wix is worth a look if you’re a blogger or small business owner looking to build a website with little to no knowledge of web development. It’s also useful if you’re considering incorporating e-commerce features into your blog.</div><h4>Pros</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Easy to use drag and drop editor</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Vast library of themes</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Plenty of plugins and add-ons</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">24/7 customer support</span></li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Impossible to change themes once you’ve built your site</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Free version includes Wix branding</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h2>Our Top Choice</h2><div><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Each of the platforms we’ve discussed provides you with the tools you need to create a great blog, but some of them may be better suited to your purposes than others.</span></div>
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<div>For those of you looking to control every aspect of your blog from design to functionality and everything in between, <a href="http://Wordpress.org">Wordpress.org</a> is the most popular choice. Nearly a third of the internet is powered by WordPress, and when you consider the flexibility of their platform, it’s easy to understand why. Similar platforms such as Ghost and Joomla are also gaining popularity.</div>
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<div>By the same token, not everyone has the time, knowledge or experience required to develop a beautiful WordPress blog.</div>
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<div>For those looking to breathe life into your creative projects without spending hundreds of hours learning how to develop a platform to show your work to the world, <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> is here.</div>
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<div>At <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, we provide you with intuitive, easy to use tools that eliminate every hurdle standing between you, your ideas and a cohesive, beautifully designed blog post.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you’re looking to bring your passion to life, give </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> a try. Find out how the most streamlined, easy-to-use blogging solution on the market can help you make your mark.</span></div>
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Ultimate Guide - How to Start a Travel Bloghttps://postach.io/blog/post/ultimate-guide-how-to-start-a-travel-blog2018-03-19T21:21:39.523000Z2018-01-15T10:22:42ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h1><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/4cbe8fad-7514-4d22-8774-e905a599845c.png" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 28px;"/></h1><div>Have you always wondered what it would be like to roam the earth, documenting your adventures, your moments, and sharing them with the world? I certainly did.</div>
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<div>I heard stories about how people had funded their travels and journaled them on their blog. I read about all the amazing activities they participated in, the scenery and the culture they experienced.</div>
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<div>When I planned my gap year as a humble student, I spent hours reading about the coolest places to hang out, the best ways to get around, and the things I needed to take with me on my journey of self-discovery.</div>
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<div>I may not have found myself that year (I came down sick and was back home after a week feeling sorry for myself in a hospital bed), but what I did find is that documenting your travels is one of the most powerful things you can do.</div>
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<div>Journaling my experiences on subsequent trips not only motivated me to go out and experience as many wonderful locations, cultures, and people as possible, but I now have a record of every place that I have been and thousands of stories to tell.</div>
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<div>Whether you want to become a travel blogger to keep your family up-to-date on your movements, to keep a record of a once-in-a-lifetime trip, or with the aim of monetizing your blog in the future, this ultimate guide will tell you everything you need to know about documenting your travels online.</div>
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<div>We tell you how to start a blog with no experience in web design or copywriting. Discover exactly what you need to know, right here, including:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How to Set up a Blog Site With </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Postach.io</a></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How to Personalize Your Site’s Design</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How to Brand Your Site Using Logos and Images</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">How and What to Write in Your Posts</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>Blogging doesn’t have to be hard. You just need to know how to do it the right way. With the appropriate tools and foundations in place, you can get to researching and writing your first post after this <span style="font-weight: bold;">15 minute read</span>.</div>
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<div>If you are thinking about living the travel blogger lifestyle, read on. Learn how easy it is to live the life you always wanted.</div>
<div><br /></div><h3>Where to Start?</h3><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Until recently, blogging platforms were all pretty similar. You logged into your browser-based app and pasted your content into the online editor.</span></div>
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<div>Do you remember when you would lose your internet connection for a second, along with the email you were in the middle of writing? Content management systems (CMSs) worked in a similarly frustrating way. You couldn’t write your content within the editor because if the webpage was reloaded for some reason, you would lose it. Online CMS’ with lots of design functionality can be slow and unstable due to the digital brain-power they require.</div>
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<div>But this meant bloggers had to write, edit, and format their posts in a desktop word processor, then copying and pasting it into the web editor. When you copied your text into the CMS you would often lose your formatting too, having to redo what you have already done in your word processor and losing valuable traveling time.</div>
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<div>Luckily, there’s a new breed of blogging platform on the block. Easy-to-use CMSs for bloggers such as <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> have been teaming up with the people behind word processors to offer better integrations and compatibility. At <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> we’ve joined forces with the most trusted blogging scribbler there is — Evernote.</div>
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<div>With <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> blogs you’ll only ever need to work in the Evernote desktop or mobile app while you are writing, editing, and formatting your posts. The photos you include, the links you create, and all of your formatting will be posted straight from Evernote to your blog. This means you get the powerful blogging benefits that Evernote is already known for, and a professional website that you can post your multimedia content to with even touching... though you do need to set it up first.</div>
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<div>Here, we go through the process of setting up a blog with the <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> platform</span>. As we can’t cover all blogging platforms and we genuinely believe that our own is the best platform to use, we limit ourselves to what we know. Though a lot shorter (around 3 minutes) than other blog sign up processes, the general trajectory is similar to other comparable platforms.</div>
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<div>In the <span style="font-weight: bold;">first section</span> of this post, we show you how to <span style="font-weight: bold;">sign up with </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> and Evernote</span> and get them connected.</div>
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<div>In our <span style="font-weight: bold;">second section</span>, we guide you through how to <span style="font-weight: bold;">create a post and publish it with Evernote</span> to check that it syncs up with your newly created blog.</div>
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<div>In our <span style="font-weight: bold;">third section</span>, learn how to <span style="font-weight: bold;">design and brand your site to suit your personality and taste</span>, using themes, logos, images.</div>
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<div>And in our <span style="font-weight: bold;">fourth and final section</span>, discover how to <span style="font-weight: bold;">create travel blog posts that will generate traffic</span> to your blog by selecting the right topic, title, and doing your research. You can also learn <span style="font-weight: bold;">how to write for the web</span> with our <span style="font-weight: bold;">5 best practices for blog writing</span>.</div>
<div><br /></div><h3>How to Sign up for a Free <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> Blog</h3><div><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> is the Evernote-powered blogging platform that makes starting a blog and maintaining it simple. What’s more — we optimize all our blog themes using industry-standard search engine optimization (SEO) practices. This means your blog can be found by search engines and their users, setting you up to generate significant traffic as you start to grow your content offering.</div>
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<div><a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> is not for everyone. We get that. It has a minimalist interface that’s perfect is you want to focus primarily on content, but which may not be appropriate for bloggers wanting bundles of e-commerce features too. Feel free to skip this step if you’re included in the latter. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Here’s how to get set up with </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> and Evernote in 11 simple steps:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Visit the Website</span></h2><div>Visit the <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> website and click on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Create a Blog</span> button to sign up for an account.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/c5ef7f6d-c49b-4066-a9b1-ad4ab636fbd7.png" width="534"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Enter Your Details</span></h2><div>Fill the form with your details. Here at <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, we follow a strict confidentiality policy, so you know your information will always be safe with us.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/c1c047bd-a576-49c0-ac72-1d9e3b7450d8.png" width="360"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Get Connected</span></h2><div>You will be asked to connect your Evernote notebook to <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>. Right-click on <span style="font-style: italic;">Connect Notebook</span> to open it in a new browser tab and get started.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/ea4013f3-d089-485d-a354-fefe264042cc.png" width="461"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Sign-up for Evernote</span></h2><div>If you don’t have an account already, visit the Evernote site and sign up for one. If you are already signed up, see step 10.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/db9f8372-a11a-4e16-966a-22d12d48fd31.png" width="268"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Choose Your Goal</span></h2><div>In the <span style="font-style: italic;">What’s Your Goal?</span> window, select your reason for choosing Evernote. We selected “Be More Productive" since this will be appropriate to many travel bloggers’ motives.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/9d00b724-7299-4a4e-abbd-5b87f8bda295.png" width="575"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Download Evernote</span></h2><div>You will be asked if you want to download Evernote and the Web Clipper app. Click to download Evernote. Download <span style="font-style: italic;">Web Clipper</span> if you use Google Chrome, so you can take screenshots and save snippets of web pages and articles to your Evernote notebooks.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/83f2a9df-431b-4771-a736-d36777ad3006.png" width="534"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Install Evernote</span></h2><div>Wait for your download to complete, open the installation file, and follow the on-screen instructions to add it to your desktop applications.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b0ffb133-df0e-4d94-a156-16c8510ab6a2.png" width="294"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Open the Evernote App</span></h2><div>Find the Evernote app in your applications folder and click on the icon to open it. You should see the below window. Enter your account details to log in and view your digital workspace.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/93bbe12d-87a6-4997-85c6-e7bab1d2cbde.png" width="559"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. Familiarize Yourself With the Workspace</span></h2><div>Your Evernote workspace is where you will collate your research, draft your blog content, and publish posts to your site. Documents take the form of <span style="font-style: italic;">Notes</span>, organized within folders called <span style="font-style: italic;">Notebooks</span>. Your <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> notebook is where you will draft, post, publish, and store your blog content.<br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/de22d36e-ded7-4966-9d48-609ed351a4d0.png" width="351"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. Connect Evernote to </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a></h2><div>Return to the <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> site tab in your browser and click <span style="font-style: italic;">Connect Notebook</span> again. This time, log in with your Evernote account details and continue to the next step.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/68f4b230-d0af-48e4-ac2c-e0431b5e9f3b.png" width="358"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">11. Authorize Access</span></h2><div>Authorize <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> to create a new notebook named <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> and give it permission to access and link with your Evernote account. Click <span style="font-style: italic;">Authorize</span> and you should be directed to a confirmation page on the <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> site.<br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b40be4c1-c681-4524-878d-5d1f9a05c00d.png" width="518"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div><h3>Test a Post(ach.io)</h3><div>To check <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> and Evernote are linked correctly, you will be asked to create a test post in your Evernote notebook and publish it. Follow the instructions below to create a post in Evernote and publish it to your blog.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/434c3ab0-ac25-48bd-922d-60d3054c8173.png" width="392"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Open the Evernote Desktop App</span></h2><div>Return to the Evernote desktop application and click on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Notebooks</span> tab to the left of the main window. Click on the <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> Notebook to open it up.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/8cceac77-f6f4-4280-81eb-d0614ab98407.png" width="513"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Create a New Note</span></h2><div>The button to the top-left corner of the Evernote window should now read “+ New Note in Postach.io." Click it to add a new note to your <a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> notebook.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/19cba1d2-ac67-42d7-bc24-ebb7e2b2bfef.png" width="557"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Title Your Post</span></h2><div>Enter a title for your new note. The title you write in Evernote will also be the title of the blog post on your site, so make sure you use something catchy that people would actually search for on the web. Try to think of a title that is specific and relates to something everyone visiting your location would be happy to know. For example, if I am writing a post about Saigon, Vietnam, the title <span style="font-style: italic;">11 Coolest Places in Saigon</span> will get more traffic from searches than <span style="font-style: italic;">Alex’s Saigon Experience</span>. The first title addresses something actionable that will relate to most people planning a visit to Saigon, the second seems irrelevant to anyone but me.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/f00db058-a8ab-4a0e-91ee-61ecb8168d56.png" width="511"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Draft Content</span></h2><div>Populate your new note with some digestible content. It doesn’t have to be a long one - just enough to learn the basics of Evernote and test the connection between your Evernote notebook and <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io website</a>. The content you craft should provide useful information with actionable takeaways. Sure, you can write whatever you like. But it is a good idea to go through your posts after you have drafted your main content to add some bullet points giving your readers a summary of exactly how to find or implement what you promote.<br /></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>For example, if you write about your experience of doing a “visa run" in Vietnam, create an accompanying set of bullet points taking your readers through a summary of the steps they must take to complete a visa run “the right way." Your self-reflective blog post becomes something that is not only enjoyable to read but provides useful information addressing particular issues, concerns, or interests people have when they travel to the locations you cover.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/8e7c5fc6-d6eb-479c-acd8-26bbed882db1.png" width="540"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Add Images</span></h2><div>Images break up large chunks of text and help guide your readers’ eyes down the page. It’s easy to add pictures to your blog posts with <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a> and <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a>. Just click on the paperclip icon on the toolbar to select any images you would like to insert.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/ae26d97f-f4d9-4c7e-bd42-aa4b8c07898f.png" width="238"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>If you want to annotate an image once you have imported it to Evernote, right-click on it and select “Annotate this image…" Use arrows, text, and other tools to add the desired annotations.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/40a92111-617c-4b3a-b9ec-cb8731e70c90.png" width="564"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Tag to Publish</span></h2><div>Once you have completed drafting a test post in Evernote, you are ready to publish it to your <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> site. Any notes tagged “Published" in your <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> notebook will automatically sync to your blog. Click to enter the text in the tags field at the top of your note and hit enter to save.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/a65f38f0-c757-4032-b48c-b8ad1446a2f3.png" width="207"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/1e1d3cf7-2462-445c-bcaa-578af05f2dfa.png" width="198"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Sync With Your Blog</span></h2><div>Although your Evernote notebook syncs with your <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> blog automatically, new posts are sometimes not published straight away. To upload a blog post immediately, press the manual sync button at the top of the note (the icon with the two arrows that meet to form a circle).<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/1e1d3cf7-2462-445c-bcaa-578af05f2dfa.png" width="404"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Return to the <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> tab in your browser. You should see a confirmation page just like the one below. Click <span style="font-style: italic;">Log Me In</span> and enter your account details to access your site and start personalizing it to your purpose and taste.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/4007c0fa-eb6c-4fb7-a59f-b6e100cf411f.png" width="373"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h3>Personalize Your Site</h3><div>When you log in to your <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> account, you will see the dashboard. Click on the magnifying glass icon next to your blog to view it in your browser.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/e89eab89-6a32-45b4-8b88-8807f48b234f.png" width="243"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">It should look much like this…</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/c82f7c78-34b5-4c4d-aa9e-e23f68e14458.png" width="575"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Confirm your test post is being displayed correctly and check out the default <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> design. Looks great right? Sure. But if you want your blog make you stand out from the competition you need to adapt it to your purpose (travel blogging) and personalize it to express your unique personality and style. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Read on to discover how to make your blog beautiful.</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Open the </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Site Editor</span></h2><div>Click on the pencil icon on the <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> dashboard to start editing your blog.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/901bae28-6e75-4bab-a225-b24054b6fa4b.png" width="203"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Name Your Blog</span></h2><div>A great travel blog needs a great name. When naming your site, try to keep your options open. For example, if I am writing about traveling Vietnam, I might be tempted to call my blog <span style="font-style: italic;">AsianTravels</span>. If a year later, I decide I want to travel South America, I will have a hard time shoehorning posts about Peru into my Asia-specific blog feed. Here are some examples of blog names from the biggest travel bloggers to get you inspired:<br /></div>
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<div><a href="http://Nomadicmatt.com" style="font-style: italic;">Nomadicmatt.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://Expertvagabond.com" style="font-style: italic;">Expertvagabond.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://Ytravel.com" style="font-style: italic;">Ytravel.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://Adventurouskate.com" style="font-style: italic;">Adventurouskate.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://Youngadventuress.com" style="font-style: italic;">Youngadventuress.com</a></div>
<div><a href="http://Neverendingfootsteps.com" style="font-style: italic;">Neverendingfootsteps.com</a></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>We went for <span style="font-style: italic;">Flipflopsforever</span> because it is catchy but vague enough for us to be able to write about any sunny holiday location, giving us greater flexibility with where we go. An ambiguous name also means that if you create a custom domain and want to sell it in the future, you will not be limited to a specific market (i.e., companies looking for a domain for an Asian travel website). The travel and tourism industry generates annual revenue of around $7.6 trillion, contributing to approximately 10.2% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). Don’t cut yourself off from potential opportunities to tap into this market in the future.</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Enter your new blog name in the</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Subdomain</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">box.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/feb55236-ad78-4367-8c70-b8ea621d0957.png" width="509"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Create a Custom Domain?</span></h2><div>Although you can create a blog for free, you will want to create a custom domain if you want to build an online presence and optimize your site for future traffic. Essentially, if you are trying to get anyone to read your blog other than your friends and family, you will want a custom domain.<br /></div>
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<div>Your blog will also appear more professional with a <span style="font-style: italic;">.com</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">.io</span> domain suffix rather than a <span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><a href="http://postach.io" style="font-style: italic;">postach.io</a> one. Custom domains come with all paid packages. Click on <span style="font-style: italic;">Change Plan</span> in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Billing</span> tab to see the paid packages we offer, either by monthly or annual subscription. You will also then have full access to premium site designs and priority support from the <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> team.</div>
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<div>If you want to upgrade your account to a paid one and choose your custom domain name now, check the box in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Details</span> tab that reads “I’d like to use a custom domain," and follow the instructions. If you don’t want to do this now, you can always upgrade at a later stage.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/6183eb05-cdc8-4766-adcb-0c526170f840.png" width="379"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Introduce Yourself</span></h2><div>If you want Google and the people who visit your blog to know what it is about, you need to include a site description. The more keywords you can use which people may search to find travel blogs such as yours, the easier it will be for them to find you. With <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> you can easily edit your site description using the <span style="font-style: italic;">Details</span> tab:<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/c9b76836-5a93-42ec-a19d-19171a38eeea.png" width="472"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are a couple of examples of site descriptions from well-known travel blogs:</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/7278a2ac-1036-47fd-bd8c-828c3b995a84.png" width="591"/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/648fa593-918d-46bb-b4e5-6d3a974ad1da.png" width="585"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>Write a short synopsis of who you are, what topics you cover, and your specific approach to travel blogging. What will people find when they click through to your blog from search engines? They won’t know unless you tell them.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Personalize Visual Content</span></h2><div>In the <span style="font-style: italic;">Details</span> tab, you will also see options to upload your own logo and cover image. Start personalizing the visual aesthetic of your site.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b753d464-2a84-4230-b818-7203259e65ac.png" width="535"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div>
<div>If you want to personalize your blog to your identity as opposed to that of your brand, use a photo avatar as your logo for a personal touch. If you want to be a little more anonymous, you can create a free logo <a href="https://www.freelogodesign.org/index.html" style="text-decoration: underline;">here</a>. Follow the on-screen instructions and select an appropriate design. We made a logo for our hypothetical blog in less than a couple of minutes:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/1522bcef-c26d-40dc-ac60-c17d1b9b6cb9.png" width="208"/></div>
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<div>For your cover photo, use a picture you have taken, or <a href="https://pixabay.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">download one</a> from a site where you can access public domain images for free.</div>
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<div>Your images will be displayed as thumbnails when they have been uploaded. Be sure to check your site to ensure they are displayed correctly.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/86f9b59a-520d-4ded-a4d3-984d08e950f3.png" width="516"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Pick a Theme</span></h2><div>Here at <a href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> we offer a wide selection of free and premium site designs (“themes") which you can apply to your blog. To choose a theme other than the default, go to <span style="font-style: italic;">Edit Theme</span> and browse through the thumbnails to see what catches your eye.<br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/61674536-a57f-4d21-b9f6-f119361428a3.png" width="573"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>If you like the look of a theme, hover your mouse over it and click to apply it to your blog. To see how the theme looks on your site, simply visit it to see what’s new.</div>
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<div>If you are not keen on a theme, don’t worry. Changing it will not result in the loss any of your data or images. Simply return to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Themes</span> tab and pick something different. We stuck with the default theme for our blog because we love the wide format and high definition cover photo display.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/35fba070-1ee3-4fb2-9508-c5fc4992e8a9.png" width="608"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h3>How and What to Write</h3><div>So you are now the proud owner of a unique, personalized travel blog. What next?</div>
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<div>You need to start packing your expertly designed site with equally-expert content. Most successful travel bloggers publish a blog post around <a href="http://www.successfulblogging.com/blogging-updates/" style="text-decoration: underline;">once or twice a week</a>. But what do they write about? And how? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are the most essential factors to consider when writing your travel blog posts:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Choose a Content Format</span></h2><div>You may want to just start writing. But writing is always more comfortable when you prepare a plan of what to write. Travel blog posts come in a variety of formats. You need to write the type of content that people would actually search for if you want to generate significant traffic to your site. Often, they exhibit highly-structured “how to," “step-by-step," “listicle," or “what to take" formats. These are the kind of formats people search for because they know the search engines will return something useful and easy-to-read. If you are unsure of the kinds of content formats you should be writing to, now is the time to do a little <a href="https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/research-competitor-blog-content/">research on your competitors</a> and their most popular posts.<br /></div>
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<div>Mixing up the different content formats you offer week-by-week is a great way to keep your audience engaged. You could even create a content calendar to ensure you never write to the same format twice in a row. For our second post, we decided to go for the “how to" format. A “how to" title format implies that your post conveys instructional advice using clear explanations that anybody could understand.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/618e7bbe-d837-4e73-ad44-5c029ec91044.png" width="559"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Establish Unique Value</span></h2><div>Once you decide on the content format to write to for a particular post, you need to establish what to write about. Sure — if you are a travel writer, your location largely dictates what you write about. But you cannot merely document your activities wherever you are and expect people to want to read it. You need to offer value that there are untapped audiences for. This value does not need to be monetary. The value you offer in your blog posts will primarily consist of — 1. originality of information, and 2. support for fellow and future travelers.<br /></div>
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<div>Googling the city or country you are in, along with different keywords matching the proposed format of your post can be a great place to start. For example, if I were in Saigon and this week and wanted to write a “how to" post, I would simply search the phrase “how to" in combination with my location keyword (“Saigon") to get a feel for the type of questions people are already looking for answers to. This gives me more than enough clues about the different “pain points" or interests I could address. Google even displays related frequently asked questions for you in some searches (shown below).</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b7d50d63-0457-46f5-aab2-c4c4d09f102f.png" width="507"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>You can also use points of issue or interest from your own experience to spur you on to creativity. What valuable information could you not find before you visited a place that you wish you had? If a trip or excursion goes poorly, ask yourself “why?" How you can give other travelers information that will better prepare them for a place or activity in a way that eases or improves that their experience of it.</div>
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<div>Tell them about pricing, so they know how much currency to withdraw; Tell them where the ATM is so they can find it; If you didn’t get answers to the questions you asked your tour guide, do some research and tell your fellow adventurers the insights you discover.</div>
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<div>Craft your blog posts around the value you can add to other travelers’ lives and your travel blog will be servicing a demand that is already there - for great, quality, location-specific content.</div>
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<div>For our post, we have decided to cover “taxi prices." In Saigon, as in many Asian cities, taxis can be difficult to manage for first-time travelers. It also shows up as a frequently asked question on Google, which means there is a large audience looking for answers related to the topic.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/fc7df2a7-3513-49c5-86f5-16d2782291b5.png" width="535"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Craft Your Title</span></h2><div>Now you know the specific topic you are going to cover and the format the post is going to take, it is time to do some research. The title of your blog post is one of the most critical elements. If you don’t have a clickable title, your potential readers don’t know that the value you have crafted for them is there waiting. We need to take our “how to" format and our “Saigon + taxi" topic and combine them to create the most appealing title we can. Here’s how:<br /></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Google your content format keywords, for example, “how to" or “ways to" along with your location and topic keywords (e.g., Saigon + taxi").</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/15172213-eb3f-4e20-8502-e5a5f41f9a39.png" width="506"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Visit the first three results and note down any information that could be useful to include in your blog post (e.g., prices, taxi companies to use, what to say to taxi drivers).</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b7a53331-09fc-4002-9599-0d7f106d7511.jpg" width="371"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s receipt)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Come up with five versions of your title that will enable you to address multiple points on your list and include all your keywords.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/788b34f6-5644-42df-8cdb-1f58464608d0.jpg" width="359"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s scrap of paper)</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.google.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Google</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">each version of your title and go with the one that produces the least relevant results. This is where the low hanging fruit is. If no relevant web pages are ranking for a particular string of keywords, nobody is competing with you to get their content on the first page when people type it in to Google.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/21366962-4bfd-4d27-8003-839609017a97.png" width="507"/></div>
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<div>Since there are no “how to" posts at all on Saigon taxis, ranking for the keywords we searched, we went for the simple but searchable “How to Get a Taxi in Saigon." As there are no relevant web pages with all of our keywords in, we can be sure that when somebody searches this string of terms, our post is likely to rank among the top results. Follow the same process for every article and blog post you write for the web.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Research Your Post</span></h2><div>Now you have a title and format for your post, you are ready to go out and experience the activity, location, or landmark you are going to write about. Evernote comes with plenty of tools to aid you with your research on the go. If you haven’t downloaded the mobile app yet, you can do this <a href="https://evernote.com/">here</a>.<br /></div>
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<div>Whatever your topic, it can be a good idea to think of all the information you need to collate prior to venturing out. For example, from our online research we know that people often ask about the price differences between each taxi company, where to get taxis around Saigon, how to hail a taxi, and how not to get ripped off. For each taxi ride we take for our research, we must pay particular attention to pricing structures, taxi company names and places, noting these down to refer to when writing up.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/b406e734-ccc8-4986-8317-8743afeb668c.jpg" width="562"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://evernote.s3.amazonaws.com/support-assets/en/moleskine-capture-hero.jpg" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">evernote.s3.amazonaws.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Evernote’s image-to-text document scanner is particularly useful for potentially dangerous locations where you may feel uneasy taking your smartphone out. It allows you to convert your paper notes to digital documents in an instant.</div>
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<div>Write down anything you may need to know when you come to writing your post up. It may all seem clear when you are out “on the road," but when you return to your notebook at the start of a new day, starting off with too much information is always better than too little.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Capture Images</span></h2><div>Images are as important as your text for ensuring your blog post is memorable and clear. After three days, we remember on average around 10% of the information we read. If key information is paired with relevant images though, this bumps up to <a href="https://www.td.org/insights/debunk-this-people-remember-10-percent-of-what-they-read">65% who remember</a> their experience with your brand and the information you share. If you want to be successful, if you want the information you spend your time collecting to sink in, you need to use images in your posts. But what type of images should you use?<br /></div>
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<div>There are two primary ways you will use images in your posts, explained below. Both types of image will help to guide readers’ eyes down the page and can reinforce or illustrate your content. Nonetheless, some images are more specific in function than others.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Image as Visual Branding</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/3cf5a06e-3ad7-4077-ac62-535a2945e158.jpg" width="502"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/social-network-travel/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">www.nomadicmatt.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Images used as visual branding are there for the specific purpose of making your post look professional, giving it a particular aesthetic, and reinforcing particular elements of your unique content.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Image as Illustration</span></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/bdc07927-d8ea-4d2a-9257-38e50dd192e3.png" width="540"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/how-to-travel-around-madagascar/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">nomadicmatt.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Images used for illustrative purposes say what cannot be said more easily using words. They illustrate a point, display directions, demonstrate a description, or just generally provide bonus visual information on a particular activity or process. Screenshots are good examples of illustrative images, as are the photos we might take of taxi meters to show the prices for each taxi company in our post.</div>
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<div>Collect as many images of relevant objects, locations, people, and situations as you can. Having a library of photos to choose from will give you a better chance of finding that perfect photo to compliment what you want to say when you write it up.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Structure Your Headings</span></h2><div>When you search for information about a location online, you don’t want to be presented with a Shakespearean play. You need the most thorough information you can get, in the most concise, easily readable format you can get it in. Writing a travel blog, you always need to think about your readers — how can you give them the best information in the most digestible way?<br /></div>
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<div>Start with your headings. “Step-by-step" and “how to" formats work because they are clearly structured, requiring you to write in distinct sections with accompanying subheadings. They allow readers to easily scan your chunks of content to find exactly what they want to know. Ensure you use a consistent font for each heading to separate your paragraphs clearly so it is easy to see where one ends and the other begins.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ee7e3938-5238-42ee-8548-83250a26133e/511863af-0817-4996-bd88-e5f8c17b1598.png" width="334"/></div>
<div><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>Once you have planned your sections, organize your research to match. You should have a mix of field notes, research, and images. Insert them into your <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a> document under the relevant sections, so you have plenty of info to get started with when you begin to write up.</div>
<div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Write!</span></h2><div>Don’t be scared. Some consider this the hardest part. But if you have followed this guide correctly, you now have a treasure trove of research and images, a topic, a title, and a format. This is amazing news - you don’t have to start with a blank page.<br /></div>
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<div>What you need to do now is write up the information you have collected and organized by heading. Your style and tone should be tailored to your topic and the audience at which you are pitching your blog. Regardless, whatever you write, you want it to be readable. Simple linguistic forms and sentences work better with online content because people are looking for the information they need in the most digestible format. We can’t tell you what to write, but we can give you some pointers on how to ensure your text is clear, concise, and easy to read.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">5 Best Practices for Blog Writing</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Use the</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Active Voice</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">“the taxi driver took my wallet"</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">not</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">“my wallet was taken by the taxi driver."</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Break up Complex Sentences:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">“I established a good rapport with the driver, who loved my Chinese shoes, and he then took me all the way to my door even though he had to squeeze his car down a tiny alley to get there." This sentence would be much clearer if split into multiples ones - e.g., “I established a good rapport with the driver. He absolutely loved my Chinese shoes. He took me all the way to my door even though he had to squeeze his car down a tiny alley to get there."</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Vary Your Sentence-Starters:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Repeating “there," “the," “however," and other overused sentence-starters do not only make your writing less readable (variation helps to guide readers’ eyes down the page) but it can also make your post boring. Begin your sentences with more exciting types of word like</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">adjectives</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">and</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">nouns</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Edit Like a Ninja:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A draft is only the first stage of your blog post. Go back to the beginning of your post and re-read it, removing unnecessary words from sentences and unnecessary sentences from your sections.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Proofread With Software:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Though it is important to edit your post for style, unless you are a seasoned editor-in-chief there will always be grammatical mistakes you miss. Using a sophisticated proofreader such as</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://www.grammarly.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Grammarly</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">or</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://www.autocrit.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">AutoCrit</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">can catch all your grammatical mistakes and even give you “eloquence" suggestions to simplify your writing.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Publish and Repeat</span></h2><div>When you have completed your post and published it (just as you did with your test post, by tagging it “published" in Evernote) your work is not finished. As mentioned above, you need to fill your blog with <span style="font-style: italic;">loads</span> of posts so it begins to show up on Google when people search for a number of different concerns, issues, and interests. This may take a while, but continue to post regularly to your blog, and you will start to see the traffic trickle in. Once you have a decent amount of traffic coming through your site organically (from searches), you will be able to optimize it using various monetization strategies.<br /></div><h3>Going Forward</h3><div>That’s it! You are now set up with a travel blog to rival the rest. Soon every adventure you take will also be a mission to find the most intriguing and exciting locations and cultures. As you discover the world, keep on populating your site with original, quality, useful, searchable, clickable content, and sharing it for your friends, family, and the world to see.</div>
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<div>The future of your blog is bright. The more unique, travel-based content you fill it with, the more unique traffic you will bring in. Once you have a steady pool of visitors passing through your site every day, you can start to explore opportunities for monetizing it through ads, mentions, and other affiliations.</div>
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<div>For now, get blogging! There is a whole world out there to see. If you start blogging regularly now, you will become an even better writer for when your posts are getting read by the masses a few months down the line.</div>
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<div><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Tip</span></div>
<div>Download the Evernote mobile app (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/vn/app/evernote/id281796108?mt=8" style="text-decoration: underline;">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.evernote&hl=en" style="text-decoration: underline;">Android</a>) for seamless integration with your <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> blog on-the-go!</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote,</span> <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away.</span> <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Publish your first post</a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">today!</span></div></div><div><br /></div>
How to Start a Blog in 10 Minuteshttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-start-a-blog-in-10-minutes2018-03-19T21:21:32.997000Z2017-12-26T10:22:49ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/377c1311-b272-4fdb-8845-8f622e92e66c.png" width="624"/><br /></div></div>
<div>Blogging gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge and add value for your readers. It also gives a platform for businesses to promote their expertise and skills. Added with the fact the top blogs turn over <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertadams/2017/03/02/top-income-earning-blogs/#6f18ce402377">millions of dollars per year</a>, it will have no doubt crossed your mind to start one yourself.</div>
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<div>So what’s stopping you?</div>
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<div>Having a blog will help you develop your knowledge, help build relationship within your industry, and potentially earn you a healthy income.</div><h2>Why You Should Start a Blog</h2><div>First of all, let’s be clear. A successful, revenue generating blog needs to add value. A simple personal journal or an outlet to voice your opinion will not generate much return. Consider some of the niches you may be passionate about. With passion comes knowledge and enjoyment.</div>
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<div>If you are simply blogging for money covering a topic you know little about, the likelihood is that you will not succeed.</div>
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<div>Here’s a list of reasons why you should start a blog today:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Build your authority and presence online</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Improve your writing</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Build your knowledge</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Opportunity to generate additional income</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Interact with others in your niche</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Promote yourself to potential clients</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">You’ll have fun doing it</span></li></ul><h2>Myth Busters</h2><div>There’s plenty of material online promising to make you millions if you follow their course, or steps. Whatever it may be, you will not be making hundreds of thousands of dollars within a few months.</div>
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<div>It takes time and patience.</div>
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<div>However, this is not an excuse to avoid setting up a blog. And none of the following statements are true either:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">It’s too expensive:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You can blog using </span><a href="http://Postach.io" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> for free. All it takes to get going is your time</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">It’s time consuming:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">You don’t need to post daily. Instead, focus on creating quality content. Surveys show bloggers are now more likely to post weekly and spend an average of</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/blogs-delivering-results/?ref=zest.is" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">3 hours 20 minutes</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">on each post.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">No one is going to read it:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">By following the steps in this guide, you will drive readers to your blog.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">It’s not going to make any money:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This is not an overnight quick fix. However, with persistence and a little bit of ingenuity, you will start earning a healthy, passive income.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Don’t know what to talk about:</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Everyone has an interest or knowledge in a particular niche. It may sound like a cliche but it’s true. If you are interested in something, then there will be others who share your passion.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>As you can see, there is no reason not to start today. I will show you what you need to do to create a blog that people want to read.</div>
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<div>The only thing stopping you from setting up a successful blog, is well, you.</div><h2>Step 1: Identify Your Niche</h2><div>Before we get into the technical detail of setting up your blog, you need to find your niche. In some ways, this is the most important factor behind the success of a blog.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">The bottom line is this:</span></div>
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<div>The only way you keep people coming back is if you provide engaging and useful content.</div>
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<div>In choosing a niche you need to think about a number of factors. Choose one too obscure and you will find a small market, which will limit monetizing opportunities and run out of blog post ideas.</div>
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<div>Choosing a broad niche will probably be highly competitive and you may struggle to win over a reasonable share of visitors.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here’s what you should consider when choosing your niche:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">What you are passionate about or interested in</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Go for a long-term (evergreen) trend - stay away from “flash in the pan" trends, like fidget spinners</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Has more than one potential revenue stream</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Find a niche you already have knowledge about and have the ability to learn more</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A manageable level of competition</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>Competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, it indicates there is a demand for that niche and if you are confident you can create a better blog, then go for it. However, if you are taking on a blog like the Huffington Post, there’s only going to be one winner.</div>
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<div>In terms of finding an evergreen niche, you need to track back and identify what there has always been a demand for. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Here’s a few examples:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Antiques</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Boating and sailing</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Financial advice</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Healthcare</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Motherhood</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Tattoos</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>It’s worth bearing in mind some of these niches are more competitive than others but they have all been in long-term demand. <span style="font-weight: bold;">For comparison, the following three examples are short-term niches:</span></div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">TV programs (Lost, Friends, and more recently, House of Cards - all have a shelf-life)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Specific fashion trends</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Games</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>Products in each of these niches have a limited life-span and when they drop off, your blog will go down with it.</div><h2>Step 2: Finding Blog Post Ideas</h2><div>Once you have settled on your niche, the next step is to come up with content ideas. The key is to have an organized strategy in place.</div>
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<div>In terms of finding the ideas themselves, we recently <a href="http://blog.postach.io/post/what-to-blog-about" style="text-decoration: underline;">published an infographic</a> which works as a decision map for blog post topics. It covered a number of areas including:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Engaging with your audience:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">. </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">By joining online forums and conversations, you will gain a better understanding of common issues and challenges. You can then use your blog to offer actionable solutions.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Analyzing your competitors:</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Look at successful blogs within your niche and see what they do well. Find out what topics they are writing about, and see if they are missing anything. There is always room for improvement or simply taking a different angle on a topic.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Identifying trends:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Within a niche, there will be trends. Monitor social media and see what people are talking about. As long as it adds value, there’s nothing wrong with creating a post that follows a current trend.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Topic generator:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Hubspot has an excellent</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://www.hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">topic generator tool</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">. You simply put in up to three words relating to your niche, and it will come up with five suggestions,</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Google search suggestions:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This simple method is a quick way for you to find out what people are commonly searching for. Type in a part of a term, and Google will provide a drop down of search suggestions:</span></li></ul><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/1feaf434-9b9a-42a0-b166-6905aed90dd1.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>Ideas can come at any time, so you will need somewhere to jot them down. <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote</a> is perfectly designed for this purpose. It allows you to take notes, store them, and organize for use at a later date.</div>
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<div>For example, if you are in a meeting and a post topic pops into your head halfway through, you can place a reminder in Evernote.</div>
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<div>Let us show you how it works:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/d63d5d8d-02d3-434b-a7d2-08f690006325.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Once you have set up your account and logged in, you will see this page on Evernote. It’s simple and easy to use.</div>
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<div>You can go straight in and type up a note as you can see below:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/f950127f-5da7-4a4f-9c17-a09122fdeba0.jpg" width="435"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>As the volume of your notes increase, you will need to organize your content. The easiest way to do this is to set up notebooks:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/20e4ae29-6da1-4e34-80e1-02a353403eac.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Notebooks act as folders where you can store your individual notes. In terms of setting up a blog with <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, this takes on a particular importance as we will explain later on.</div>
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<div>You can also save inspiring articles that triggered your imagination. Evernote’s <a href="https://evernote.com/products/webclipper" style="text-decoration: underline;">Web Clipper</a> extension enables you to copy and paste a post at a click of a mouse:</div>
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<div>When you see an article you like, you can click on the famous elephant logo within your browser. The drop down asks if you’d like to copy the content.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/ead9f33f-4412-4251-8113-c9759f4d20e0.jpg" width="507"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The default setting, as shown above, will be to publish your clipper. If you do not want to do this, make sure you untick that option.</div>
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<div>Once confirmed, you see this:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/f3b0c7a0-e8ee-4ae8-a7cb-bcfdbe8f9e4a.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>At this point, you simply log in to your Evernote account and you will see it saved in your notes:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/69674629-cc6d-4253-943a-9542795e1e1e.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://Evernote.com">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>This just takes two minutes of your time, Having the ability to save and organize your ideas on one platform will prove invaluable for your blog.</div>
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<div>Using these techniques will help you come up with fresh, relevant blog post ideas. Focus on covering topics you have knowledge of and have access to the necessary resources.</div><h2>Step 3: Using <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> as a Blog Platform</h2><div>As you will already be aware, there are a number of blogging platforms. Each option has its strong points and weaknesses.</div>
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<div>Platforms such as Blogger, Wix, and WordPress allow you to set up your own sites with minimal costs. They also let you choose you set up a domain name, pick a theme, and take care of much of the technical details.</div>
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<div>At <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, we do something unique.</div>
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<div><a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> is a blogging platform that turns Evernote into a content management system (CMS).</div>
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<div>Here’s how it works:</div>
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<div>Once you have created your account with <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, the next step will be to connect your Evernote notebook:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/cf822110-53da-4713-ba16-bc74cd2d791c.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>Make sure you already have an Evernote account and <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> will automatically find your account using the details from the first stage.</div>
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<div>Once it finds your account, it will ask for authorization:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/d930b0ac-257a-44b7-8bbd-1227a01d4d1c.png" width="600"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>While this screenshot is asking for re-authorization, you will see exactly the same layout and options with a first-time authorization.</div>
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<div>Once you have authorized <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> to access your Evernote account, you will be asked to submit a test post.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/aaaf3720-5a21-4a27-a762-dd6cb33c02ce.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>As you can see, the next step is to open up your Evernote page. Make sure you are in the right notebook and, when you’re ready, tag the note as “Published:"</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/a5246b36-5d0b-440e-be15-d5ea464040ba.jpg" width="330"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>Upon completion of this stage, you should see this message when you go back to the <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> page:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/1769afd6-9e0a-4fbc-bde2-d6895cc5c865.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>The first domain you will be registered with will be “yourname.postach.io." So for example, if your name is John Jones, your first address would be <a href="http://johnjones.postach.io">johnjones.postach.io</a>. This can be changed to something more appropriate and we explain how in the next step.</div>
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<div>When you see your site for the first time, your first post should already be online:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/baf7d606-e51f-4484-9521-42cf10045a82.jpg" width="582"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>By now, you will have completed the setup process and your blog will look like this. Now, you need to add your own stamp.</div><h2>Step 4: Picking a Domain Name</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/8eca5bea-1ea0-4cb3-9169-1fbfc9617ec0.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>If you are serious about making a living with a blog, then you need to give time and thought over a domain name. There are a number of factors you should consider:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Is it easy to understand and remember? Don’t make it too long.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Does it reflect your brand?</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Don’t restrict yourself with a specialized address. For example, </span><a href="http://sportapparel.com" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">sportapparel.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;"> would give you more flexibility than </span><a href="http://sportshirts.com" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">sportshirts.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Use a common domain like .com.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">No hyphens.</span></li></ul><div><br /></div>
<div>At <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, we let you choose your own domain name with our premium accounts.</div><h2>Step 5: Choosing a Theme</h2><div><a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> has a number of themes for you to choose from:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/b56a79ab-8f8c-4265-802e-bb032bb13935.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>There are 15 fully optimized themes to choose from in <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>. They cover a range of styles from minimalist to image-led designs.</div>
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<div>In choosing your theme you should consider your audience, niche, and the type of content you seek to create. A fashion blog, for example, will require plenty of room for images. One providing financial advice should go for a more formal design.</div>
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<div>Given the fact web browsing is increasingly done on <a href="https://www.go-globe.com/blog/global-mobile-internet-traffic/" style="text-decoration: underline;">mobile devices</a>, we ensure all our themes are mobile responsive, as shown below:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/13e5d5f4-9103-409a-96f9-a64266ad2f57.jpg" width="427"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshot)</div><h2>Step 6: Setting Up Logo and Cover Photo</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/1151862c-793a-4f82-93fe-ab907237a190.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>Once you have picked your theme, the next step is to customize it to reflect your brand. Within the admin page on <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, you can add your own photos in the header of your blog.</div>
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<div>The process itself is very quick and easy to do. The difficult part is to find the right images. When you have picked your theme, take note of where the images will go. Let’s take a look at the two different versions:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/9e27d325-1430-45cb-a95e-068fde1ed0de.jpg" width="613"/><br /></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/f9b1da5d-307a-48b5-9b84-88f4ecccb36f.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: Author’s screenshots)</div>
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<div>The two examples above demonstrate how images can be displayed differently across different themes. In this case, both versions work but it’s worth experimenting before settling on the images you want to use.</div>
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<div>Also, take note on how the logo is circular rather than square, which will obviously affect how the images will be displayed.</div><h2>Step 7: Add-Ons</h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/920c718f-215e-4919-a520-d7f6903baace.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Author’s screenshot)</div>
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<div>In order for your blog to be a success, you need to be able to interact with your readers. Social media is an excellent way to increase your reach. Within <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>, you can connect to Facebook and Twitter, which will enable you to automatically share published posts.</div>
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<div>You can also add “Disqus" which allows readers to leave comments on your posts. This is another good way to stay engaged with your audience and take the time to respond to any feedback.</div>
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<div>The Google Analytics tool is a must-have for any blog serious about growing its audience. It will help you track traffic, identify strong performing posts, and you can set targets to meet.</div><h2>Step 8: Get Writing</h2><div>Now that you are fully set up with <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> and Evernote, you can get writing on your blog. We have already run through some of the basics with the test post but now we are going to go into a little more detail.</div>
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<div>The very first step is to make sure you are in the right notebook within Evernote:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/7386eba6-047c-4121-89f4-b5eb13bdb6d3.jpg" width="496"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The default option will be your inbox, so you need to select whichever notebook you have set up for <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>.</div>
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<div>The key is to remember the importance of formatting. A readable, engaging, and high-quality blog post should be formatted and laid out correctly. You need to treat Evernote as the content management system.</div>
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<div>The first image below shows what a post looks like within Evernote, while the second displays the published version on <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>.</div>
<div><br /></div><h3>Evernote Draft</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/93130a9a-f338-40c1-bf56-287ce99cf019.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://evernote.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Evernote.com</a>)</div><h3>Published on <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> Platform</h3><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/50127715-076b-4c50-a589-52d4867fc671/a0e134f7-1213-49d5-acc8-aa20b701f255.jpg" width="624"/><br /></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a>)</div>
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<div>As you can see, the formatting is identical as is the layout. You can be as creative as you like with fonts, images, and design using the Evernote platform.</div>
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<div>It really is that easy.</div>
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<div>The challenge is not to get too carried away and focus on the content. Creativity only works if it makes your posts more engaging and relevant to your readers. The fonts need to be legible, images should be optimized, and use the layout to draw the eyes to the central message.</div><h2>Step 9: Keep It Up</h2><div>As we’ve said before, this is not a get-rich-quick solution. Unless you were fortunate or smart enough to invest in Bitcoin last summer, such solutions rarely exist.</div>
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<div>Instead, you need to embrace the good old-fashioned mantra of hard work. It will take time for you to build traffic to your blog, and to start exploiting monetary opportunities. However, with commitment, knowledge, and creativity, a healthy income is within reach.</div>
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<div>The most important step is the first one: Finding your niche. You need to pick one that you can feel confident writing about. It also helps if you already know influencers who can help drive traffic to your blog at an early stage.</div>
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<div>You do not need to post daily. Surveys have shown that long-form posts perform better than short ones, so focus on creating authoritative and useful content. Consistency also helps. If you get into the habit of updating a new post every Monday, stick to it.</div>
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<div>Use the add-ons to easily share your posts and interact with your readers. Constantly monitor and review your traffic flows. If one post is performing particularly well, what lessons can you take from it?</div>
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<div>After a few months, you should start to see the first fruits of your labor.</div>
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<div>A recent Hubspot survey has revealed that <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/does-business-blogging-still-get-results-in-2017-new-data" style="text-decoration: underline;">84% of blogs</a> are seeing results in 2017.</div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;">If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote, </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;"> is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away. </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;">Publish your first post</a><span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;"> today!</span></div>
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Evernote Blogging: How to Do It Righthttps://postach.io/blog/post/evernote-blogging-how-to-do-it-right2018-03-19T21:21:34.151000Z2017-12-12T10:33:55ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/4c976b99-e080-4939-a4b0-aa2b6a9ac486.png" title="Tap to Download"/></div>
<div>There are so many platforms for blogging, it can take days to decide on the right one for you. If you want to focus on content and content only, you need to give Evernote a try.</div>
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<div>Evernote is more than just a note taking app, it is a unique productivity suite with powerful tools and add-ons. But this is not the reason why countless bloggers use Evernote in tandem with their <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> blogs as a virtual workspace. The most vocal advocate of blogging with Evernote, Michael Hyatt, puts it nicely: Evernote is a “<a href="https://michaelhyatt.com/evernote-tags/" style="text-decoration: underline;">digital brain</a>."</div>
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<div>And he is not wrong—the app is in its own league. It is not a blogging platform, not a word processor, and not a note scribbling app. Evernote is all and none of these. It is a standalone desktop and mobile toolbox that puts the writing process front-and-center.</div>
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<div>With Evernote, you can create and organize your ideas, drafts, and posts, publish straight to your <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> blog, and collaborate on notes with your friends and colleagues.</div>
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<div>But Evernote’s unique selling point (USP) is the superior workflow it provides.</div>
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<div>As a writer and entrepreneur, I am always discovering fresh ideas at the least opportune moments. Evernote makes it easy to keep track of my thoughts all the way to completion.</div>
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<div>Sure—you can jot down ideas in any basic notes app. But if you are blogger, you realize that it takes more than a quick record of your thoughts to produce a successful post. It takes a commitment to research, organization, drafting, editing, editing, and editing some more to get that perfect version.</div>
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<div>Evernote has advanced features that enable you to collect information from diverse sources in a single workspace. It is the supreme tool to gather screenshots, data, tables, images, podcasts, charts, and notes, and work them into a finished product. The Evernote team have worked hard to create an app that assists you in developing your post as well as writing it. It is a tool for writers who care about quality writing.</div>
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<div>If you use it right...</div>
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<div>Here, I reveal my top tips for blogging with Evernote, from draft to published post.</div>
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<div><span style="font-family: Segoe UI; line-height: 1.45;"><a href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/962724278/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="962724278"></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: Segoe UI; line-height: 1.45;"></a></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.45;">Research</span></div>
<div>If you are serious about writing, you do a serious amount of research.</div>
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<div>Evernote has built-in tools to gather media and info from almost anywhere. Simple to use, yet versatile, they help you put down solid roots for an informative post.</div>
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<div>While the native equipment gives you plenty to get started, Evernote also gives you the option to add external apps.</div>
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<div>Web Clipper—one of the handiest research aids you can get—is an extension straight from the Evernote team. It is currently compatible only with Google Chrome. But it was worth switching out my browser for.</div>
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<div>Web Clipper equips you to take screenshots of web pages, annotate, share, and save them to your Evernote notebooks. What’s more—this can be done without ever leaving your browser.</div>
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<div>With options to clip web pages in full page, simplified, article, and bookmark modes, Web Clipper is more than a standard screenshot grab app. Install the extension and click on the elephant icon in the corner of your browser to start collecting clips. Save them to your research pool and start developing a solid foundation for your post.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/0ab46514-29a0-4bec-8898-78fe10a4ebf3.png" title="Tap to Download" width="490"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">To add the extension and start taking screenshots with Web Clipper, follow the steps below:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Visit the</span> <a href="https://evernote.com/products/webclipper" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline;">Web Clipper landing page</a> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">and add the extension to your browser</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Close and re-open Google Chrome and you will see an elephant icon has appeared in the top-right on your screen (on the toolbar)</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Click the elephant icon to bring up the Web Clipper menu</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Select each mode to preview what your clipped webpage will look like</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Press the green button to save the version of the webpage you want to your Evernote notebooks</span></li></ul><div><br/></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/e140d9b6-8bd8-4b3a-8a70-6325c718da8b.png" title="Tap to Download" width="332"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/be446883-fafa-4e7b-aee8-34c28318bde9.png" title="Tap to Download" width="292"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/7bf43746-0e55-4c5f-ab1d-d47b0d9109e0.png" title="Tap to Download" width="332"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/5693611d-0718-4a96-a5c4-ec7459db2243.png" title="Tap to Download" width="292"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshots. From top to bottom: Web Clipper Bookmark mode, full page mode, simplified article mode, and article mode)</span></div>
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<div>You can even annotate your screenshots with Web Clipper to highlight the parts of your clipped pages that are most relevant to your research, add additional text, and pixelate areas for data protection. For more information on how to use the Web Clipper app, visit the <a href="https://evernote.com/products/webclipper" style="text-decoration: underline;">evernote site</a>.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/fde222cc-529e-4e0f-88e2-99d8c467632b.png" title="Tap to Download" width="411"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>Of course, when your virtual life is organized to a T, the chaos of the physical world can get frustrating. A digitized repository of resources surrounded by piles of books, scattered notes, and business cards can hamper the productivity of your workspace. If only you had some way to make your physical resources taggable and searchable...</div>
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<div>With Evernote you can lift text from magazines, newspapers, business cards, scribblings—anything legible. Handwritten or printed pages, Evernote transforms your papers into fully searchable content which you can copy, paste, edit, and innovate from.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/be0d4baa-ab4d-4e5c-93da-8943f808b174.png" title="Attachment" width="217"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/0b144fe7-e4f0-4813-9c74-83ff0f01c810.png" title="Attachment" width="214"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://blog.evernote.com/blog/2015/04/02/picture-great-things-with-evernotes-new-ios-camera-functionality/" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">blog.evernote.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>As inspiration strikes, I have a habit of jotting on the closest object I can find. This means a single paper note could contain information related to various topics and posts. Unfortunately, you can’t publish a handwritten napkin to a blog.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/b4ea5680-94b6-4b54-afcb-b19be803f686.jpg" title="Tap to Download" width="563"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://stock.adobe.com/stock-photo/idea-on-a-napkin/28075448?prev_url=detail" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">stock.adobe.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Digitizing my physical resources allows me to streamline my research so that everything is there for the taking. I type in what I want and I get it. If I happen to lose my papers, it’s no problem. I can find and view them on desktop, mobile, or my tablet.</div>
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<div>Get your research in check so you can focus on your craft. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Here’s how to turn your physical papers into digital resources using Evernote:</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ol><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Open the Evernote camera and take a photo of what you want to digitize using the</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Document</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">function</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Choose the document type you want to photograph and select it so Evernote knows how to interpret your info</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Place your paper note on a contrasting background and tap to take your photo</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Save it to one of your notebooks for easy, searchable access at any time</span></li></ol><div><br/></div>
<div>Next time you need the phone number you wrote down at the back of that conference guide (you <span style="font-style: italic;">know</span> you put <span style="font-style: italic;">somewhere...</span>), type your contact’s name into the search bar. As long as you wrote the person’s name along with their number, Evernote will return what you need. Do this for business cards, postcards, as well as your own doodles (Please note: this function is currently only available to premium account users).</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/d0d4b390-d4b5-46d0-9934-9734340a26af.jpg" title="Tap to Download" width="543"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://help.evernote.com/hc/en-us/articles/209126827-Capture-pages-using-the-Evernote-camera" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">evernote.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div>Research can cost you so much time. It does not have to. Use these hacks to unlock a more organized system for your resources. In turn, you will have more time to focus on how your write and what you write to reflect the information you glean.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Organize</span></h2><div>The hard part about collecting all your research in one place is organizing it in a logical fashion. It can be difficult to transition from research to writing without first establishing structure.</div>
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<div>If you structure your research into bite-sized chunks, it is quick and easy to find the resources you want when you need them most. Don’t interrupt your train of thought every couple of paragraphs to find a resource. Make it easy to understand your research and it will be a breeze for you to write the post itself.</div>
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<div>Evernote offers two primary means of sorting your research into distinct categories. Some use <span style="font-style: italic;">Notebooks</span> (which are like folders), others use <span style="font-style: italic;">tags</span>. I find tags superior to notebooks because multiple tags can be added to a single document (or <span style="font-style: italic;">note</span>) to categorize it for different purposes.</div>
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<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><h3>Notes</h3></span></div>
<div>Notes are the individual documents within which you place your information. They are the “blank slates" you will fill with content and publish to your blog.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/5aa2b0f5-714e-432e-aed9-39d81d32dc6f.png" title="Tap to Download" width="624"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><h3>Notebooks</h3></div>
<div>Notebooks are distinct folders you can store your individual notes in according to different categories and purposes. We recommend using them to sort your published from your unpublished posts.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/e0b9125b-b607-427b-beb8-70121438e6d5.png" title="Tap to Download" width="624"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><h3>Tags</h3></div>
<div>Tags within Evernote enable you to assign multiple descriptors to different notes. By clicking on each tag you are able to filter your search for notes according to different descriptors. You can also type tags into the search bar to find the associated notes.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/dd2cd90f-9f75-4709-b17b-b932cebf00a6.png" title="Tap to Download" width="329"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>You can only assign a note to one notebook—which is great if you use Evernote <span style="font-style: italic;">only</span> for notes. But to grow your blog post from a repository of research into original content, you need to be able to sort your resources in a deeper way. Tags enable you to create unlimited categories to link your notes with to make the sorting process flexible and relevant to whatever you are working on at the time.</div>
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<div>Adding tags to a note is simple. Go to the top of your note, type in a keyword and press enter to save. Your note can either be found by clicking on the tag or typing it in the search bar.</div>
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<div>Develop a system for your tags so you can sort your notes by both topic and format. For example, <span style="font-style: italic;">newsletter</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">list-form</span>. But also sort by process. I separate my writing into definitive steps so I can track the progress of a post without using a new note for each stage.</div>
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<div>If my note is in the research stage, I tag it <span style="font-style: italic;">research</span>. When I have developed it enough to start writing, I remove the research tag and replace it with a new <span style="font-style: italic;">draft</span> tag. This means my research and writing are all on the same note, with the research just a swipe away as I draft my piece.</div>
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<div>This is a great habit to get into if you are using Evernote to publish directly to your <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> blog. With <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a>, just tag your note <span style="font-style: italic;">published</span> when you are ready to go live and it will sync automatically with your blog.</div>
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<div>Some writers use Evernote tags and never take advantage of notebooks at all. But Notebooks are great for putting all your best material away for safekeeping—specifically <span style="font-style: italic;">because</span> only one note can be assigned to a notebook at a time.</div>
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<div>Evernote offers a superb presentation mode for conferences and events—or if you need to read something you wrote in a beautiful format. Keeping my published posts in a separate place to my work in progress means I can show them to my colleagues and friends without giving them all my winning ideas. Keep your published posts in a <span style="font-style: italic;">published</span> notebook for those show-and-tell moments.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/1d035d24-01cc-4e35-8fc6-5acfea3542dd.gif" title="Tap to Download" width="470"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a href="https://blog.evernote.com/in/files/2016/04/4.-Presentation-Mode-2nd-screen-GIF.gif" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">blog.evernote.com</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></div>
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<div><font style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Sifting through snippets of information from diverse sources can be hard. Molding them into a library of inspiration for your blog can be the difference between an unread blog post and a successful article.</span></font></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 14px;">But if you fail to sort your research into easily accessible categories and stages, you will have a hard time explaining it to your readers. Use Evernote at full capacity to filter your facts, figures, and thoughts and prepare you for smoother organizational workflow.</span></div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Draft</span></h2><div>When I am at work, I write like Usain Bolt runs. But when I am working on content for myself, I struggle to stay on track. Your draft is when all that excellent research and organization comes to fruition: use the tools at your disposal so a blank page doesn’t get the better of you.</div>
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<div>Evernote’s checklists are my starting point when working on a new draft. They’re simple, but effective.</div>
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<div>No novelty here—just an understanding of the hacks that make writers lives easy. As well as an option for standard bullet points, Evernote’s checkboxes allow you to create discrete points on a list and tick them off.</div>
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<div>Use these to create a goal-oriented “to do" list at the top of your draft. You can check off the items you complete as you go. This will help you to keep an eye on how far you’ve come and how far to go. Creating a strict plan in the form of a checklist and sticking to it could help you to avoid wandering into procrastination.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/cc2bc7c0-e17c-4627-8052-233064f55203.png" title="Tap to Download" width="141"/><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/4d863367-60df-47f1-a834-02974aec4a0e.png" title="Attachment" width="209"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>Combine checklists with customized templates to tap straight into your creative process every time you open up your app. Open a new note and insert checklists for headings and subheadings to mock up the templates you need. It is a good idea to do this for each format you write in.</div>
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<div>My personal template notebook has many of these, including <span style="font-style: italic;">6-Step Guide</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Long-Form</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Article</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">List-Form</span>. Give your template a name and drag-and-drop it to a new notebook. Call it <span style="font-style: italic;">Templates…</span> or whatever you want. It’s up to you.</div>
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<div>Keeping those templates in a separate notebook, just like you did with those published posts, ensures they don’t get accidentally edited. Be sure to make a copy in your work-in-progress notebook when you want to start bulking out a template into a post.</div>
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<div>A blank page can put even the most expert writers off their game. With Evernote, there’s no need to start afresh every time. Use lists and templates to supercharge progress and keep it in check so you never lose track of your goals.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Collaborate</span></h2><div>Collaborative tools are abundant. But it can be frustrating to keep multiple versions and edits organized between different apps. Evernote lets you collaborate natively as well as sync with external apps like Google Docs. Whatever your collaborators are using, make the process familiar to them and to you.</div>
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<div>To use Evernote as your primary mode of in-house collaboration, create a shared notebook. This gives you all the options for collaborative work you need. Add collaborators with different permissions (to edit or view) and start sharing the load. Click <span style="font-style: italic;">File</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">New Notebook</span>, and name it. Be sure to check the <span style="font-style: italic;">Shared</span> field and invite people to join if you want to give them access. You can browse and edit shared notebooks and notes in the same way as your own. Get collabbing!</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to create a shared notebook for collaborating with Evernote</span></div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Select</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">New Notebook</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Name your notebook</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Select the</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Shared</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">option</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Type the names or email addresses of your contact to give them access</span></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/5e2f6e15-076a-4117-b5a5-bbdf8fac199f.png" title="Tap to Download" width="604"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>But be sure to establish standard procedures for assigning tags to save confusion. As well as collaborating on writing, shared notebooks can be great for creating a pool of research that your colleagues can view, edit, and continually update. But it is important to keep them tidy so that everyone can find what they need. Making something easy for you to find may make it hard for everyone else.</div>
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<div>Collaborating on work within a single application is much easier than flicking between two. But if you are working with writers from all over the world, the chances are they won’t all be using Evernote. Some just prefer writing in other applications—we all have our quirks. Evernote enables syncing and linking with the most popular applications for collaborative writing, for example <span style="font-style: italic;">Google Docs</span>. This means no more switching. Each writer can use the best application for them.</div>
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<div>Click the Google Drive icon in your note toolbar at the top. You will be asked to enter your details and allow Evernote access to your Google account the first time. Once this is done, click the Google Drive icon on the Evernote toolbar to browse your files and select the ones you want to add to your note.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/3ef2f591-f4a2-4240-809e-c6bf5297c40a.png" title="Tap to Download" width="605"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>Add your linked files to your shared notebook to make them accessible to everyone in your team. Your colleagues can even use Web Clipper within the Google Docs application to annotate your work and give you feedback on your drafts.</div>
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<div>Don’t be the cliched lonely writer. With Evernote, it is easier than ever to piece together a post along with other writers, bloggers, businesses, and magazines—wherever they are in the world. Have a little help from your friends.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Publish!</span></h2><div>With so much support for writing blog posts, it is no wonder that Evernote has teamed up with our platform to make publication as easy as it could be. With integration for <a href="http://postach.io/" style="font-style: italic;">Postach.io</a> blogs, you can publish posts easily and quickly without the need to open up your browser and sign in.</div>
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<div>Syncing your work with your blog is as simple as assigning a tag.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/07e020ad-d9c5-412f-bb0c-ed78ea9925c6.png" title="Tap to Download" width="501"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div>Connect your Evernote account to your <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> blog when you sign up. When you think you have produced a finished post, tag it <span style="font-style: italic;">published</span>. The post will sync with your blog within the next thirty minutes. Or if you can’t wait—press the sync button to publish in an instant.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/69bf5134-2462-4794-8b92-c79d0c88bed4/aed50672-082b-4214-ba0a-e32c59f4aad0.png" title="Tap to Download" width="616"/></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source: Author’s screenshot)</span></div>
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<div><a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> is the perfect platform for blogging with Evernote. We put a lot of work into making it it easy to use for the best blogging workflow. With beautiful templates and customizable features to make your blog individual to you, you can get set up and start Evernote blogging within just a few minutes. Sign up to <a href="https://postach.io/site" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> now to start making the most of Evernote’s streamlined workflow all the way to publication.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></h2><div>Blogging is more than just typing. It involves idea generation, planning, research, organization, and motivation. Evernote makes these important but timely elements simple, so you can concentrate on writing the words that matter most. It is the perfect application if you want your workflow to be backward-compatible with your brain.</div>
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<div>As an experienced marketer, entrepreneur, and writer, I spent years struggling for a process that would provide me with the perfect springboard for a successful blog post. Use the techniques I have discovered to hack your productivity so you not only become a faster blogger but a more consistent one. Your posts will reflect the consistency in structure and logic afforded by the Evernote framework. You will also have more time to spend on other activities to make your voice heard in the bustling digital world.<span style="line-height: 1.45;"><a href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/962724278/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="962724278"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="line-height: 1.45; font-family: Segoe UI;">Get a FREE PDF With the Top 5 Ways to Grow Your Blog!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="line-height: 1.45; font-family: Segoe UI;"></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Segoe UI;"><span style="line-height: 1.45; font-weight: bold;">If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote, </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="line-height: 1.45; font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="line-height: 1.45; font-weight: bold;"> is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away. </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="line-height: 1.45; font-weight: bold;">Publish your first post</a><span style="line-height: 1.45; font-weight: bold;"> today!</span><br/></div></div><div><br/></div>
How to Write An "About Me" Page for Your Bloghttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-write-an-about-me-page-for-your-blog2018-03-19T21:21:33.926000Z2017-12-05T15:28:37ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/9fc58e76-03a8-442f-bc0c-2035a49447a6.jpg" /></div></div><div>To write a killer “About Me" page you need to look beyond simple self-promotion and set out what your blog is about. Explain what motivated you to start writing and give a backstory. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.</div><h2>Before You Get Started</h2><div>Before you even get started on writing your “About Me" page, you should consider the following factors:</div>
<div><br/></div><ol><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">What is the purpose of your blog?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This is your chance to define what your blog is about.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">What is your brand?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Whether you are a one-person show or a business blog, you will have a brand. Consider your backstory and the journey to get to where you are today. Ask yourself where you want to get to in the future. It all forms part of a brand. Decide what it is, and create the content and design accordingly.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Who is your target audience?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Work out who your target audience is.</span> <span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This will help you set the tone of your “About Me" page.</span></li></ol><div><br/></div>
<div>Once you have answered those questions, you have a clear idea about the message you want to get across.</div><h2>What You Should Include:</h2><div>The about me page is the one place where you can outline your blog with more than just a sentence or two. However, it doesn’t give you a license to simply write a long essay. The content still needs to be focused and relevant.</div>
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<div>There are elements that every “About Me" page must have:</div><h3>Share Your Personality</h3><div>There is a time and place for facts. This is not one of them.</div>
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<div>The key is to offer a window to your blog, not just a wall of text. You should set out the reasons you started your blog and what you aim to achieve.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/7fc602bb-7e00-4f9b-b829-ea38a842220b.png" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://josephpayton.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Josephpayton.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Web designer <a href="http://josephpayton.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Joseph Payton</a> uses the page to share his story, right back from the time he was in diapers. The humorous tone has a serious message - that he has always loved designing. This in itself is a key part of Joe’s brand and persona.</div>
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<div>Where blogs are run by individuals, the personal story in the “About Me" page is a common sight. It connects the reader with the person behind the blog, helping build rapport between the blogger and the audience.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/08745aa2-85a4-425c-adce-1bda782ffbfd.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Themiddlefingerproject.org</a>)</div>
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<div>Most brands would balk at the idea of swear words but the great thing about blogs is the freedom it offers. <a href="https://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/" style="text-decoration: underline;">The Middle Finger Project</a> blog was set up by rags-to-riches entrepreneur Ash Ambirge in 2009. She shares her remarkable story in greater detail below but the top banner sums it up.</div>
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<div>The photo is another smart addition, which adds a friendly touch.</div>
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<div>Ash clearly portrays herself as a no-nonsense entrepreneur who endured hard times to enjoy success. Her blog is about empowering and enabling ambitious women to follow her example.</div>
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<div>Because she sets the brand, Ash is able to get away with using colorful language that would otherwise be frowned upon.</div>
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<div>More importantly, the language is used to underline the dramatic events in her life.</div>
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<div>Further down the page, there is a list of 70 defining moments in Ash’s life since 2009:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/a4b8ac11-1763-4641-aa73-43a6b0cfc7d5.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://www.themiddlefingerproject.org/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Themiddlefingerproject.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The list includes personal events and the use of humor elicits empathy from the reader. The unconventional approach has proven to be a success for Ash, who earns $1m+ a year from her blog alone. <span style="line-height: 1.45;"><a href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/892871304/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="892871304"></span></div>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.45;">Get a FREE PDF With the Top 5 About Me Page Mistakes!</span></div>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.45;"></a></span></div><h3>Share Your Values</h3><div>Having a set of values can contribute significantly to your brand. It shows the type of blog or company you aspire to be and the morals you follow.</div>
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<div>The world’s biggest micro-blogging platform, <a href="https://twitter.com/?lang=en" style="text-decoration: underline;">Twitter</a> uses the “About Me" section to have a whole page dedicated to its values.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/b4663d87-4e15-4142-829f-5226c7b6c131.png" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Twitter.com</a>)</div>
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<div>While a global brand may have the resources to pursue such lofty values, it would be a smart move to follow its approach. You may not be able to respond to every international disaster but you could provide support for your local school or hospital.</div>
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<div>The point is to have a set of realistic values that you and your blog can work with.</div><h3>Show How You Can Help</h3><div>While the approach from The Middle Finger Project is refreshing, it’s not for everyone. You need to consider your market, and sometimes a more subtle tone is required.</div>
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<div>Former CEO and Chairman of a leading publisher, Michael Hyatt now publishes a magazine on leadership. He takes a more conventional approach to the overall site and uses his “About Me" page to show where he can help:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/38737d4e-cf5c-4d39-9ccb-16b28a684527.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/">Michaelhyatt.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The section doesn’t go into great detail but it gives a good overall picture of Michael’s vision and where he can help. This is enough to entice the reader to find out more.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/099d96b1-77e6-453f-8065-17a238380870.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://michaelhyatt.com/">Michaelhyatt.com</a>)</div>
<div>Scroll down the page, and you will find Michael’s story. Complete with a picture of him at home with his wife and their dog, you start to understand his values.</div>
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<div>Michael also details the journey that got him to where he is today.</div>
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<div>A successful business leader who found he was making too many sacrifices with his personal life.</div>
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<div>So, he found a way to strike a balance and wants to share his methods with others.</div><h3>Keep It Relevant</h3><div>Both Michael’s and Ash’s “About Me" pages are lengthy. That in itself doesn’t matter, as long as the content is engaging, interesting, and relevant.</div>
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<div>The last thing you want is the reader to zone out and get bored half way down.</div>
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<div>Author <a href="http://www.sethgodin.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Seth Godin</a> takes a much more simplistic approach to his “About Me" page.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/cc67926a-722c-4203-9499-11d4bcbbbc60.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://sethgodin.com/">Sethgodin.com</a>)</div>
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<div>This short and succinct biography gives you all the information you need. By the end you know Seth is a best-selling author, a marketer, and finds unusual ways to sell his books. He also gives you his specialties, namely ideas, marketing, and “changing everything."</div>
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<div>The little cartoon at the bottom adds an injection of personality. Though not as lengthy as other examples, all the information on the page is relevant to what the reader needs to know.</div>
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<div>This style is reflected in the blog itself:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/935a51fe-300b-4b6d-ba2b-71c4744b8f79.jpg" width="575"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Sethgodin.typepad.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Maintaining consistency across the different pages helps to develop your brand. An inconsistent style can lead to confusion for your readers and insufficient understanding of what your blog is about.</div><h3>Use Case Studies or Social Proof</h3><div>The ultimate way you can show how your blog has helped others is to prove it with a case study or social proof.</div>
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<div>Front-end developer and UX designer <a href="http://www.adhamdannaway.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adham Dannaway</a> uses a portfolio to showcase his work.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/0701d74b-acb8-4ea9-843b-64edb21041d0.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://www.adhamdannaway.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Adhamdannaway.com</a>)</div>
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<div>With an impressive portfolio, Adham is able to showcase the breadth and quality of his work. Potential clients will have a deeper understanding of his abilities and be more comfortable to work with him.</div>
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<div>A client’s testimonial needn’t take any more than 140 characters - or <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitters-280-character-tweets-officially-go-live-1510088401" style="text-decoration: underline;">280 given recent developments</a>. Karen Evans of <a href="https://startbloggingonline.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Start Blogging Online</a> slips in a few positive tweets in her “About Me" page,</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/98d662af-4dbb-4276-8ebb-c25c8da5b594.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="https://startbloggingonline.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Startbloggingonline.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The tweets pop up between sections through the page and help to break up the text. There’s no way your eyes can avoid them but they’re not overly distracting or intrusive.</div>
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<div>Studies suggest nearly <a href="https://consumerist.com/2015/06/03/nearly-70-of-consumers-rely-on-online-reviews-before-making-a-purchase/" style="text-decoration: underline;">70% of customers</a> look for product reviews online before making a purchase. So, having social proof on your “About Me" page will boost your conversion rates.</div><h3>Contact Details</h3><div>This can easily be overlooked. </div>
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<div>The reader knows who you are, what you do, and how you can help them, the next step is for them to contact you.</div>
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<div>As well as having a simply fantastic “About Me" page, <a href="http://ishitagupta.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Ishita Gupta</a> adds a “Work Together" section at the end.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/08b58cf9-cba1-42f5-9696-e82d4c56c844.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://ishitagupta.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Ishitagupta.com</a>)</div>
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<div>If the reader gets to the bottom of Ishita’s “About Me" page, they are definitely interested. So it makes sense to give a variety of options to find out more.</div>
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<div>The “Work Together" link takes you through to a new page that outlines her services in greater detail.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/10fd54c0-4ea0-4d00-ae22-b639ec62ce4d/aa8810a2-589c-4f5c-8cf0-f6ae5c62508c.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://ishitagupta.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Ishitagupta.com</a>)</div>
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<div>This is an excellent example of using your “About Me" page to drive revenue to your blog.</div><h2>Conclusion</h2><div>The “About Me" page is more than just demonstrating your abilities and experience. Readers want to know the personalities behind their favorite blog.</div>
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<div>Don’t be afraid to be a little bit outrageous if it fits with your brand and target audience. Much like images, adding color to personalities can boost the level of engagement.</div>
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<div>Nonetheless, you should ensure the content is relevant. An “About Me" page should serve as a guide to your blog, explaining its history and purpose.</div>
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<div>If you are comfortable with having your face on your blog, then you should display it on your “About Me." It can be used to make you familiar with your readers.</div>
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<div>Tell your personal story, and any hardships you experienced along the way. Everyone has challenges in their lives, so you will be able to connect with them by sharing yours. If you are offering advice in any way, shape, or form, your readers will need to feel reassured you understand them.</div>
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<div>Above all, the “About Me" page is your opportunity to showcase your abilities to the world. Just be creative with it. <span style="line-height: 1.45;"><a href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/892871304/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="892871304"></span></div>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.45;">Get a FREE PDF With the Top 5 About Me Page Mistakes!</span></div>
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<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote, </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away. </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Publish your first post</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> today!</span></div></div><div><br/></div>
What to Blog About - an All-purpose Decision Map [Infographic]https://postach.io/blog/post/what-to-blog-about2018-05-11T15:18:15.846000Z2017-11-27T10:29:45ZThe Postach.io Team<div>All bloggers will be familiar with the challenge of coming up with fresh topic ideas. According to a survey, <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/09/b2b-content-marketing-research/">60% of B2B marketers</a> say producing engaging content is their number one content marketing challenge.</div>
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<div>The value of a blog is underlined by the fact businesses who use one generate <a href="http://www.techclient.com/blogging-statistics/" style="text-decoration: underline;">67% more leads</a> than those who do not. There is no doubt you should be blogging.</div>
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<div>How do you overcome the challenge of coming up with topic ideas? The team at <a href="https://postach.io/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Postach.io</a> have put together an all-purpose decision map. The infographic below will take you through the key methods you should follow to come up with fresh, engaging content:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center; "><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/311d5c75-6812-4fe1-aea7-60d1d016ce67/f135a2a6-7db9-4619-a896-b1c9ece0129f.jpg" /><br /></div></div><div><br /></div>
<div>The infographic should give you a roadmap to blog post ideas. Let’s go over the points in a little more detail.</div><h2>1) Choose Something You Are Passionate About</h2><div>Blogs (or anything work-related) are easier when you are passionate about them. It has been proven by a major study, suggesting people are <a href="https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/" style="text-decoration: underline;">12% more productive</a> when they are happy.</div>
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<div>In choosing the topic for your blog, consider whether you will enjoy writing about it for the long term. It will be easier to create engaging and exciting content where the passion shines through.</div>
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<div>The added bonus in taking this approach is that you are more likely to know what you are talking about. You’ll be able to follow all the latest developments or ideas to keep your blog fresh. This is particularly important as Google’s algorithms are getting ever smarter at filtering out poor quality content.</div><h2>2) Engage With Your Audience</h2><div>Communicating with your audience is a key aspect to a successful blog. Being responsive to the desires of your readers will enable you to give them the content they want and foster goodwill. Here’s some tips on how to do it:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Join conversations online -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Each niche or industry has an online community. Joining those groups, social media channels, and forums will help you understand some common pain points or issues. You can then share your thoughts and offer a solution through your blog.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Organize a vote -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Take the opportunity to ask your readers to choose the next topic.</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="http://exilelifestyle.com/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Exile Lifestyle</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">blogger Colin Wright follows this format by asking his followers to choose his</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="http://exilelifestyle.com/about/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">next destination</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Email marketing -</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Working in a similar way to an on-site vote, asking your subscribers is a great way to increase engagement.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Blog comments -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The comment section on your blog can be a rich source of ideas. You can address frequent questions and comments with a new post.</span></div></li></ul><div><br /></div><h2>3) Research</h2><div>Carrying out research will take your knowledge and skills to the next level. Even an industry expert will never stop learning. You should look at the following methods:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Competitor analysis -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">See what your successful competitors are blogging about. The important thing here is not to simply copy and paste but instead identify where you can add value.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Trends -</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">See what’s trending within your niche on social media. If there’s one or two you feel confident writing on, then go for it. Make sure you share it on your social media platforms afterwards.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Ultimate guides -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">With long-form posts proving to have the</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://okdork.com/why-content-goes-viral-what-analyzing-100-millions-articles-taught-us/" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">highest engagement rates</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">, it can be worth investing time into an ultimate guide. The key is to fill it with strong, authoritative content. The graph from OkDork below, neatly illustrates the value of long-form content.</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/311d5c75-6812-4fe1-aea7-60d1d016ce67/4bfe9a80-03b5-4da0-b95d-0122e6aff07a.png" width="624"/></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">(Source:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://okdork.com/" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">OkDork.com</a><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;">)</span></div></li></ul><h2>4) Repurpose Old Content</h2><div>From time to time, you should dive into your archive of old blog posts and see what you can do with them. Focus on the ones that have performed strongly. Here’s how:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Simple updates -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">For example, if you have written a post on “Top Blogs in 2016," you could create a 2017 version.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Review -</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">At the beginning of the year, did you make some bold predictions about your industry? Even if they have proved way off track, it’s a great idea to look back. No one gets every prediction right and it will be entertaining for your readers.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Extend your coverage -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Say you have written a post on “10 Restaurants for Italian Food," follow it up with another type of cuisine.</span></div></li></ul><h2>5) Alternative Methods</h2><div>Ideas can come from a variety of sources. It’s about being open minded and being willing to embrace other perspectives:</div>
<div><br /></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Your team -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Collaborate with your team for new blog post topics. They will have different perspectives on the same industry or niche.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Books -</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">If you have books, whether it’s on the shelf or in your Kindle, then they will be full of topics you may not have thought of.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Topic generator -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">If you’re really stuck for ideas, then a Hubspot has an excellent</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a href="https://www.hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator" style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;">topic generator tool</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">. Simply type in three terms, and the generator will churn out 5 titles for you to use.</span></div></li><li dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Google search suggestions -</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">To see what people are searching for within your niche, use Google’s search suggestions. The top searches automatically drop down as you type the term:</span></div></li></ul><h2>Got Your Idea?</h2><div>Ideas are great and everything but how do you know if it’s actually going to work? Well, if a blog post is about something you’re passionate about, you probably don’t care. Just go for it and hope for the best.</div>
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<div>If it’s something you think might work but maybe seems like a burden to you, one thing you can do is test the idea out by running Facebook ads (as long as you follow their <a href="https://connectio.io/facebook-ad-guidelines/">ad guidelines</a>), posting a short version of the idea on a Facebook group, or getting some feedback from communities like Reddit.</div>
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<div>Deciding what to blog about can be hard but you’d be surprised at how many people are willing to help you out.</div><h2>Conclusion</h2><div>There is no getting away from it. Blogging can prove lucrative for both individuals and businesses. A well-organized, fresh, and engaging blog filled with high-quality content can generate a healthy income.</div>
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<div>The first thing is to find your niche that fits your interests and knowledge. This could apply to both individual and business blogs. Having a passion for the topics you are writing about will get you through the challenges all bloggers face.</div>
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<div>One such challenge is continually creating fresh, engaging, and relevant content.</div>
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<div>The all-purpose decision map is designed to help you reach your blogging goals and identify strong topics. The key is to take a holistic approach and understand that all the components work together. For example, you need to carry out research to find your audience before you can engage with them and share your expertise.</div>
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<div>While you need to remain focused on the topic, you can keep an open mind about where your ideas come from. There are many avenues to explore - not least the people around you. Whether they are part of your team or industry influencers, they can offer different perspectives on a similar subject.</div>
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<div>Even something as simple as a Google search suggestion can trigger a new blog post. After all, they tend to be what people are actively searching for.</div>
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<div>Place an emphasis on quality over quantity. Simply churning out average daily posts no longer works. Google’s algorithms are designed to pick out high-quality content, and bloggers are starting to realize this. A recent survey found they are taking <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/blogs-delivering-results/?ref=zest.is" style="text-decoration: underline;">more time to write</a> blog posts.</div>
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<div>At the end of the day, this is what matters the most. Creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content. And it’s a lot easier when you are passionate about your blog.</div>
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<div>Use the all-purpose decision map to inspire you today!</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote, </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Postach.io</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away. </span><a href="https://postach.io/site" style="font-weight: bold;">Publish your first post</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> today!</span></div>
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7 Blog Post Ideas to Set You up for Successhttps://postach.io/blog/post/blog-post-ideas2018-04-11T15:31:38.694000Z2017-11-20T07:02:20ZThe Postach.io Team<div><h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/4f23cc78-ad17-4190-93fa-c2b9daee1233.png" /></h2><h2><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">For the millions of bloggers around the world, one of the most common questions is this:</span></h2><div>“How do I make my blog stand out?"</div>
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<div>It is a tough task. With over <a href="http://www.worldometers.info/blogs/" style="text-decoration: underline;">3 million posts</a> a day, the challenge is to create relevant and informative content people want to read.</div>
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<div>Before we go any further, the bottom line is the single most important factor in any successful blog post is the quality of content.</div>
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<div><a href="https://www.google.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Google</a> actively searches for original, relevant, and useful content. It even has a guide on creating <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/6001093?hl=en" style="text-decoration: underline;">valuable content</a>.</div>
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<div>We are going to take you through some of the top ideas that can make your blog posts stand out from the crowd.</div>
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<div>Please note, we are not going to be giving you simple topic ideas. We are giving you something far more useful: Strategies that will enable your blog posts to fly with relevant content.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Length Matters</span></h2><div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/f5b581e7-4693-44e7-a4b9-2fd2e74e8a2b.png" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://backlinko.com/">Backlinko.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The graph from SEO consultancy <a href="https://backlinko.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Backlinko</a>, shows the average word count of a first page Google result 2016 was <a href="https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking" style="text-decoration: underline;">1,890 words</a>. This underlines the fact long-form content works.</div>
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<div>There is no single reason why Google ranks long-form posts so highly. The technology giant routinely <a href="https://moz.com/google-algorithm-change" style="text-decoration: underline;">updates its algorithms</a> to improve the search results.</div>
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<div>The key is to take you back to the first point. No matter what you do, the quality of content is the most important element in a successful blog post.</div>
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<div>The theory is that authoritative, informative, and in-depth posts tend to be over 1500 words long. Further supporting the logic is the number of social shares long-form content receives over its shorter versions:</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/e8be3d82-3a44-4d53-8c4b-60cf279ff708.png" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://okdork.com/">Okdork.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The data was collected by <a href="https://twitter.com/noahkagan">Noah Kagan</a>, who published it on his blog, <a href="https://okdork.com/">OkDork</a>. He looked at the top 10% most shared articles through <a href="http://buzzsumo.com/">BuzzSumo</a> and put together the findings in this graph.</div>
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<div>The results are clear. Long-form content gains the most social shares. Even in this mobile age of <a href="https://www.catgifpage.com/">cat GIFs</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000151/">Morgan Freeman</a> memes, people want to read and share thoughtful, informative content.</div>
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<div>It may be challenging for you to churn out 3,000+ word content regularly. Instead, focus on creating posts that inform and help readers. Long form articles of at least 1,000 words will follow.</div>
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<div>As marketing guru <a href="https://neilpatel.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Neil Patel</a> says of word count: “It only matters if the content is good."</div>
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<div><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><a href="https://www.getdrip.com/forms/698721187/submissions/new" data-drip-show-form="698721187"></span><span style="line-height: 1.45;">Get a FREE PDF With 8 Steps to Optimize Your Blog!</span><span style="line-height: 1.45;"></a></span></div>
<div><span style="line-height: 1.45;"><br/></span></div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Listicles</span></h2><div>Listicles may get a bad press but they are great for creating readable, stimulating, and shareable content.</div>
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<div>Even the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">New York Times</a> has jumped to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/25/upshot/in-defense-of-the-listicle.html?_r=0" style="text-decoration: underline;">its defense</a>.</div>
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<div>Listicles are used to present long-form content in an efficient manner. It has been proven that the brain can <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/a-list-of-reasons-why-our-brains-love-lists" style="text-decoration: underline;">process lists</a> more easily.</div>
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<div>Evidence from Buzzfeed’s top six most shared articles in 2016 also indicates the power of lists. Three of the top six are listicles:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/cf56f0d0-c226-4acf-969b-9217dc969f9a.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://neilpatel.com/">Neilpatel.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The study <a href="https://neilpatel.com/blog/how-to-give-your-content-wings-we-analyzed-11541-viral-articles-from-2016-to-uncover-the-secret-formula/" style="text-decoration: underline;">found that 61%</a> of the best performing viral articles in 2016 had numbers in the titles. Other studies indicate titles with odd numbers performed <a href="https://writtent.com/blog/11-scientific-facts-youre-blog-titles-wrong/" style="text-decoration: underline;">20% better</a> than their even numbered peers.</div>
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<div>This does not mean you can just come up with any list. It still needs to be well designed, relevant, and focused.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Infographics</span></h2><div>There is only one type of content that gets more shares than listicles - infographics.</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/28e3b436-0843-482f-b27c-fbae0eb74d6a.png" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://okdork.com/">Okdork.com</a>)</div>
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<div>Infographics enable marketers to put together lots of content in a visual way. After all, posts with images get <a href="https://www.quicksprout.com/2015/03/20/the-ultimate-guide-to-creating-visually-appealing-content/" style="text-decoration: underline;">94% more views</a> than those without.</div>
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<div>Studies have shown that the brain processes images <a href="https://magemail.co/blog/top-ecommerce-sites/" style="text-decoration: underline;">60,000 times</a> faster than words. People can also get a sense of a visual scene in less than <a href="http://neomam.com/interactive/13reasons/" style="text-decoration: underline;">1/10th of a second</a>. That’s 0.01 seconds.</div>
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<div>This partly explains how infographics can <a href="https://www.webhostingsecretrevealed.net/blog/site-updates-news/top-ways-infographics-can-increase-site-traffic-and-improve-appearance/" style="text-decoration: underline;">boost traffic</a> to your blog by 12% compared to those who do not use them.</div>
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<div>This example from personality test provider <a href="https://www.truity.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Truity</a>, is a good example of how an infographic can pack in content in a fun and engaging way:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/3fa512e2-4782-4d80-b520-718cd94de5a0.png" width="624"/></div>
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<div>The information is broken up into easily digestible sections and complemented with images. With so much evidence pointing to the high effectiveness of visual content, it would be a good move to add infographics to your content.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Roundups of Influencers</span></h2><div>This is a surefire way to build the credibility of your blog. As you are looking to grow the traffic to your blog, a roundup of opinions from key influencers and industry experts can prove invaluable.</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr">Delivers high quality, authoritative content</li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Drives traffic to blog through shares on contributors sites and social media platforms</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">Enables you to build relationships with industry influencers</span></li></ul><div>A big factor in the success of such posts is the topic. In the selection process, you would need to consider the following:</div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Will you get more than one or two answers?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">A post with eight experts saying the same thing adds no value.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Is the question focused?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">While you want different answers, they will need to be offering solutions to the same problem.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Is it relevant to your blog?</span> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none;">If your blog is about pets, then is asking a question about the economy really appropriate?</span></li></ul><div>Tthe topic doesn’t need to be overly complex, or dull. <a href="https://smallbiztrends.com/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Small Business Trends</a> came up with a straightforward title for one of its roundups: “<a href="https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/09/keep-business-travel-expenses-down.html" style="text-decoration: underline;">15 Ways to Keep Your Business Travel Expenses to a Minimum</a>".</div>
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<div>The contributions from the influencers were varied and full of good ideas. The content is relevant for many small business owners on tight budgets but trying to grow their network. The title is simple and focused.</div>
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<div>There’s nothing sweeter to a blog owner, than someone calling them an influencer or an expert on their subject. It’s essentially guaranteed that each person you feature in that article will share it with their audience and perhaps even link back to it from their blog. You’ll reap the benefits of being seen by their audience, as well as the search engine optimization (SEO) benefits from getting more backlinks to your site.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Guest Posts</span></h2><div>In a similar way to roundups, writing for other blogs or websites can boost your authority. If you are a relatively new blogger in the industry, writing for one of the bigger or established sites can drive high quality traffic to your blog.</div>
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<div>Providing you get the backlink, guest posting can be up to <a href="https://goinswriter.com/guest-posting/" style="text-decoration: underline;">five times</a> more powerful for SEO than creating content on your own blog.</div>
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<div>There is also the benefit of communicating to a new audience who share your niche. If you choose the right site, its readers will likely share a similar interest in the content of your blog.</div>
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<div>It is important to take the opportunity to promote your knowledge and expertise, rather than simply your blog or product. People want to read valuable content and sites will be unforgiving if you use it to hawk your own blog. Take the time to build your reputation by delivering highly focused, relevant, and useful content. Be engaged with the comments section afterwards. The more you make yourself available online, the more people will come to your blog.</div>
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<div>Of course, you can work the other way. By making your own blog available for guest writers will increase the variation in content. It will connect you with industry leaders and enable your blog to reach a wider audience.</div>
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<div>You should put some <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/the-neil-patel-method/" style="text-decoration: underline;">guidelines</a> in place for writers to follow. Make sure that the guests have a good reputation within the industry and have a track record in producing high quality content. You might want to consider paying a fee for a reputable blogger as you look to build a following.</div>
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<div>As your blog becomes more established, guest writers will start coming to you with their content. The guidelines will help ensure the quality of the posts meets the standards of your blog.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Ultimate Guides</span></h2><div>If you or one of your team is an expert in a specific area, creating an ultimate guide is one of the best ways to build credibility.</div>
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<div>People are always looking for a one-stop shop to learn deeply about a topic or one place to find all the resources they need.</div>
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<div>Abandoned cart software, <a href="https://magemail.co/" style="text-decoration: underline;">MageMail</a>, created the “<a href="https://magemail.co/blog/magento-resources/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Ultimate Guide to Magento Resources</a>". This is the perfect article for those working within the Magento community and helped foster goodwill to MageMail.</div>
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<div>These tend to be 3,000+ words long. So take the opportunity to build the backlinks by incorporating as many other sites and blogs as you can, while keeping an eye on the content quality.</div>
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<div>This “<a href="https://videofruit.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-ultimate-guides/" style="text-decoration: underline;">Ultimate Guide to Ultimate Guides</a>" is a good starting point for inspiration.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Use Google</span></h2><div>With <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/search-engine-marketing/search-engine-statistics/" style="text-decoration: underline;">77.43% of the 6.5 billion</a> searches a day going through Google, it has a good idea of what people are looking for online.</div>
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<div>For example, if you type your niche and “top 10", you will get a drop down of popular search terms. In this case, I used “entrepreneur top 10":</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2703e4e1-f5dd-40c9-ab51-1feeb053576d/d83be6cc-d80d-44ae-b9cc-8937fc10e04e.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://google.com/">Google.com</a>)</div>
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<div>While there will be a high level of competition for these posts, you can carry out research and work to create an original and better blog post.</div>
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<div>You can also tweak the title, using odd numbers for example, to enable your post to stand out.</div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></h2><div>The important thing to remember is trending topics come and go. Content will always stay. So it is pivotal for your blog to churn out high quality content.</div>
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<div>The ideas we have listed are designed to help you deliver this content in the most efficient way. People are always hungry for information, solutions, and resources. They do not always have the time to find it.</div>
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<div>Listicles and infographics are fantastic formats for delivering scannable and easily digestible posts. They also have the advantage of being the top two types of posts that get shared on social media.</div>
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<div>Expert opinions and guest posts help to build an authority for your blog. Ultimate guides and long-form content lend credibility. Any competent writer will always back their words up with data and give credit to the original source. This type of content is usually full of data and thus makes a great “link magnet".</div>
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<div>The topics need to be relevant to your niche. Use Google to source for ideas and add a twist of your own. Include a number in the title to give readers an idea of how long the content is. </div>
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<div>Surveys have repeatedly shown odd numbers work best in engaging the audience.</div>
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<div>These strategies will take time. They are not quick-fixes but you will not fall foul of Google’s <a href="https://blog.kissmetrics.com/recover-from-any-google-penalty/" style="text-decoration: underline;">infamous penalties</a>. Concentrate on building your reputation and domain authority. Once the momentum starts to build, the results will start coming in.</div>
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<div>The result will be a successful blog with healthy traffic, allowing you to take advantage of <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/293808" style="text-decoration: underline;">monetizing opportunities</a>.</div>
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7 Examples of Simple Blogs That Are Killing Ithttps://postach.io/blog/post/blog-examples2018-04-11T15:31:41.725000Z2017-10-25T07:38:20ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/e7189fdc-257b-46fe-89f5-0b849b158682.jpg" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"/></div></div>
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<div>Blogging has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1990s. There is a dispute over the identity of the first blog as we know it today, but the most widely recognized candidate is <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://links.net/">Links.net</a>, set up by Justin Hall in 1994. Proclaimed as the “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/19/magazine/your-blog-or-mine.html">founding father of personal bloggers</a>" by the New York Times, Justin continues to update his famous blog:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/3b800707-4326-4e59-9034-cfe4c5c25166.jpg" width="624"/></div>
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<div>(Source: <a href="http://Links.net">Links.net</a>)</div>
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<div>As we can see, Justin has decided to stick with the tried and tested formula of a simple blog, with an unerring focus on the content.</div>
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<div>With over <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.worldometers.info/blogs/">3 million blog posts</a> a day, there is an overwhelming amount of content being published online on a daily basis. The question is: How do you make your blog stand out?</div>
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<div>The secret is, well, there is no secret. Although our blog examples should give you some insight into what matters most.</div>
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<div>For the vast majority of blogs, it takes time and a lot of high quality content.</div>
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<div>The world’s number one search engine, Google, is always hungry for fresh, authoritative content. At <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a>, we follow search engine optimization (SEO) best practices to help optimize your blog. However, it also depends on your content and how you distribute it. Hubspot provide good insights into <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-friendly-blog-post-checklist-ht">optimizing your posts</a> for SEO.</div>
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<div>Building and maintaining a regularly updated blog, filled with fresh content will deliver results. Businesses who publish 16+ blog posts per month received <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/blogging-frequency-benchmarks?_ga=2.162831740.1350653274.1507690167-846866907.1500972962#sm.001o6d3zv162ceoascb2o9l50lh3z">three and half times</a> more web traffic than those who publish four or less per month.</div>
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<div>Clearly it is just as much about content as it is about design. So, to give you some inspiration, we have found seven great examples of simple blogs for you to follow:</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://priceonomics.com/">Priceonomics</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/priceonomics.com#overview">479,550 visits in September 2017</a></h2><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/d7333f82-6ea0-4c04-b5f2-19ad50c41f4c.jpg" width="624"/></div>
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<div>(Source: <a href="http://Priceonomics.com">Priceonomics.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The motto says it all: “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://priceonomics.com/about/">Priceonomics turns data into great stories</a>." The Priceonomics blog is designed entirely to drive the focus of visitors to the content. Using minimal colors on the template enables the posts and images stand out.</div>
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<div>The ultimate aim of the blog is to drive traffic to the site and as a content provider, Priceonomics take the opportunity to share its previous projects. It is the ideal portfolio for prospective clients to read and see the quality of its work.</div>
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<div>The blog also happens to be a great source of unique and interesting posts. You can find out which city has the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://priceonomics.com/where-is-pizza-the-most-expensive-and-cheapest-in/">most expensive pizza</a> in the United States or whether people <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://priceonomics.com/the-tiny-keyboard-problem-do-people-complete-forms/">complete online forms</a> using their phones. It is providing content people want to read and difficult to get elsewhere.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://crew.co/">Crew</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/crew.co#overview">191,140 visits in September 2017</a></h2><div><br/></div>
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<div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/5456d2d6-5d4c-4d67-9e5d-a5324d0d9670.jpg" width="624"/></div>
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<div>(Source: <a href="http://Crew.co">Crew.co</a>)</div>
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<div>Freelance site, Crew, follows a similar design template, using just three colors: Black, blue, and white. Much like Priceonomics, it draws the eyes of the reader to the content itself with minimal distractions.</div>
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<div>The blog has a healthy mix of in-house and guest content. A recent post, “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://crew.co/blog/two-important-questions-scoping-mvp/">The Two Most Important Questions When Scoping Your MVP</a>," is an informative guide on creating minimal viable products. It was written by guest writer, app designer, and developer <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewaskins">Andrew Askins</a>.</div>
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<div>Using a guest writer for your blog is a win-win situation. There are industry leaders who will be keen to build their authority and blogging is one of the most effective ways of doing this. You would benefit from having a post offering a fresh angle or completely new topic to keep visitors engaged with your blog, and coming back for more.</div>
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<div>Additionally, there is a well-placed boxed for people to sign up to newsletters, a great way to grow their subscriber list and retain web traffic.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://blog.charitywater.org/">Charity: Water</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/charitywater.org#overview">1.48m visits in September 2017</a></h2><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/877bbebc-5e8a-427e-b7a1-c625a4bf6cce.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://blog.charitywater.org">blog.charitywater.org</a>)</div>
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<div>Content doesn’t just have to be writing, blogs with images <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/09/29/your-guide-to-using-images-in-your-content-marketing-strategy/#4182ece47b8a">receive 94% more</a> views than those without, underlining the power of pictures.</div>
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<div>The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words" rings true in the striking images on the Charity: Water blog. There is no doubting the focus of the blog, with the eyes drawn to the visually stimulating posts in the center of the page.</div>
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<div>This is a recurring theme in this blog, where it maximizes the use of images to tell the story rather than using written content. It is a simple yet successful format.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">4.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.brit.co/">Brit + Co</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/brit.co#overview">3.59 million visits in September 2017</a></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/206fc73b-4ac6-424a-9323-70ed3b1bfd7e.jpg" width="624"/><br/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://Brit.co">Brit.co</a>)</div>
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<div>Another blog that uses images to cultivate its brand and to deliver interesting, relevant content for its female audience. Brit+Co is a digital media company with a community of 125 million women around the world and aims to “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.brit.co/about/">educate, inspire, entertain, and inform</a>."</div>
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<div>The content on its blog is regularly updated and includes a variety of categories including health, relationships, and work.</div>
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<div>The posts are universally written in a warm and engaging tone, with a dose of humor added for good measure. “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.brit.co/easy-one-pot-recipes-red-wine/">10 Easy One-Pot Recipes That Pair *Perfectly* With Red Wine</a>" is a typical post for Brit+Co. A perfect, easy read for the professional woman looking to relax after a hard day at the office.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">5.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.helpscout.net/blog/">Help Scout Blog</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/helpscout.net#overview">2.79m visits in September 2017</a></h2><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/dbeeedb7-64f5-4e50-b82e-b434b98ea29a.jpg" width="624"/></div>
<div>(Source: <a href="http://Helpscout.net">Helpscout.net</a>)</div>
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<div>Customer service software provider, Help Scout, follow a scannable grid design. Using feature images for all the posts give the reader a good idea on what the topics are before even before reading the titles.</div>
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<div>The grid format is a smart way of packing in content without overwhelming the visitor. Using different background colors for each feature image also helps to draw the eye to the posts.</div>
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<div>The content itself is informative and act as guides for the reader. The posts offer advice on a variety of subjects connected to customer service and growing your business. A recent entry, “<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.helpscout.net/blog/ai-customer-service/">The Truth About AI in Customer Service</a>," is a stellar example of relevant and current content.</div>
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<div>Delivering high quality posts that inform the readers helps to drive traffic to Help Scout and build its brand authority.</div><h2/><h2/><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">6.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://exilelifestyle.com/">Exile Lifestyle</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/exilelifestyle.com#overview">66,030 visits in September 2017</a></h2><h2><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/fc85d3a2-a2f8-468f-a120-b6e15f62821d.jpg" style="text-align: center;" width="624"/></h2><div>(Source: <a href="http://Exilelifestyle.com">Exilelifestyle.com</a>)</div>
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<div>The beauty of personal blogs is they can cover just about anything from health to horticulture, tea to travel, and food to feet. Among the seemingly infinite number of personal blogs with a readership of a few hundred at most, there are a few that have risen above the rest.</div>
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<div>Exile Lifestyle is one such blog, written by author, entrepreneur, and full-time traveler, Colin Wright. Colin shares his tales of traveling the world, staying in each place for around four months at a time. Interacting with his readership, he lets them <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://exilelifestyle.com/about/">choose the next destination</a>.</div>
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<div>Colin’s posts are focused on the topic of lifestyle, sharing his own personal experiences.</div>
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<div>The minimalist design allows the visitor to read the posts without any distraction. Another smart addition is the social media integration, which makes it easier for the reader to instantly share a blog post:</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/4e04a4ca-7cb5-491c-991b-42ec5344747e.jpg" width="624"/></div>
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<div>(Source: <a href="http://Exilelifestyle.com">Exilelifestyle.com</a>)</div>
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<div>A good example of applying innovative methods to grow your web traffic in a simple way.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">7.</span> <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://blog.evernote.com/">Evernote</a> - <a style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.similarweb.com/website/evernote.com#overview">72.64m visits in September 2017</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">(Main site)</span></h2><div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7015f120-0f6a-44c4-acf3-928d3ae148d7/35d8872d-4c18-4339-853e-cdfec41939ea.jpg" width="624"/></div>
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<div>(Source: <a href="http://blog.evernote.com">blog.evernote.com</a>)</div>
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<div>We could not go through this list without mentioning Evernote. Their blog offers some key lessons in providing a simple yet interactive design. There is a healthy mix of technical and personal content, with some posts providing <a href="https://blog.evernote.com/blog/2017/10/02/12-creative-writing-templates-planning-novel/">helpful tips</a> on how to make the most out of Evernote products.</div>
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<div>The tone is friendly and open with clear headings, making the posts easy to read.</div>
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<div>The color scheme closely matches the Evernote brand, with easily identifiable green call to action links. This is particularly important given <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.webpagefx.com/blog/web-design/psychology-of-color-infographic/">80% of consumers</a> say color boosts brand recognition.</div>
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<div>As with Exile Lifestyle, Evernote utilizes social media buttons to enable readers to quickly share content. In doing so, the blog can extend its reach and drive more traffic to the site.</div>
<div><br/></div><h2><span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion</span></h2><div>As we have seen, creating successful blogs doesn’t need to be complicated. Some of the best performing blogs do well because of their simplicity.</div>
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<div>The key components to a successful blog are:</div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Fresh, relevant content:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Keep your audience in mind when coming up with killer content. If you are a business with a blog, resist the temptation to simply use it as another channel to promote your products. Instead, create informative and helpful posts for your customers. Build your reputation as a leading authoritative voice within the industry.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Optimize your blog:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">This is critically important for search engine optimization (SEO). If you do not optimize your blog properly, you’ll miss out on a boatload of traffic from Google. All of</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://postach.io/">Postach.io</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">’s themes are SEO optimized but for the content itself, you will need to consider titles, keywords, and meta descriptions. Hubspot have a useful</span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><a style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-friendly-blog-post-checklist-ht">guide</a><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">to help you get started.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Use Images:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">Remember the statistic suggesting blogs with images attract 94% more visitors than blogs without. For this reason alone, you should seriously consider including images on your blog. It also has the added benefit of helping you to create engaging content. No-one likes a wall of text.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Follow simple designs:</span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;">The number one purpose of any blog is to engage the visitor with your content. The tip is to minimize the number of distractions. Help direct the reader to where you want them to go. Don’t be afraid to have white space and a limited color scheme. Smart, minimalist design can go a long way to producing an enticing and welcoming blog.</span></li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div>Blogs today have evolved hugely from the very first one back in 1994. Technology and even the internet itself, have changed beyond recognition. Such developments have allowed bloggers to reach out to ever increasing audiences. Yet, the principle remains the same.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Quality delivers.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Place an emphasis on producing quality content, allow your blog time to gain traction on Google, and keep going. Invite guest bloggers, add social media icons, and keep your audience in mind.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>If you're looking for a simple way to set up your own blog and are familiar with Evernote, <a href="https://postach.io/site">Postach.io</a> is free and extremely simple to use - you can get started right away. <a href="https://postach.io/site">Publish your first post</a> today!</b></div>
Spring Cleaning: Our June Product Updatehttps://postach.io/blog/post/spring-cleaning-our-june-product-update2018-03-19T21:21:37.832000Z2017-06-21T09:26:07ZThe Postach.io Team<div>Happy Monday, folks! It’s time for our June product update. This month’s updates focus on a lot of backend work, but we’ve got some new goodies for you as well. Here it goes!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Internationalization</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Multi language support is now live across our service, and French is now supported. This means if you visit postach.io from a French browser, everything will be in French. The default remains English.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ll be contacting the users who let us know they were interested in participating in the translation effort. The languages we plan to support next are Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese and Korean. Let us know if you’re interested!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Social Media Sharing</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ve fully rewritten the social media sharing features as users were reporting too many bugs. With Facebook having greenlit our integration, we can finally say this is live and fully working. We’re researching the possibility of adding automatic Instagram sharing within the next couple weeks.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bug and tweaks</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ve fixed some major issues with the source code editor, along with other small things here and there. In the backend, we’ve rewritten the template tag that gives you access to the post photos, such that they appear in this tag in the same order as they appear in your post. We’ve also done some performance tweaks.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Embeds</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The new embeds this month are <span style="font-weight: bold;">Imgur</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kickstarter</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Meetup.com</span>. Check out the full list <a href="http://help.postach.io/tag/post-embeds">here</a>. Got any suggestions for new embeds ? We’re happy to hear them :)</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>That's it for this month!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Questions? Feedback? Concerns? Just wanna show off your site? We're always available at <a href="https://twitter.com/postachio">@Postachio</a> on Twitter or <a href="mailto:hello@postach.io">hello@postach.io</a> via email. Cheers!</div>
Our May Product Updatehttps://postach.io/blog/post/our-may-product-update2018-03-19T21:21:38.970000Z2017-05-21T02:37:22ZThe Postach.io Team<div>Happy Spring to everyone! The sun is back and we've deployed our May product updates. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Here are the improvements this month!</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">First, the new stuff!</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We've revamped and reenabled the Instagram, Flickr, SoundCloud and Vimeo embed codes since a lot of customers were having issues with them. You can now embed any Instagram post, Soundcloud song or playlist, Vimeo video, as well as any Flickr picture, album or slideshow. <span style="font-weight: bold;">New:</span> we've implemented a Spotify embed for your favorite songs, albums and playlists. Grab the share URL for your favorite music and check out how to put it in your posts <a href="http://help.postach.io/post/embedding-spotify">here</a>!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">New theme:</span> With a beautiful typography and cover photos, our new theme, Renda, will suit any blog that also has rich visual content.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5ec46c7f-65f6-4bdd-b905-eb3bf828a6da/fa2c1b16-d94e-4da0-8e16-5c6171c17f89.png" title="Attachment" width="1188"/><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">New support policy:</span> We’ve implemented a new support policy. We commit to an initial response within 24h on business days, and for any major bugs or account problems, a resolution within 2 business days. Most minor issues are solved within 24h.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">New</span>: You can now set the number of posts displayed per page for the homepage or tag listings in your site settings!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Custom Theme Development</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ve started test-driving a custom theme development service since this is a request that came in frequently. Send us a line at <a href="mailto:contact@postach.io">contact@postach.io</a> if you’d like more information or would like a quote!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Other notes & improvements</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bug fix</span>: We’ve resolved issues with the control panel not detecting the proper site limit for customers on older plans.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">In progress:</span> We’ve started work on the translation and localization framework and expect to deploy French in June. Thanks for everyone who offered to chip in for other languages, it’s very appreciated and we’ll be in touch as soon as we’re ready for your language!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Known issue:</span> When we relaunched the social sharing features last month, the sudden surge in use triggered a review by Facebook. As such, some users may encounter issues for a bit while they green light our integration. We’ll post an update here when this is resolved. <i>[Note: all social media sharing is now functional :-)]</i></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>That's it for this month!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Questions? Feedback? Concerns? Just wanna show off your site? We're always available at <a href="https://twitter.com/postachio">@Postachio</a> on Twitter or <a href="mailto:hello@postach.io">hello@postach.io</a> via email. Cheers!</div>
<div><br/></div>
Spring is in the air! Our April update.https://postach.io/blog/post/spring-is-in-the-air-our-april-update2018-03-19T21:21:39.482000Z2017-04-20T06:58:51ZThe Postach.io Team<div>Happy Easter! Lots of good news for the community this month.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">We're a new team!</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>First off, apologies for the lack of posts in the last few months. <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a> was recently acquired and we're a new team behind the scenes. It took some time to get onboarded and make sure everything was fully transferred, but we're now fully operational. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We're a small team of engineers and developers in Canada - based in Vancouver and Montreal - and we have a lot of experience running services like <a href="http://Postach.io">Postach.io</a>. We're very excited about this new project for us and we intend to bring it to a new level!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monthly updates are back!</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>For this month, we took care of a lot of small issues that we noticed as we took over from the previous team. </div>
<div><br/></div><ul><li>The help documentation was cleaned up and we're in the process of writing new articles to make sure everything is covered.</li><li>Certain themes were not displaying the login page properly on protected sites and we improved mobile navigation.</li><li>We added support for more file attachment types: M4A audio, SVG graphics and WEBP images can now be added to your posts.</li><li>We improved the runtimes of our evernote sync integration to make sure your posts show up as fast as possible on your blog.</li><li>We also added a "full site rebuild" option for our support staff as a way to expedite requests when such a rebuild is needed.</li><li>We reenabled automatic Facebook and Twitter sharing.</li><li>Finally, some sites and accounts were having issues displaying properly on Firefox. This is resolved as well.</li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our plans for next month</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We have the following projects in the pipeline for release this May.</div><ul><li>Begin internationalization support with French as a first supported language - if you can help with your mother tongue let us know by tweeting us <a href="https://twitter.com/postachio">@Postachio</a>!</li><li>New theme available to all users</li><li>Review all embeds currently available, update them and add a bunch of new ones.</li></ul><div>That's it for this month!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Questions? Feedback? Concerns? Just wanna show off your site? We're always available at <a href="https://twitter.com/postachio">@Postachio</a> on Twitter or <a href="mailto:hello@postach.io">hello@postach.io</a> via email. Cheers!</div>
<div><br/></div>
Product update for Septemberhttps://postach.io/blog/post/product-update-for-september2018-03-19T21:21:42.679000Z2016-09-06T14:59:40ZThe Postach.io Team
<div>
<div>
<div>We’ve been busy! Last month I sent out our <a href="http://blog.postach.io/post/product-update-for-august">product update for August</a> and outlined what we’d be working on. Here’s the full report!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Completed In August</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b>SSL Encryption / Security:</b> This was a big one. Our online payment processing wasn’t working with SSL and we wanted to get that fixed first. I’m happy to announce that its fully functional. Thanks to those who reported this issue!</li>
<li><b>Sync Issues:</b> Another big one and long standing. The infamous Evernote sync. Sometimes your posts simply wouldn’t show up. How frustrating! We’ve squashed the most common bugs but are still working on a few edge cases. For the most part, we’ve heard that syncing is working again. If something still isn’t working for you, let us know!</li>
<li><b>Unlocked Themes:</b> Themes used to be a paid-only option. Now they’re available to everyone, including free accounts.</li>
<li><b>Formatting Issues:</b> We’ve made good progress with post formatting issues and the more common ones are solved. However, we’re still working on this until you can count on it 100% of the time.</li>
<li><b>Comments:</b> Disqus comments weren’t showing on some of your blogs. That’s been fixed!</li>
<li><b>Customer Support:</b> We’ve been working really hard on this. It was one of the first topics in our <a href="http://blog.postach.io/post/an-open-letter-to-postach-io-customers">public apology</a>. Our goal was to ensure we responded to your questions in a timely manner and work to resolve any issues as soon as possible. I believe we’ve done that and are committed to continuing at that level of service.</li>
<li><b>Bugs Fixes / Performance:</b> During our major updates we’ve also been working on performance tweaks and minor bug fixes. This is something we’ll continue every month.</li>
</ul>
<div><br/></div>
<div>As you can see, August was a great month for us. There wasn’t much you could actually see but lots has been done “behind the scenes" to improve Postach.io over all. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Goals For September</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<ul>
<li><b>Help Docs:</b> We were hoping to get to the help docs in August but unfortunately didn’t hit that mark. We’re going to be doing updates in September. The goal here is to clear out old confusing information and ensure everything is current. We’re also going to add some new articles for other common questions we’ve encountered. </li>
<li><b>Updated Themes:</b> Some of our themes such as Penso and Gridly aren’t displaying properly on mobile devices. Others aren’t showing all your social icons even if they’re connected. This month we’ll be working towards theme updates including bug fixes and optimizations.</li>
<li><b>New Themes:</b> One of our top requests! We wanted to get to some new themes last month but were more focused on stabilizing the system. This month we’re planning on releasing two new themes to everyone!</li>
<li><b>Formatting:</b> Because we didn’t fully resolve formatting issues in August, we’ll be continuing updates for September.</li>
</ul>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ll of course continue to work on smaller bugs and reported issues throughout the month.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Free vs Paid</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>A touchy subject but one that needs to be addressed. We love providing free accounts to you and will continue to do that. However, we need to be mindful of our cashflow to ensure we can stick around.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’re exploring different pricing options to help more of you take advantage of additional features and services. Some of you have said that you don’t need 5 sites (our basic pro plan) and other have said that the pricing is too expensive. </div>
<div><br/></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>Lets start an open discussion about how we can make this work for all of us. I can’t wait to hear from you.</div>
Product update for Augusthttps://postach.io/blog/post/product-update-for-august2018-03-19T21:21:41.502000Z2016-08-02T15:53:35ZThe Postach.io Team
<div>
<div>Phew! That was an interesting week.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I sent out <a href="http://blog.postach.io/post/an-open-letter-to-postach-io-customers">a public apology</a> to over 80k people that signed up to Postach.io. We failed as a provider and I wanted everyone to know we’re doing something about that.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I anticipated an influx of angry emails and tweets (rightly so) but received quite the opposite. Most were relieved and excited that Postach.io was getting back on track. Go read the comments on that post. They’re great!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><i>Ok, ok, not ALL of them were great.</i></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e4cae2c2-3796-455e-9f77-1452e4f74544/0f5ee012-a6a6-473e-9fd5-9d29f4632f6f.png" style="width: 632px; height: auto;"/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I was still happy to receive that message however. Why? <u>It was clear the community of Postach.io users care.</u></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>What Happened?</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>So you received the email and read the blog post. You might be wondering, “what happened?".</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>In the early days of Postach.io, things were great. We had raised investor money, hired a team and focused purely on product development. We even ended up winning DevCup Gold at Evernote’s EC3 and working out of the Evernote office for a month. MC Hammer handed me a gold trophy! Good times.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/e4cae2c2-3796-455e-9f77-1452e4f74544/d9c46147-676c-49df-827c-abfc035237ee.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Then we lost focus. We started chasing partnerships and integrations to help drive user signups and increase our metrics. All in the name of raising more investment of course.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Our product suffered because of it. Features were implemented quickly and poorly and we weren’t listening to what you actually wanted.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Eventually everything started to fall apart at the seams. Investors backed out, customers were frustrated and our team exhausted. We got rid of free accounts in an attempt to save the company from going bankrupt. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>My co-founder Shawn and I had to make the brutal choice of shutting down the office and firing our team. It’s hard to explain that feeling.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We stepped back from Postach.io and did consulting work through our company, <a href="http://inputlogic.ca/">Input Logic</a>. Fast forward a year and we’re now a team of 8 again. The company and our products generate enough revenue to sustain our team which has allowed us to ramp up development on Postach.io!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This time around, we’re committed to staying transparent and listening to our users. Together, we want to make a product we can all love and rely on.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Roadmap</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now that you know the gory details of how we got here, lets talk about whats coming down the development pipe.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<ol>
<li><b>Themes for all!:</b> We hear you loud and clear. Having one theme for free sucks. We’re unlocking all of them for all plans, including the free plan. Expect to have those this week :)</li>
<li><b>Syncing issues:</b> This is a top priority over the next couple of weeks. For many users, posts randomly stop syncing from Evernote to Postach.io. If your posts don’t show up on your site, what good is a blogging platform after all? When your connection to Evernote does expire (it has to happen eventually) we’ll have more proactive steps in place to help you get reconnected.</li>
<li><b>Formatting issues:</b> Another top priority. Formatting between the different Evernote clients varies quite a bit and is difficult to normalize. However, we’re working hard to fix these issues and would really love your insight and feedback on what does and does not work for you. Leave those in the comments below!</li>
</ol>
<div><br/></div>
</div>
<div>As stated in our post last week, we’ll be doing regular updates like this. Stay tuned for new product developments and feature releases.</div>
<div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
</div>
10 Tips For Writing Better Blog Postshttps://postach.io/blog/post/10-tips-for-writing-better-blog-posts2018-03-19T21:21:44.645000Z2015-07-08T22:49:39ZThe Postach.io Team<div>What kind of blogger you would be if you didn't want your readers to be hungry for new and unique blog posts? After all, these posts get you more likes, shares, customer engagement and traffic.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>When it comes to blog posts, the truth is what you write is just as important as how you write. You need to have better ideas for the blog posts, if you actually want people to read them. Once you get into blogging, you will realize that soon, and you run out of ideas for blog posts. That can be a disaster for any blogger because it is the matter of losing traffic here.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Rarely do people know there are ideas all around them, you just have to know how to see these ideas and make better blog posts out of them. Here’s 10 tips to get you started.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Read as much as you can</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>To be a blogger, you have to be a reader first. Get to know what’s happening around the world. Whatever new thing you learn can be a source of inspiration and a writing idea.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Take notes</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Often, when you randomly browse the web, you come across some posts that can be used as an inspiration for your work later. Instead of letting it go, take notes and preserve that knowledge for the future.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Hear from customers</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>A customer can inform about a need that we couldn’t even think of. That’s how businesses generate ideas for new products and you can use the same strategy to produce new blog posts by taking in concern the need or challenge your customer is facing. So, take some time to talk to them and hear their concerns.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Do industry research</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Any latest industry trend can become a source of inspiration for a blog post. The post can be about how people are going crazy about a new trend or even positive and negative aspects about the trend.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Keyword analysis</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Content marketing is all about delivering value and building relationship with the readers. With keyword research and analysis, you can come with ideas related to the situation people are facing. The keywords you find can be used in writing new blog posts.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Social communities</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Social communities are known as gold mines for gathering content ideas. Just look for the questions that are repeated and write down something related to it, maybe a possible solution.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Be a rebel</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Audience likes to read posts that are against the natural status quo. Posts like “How deactivating your Facebook account can be a life-changing decision" can attract a large number of readers. Go ahead, stir the pot a little ;)</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Read the comments</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Every time you post something new, you get feedback in comments. Read all the comments because there are possibilities of getting some idea for your new post.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Share your Experience</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>A blog can be about anything as long as it is sharing useful information with people. So, if you have some memorable or worthy experience you would like to share with the world, make it your inspiration for the blog post.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Repurpose an existing blog post</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>There are some blog posts which never get old. People want to read them again and again. You can repurpose these blog posts time after time in a new format with the addition of some new information. It is never bad to do that.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>These tips will continue helping you in gathering ideas and creating better blog posts that could be engaging for the readers.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>If you use Evernote, you’re already setup to blog! Just <a href="http://postach.io/site?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=blogging">signup for Postach.io</a> and connect the notebook you’d like to publish your notes from.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
4 Rules For Writing The Perfect Biohttps://postach.io/blog/post/4-rules-for-writing-the-perfect-bio2018-03-19T21:21:46.298000Z2014-10-11T17:24:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>I believe every blogger should have a clearly written bio for a number of reasons.
</div>
<div><br/></div>
<ul>
<li>It provides potential readers with a clear indication of what you and your material is about. </li>
<li>Its good for SEO. Bio's get translated into site descriptions in Postach.io. <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35624?hl=en">Site descriptions</a> are heavily weighted in Google these days, more so than keywords. </li>
<li>It's great for networking and self promotion. When I was a recruiter I used to search for people by reading their blogs and you can bet others are doing it as well. </li>
</ul>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Keep it short</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>I prefer to keep bio's short and punchy. It's not a resume it's a concise synopsis of you as a writer and person. A short description of your interests, background, job or subject matter you'll be writing about is perfect. Shorter bios seem more impressive as well. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Consider this bio for Leonardo Da Vinci:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Renaissance man, vegetarian, inventor of the helicopter in 1512 and painter of the Mona Lisa. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b><i>vs. </i></b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>A multi disciplined individual with a strong interest in science, art, anatomy, civil engineering and mechanical design. Commissioned to paint several pieces of art for the Catholic Church, designed several mechanical devices some of which have entered the manufacturing industry with widespread adoption........</div>
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<div><b>Write for the audience you are addressing </b></div>
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<div>Just like you should imagine the people you are writing for in your blog, the same goes for your bio. Only worry about the readers that are relevant to you, if you need to be highly technical or explain a philosophical stance then do it. Otherwise don't try to please everyone by being too generic or vanilla. </div>
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<div><b>Interesting stuff first</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>There's a saying in the advertising world. What's the purpose of the first line of text in any copy? To make you want to read the next one. This principle should apply to everything you write but also works for your bio. Give up something really interesting about yourself right off the hop. Don't build up to it, just say it and imagine the reader is only going to read the next line if the first one interests them. </div>
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<div><b>Don't do this with your bio:</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>These day's people seem to be taking liberties with their online profiles in what I'm sure is only an attempt to standout from the masses. While I love creativity and original writing there are some things you shouldn't do. Don't try and be a comedian unless you are one. It's hard to be witty when describing ones self and much of the time it just confuses people. Take this bad example, "Herder of digital cats, connoisseur of CSS and caffeine fueled web hero." We can guess at what it might mean, but much of it only makes sense to the writer and it certainly won't be useful to search engines like Google. </div>
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<div>Check out some truly witty & <a href="http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/10_amusing_Twitter_bios_to_inspire_you_44990.aspx">Hilarious Twitter Bio's</a>. here.</div>
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Sharing and Remembering Stories of Survival with Evernote and Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/sharing-and-remembering-stories-of-survival-with-evernote-and-postach-io2018-03-19T21:21:48.158000Z2014-10-10T15:17:59ZThe Postach.io Team
<div><i>Guest Post by Stuart Croall</i>
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<div>One inescapable truth of my life is that I have survived leukemia. Twice, actually. I was originally diagnosed in 2001 when I was in my late twenties. Then I was treated with the standard regimen of high-dose chemotherapy in hospital followed by three years of what is politely called “maintenance treatment." In 2009, however, I relapsed and underwent more treatment, and radiation, followed by a stem cell transplant.<br/></div>
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<div>There are so many issues wrapped up in my life as a cancer patient and “survivor" (this term being one of those contentious issues for me). But what I want to talk about here is the challenge of keeping track of the events, information and experiences of having cancer, and looping friends and family in to the information you want to share. Specifically, I want to talk about two related services <span style="font-size: 12px;">–</span> <a href="http://www.evernote.com">Evernote</a> and [Postach.io](http://postach.io) – that, I think, hold a lot of promise for making what can be an overwhelming time a lot easier.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2ccce50f-ee9c-4dcf-afb4-b9f552389213/db91b402-881b-44c2-9a04-8ebf36b90ef8.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div><b>Making sense of a barrage of information</b></div>
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<div>Evernote wasn’t around when I was first diagnosed and, while I have been an Evernote user since 2008, I wasn’t comfortable enough with it when I was diagnosed for the second time in 2009 to make it my go-to tool for keeping track of my treatments and their effects. Looking back, though, I can imagine how liberating it would have been to have every piece of paper – from drug information and test results, to information about procedures and aftercare – available at any time. Getting that much information given to you all at once can be overwhelming at the best of times. When you are sick, feeling weak and exhausted and suffering the effects of toxic treatments, it’s hard to keep track of even basic details.</div>
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<div>During my treatments, daily blood test results were a part of every day conversation. On my ward each room had a whiteboard where the nurse would record these results in a grid. I could see the numbers fall as the chemo did its work, and track the bounce of my hemoglobin, or the recovery of my platelets, after a transfusion. As an inpatient, I at least had some tools and supports for keeping track of my treatment.</div>
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<div>When I left hospital, however, so much of what had been on that whiteboard faded from memory. Sure, some of it was jotted down, and the last time I was in hospital I even took a picture of the whiteboard. But all of it was scattered here and there, in one person’s notebook or another. And I couldn’t just search for it. You can’t do that on paper.</div>
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<div>When I talk to people about my experience, and they ask about what could have been better, a lot of what I talk about has to do with information – making it easier for patients to keep track of everything they need to know. And while, in an ideal world, the health care system would provide the tools for that, and that kind of communication, not many of us live in an ideal world. Evernote, on the other hand, is here now. It’s easy to use, flexible, and available anywhere. I wish I had a tool like that when I needed it.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2ccce50f-ee9c-4dcf-afb4-b9f552389213/66568ad7-a8f7-4758-8745-c841a410c850.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>My eldest son, who was a little bit more than 2 1/2 at the time, in my hospital room in February 2009. He was showing me how to do an animal alphabet puzzle, in his usually caring way.</i></div>
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<div><b>Keeping friends and family in the loop</b></div>
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<div>Communicating with friends and family is another thing that can be a challenge when you are seriously ill. When you are sick, it’s very easy to lose touch. It can be very difficult to muster the energy or focus to write a letter, craft an email…or even pick up the phone. And when you have something like cancer, and that diagnosis is all people know, they often fear the worst.</div>
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<div>When I was sick in 2001 we didn’t really have a solution to this problem. Sure, come Christmas, we got everyone caught up with a Christmas letter. In the meantime, however, there was this awkward silence. Many people were curious how I was doing, and wanted to offer their support, but weren’t sure what contact would be appropriate. Some, who could, visited. Others, however, sat quietly by and worried.</div>
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<div>In 2009 I used Facebook Groups to provide updates to a group of friends and family. In the moment that worked well: Everyone could read about my progress and post comments. I could post information and respond to comments as time and energy permitted. Everyone got to follow the trials, tribulations and joys – including the birth of our second son one month before my transplant.</div>
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<div>But Facebook, being Facebook, is not the place you want to entrust content that is important to you. Somewhere along the line, as Facebook changed – multiple times – it’s approach to groups and sharing, it was no longer possible to access all the posts and comments from that period.</div>
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<div>Last year a new service called <a href="http://postach.io">Postach.io</a> appeared. Started by <a href="http://inputlogic.ca">Input Logic</a> a small Canadian “digital products agency," Postach.io is a blogging platform that lets you turn your notes in Evernote into blog posts, simply by adding a “published" tag. And, as a Postach.io premium user, I can create multiple blogs, pulled from different notebooks in Evernote, and even password protect each blog, so I can share it with just the people I choose. Now that I have Evernote and Postach.io, I have all the tools to remember everything from these challenging times, but also to share – with everyone, or with a just select few.</div>
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<div>As I knock on wood, let me just say that I am not suggesting I want the opportunity to use these tools in the context of illness; I’ve had enough of that. I’m just saying that, if you should find yourself in that unfortunate place, I think Evernote and <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> are great tools for making a painful time more bearable.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2ccce50f-ee9c-4dcf-afb4-b9f552389213/58f17d9f-fa6d-4e9e-9fe6-c11a71d86f22.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Me and my youngest, shortly after he was born in April 2009, one month before my transplant. We spent some time in the "intermediate nursery" because he was born with a partially collapsed lung. Given where I was at with my health, it broke my heart that he had to have an x-ray when he was barely an hour old. </i></div>
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<div><b>Surviving by telling your story…for yourself, and others</b></div>
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<div>So far, I have talked mostly about managing during the time of actively being sick, when you’re undergoing treatment, or fighting side effects and late effects, all while trying to keep track of everything that’s going on, and keep your loved ones informed. A part of the cancer patient journey that gets much less attention is the part often labelled “survivorship." It is during this time that, from the perspective of many friends and family – and certainly from the perspective of most employers – you’re “cured." You should be back to your old self and earning your keep.</div>
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<div>It is because of these expectations, and the fact that they are so divergent from reality, that “survivorship" can be, in many ways, the hardest part of having cancer. And one of the hardest parts of survivorship, for me anyways, has been making sense of the world after cancer. Not only am I not quite physically the same person as I was before, and not as physically capable, but the world, and what is important to me, looks very different than before cancer. Despite reassurances, and despite any statistics for a particular cancer, the reality for many cancer patients is that the threat of a relapse or a new cancer – euphemistically, a secondary malignancy – is always lurking, haunting their thoughts and dreams of the future.</div>
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<div>I was in remission for seven and half years. Being a relatively young guy, I think I still held on to a kind of naive invincibility; after the first few years in remission it never really occurred to me that I might find myself fighting cancer again. But when I found myself, at age thirty six, sitting in the emergency room, surrounded by a team of neurologists – my wife, five months pregnant sitting beside me – hearing words like “abnormal cells," “admitted tonight," and “I’m very sorry," I couldn’t ignore reality any longer. I was reminded of the lesson many who face illness learn the hard way: Never take anything, or any time you may have, for granted.</div>
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<div>In the face of such uncertainty, I have found it helpful to engage with others – other cancer survivors, and others working in the health system to improve care for cancer patients. There are many groups and organizations that want to hear the stories of patients, that want to understand the patient perspective. I myself have been involved in the Province of Manitoba’s *<a href="http://www.cancercare.mb.ca/home/patients_and_family/cancer_patient_journey/">In Sixty</a>* project, participated as a patient representative at the recent <a href="http://ca-pri.com">Ca-PRI Network</a> conference in Winnipeg, and at a consultation for a <a href="http://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca">Canadian Partnership Against Cancer</a> research project. I am also a member of a young adult cancer support group where I hope to provide some perspective to those younger and less experienced in the “cancer journey" than me.</div>
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<div>Being involved with these groups has be very satisfying and rewarding. The one thing they have in common, however, is that they expect me to participate and share my story in a particular way, bounded by the limits set by the group. This is where blogging comes in. In a blog post, I can share my story, or whatever portions of it I want, in any form, at any length, targetted to any audience I desire. Rather than preparing to fit my story into a specific time slot on a given day, I could tell my story episodically, over the course of many months or years. Or maybe I want to talk about what I am experiencing right now, and report how my experience and perspective changes over time. Most of all, I can say what I want, how I want, without any concern for the imposed “tone" of a given forum. I can say “life sucks," without being told to try to be positive. Or I can write about every little detail of an experience, without being asked to be more concise. In short, I can tell my story how it was meant to be told, how I want to tell it.</div>
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<div><b>Postach.io makes sharing stories simple</b></div>
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<div>So telling your story is a great idea, but isn’t blogging just another headache you don’t need when you’ve got so much else on your plate? I know I have spent far more time that I would like sorting through blogging options, trying to get templates just right, and trying to keep track of posts, and drafts of posts, in interfaces that weren’t meant for organizing content. While I am probably more interested in technology than the average cancer patient, what I really want to do is write, and have the technology fade into the background.</div>
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<div>Which is where Postach.io comes in. If you decide to use Evernote to keep track of all your notes, bits of paper and lists related to your treatment and recovery (and I’d recommend giving it a try since it’s free, after all), why not also use it to jot down your thoughts and ideas. And if one of those ideas turns out to be something you want to share, just sign up to Postach.io, tag your note “published," and you’ve got a blog post. The best part is that everything you need is in Evernote, so you get all the benefits provided by that platform – including powerful search, related notes views, and cross-platform and cross-device syncing – and the peace of mind of knowing that you will never be without any your information.</div>
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<div>Recently, Postach.io has gone one step further, and now allows you to also publish notes from Dropbox written using HTML or <a href="http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/">Markdown</a> So if, down the line, you find yourself wanting to try a different writing tool, you can combine notes written there with the notes written in Evernote and they will all appear on your blog. As a matter of fact, if all goes well, I will be publishing this note to Dropbox from [Ulysses], a MacOS writing app that I’ve been trying and enjoying. I use it for some of my longer-form writing efforts, and may use it more for blogging. We’ll see. At least I have some choice.</div>
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<div><span><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/2ccce50f-ee9c-4dcf-afb4-b9f552389213/cf154f3f-e886-4a97-a1fb-268136bbce81.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></span><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Me and the boys in September 2014. My eldest thought this would be a good picture to take every year as a remembrance, or milestone. Notice he is holding up eight fingers, to mark that he was eight in this picture.</i></div>
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<div><b>Taking a load off my mind</b></div>
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<div>Everyone has their own struggles after cancer and its toxic treatments. For me, other than having to completely redefine my life, my biggest challenge has been with changes to my cognitive abilities. Everything, it seems, is just harder – from remembering, to focusing and concentrating. While I have been slow to fully embrace Evernote, given I have been using it since 2008, I am finding I am increasingly depending on it as an extremely reliable place to keep everything I need to remember, or anything I might want to look at again. I scan kids’ report cards, save bank statements, jot down ideas for new projects and save pdfs of journal articles or other research I’m interested in.</div>
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<div>A while back I scanned most of the paper from my binder of medical information and, just today, I came across a chart note my doctor had made in November 2001, which I had forgotten I had a copy of, about an unfortunate series of biopsies I had been subjected to. Knowing that I will be able to search for anything I dump into Evernote takes a huge weight off my mind.</div>
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<div>Now that Postach.io has come along, one more aspect of my life has been simplified. Instead of having to manage my blog posts in Wordpress or some other blog platform, I can manage my blog posting right along side everything else I’m working on. And being able to move content from my blog to other notebooks in Evernote, and vice-versa, makes it much easier to keep track of ideas I’ve jotted down, separate from post drafts I’m working on, separate from completed, published posts.</div>
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<div>Some people might be concerned about keeping so much of their lives in a service such as Evernote, and it is something to think about. I myself have gone back and forth on it. In the end, given where I am at in my life, and how desperately I yearn for simplicity, I have decided that the benefits Evernote and Postach.io provide far outweigh the risks. Your mileage may vary.</div>
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<div>So if you’re struggling with managing your life with cancer, you can certainly use the various paper lists and diaries that are sometimes provided by clinics and in hospital. But if you are already using technology – your tablet, phone, or laptop – to do a lot of your work, I would encourage you to check out Evernote and Postach.io, as two simple, easy to use tools to simplify life with, or after, cancer.</div>
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<div><i><b>About Stuart</b></i><br/></div>
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<div><i>Stuart is a writer, father, leukemia survivor and stem cell transplant recipient living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has been blogging at <a href="http://withoutleukemia.ca/">WithoutLeukemia.ca</a> since 2006, where he writes to make sense of the world and explore issues that are important to him. He doesn’t drive anymore (having <a href="http://withoutleukemia.ca/seeing-the-world-through-different-eyes">lost some of his vision</a>), but he rides a wicked-awesome <a href="http://withoutleukemia.ca/will-a-trike-change-my-life">recumbent trike</a>.</i></div>
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Using Native Embeds on Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/using-native-embeds-on-postach-io2018-03-19T21:21:48.711000Z2014-10-03T02:53:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><em>By Postach.io Ambassador Brad Lemon</em><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f8a4f66a-e59f-4bca-8320-93ea8b122068/11053de4-4b72-463c-bd32-c87be4fbf3ec.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div>Native embeds are the HTML code provided for embeds by a third-party website, for example, Youtube, or Twitter. The Postach.io parser is actually very clever in that it can interpret HTML within a post, and present it as an embed, rather than the text of the code. The advantage of using them is simplicity and speed.</div>
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<div><strong>Embedding Things:</strong></div>
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<div>You might be familiar with postach.io's own <a href="http://help.postach.io/tag/post-embeds">embedding code</a>, which looks something like:</div>
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<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/tyabblemons/598cde1d63f3868215be.js"></script></div>
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<div>This will create:</div>
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<div><iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xCthUlkc7V8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<div>This code works very well, but it takes a bit of time to construct the embed, and there are parameters to fill in, and all sorts of things can go wrong with a simple typo. It's okay if you are just embedding one video, but what if you want to embed dozens of tweets as well as videos?</div>
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<div><strong>A Better Way to Embed Things:</strong></div>
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<div>There is a better way to embed content into your posts, and that is to simply copy/paste the native HTML embed code supplied to you by Youtube into your note:</div>
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<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/tyabblemons/621082c8720e53c7894a.js"></script></div>
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<div>Will produce:</div>
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<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xCthUlkc7V8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<div>While the HTML code from the embed will look a little odd on your <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a> note, you will get a perfect embed in your postach.io post. You can adjust the size, of course. Native embeds work for Youtube, Twitter, Storify, Soundcloud, and just about anything else you can think of from most third-party sites that supply HTML embed code for you to simply copy and paste. If you actually find a third-party native embed that doesn't work, could you kindly let the postach.io team know about it, so they can add it? I've found that postach.io are very enthusiastic about adding embed support for just about anything you can imagine.</div>
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<div>So, no more mucking around with the help files to make sure you got the coding right. From now on, when you find an embed of something you'd like to use, try copying the supplied native embed code into your note and see what happens. Chances are you'll be very pleasantly surprised.</div>
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<div>Building fancy posts rich with multimedia is as simple as copy/paste using <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a> and <a href="http://postach.io/">postach.io</a>.</div>
Share Meeting Docs With Your Team in 3 Stepshttps://postach.io/blog/post/share-meeting-docs-with-your-team-in-3-steps2018-03-19T21:21:48.780000Z2014-10-02T15:41:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>There are a variety of ways to quickly share meeting documents with your team. For example, you could take advantage of one of the following:</div>
<ul>
<li>If you have access to a digital version of the handouts, you can post it in GoogleDrive or a web site.</li>
<li>You can run the documents through a copier-scanner, email those to folks (or post them online anywhere).</li>
</ul>
<div>Another approach, if you have an Evernote and Postach.io account, is to follow a workflow similar to the one below. Again, you can always adapt it to your needs, budget and available equipment.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4382304b-563b-4df3-86f8-669a99e515ef/4dd68862-425c-48f8-9a8f-909fadf6be12.png" /></div>
<div><strong>Step 1 - Digitize the Document</strong></div>
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<div>In my role as a school administrator, I often end up in meetings where people hand me thick packets of paper. My first act is to take those back to the office, give them to my secretary and ask her to scan them to PDF. That PDF then ends up in Evernote. As a premium Evernote user, the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files become searchable. This is a real benefit when trying to dig up content sent to me a year or so ago that has new relevance (e.g. personnel handbook).</div>
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<div>My secretary was so efficient at scanning my documents, that I felt compelled to invest in a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300i. There are other scanners and I would label this one as “middle of the road" in terms of cost (approximately $250). Consider the mobile USB-powered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doxie-Go-Rechargeable-Document-Scanner/dp/B0053TRH2M/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405385822&sr=1-1&keywords=doxie+go">DoxieGo</a> ($162) or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fujitsu-ScanSnap-Instant-Sheet-Fed-Document/dp/B008HBFADQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1405385822&sr=1-4&keywords=doxie+go">Fujitsu ScanSnap</a> ($250), or the WiFi-friendly <a href="https://www.evernote.com/market/feature/scanner?gasegment=B&utm_expid=76563521-34.uCz-kS0NRHe7gSCFoUs0Nw.1&sku=SCAN00101&gclid=CLWGgYqPxr8CFQxp7AodwggAhg&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Faclk%3Fsa%3Dl%26ai%3DCWtEGT33EU9WME8rQsQfbq4C4DPnbhLAEqdrjobEBiIL8kqYBCAAQASgDULWah8YBYMnGiI3kpIgUoAHvirHVA8gBAaoEI0_Q0lIX2oWHBEtSwjokmIPxigArqLZ72UDl2er2TkZpRYaygAf59M4qkAcD%26sig%3DAOD64_1SwCcoMQpBymC4dFXL_caDgDaS4w%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26ved%3D0CCAQ0Qw%26adurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.evernote.com%2Fmarket%2Ffeature%2Fscanner%253Fsku%253DSCAN00101">Fujitsu ScanSnap Evernote Edition</a> ($495). The Fujitsu ScanSnap is fabulous and I just it daily to digitize documents, essentially, going paperless…the papers go in the recycle bin.</div>
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<div><strong>Step 2 - Save the Digital Document to Evernote</strong></div>
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<div>One of the advantages of the Fujitsu, and other scanners of this type, is that they come with support to save content anywhere, whether it be to a folder on my computer or directly to Evernote as a JPG (picture/image format) or Adobe PDF file.</div>
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<div>For example, I recently attended a local event. One of the many paper handouts available was the beautifully designed agenda. While most of the paper will end up in the trash, I wanted to keep a digital copy. So, I ran the document through the Fujitsu Scanner mentioned above and ended up with this document (notice how when you view this on the web, all you see is a tidy <strong>Download PDF</strong> link):</div>
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<div><a href="https://cdn-files.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4382304b-563b-4df3-86f8-669a99e515ef/2791df7c-a257-4967-8082-260bdd92bffb_orig.pdf" target="_blank">Download PDF</a></div>
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<div><strong>Step 3: Share Using Postach.io</strong></div>
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<div>If you’re like me, you have several options for sharing documents with others. I like to find the workflow that is most efficient because once that path has been identified, I don’t have to spend a lot of time reinventing the wheel. Instead of clogging people’s inboxes with emailed attachments, I just auto post the digital file to Evernote and then share it for download as an Adobe PDF file.</div>
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<div>Another way is to post these documents—provided they are not confidential—into a Postach.io blog notebook in Evernote. This would allow documents, along with any notes you might have, to be available to folks with the web address to your Postach.io blog.</div>
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<div>Note that you can add a password to your Postach.io blog to limit viewability.</div>
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<div><strong>Conclusion</strong></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>While there are many tools available, some may find it easier to use Evernote and Postach.io to quickly share meeting notes and documents with others. Give it a try!</div>
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<hr/></div>
<div><em>This post was written by Miguel Guhlin, Postach.io’s Chief Ambassador for Education. You can </em><em>find him on Twitter: </em><em><a href="http://twitter.com/@mguhlin">@mguhlin</a></em><em>,</em><em> and through his personal blog: </em><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/">mguhlin.postach.io</a></em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4382304b-563b-4df3-86f8-669a99e515ef/71332203-b284-4b30-a475-53f027bddcb9.png" /></div>
Building Websites for Community Organizations with Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/building-websites-for-community-organizations-with-postach-io2018-03-19T21:21:49.342000Z2014-09-26T23:31:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>I live in a small town southeast of Melbourne, Australia. While I was formerly the Secretary and Lieutenant of Tyabb Volunteer Fire Brigade, I first discovered community organizations back in the 1960's when I joined St John’s Ambulance; I was just a kid, and I learned first-aid. I've been a member of community orgs on and off ever since.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>In my experience working with new community organizations, one of the most commonly asked questions is "<em>what the heck should we do about a website?"</em></div>
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<div>Here I am to tell you the answer:</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/507d0f54-585b-447a-9ff8-556ede2122eb/29d4c695-29b6-4ce7-bd48-495d0af1addc.png" /></div>
<div><strong>Your Typical Options</strong></div>
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<div>Over the last few years, I’ve been looking for new tools to make websites for the various organizations I work with. As someone who is somewhat technologically inclined, I've tried all sorts of ways to create a website on the cheap. I've even paid for hosting, and used free tools to make HTML pages to populate a website. But this takes hours and hours of work, and everything still has to be indexed so users can navigate around the website.</div>
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<div>Some systems charge a fee to access their platform, but you almost need a computer engineer's certificate to work with them. And, once again, there’s the numerous hours spent in set up. Yes, cheap, simple (and ugly) options exist, but you'll want your community org website to look professional to reflect the legitimacy of your org, not a platform for someone else's ads.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Oh yes: you can establish a presence through social media, but not everybody in your target audience will use it. Even worse, you probably won’t get the exposure you need. Consider that less than %1 of Facebook users actively engage with the pages they follow or ‘like’. You also won’t rank well in a Google Search compared to real websites.</div>
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<hr/></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>The Solution</strong></div>
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<div>After experimenting with what seems like hundreds of ways to publish content I found the perfect option in a tool I'd already been using for a while: <a href="http://evernote.com/">Evernote</a>.</div>
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<div>Through Evernote, one can create content in any form and share it with others through ‘notebooks’ that contain individual notes. It also allows users to generate their own searchable library, and works on almost any platform, including mobile. However, Evernote alone does not have the ability to index pages on the internet in the way a website does.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>While looking for an answer to this problem, I found </strong><strong><a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a></strong> - the ’The Evernote-Powered Website Builder’. Watch a video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IamSDEpNkDY&feature=youtu.be&a">here</a> if you'd like a formal introduction.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em>Wait, blogging? I thought this was about making a website?</em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>It is! But in order to understand this, you need to imagine a Postach.io site as not just a great blog, but also as a fully functioning website, ready-made for any organization! Postach.io is simple, looks beautiful, and requires next to no experience, training, or upkeep.</div>
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<div>The best part: it’s exactly in the right price bracket for most emerging orgs; Postach.io is FREE! Anyone who can type can use it, and there are loads of themes to choose from to make a community org website stand out. Postach.io can be set up in under an hour, by anyone. Embeds, Comments, and Google Analytics are fully supported.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This is what I was looking for! It’s a bloody miracle…</div>
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<div>I'll admit my bias straight up. Postach.io is my favourite platform for blogging - all I have to do is make a note in Evernote, tag it ‘published’, and it's instantly online and fully indexed. But there's other genius applications of the Postach.io platform, like the ability to create a fully functional website for an organization <em>without</em> hosting fees.</div>
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<hr/>
<strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>Best part: Anyone can do it.</strong></div>
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<div>As a premium Postach.io member, I run more than one website. I'm no coding guru, but I manage to run multiple websites through Postach.io with minimal effort or maintenance. Recently, I have been tasked with establishing two community organizations: One is a <a href="http://tyabbcrest.org/">wildlife preservation group</a> that looks after a flock of around 100 Sulphur Crested Cockatoos that roost in ancient trees in the heart of our town. The other, a volunteer organization called <a href="http://vostvic.net.au/">VOST Victoria</a>. It’s my flagship project; a social enterprise that works in emergency information management though online mediums. We've even found ways for our volunteers to collaborate on published content by using Evernote and Postach.io.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Typically, it's not easy for an emerging organization to host a website. It can be expensive, time consuming, and difficult to update on a regular bases. Plus, you typically have to train staff to operate and update the website, and only a limited amount of team members will be able to contribute to it. But with Postach.io, you can do this for free with absolutely no coding experience. You could even use your phone through the Evernote app and update your pages with the click (or touch) of a sync button. It’s so good, that you might even decide to upgrade to premium like I did so you can make more than one website for your org.</div>
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<div>
<hr/>
<strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>Embeds work, so exploit them!</strong></div>
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<div>You don't have to be an expert, you just need to know a couple of tricks - so here they are:</div>
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<div>Make use of Postach.io's ability to embed Google Docs, among other things (just use the embed code that Google gives you in your post, and you have a Google Doc embedded in your post). For example, you could make a form with Google Docs to collect data about your users and feed the results to a spreadsheet. In this way, users can interact with your posts by inputting data in a way that can normally only be done using complicated HTML code or by jumping to some other off-site third-party provider.</div>
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<div>With an embed like this, you can keep all forms for the organization on your own website (and in Google Drive) without added cost or confusion to your visitors.</div>
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<div>
<hr/>
<strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>Push the boundaries of your Postach.io website.</strong></div>
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<div>Don't be afraid to experiment with embedding. You'll be surprised at how many third-party embeds already work. The Postach.io team is always writing new updates for the parser to accept all sorts of new code from third-party providers. The developers have very few rules when it comes to embedding things - <em>and trust me, the code works.</em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The same goes for themes. Postach.io’s designs are sleek, simple, and minimal. I’ve found that this allows you to personalize your blog or website to match your target market and raison d’être; upload your organization’s logo and banner, fill in the bio, and you’re good to go.</div>
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<div>Got a video about your org? Embed your Youtube videos directly into the page with ease (again, just copy the embed code that Google supplies).</div>
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<div>If your organization related to music, maybe feature an audio recording? Try using a Soundcloud embed. By using embeds, you can turn your site into anything you want it to be.</div>
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<div>And suddenly, you're not confined to just a blog anymore - the possibilities are endless. You can even make changes to the source code directly through the Postach.io site settings (if you know how) to add things like 'dropdown' menus and customized colour schemes.</div>
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<div>
<hr/>
<strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>There is support for those who need it.</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Allow me to advocate for the Postach.io team. For anyone who has ANY issues, the support button (the question mark on the bottom-right of the Postach.io dashboard) works really well! The team is reliable and they don't care if you're bending the rules. On the contrary, they’ll likely cheer you on, no matter what crazy ideas you have.</div>
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<div>I'm happy to talk to any organisation who is just starting out and exploring options for setting up a website. You can contact me on Twitter (@tyabblemons) or by leaving a message on any of my websites.</div>
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<div>
<hr/></div>
<div><em><br/></em></div>
<div><em>By Postach.io Ambassador Brad Lemon - April 2014</em></div>
The Essence of Outstanding Link Blogshttps://postach.io/blog/post/the-essence-of-outstanding-link-blogs2018-03-19T21:21:40.316000Z2014-09-24T17:24:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why Curate Content?</span></div>
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<div>Simply put, you can become the go to source for information on a particular subject. By now you've probably noticed the trend towards "curated content". Not just in things like news feeds but jobs, art and even email (thanks Gmail).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>It seems to be a response to the incredible amount of information we are being presented with on a daily basis. While we have access to more and more info, the signal to noise ratio tends to get higher because of it. <a href="http://links.bmannconsulting.com/">Link blogs</a> are playing an increasingly important role in filtering information for people.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/cfcf8d6b-1a26-4309-afa1-5b3a3e87410b/c5c29f33-e09e-4c8e-be5d-5a3d0809f388.jpg" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">What does it mean to curate?</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>First lets look at what it means to curate. We're probably all very familiar with the concept of a museum curator so lets use that as an example. The curator is responsible for the care, acquisition and interpretation of the museums collection. They have a deep and abiding care for the collection and control how and what the museum patron sees when they visit.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>From our perspective, a link blog is an excellent example of curation and something easily done with <a href="http://www.postach.io">Postach.io</a> and <a href="https://evernote.com/webclipper/">EvernoteWeb Clipper</a></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are a few things that are commonly curated</span>.</div><ul><li>We curate life lessons. - Business Advice, Life Quotes.</li><li>We curate food. - Recipes, Restaurant Reviews.</li><li>We curate art. - Pictures, Paintings.</li></ul><div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">What makes a good curator?</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Good taste, empathy and knowledge. While there are many services and technologies that attempt to curate for us, none that I've seen possess the traits I've just mentioned. The day I see robots at an art gallery with chins cupped and heads cocked staring at a painting saying "I love the artists depiction of gum on shoe sole to represent the ongoing struggle humankind has to understand its place in the universe", I'll be wrong.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Until then understanding your audience is key and filtering the right information is a manual process. If you are able to do this you'll become an invaluable source of information for a group of readers which has it's own obvious set of benefits for the blogger.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Link blogging for Business</span></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Link blogs become personal news services for the people who subscribed to them, places people come for inspiration and repositories for all the good ideas and cool things we don't want to forget. From a practical standpoint link blogs are useful for consultants who want to share information about their field but don't have the time to author all of their own posts. They provide great SEO and from a marketing standpoint are quite useful.</div>
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<div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Link blogging for Education</span></div>
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<div>Teachers come across so many cool concepts and ideas when developing a lesson that it just makes sense to link blog. Whether it's for a future pool of ideas to draw from or to gather information on a particular subject. With Postach.io's ability to have multiple blog authors an educator can "crowd source" information on a particular subject from their students.</div>
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<div>Those are a few of the examples on how to use a link blog. If you have any examples please let us know and post them to our <a href="https://twitter.com/PostachioApp">Twitter</a> account! :)</div>
Using Evernote (and Postach.io) to Manage Student Workhttps://postach.io/blog/post/using-evernote-and-postach-io-to-manage-student-work2018-03-19T21:21:51.888000Z2014-09-18T18:26:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>I've tinkered with student portfolios, VLEs and microblogging to manage student work - all to a lesser degree of effectiveness; either:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">1. The learners reject the system (ie. <a href="http://moodle.com/">Moodle</a>) due to perceptions over it's "modernness" </div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">OR</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">2. The learners embrace the system for it's novelty and "chat" functions (ie. <a href="https://www.edmodo.com/">Edmodo</a>) </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">OR</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">3. Teachers like the idea (ie. microblogging) but just find the whole experience "bolt on" </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">OR</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">4. After initial success, both students and staff return to the lowest common denominator… <b>Email</b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">It's this return to email that I wanted to embrace, as it seems that everyone knows and likes email. It's stood the test of time.<br/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br/></div>
<div><strong><i>So, how do I integrate email into my workflow for managing student work?</i></strong></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/596ff5e1-15a4-4b19-8f6a-0a7a29aa5dc0.jpg" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div><strong>From Email to Evernote!</strong></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>Every <a href="http://evernote.com">Evernote</a> account has an associated email address (you can find it under Account Info). Creating a note is as simple as sending an email to that address.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Since anyone can send an email to the address, anyone can create a note in your Evernote account! And, with some simple Evernote-fu, you can use this to manage student work efficiently. </div>
<div><i><b><br/></b></i></div>
<div><b>Here’s how to organize student work using Evernote and Email:</b></div>
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<div><i>1. Create a new notebook (in this case - <b>12Phys1</b>) to store incoming work from students...</i></div>
<i>2. Allow students to send an email of their work to your Evernote email address along with “<b>@12Phys1</b>" in the subject line to designate which notebook it will be sent to.</i></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><i>Example:</i> <b>Subject Line:</b><strong style="font-style: italic;"> </strong>Hooke's Law - A Student<span style="font-style: italic;"> @</span>12Phys1</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/36fbe793-7a02-4277-ac3a-667c484011e7.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><i>3. This will create a new note, in the <strong>12Phys1</strong><b> </b>notebook, titled “<strong>Hooke's Law - A Student</strong>"…</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/4b2c0ae8-6367-4bbf-9fdb-559e272ccdf5.png" style="height: auto;" width="1267" height="758"/></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">Through this process, all the students in your class can use email to submit their work directly to your Evernote account. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><b><br/></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Simple!</i></b></div>
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<div>
<hr/>
<br/></div>
<div><strong>From Evernote to Postach.io! </strong><br/></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><b><a href="http://www.postach.io">Postach.io</a> connects to your Evernote account so you can publish your notes to a web page. Here’s how:</b></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<i>1. Create a free Postach.io site: Once you create your first site, you’ll get a new notebook in Evernote to act as a source.</i></div>
<div><i>2. Set a password on the blog so that only you and your students can gain entry (optional paid feature).</i></div>
<div><i>3. Name your new Postach.io notebook (in this case - “<b>ClassBlog</b>") and publish notes from it using the tag “<b>published</b>".</i></div>
<div><i>4. Students can now email their work to this new notebook’s (in as above), adding “<b>#published</b>" to the end of the subject line as a tag:</i></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><i>Example</i><strong>: Subject: </strong>“Lab Team #1" @ClassBlog #published</div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/2afdf1e9-1f54-429e-b848-deafe1bd9c28.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><i>5. This will create a new note, in the ClassBlog notebook, titled “Physics Lab Team #1" with the "published" tag, AND</i></div>
<div><i><br/></i></div>
<div><i>6. Postach.io will instantly publish the new note to the class blog (see below)</i></div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/540e447f-f2bc-46de-bd27-682fefd915a1.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div>Students can now publish their work to the class blog and share what they’re doing with classmates and family. </div>
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<div><b><i>Simple! </i></b></div>
<div><b><i><br/></i></b></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/4ed2c83b-833b-49e5-821e-a5b369f4a278/3c4f7307-5de7-4045-8dee-311f931fb093.png" style="height: auto;"/><b><i><br/></i></b></div>
<div><b><i><br/></i></b></div>
<div>
<hr/>
<b><i><br/></i></b></div>
<div><i>This tutorial was adapted from an original post by Glen Gilchrist (<a href="https://twitter.com/mrgpg">@mrgpg</a>), found on his personal blog, <a href="http://glengilchrist.co.uk/using-evernote-and-postach-io-to-manage-student-work">here</a>.</i></div>
Tested: Methods for Learning a New Languagehttps://postach.io/blog/post/tested-methods-for-learning-a-new-language2018-03-19T21:21:52.705000Z2014-09-08T10:41:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>I've been learning French over the past few months and, along the way, I've been trying to nail down a solid method for learning a language in the most efficient way. This blog post elaborates on some of the interesting methods I've found out there and what I think of them.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/efc53c16-de00-4a44-bbe5-3a739e1e36f7/af918c07-602c-426f-a9ca-6dfbd4b572be.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Benny Lewis</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>My first encounter of Benny Lewis was his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZqUeWshwMs">TED talk</a> which a colleague had pointed me towards. The main message behind Benny’s method is to <i><b>speak from day one</b></i>. He explains how he tried to learn Spanish several times and failed, even after moving to Spain. He believes that the main reason he failed was due to focusing on learning grammar rather than simply getting out there and communicating with people.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Benny runs the site <a href="http://fluentin3months.com">fluentin3months.com</a>. Here, he writes some really useful blog posts and offers a premium service which includes a comprehensive guide to his methodology.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>While I haven’t subscribed to Benny’s premium service, I totally agree with his focus on speaking from day one, or at least speaking as early as you can. I highly recommend checking out his blog and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fluent-3-Months-Benny-Lewis/dp/0007543921">book</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I am totally agree with Benny’s philosophy of speaking from day one or as soon as possible. One aspect I struggle with here is how to set the ground rules for having a conversation from day one? For instance, if you agree to have a Skype call with a native, what is the best way to structure that call so you get something out of it and don’t end up frustrating yourself and the other person. Perhaps Benny covers this in his premium content (which I haven’t yet subscribed to).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Moses McCormick</b><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I think I came by Moses McCormick's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/laoshu505000">YouTube videos</a> through one of Benny’s YouTube videos. Moses seems to tear through several new languages per year, learning them to varying levels - and as you can see from his youtube videos, he does pretty well. Moses has collated the method he uses and wrapped it up into a product called the <a href="http://www.flrmethod.com/">FLR Method</a>. Moses' technique seems to focus on anticipating what someone will ask you and practicing those phrases along with a response phrase. In addition to that, he suggests that you learn “keywords" to expand your responses to longer sentences (from what I can see these are just conjunctions).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Moses also has a rather unique approach to practicing his languages in the open and he calls it levelling up.<b><i> Levelling up</i></b> basically involves going to the supermarket/shopping mall etc and going up to strangers to start a conversation. It’s always pretty cool to see the reaction on the other persons face when he starts to speak their language (especially if it’s something obscure like Somali).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Again, in a similar way to Benny, I like the way Moses throws himself into the thick of things and starts comunnicating with the language. His focus on phrases that you expect to be asked and conjunctions to expand sentences are the backbone of his method.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The <b><i>FLR Method</i></b> is mostly made up of text files and audio to practice. This does the job fine but it could do with more app like approach to guide the user through the steps.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Tim Ferriss</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I had already heard of Tim Ferriss from the <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/">4 Hour Work Week</a> book but, until recently, I never knew he was a language learner. However, Tim has some of the most interesting tips to give on language learning.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Tim suggests <i><b>deconstructing a language</b></i> into smaller pieces in order to build an understanding of the grammar. He has a set of sentences (see below) which allows you analyse this. The sentences have different structures that allow you to identify whether the language takes and <i><b>SVO</b></i> (subject-verb-object) or <i><b>SOV</b></i> (subject-object-verb) form.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The apple is red.<br/></li>
<li>It is John’s apple.<br/></li>
<li>I give John the apple.<br/></li>
<li>We give him the apple.<br/></li>
<li>He gives it to John.<br/></li>
<li>She gives it to him.<br/></li>
<li>I must give it to him.<br/></li>
<li>I want to give it to her.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>Tim also suggests that you prioritise the words that you learn based on the <b><i>Pereto Princple</i></b>, also known as the 80-20 rule. This is, again, very good advice. The 80-20 rule states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. So, in other words, 80% of the words spoken will come from 20% of words that exist. This is a big deal - It shows that if you prioritise the words you learn correctly, you will cover the bases of most conversations.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This also applies to phrases; prioritise 20-40 set phases to learn and they will go a long way.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I like several things about Tim’s approach. Deconstructing a language seems like a nice way to get acquainted with a language and is a nice starting point. On top of this, doing 80/20 analyses of the language is more great advice (no point learning words that you seldom/never going to use!). All in all, I really like Tim’s systematic approach to language learning - check out <a href="http://fourhourworkweek.com/category/language/">his blog posts on language</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Michel Thomas</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Michel Thomas, a former intelligence officer with the US government, French Resistance member and Nazi concentration camp surviver, developed a method called the <a href="http://www.michelthomas.com/">Michel Thomas Method</a>. Thomas claimed that he could teach his students in three days what would normally take three years with conventional teach methods.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The methods consists of some ground rules, namely.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>* Not note taking</div>
<div>* No conscious attempts to memorise the content</div>
<div>* You should relax</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Thomas says that the <b><i>responsibility lies with the teacher</i></b> to ensure the information is absorbed and committed to long term memory. In other words, if you’re not learning, it’s the teachers job to understand why and improve their technique.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Michel takes through a lot of lot of material at a blazing fast pace. You are advised to pause the recording and try to attempt speaking the translation out loud as you go along. This is kind of hard to do in the car, where I listen to most of my podcasts etc.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Another approach that Michel uses throughout his recording is to use the following verbs at the start of a lot of his sentences. Using these verbs at the start of a sentence allows you to use the infinitive form of other verbs thereafter.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>to have<br/></li>
<li>to have to<br/></li>
<li>to want<br/></li>
<li>to go<br/></li>
<li>to be able to<br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This greatly reduces the amount of verbs you have to learn to get to a stage of communication. For example, in French:-</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I have to eat some food.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">NOT<i>: J’ai manger de la nourriture</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">Rather: <i>Je dois manger de la nourriture</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I want to go to the park</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Je veux aller au parc</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I must talk to my mum</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Je dois parler à ma mère</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>I can read and write</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Je peux lire et écrire</i></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You can see here how the verb after the helper verb is always the infinitive form. This is a really nice technique.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Gabriel Wyner</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Gabriel Wyner, author of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fluent-Forever-Learn-Language-Forget/dp/0385348118">Fluent Forever</a> book and a classical singer, has a slightly different method. <a href="http://fluent-forever.com/the-method/">His method</a> consists of these tasks in this order:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Learn Pronunciation<br/></li>
<li>Remove translations completely<br/></li>
<li>Use spaced repetition to learn vocabulary and grammar<br/></li>
<li>Use the 80/20 principle when selecting what vocabulary to learn</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>The focus on learn pronunciation first is hat sets it apart from the other methods. I really find this interesting and I’m going to give it a try. Wyner explains that it is harder to memorise words that you can’t pronounce, therefore starting with pronunciation makes sense. He also says that it will help you with your listening skills, which is something that interests me because I struggle with listening a lot.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Gabriel's <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gabrielwyner/fluent-forever-foreign-language-pronunciation-trai">kickstarter</a> has enabled him to create some useful <a href="http://ankisrs.net/">Anki</a> decks that help you learn pronuncation and word lists. I would love if he made this into a web app like <a href="https://www.duolingo.com">Duolingo</a> as the user experience is a bit disjointed at the minute.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>My Progress</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>I’ve been learning for 2 months now (with some time spent on research what method to use!). All in all it’s going pretty well - I’ve been using a mixture of all the methods above but mainly focusing on Tim/Michel/Gabiel's methods. I’ve also been using a great (and free) tool called <a href="https://www.duolingo.com">Duolingo</a> - I highly recommend checking this tool out on your mobile device or the web (warning: it’s addictive). I would say I’m at a reasonably good reading and writing level but I hope to improve my speaking and (especially) listening skills over the coming months.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Tools I Suggest</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>(in order of how much I use them)</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><a href="https://www.duolingo.com">Duolingo</a></div>
<div><a href="http://ankisrs.net/">Anki </a>(flash cards)</div>
<div><a href="http://www.michelthomas.com/">Michel Thomas recordings</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Easy-French-Reader-Second-Edition/dp/0071428488">Easy Reader books</a> (good for basic reading and dialog)</div>
<div><a href="http://www.memrise.com/">Memrise</a> (very good mnemonic style learning)</div>
<div><a href="http://www.newsinslowfrench.com/">News in slow</a> french podcast)</div>
<div><a href="http://radiolingua.com/coffeebreakfrench/">Coffee break</a> french podcast)</div>
<div><a href="https://www.verbling.com/">Verbling</a> (Find native speakers/techers)</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>
<hr/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><i>This guest post was originally posted <a href="http://notions.me/methods-for-learning-a-new-language-in-months">here</a>, on Phil’s personal Postach.io blog.</i></div>
<div><b><i><br/></i></b></div>
<div><b><i>About Phil</i></b><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Phil is a Ruby and Javascript software engineer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He works for <a href="http://rumblelabs.com">Rumble Labs</a> and founded <a href="http://handink.co">Handink</a>. While not glued to his computer, Phil likes to enjoy good food, coffee and dabble in some polyglotism.</div>
Bug Fixes, Better Markdown & Faster Syncinghttps://postach.io/blog/post/bug-fixes-better-markdown-faster-syncing2018-03-19T21:21:52.364000Z2014-09-03T16:45:51ZThe Postach.io Team<div>You may have you noticed our downtime over the last couple of days and wondered what it was all about. We fixed a bunch of bugs and made improvements to several major systems. This blog post will get you up to speed on the changes.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/606de6f3-d4a3-4326-b980-3f51f4b5e7fb/e8f2b921-49f6-4e02-8639-1c7cc7da717f.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div><b>Markdown Improvements</b></div>
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<div>If you prefer to write in Markdown, this ones for you. If you’re not sure what Markdown is, no need to worry about it, but if you’re curious, you can <a href="http://markdowntutorial.com/">learn about Markdown here</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We rewritten our Markdown parser and changed the way Markdown works in Evernote posts. <b><i>Now you can write any post with Markdown and just tag it "markdown" when you'd like it to be parsed as Markdown</i></b>. We’ve removed the setting where you’d specify a whole site as Markdown. This way, you can mix Markdown and regular posts in the same notebook and your site will display them all correctly. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Plus, you’ll find our <i><b>new Markdown parser is much better than the previous version</b></i>. Also, if you like to write in Markdown and also use Dropbox, you might want to check out <a href="http://help.postach.io/creating-markdown-posts-in-dropbox">Creating Markdown Posts in Dropbox</a>. </div>
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<div><b>Enabled Password Protection on Custom Domains</b></div>
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<div>Now, finally, those of you who’ve requested that password protection work on custom domains have your day. If you’re one of our premium users, we thank you and are happy to announce that password protection will now work on custom domains and sub-domains alike. </div>
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<div><b>We’ve Made Syncing Faster</b></div>
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<div>Thanks so much for all your patience with the syncing issues this last month - we’ve been hard at work fixing them. The most major improvement in this release is a full overhaul of our post syncing systems from both Evernote and Dropbox, as well as a completely new server and worker set up to handle post syncing.</div>
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<div>You’ll find that posts sync faster and fail much less often.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/606de6f3-d4a3-4326-b980-3f51f4b5e7fb/cd5fb97d-13ed-43d4-84ce-0a06ed5cd2a8.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div>
<div><b>Temporarily Removed Source Code Editor</b><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’ve temporarily removed the Source Editor to make way for a new, improved Theme Editor that is coming soon. In addition, we’re adding support for Github theme editing. In the future, you’ll be able to make all source code changes using a Github repo, and all style changes directly in Postach.io.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Temporarily Removed Social Features and Discover</b><br/></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>As we work on improving our social sharing features, we’ve had to temporarily removed the auto-sharing tool, post sharing tabs, and social tags to reduce the potential for bugs. We’ll keep you updated on our progress!</div>
</div>
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<div>We’re also developing a brand new Discover feed that will curate content more effectively, relative to you and your interests!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Thanks so much for your patience with our maintenance, and for continuing to let us know when you encounter issues. We appreciate you all so much and are having fun improving Postach.io for you :) </div>
LifeHacks for Study Group Organizationhttps://postach.io/blog/post/lifehacks-for-study-group-organization2018-03-19T21:21:53.070000Z2014-09-01T00:50:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><strong>How do study groups work?</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em>No, really!?</em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Does one person usually do all the work of reading the material and breaking it down for your teammates, or does your group break up the load and work on it as a team?</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Nowadays, you may often hear the words “Google Docs" and nod. Indeed, it often works quite well for study group organization; type up some information, share it with others, and together the group can come together to work on the material as a team. However, there are several issues we often encounter with this workflow.</div>
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<div><strong>Issues with Shared Documents</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>1. Individuals with access to the doc don’t always receive a notification that the material in the doc has been altered, and if they do, it comes in the (too) subtle form of a bolding of the doc’s title in Google Drive. This become particularly annoying as you near due dates; you think the doc is ready for submission, only to find that an entire section has been removed or changed without your knowledge.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>2. Scrolling also becomes an issue, as students can’t just click and select one section of the doc containing the notes they’re interested in. Instead, if you want the peace of freedom from extraneous information, you have to copy and paste that information out of its crowded, ever-changing environment into something more appealing.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>3. Lastly, the frustration of someone else writing over/changing something you wrote without telling you is <em>real</em>, especially since those notifications don’t explicitly clarify what’s different. You have to bear with shifts in spacing, formatting, and gaps in writing as team members take it upon themselves to edit your unfinished work.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/ab1583b4-5613-4c7a-92f8-af5e3fa7c11f/c03beff9-013f-4e30-825e-32dfce0e7c40.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><strong>Simple Solutions to Group Work</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>An Evernote/Postach.io model works differently though. Instead of creating a doc for everyone to jump straight into and muddle around in, an Evernote notebook can be used to organize your group work from start to finish and publish it to a class blog for easy review. Once the project is ready, it can then be submitted directly through Postach.io in an attractive theme. Here’s how:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em><strong>1. Dividing Team Workload</strong></em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Let’s say we divide the material equally and everyone is to write and share notes on their respective chapter. As a first step, someone will create an Evernote notebook and then share it with all of the other team members. Each student then logs a note on their section, and then tags the note with “published" when they're ready for review. After syncing Evernote, this note is then instantaneously published to the class blog on <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a>. Here’s a video if you’re still in disbelief about how it works.</div>
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<div>Worried about privacy? Easily keep your insider jokes on the inside by password protecting your blog.</div>
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<div>Done and done.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em><strong>2. Seamless Review</strong></em></div>
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<div>Instead of having to scroll through a Google Doc for minutes, only to have the entire document jolt up and down as other people log on and type, you can select one of the sections and read it comfortably in a Postach.io theme of your choice. There’s no copy and pasting. No downloading. If a new post has been made and the author has decided it's good to go, they’ll simply add the tag ‘published’, and you’ll see it on the blog - the effect a place to review without interruptions.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em><strong>3. Conflict-Free Editing</strong></em></div>
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<div>Instead of instantly clamouring into edit mode as soon as a new section is added, you can share feedback on each other's work through the Disqus commenting system integrated into the blog. This gives the original author a chance to support their reasoning or gain legitimate insight front team members before changes are made without warning. Thus, no more instances of finding out that an entire section of your report has been removed without your consent after you spent two hours perfecting it…arrgggg!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em><strong>4. Perfecting Your Portfolio</strong></em></div>
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<div>Here’s another bonus you've probably never considered: once you've published your documents to Postach.io as a group, they will look much more professional and visually appealing than in a boring text document. Imagine yourself in the future, when you want to show a potential employer a crafty display of teamwork and collaboration; all you’ll have to do is send them a link to your team Postach.io blog, and you’ll have proven your point ;).</div>
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<div>This called <em><strong>making your education work for you!</strong></em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Can you say #worthit?</div>
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<div>
<hr/></div>
<div><em>Aida is a rising junior at Texas A&M studying Geography, and minoring in English and Sociology. She is a major reader, and heavily interested in the world and what's going on. Unabashed feminist and observer, Aida pursues many passions both inside of school and outside of school. Inside A&M, she is the Prose Editor for the Texas A&M literary magazine, The Eckleburg Project, an executive board member for the university’s undergraduate research journal, Explorations, and is a co-coordinator for the Geography Society. Aida is also has a job as a teaching assistant for a writing intensive course. Outside the university, she writes for the college- and high school-oriented online magazine, The Prospect. All of these opportunities aid her goals in learning and collaborating with other lifelong learners.</em></div>
Postach.io Launches New Educator's Blog!https://postach.io/blog/post/postach-io-launches-new-educator-s-blog2018-03-19T21:21:53.190000Z2014-08-26T20:27:29ZThe Postach.io Team<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/58f9e287-5cd8-41ed-9a4f-3a7ef37e87f3/a9004383-2ffd-4e68-a284-236e960ae196.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
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<div>Dear friends,</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Over the last few months, educators from around the world have come to us with incredible examples of how Postach.io has allowed them to do things never before possible! Needless to say, we’re pretty freaking excited!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>It’s been incredible to watch our creation unfold into something that has completely exceeded our initial expectations. Postach.io is now much more than <em>‘just another blogging platform’;</em> it’s also a website builder, an e-portfolio host, and an alternative 'Learning Management System' (LMS). It’s been used to support small businesses, attract clients for writers and journalists, deliver emergency information to citizens, and inspire kids to share their work with the world through the power of the internet! </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><i>And there’s so much more we have yet to discover!</i></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>As we continue to develop Postach.io as a tool for people of all backgrounds, we want to give you the chance to learn new ways in which to use the tool we've created for you!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em><strong>That’s why we’ve launched </strong></em><em><strong>an </strong></em><a href="http://educators.postach.io"><b><i>new official blog,</i></b></a><em><strong> just for the Educators of Postach.io!</strong></em></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/58f9e287-5cd8-41ed-9a4f-3a7ef37e87f3/704152d5-3bdc-412f-aed4-d0ba9b20ced0.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div>With insight from experienced educators from around the world, we’ll be using the Educator’s Blog to share tips and tricks on how to incorporate Postach.io into the classroom. Whether you’re a university professor, a high-school physics teacher, a councillor, or a home-schooler, Postach.io really <em>can</em> revolutionize the way you teach<strong>,</strong> learn and lead. Let us show you how!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b><i>Check out the new </i></b><a href="http://educators.postach.io"><b><i>Postach.io Educator’s Blog</i></b></a><b><i> to get started, and stay tuned for new content from educators like you! </i></b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We’d love to hear what you have to say! Use hashtag #PostachioEd to join the conversation about Postach.io for Education! </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/58f9e287-5cd8-41ed-9a4f-3a7ef37e87f3/232f35cf-8bf9-44cd-ba07-cf4dd5efa749.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Our newly created PostachioEd logo - hope you like it!</i></div>
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Introducing the #PostachioEd Serieshttps://postach.io/blog/post/introducing-the-postachioed-series2018-03-19T21:21:54.129000Z2014-07-29T21:03:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In this introduction, veteran educator <a href="http://www.twitter.com/@mguhlin">Miguel Guhlin</a> shares his thoughts about his upcoming education-focused series. </i><i>Read on to see what is coming around the corner for the <strong>#PostachioEd</strong> collaboration.</i></div></div>
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<hr/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/689a193d-5f67-4b26-bfaf-ecbdea10fe60/44a17963-1d2b-4031-878f-234e82508719.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>As a long-time tinkerer with Evernote and Postach.io, what a thrill it’s been to celebrate this exploration within the topic of education!<br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Having served in private and public schools as a classroom teacher and district administrator, I have a simple a simple commitment — <b>to show how Postach.io can transform the way we teach, learn and lead in schools. </b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>In my upcoming series, you’ll have the opportunity to see how education, Evernote, Postach.io, and other excellent web tools can come together. Plus, as Postach.io continues to develop, we’ll explore how you can apply new features and tools into your existing flow to help you and your students ‘<span style=""><i>level up</i></span>’ - as the Postach.io team would say.<br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>PLANS FOR THE #PostachioEd SERIES</strong></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>Here are a few of the upcoming entries you will be seeing in the #PostachioEd series:</div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/07/go-digital-teaching-non-fiction-writing_29.html"><b><i>Go Digital: Teaching Non-Fiction Writing with Postachio:</i></b></a> This article explores how Evernote Notebooks and Postach.io are a winning combination if you are using non-fiction notebooks in your classroom.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/07/what-student-writers-do-with-evernote.html"><em><strong>What Student Writers Do with @Evernote and @Postachio</strong></em><strong>:</strong></a> This article continues the exploration of how student writers can use Evernote+Postachio to better understand the craft of writing. A must-read for classroom teachers entrusted with fostering student writing in any content area.</li>
<li><em><b><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/07/eportfolios-made-easy-with-evernote-and.html?utm_content=buffera8702&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">ePortfolios Made Easy with @Evernote and @Postachio</a>:</b></em> This article goes more in depth, offering a variety of solutions that include Evernote and Postachio.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/08/5-actions-for-empowering-school.html"><i>5 Actions for Empowering School Administrators with Postachio</i></a>:</strong> Learn how you, as campus leader, can turbo-charge your leadership with Evernote and Postachio.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/08/writing-down-their-words-evernote.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mguhlin+%28Around+the+Corner+-+MGuhlin.net%29"><em><strong>Writing Down Their Words: A Student’s Perspective</strong></em><strong>:</strong></a> This article explores new research regarding note-taking and how Evernote+Postach.io can help.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://blog.postach.io/a-better-way-preparing-feedback-for-student-work">A Better Way: Preparing Feedback for Student Work</a>:</strong> In this article, we explore how Evernote and Postach.io can be used to provide meaningful feedback—text, audio—to student writing.</li>
<li><strong><a href="http://blog.postach.io/picture-eportfolios-made-easy-with-postachio">Picture ePortfolios Made Easy with @Postachio</a>:</strong> Ever wanted to quickly capture student work and share it others in your academic community, including students, parents and administration? This article shows you how.</li>
<li><em><strong><a href="http://blog.postach.io/blog-your-list-of-faqs">Blog Your List of FAQs</a>:</strong></em> Many of us have a great story to tell, but don’t know how. This article presents a sure-fire formula that capitalizes on Evernote+Postachio for powerful sharing that is quick, powerful and proven.</li>
</ol>
<div>And, that’s only the start! I hope you’ll stay tuned for even more content. Are you curious about how you can seize the power of Evernote, Dropbox and Postachio to enhance teaching,learning and leading? Then, don’t be afraid to make contact via <a href="http://www.twitter.com/@mguhlin">Twitter</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>BONUS STUFF FOR YOU</strong></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>While you wait on those to appear, check out these quick reads:</div>
<ol>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/28-tips-to-turbo-charge-your-leadership-with-evernote#disqus_thread">28 Tips to Turbo-Charge Your Leadership</a></em></li>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/atc-wired-for-drama-information-wrestling-with-evernote-and-postachio#disqus_thread">Wired for Drama</a></em><em>,</em></li>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/curating-content-with-postachio-and-evernote#disqus_thread">Curating Content with Evernote and Postach.io</a></em></li>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/evernote-administrator-3-steps-to-walkthrough-checklists#disqus_thread">3 Steps to Walkthrough Checklists</a></em></li>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/publishing-to-postach-io-from-flickr-via-evernote-and-email#disqus_thread">Publishing Images with Postach.io</a></em></li>
<li><em><a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/ipad-blogging-with-evernote-via-postach-io-and-everclip#disqus_thread">iPad Blogging with Evernote and Postach.io</a></em></li>
</ol>
<div><strong>GET INVOLVED!</strong></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div>Please feel free to contribute your own blog entries to the series by adding the hashtag <strong>#PostachioEd</strong> to your tweets! We love to share the work of other Postach.io nuts ;)</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You can find out more about Miguel Guhlin online at <a href="http://mguhlin.postach.io/about">http://mguhlin.postach.io/about</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>
<hr/>
<br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/07/go-digital-teaching-non-fiction-writing_29.html"/>CLICK HERE to start the #PostachioEd Series<br/></div>
<div><a href="http://www.mguhlin.org/2014/07/go-digital-teaching-non-fiction-writing_29.html"><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/689a193d-5f67-4b26-bfaf-ecbdea10fe60/63ca62ea-88d5-4d2a-93c1-576db1cc0fa6.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></a><br/></div>
How To: Hide Certain Tags From Displaying on Your Postach.io Sitehttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-hide-certain-tags-from-displaying-on-your-postach-io-site2018-03-19T21:21:57.968000Z2014-07-29T16:06:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><i>We’re proud to feature this handy hack post from Nick Gracilla, principal of </i><i><a href="http://www.neotericdesign.com/">Neoteric Design</a>, a craft-driven design and development firm in Chicago. </i><i>Follow <a href="http://hacking.postach.io">Nick’s blog</a> for other homemade Postach.io hacks, or <a href="https://twitter.com/nicfits">find him on Twitter</a>!</i></div>
<div>
<hr/>
<img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/d72b44bc-c735-4901-a3ff-1e2f71ce8ba9/3201c94f-06f6-4944-b703-f3d04b54497b.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/>
Postach.io has great support for Evernote’s tagging feature: just tag your note as desired, and that tag will appear on your Postach.io blog - easy peasy. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>One day, I noticed that the critical tag “published" is never shown. With this in mind, I realized that I may want to use other tags that I don’t need to show on my blog. For example, I might use private tags within Evernote that help me establish the edit status of a post, or an internal tagging system for content grouping. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Thus, the question becomes: <b><i>How can I have Postach.io display some of my tags on my post, but not all of them? </i></b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>How To...</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>This is pretty straightforward - it just requires a little bit of template hacking. First, we’ll create a list of tags that we want Postach.io to skip over. Then, we’ll find the various spots in the templates where tags are printed, and we’ll insert some conditional logic to only print out tags that aren’t in the list. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Let’s go!</div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div><b><i>1. Create your list of hidden tags</i></b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>You want your list of hidden tags to be easy to manage, so define it just once, and put the definition at the very top of your template. We’re going to create a variable, call it “skiptags", and give it a list of tags that we want skipped in our layout. Tags are text, so we’ll show them in single quotes. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/neotericdesign/4c10cc69f3b2a6312fa2.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b><i>2. Find the template spots that print out tags</i></b><br/></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>Obviously, tags are printed at the end of a post. From this <a href="http://blog.postach.io/using-tags-and-tag-clouds-in-postach-io">great tutorial on the Postach.io Blog that talks about how to use tags and tag clouds</a>, you can see some code that does exactly this: </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/56db79c897cad2bdb390.js"></script><br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>That is to say, <i>“If there are any tags on this post, then make an unordered list in HTML, and for each of those tags, show it as a line item in that list." <br/></i></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We want to make a simple change to this logic - something that says: <i>“If there are any tags on this post, then make an unordered list in HTML. And for each of those tags on this post, as long as it’s not in my skiptags list, then go ahead and show it."</i> In code, this translates to: </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/neotericdesign/22dd03a4770843006c8f.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Minor Caveats To Be Aware Of</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>Keep in mind, the post itself still contains all of your tags — we’re just not showing all of them to the user. Thus, tags can still be used to identify your posts in the Postach.io discover feature if someone searches for them. For example, even if you hide your “food" tags from showing your site, any posts tagged with "food" will still appear in Discover when someone enters the URL "http://postach.io/discover/<u>food</u>". </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Of course, if your hidden tags only contain obscure words or phrases, you probably won’t run into this issue. Nevertheless, make sure to keep your super-secret, should-never-be-seen tags to yourself. Your posts will still be indexed under all of your tags when published to the web, even if you don’t display them on your site. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Tell me how it works!</b></div>
<div><b><br/></b></div>
<div>Questions? Comments? Share your experiences with me on Twitter (@nicfits) or through the comments on my <a href="http://hacking.postach.io/how-to-hide-some-tags-from-displaying-on-postach-io-blogs">personal blog for Postach.io hacks</a>. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Happy hacking! :)</div>
<div><i><b><br/></b></i></div>
<div><i>Nick</i></div>
Rebuilding the Family Network with Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/rebuilding-the-family-network-with-postach-io2018-03-19T21:22:00.582000Z2014-07-22T07:08:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><i>This post was shared with us by Brad Lemon of Victoria, Australia. We hope it inspires and motivates you to continue levelling up in life, just like it has done for our team. Enjoy :)</i></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/0d45b399-e29e-4818-aef0-d548c75d59a3/2aa6d2ea-652e-4c3c-b56a-27f20d70d6e2.jpg" style="height: auto; cursor: default;"/></div>
<div><strong>Engaging Teens in 2014</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>How many times have you found your mature family sitting around a room with their heads buried in their phones or laptops?<br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Let’s be honest: the days of sitting around the dining table once a week and telling stories about family history have nearly gone. Thus, I had to find another way to communicate our family stories in an easy and engaging way.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Indeed, not an easy thing to do. Yeah, you can send short text messages (with many limitations), but group messages are hard to maintain. Emails are boring, ugly, and get lost in the shuffle. Snail mail is out of the question.<br/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The answer I found turned out to be really simple: a blog. But not just any ordinary blog; for us, it soon became a form of family-centered social media. </div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/0d45b399-e29e-4818-aef0-d548c75d59a3/fc8f2deb-f812-4db7-bc6a-e759b273c5a6.jpg" style="height: auto; cursor: default;"/><br/></div>
<div><b>Family Network: Activate!</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The way we chose to start our ‘family blog’ was to use some free and easy tools - <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a> and <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a>!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Postach.io gave us the ability to make a password protected blog - and this was the key. Once I made our comments private (through <a href="https://disqus.com/">Disqus</a>), we had a closed system behind a password that we could use to communicate from any browser from both desktop and mobile.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em>"Our blog only has a tiny audience, but they are the most important people in the world - my family."</em></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>At first, I thought it would be hard to get people to check the blog every day, so I offered a small prize each day for a competition winner. Winning the competition was easy - it mostly involved being the first person to read the 'prize’ post and comment with the winning code. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>As it turned out, I didn't really need to include an incentive... family members started checking the blog of their own accord, in their own time, all the time! Of course, the competitions have just been so much fun to that we've kept the tradition going. The best part is that if I don't publish enough, they tell me to hurry up!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Family Communication: Restored</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The things we post about are random. We ask for jobs to be done, and we hear no moaning about it. Even our dinner plans are posted; this stops people from asking "<i>What's for dinner?!</i>" every night...</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Through the family blog, everyone recognises that they're a part of a bigger picture. They can look at the posts, and understanding that the job they do is important, then do their jobs without any protest. I must say, this is rather amazing!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We post about current events, personal projects, and a million and one other things that families need to communicate; politics, hobbies, pictures, planned outings (which are a huge success by the way).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><b>Family History: Preserved</b></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>But the most important part to me is the family history. I do a regular post series called 'Stories from Dad', in which I discuss a part of our family history and how it relates to us now. So far, I've had great feedback in the comments which is both encouraging and inspiring.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This recording of family history is an important part of our family network. I know that even after I'm dead and buried, the family blog can live on. The family history I'm writing now will not be forgotten, and can be shared with generations to come! And with this family history, the kids have a chance to ask questions and have the answers recorded for all time. Maybe the history won't be lost, after all!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>We have opened up a radical new channel in which to communicate as a family, but it really <i>is </i>working. The Postash.io platform is a closed loop behind a password. Only people with the password can read the blog, and only people with access to the source can publish. I've moved away from Facebook; it’s not even close to private or conducive to the kind of meaningful communication we want to foster as a family - plus no ads!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>To be honest, I feel that my work in the family blog is some of my best work of all. I've had enormous satisfaction sharing stories with my family. I am more motivated than ever to engage my audience and give them a reason to keep reading ‘our' blog. My family doesn’t demand this sort of dedication, but they deserve my best work.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><em>Brad Lemon</em></div>
<div><em>27th June 2014</em></div>
<div><em><br/></em></div>
How To: Add a MailChimp Sign Up Form to Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/how-to-add-a-mailchimp-sign-up-form-to-postach-io2018-03-19T21:22:01.240000Z2014-07-14T10:48:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>The best way to keep readers regularly engaged with your blog is to set up a mailing list. This allows you to send subscribers a daily or weekly email with a summary of everything you've been writing about on your blog.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>In this tutorial you're going to learn how to add a mailing list sign up form to your <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> blog. We'll be using <a href="http://mailchimp.com/">MailChimp</a> for this tutorial, but the process is very similar for other services.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7a71a444-c358-4d3f-af0d-e91336b132bc/00e05b0b-bd90-4d9a-bbfa-4db8182b7d46.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>Setting up MailChimp</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>First of all you'll need a MailChimp account. Head over to <a href="http://mailchimp.com/">mailchimp.com</a> and create one (if you haven't got one already).</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now you need to set up a new mailing list that will store all of your subscribers. If you already have a mailing list set up in MailChimp, feel free to skip to the next section.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>To create a new mailing list, first <a href="http://mailchimp.com/">log in to your account</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now, select <strong>Lists</strong> from the navigation menu.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Click the <strong>Create List</strong> button in the top right corner and fill in your details to set up your new mailing list.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Once you're done, click <strong>Save</strong> and you're ready to go.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>Building the Sign up Form</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now that you've got your mailing list set up, it's time to work on the HTML form that you'll be inserting into your Postach.io theme. Luckily MailChimp provides a number of handy code snippets for creating sign up forms.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>Creating Your MailChimp Sign up Form</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Log in to MailChimp and navigate to your list (Lists > Your List). Once you're on the overview page, click the <strong>Signup forms</strong> link in the navigation.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You're now presented with three different options: <strong>General forms</strong>, <strong>Embedded forms</strong>, and <strong>Form integrations</strong>. You're going to be embedding the sign up form within your Postach.io theme so click on <strong>Embedded forms</strong>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7a71a444-c358-4d3f-af0d-e91336b132bc/8430b8ac-d876-4e69-94b5-cd7cf13c66c6.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This screen has lots of options to help you customize your form. You'll likely want to change the heading that's displayed above the form so update the first text-field on the left.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Once you're done making your changes, the code for your form is displayed in a text box in the bottom right corner. This is what you're going to add to your Postach.io theme. It should look something like the following:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/baf9404e6e91ec14270f.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><strong>Adding the Sign up Form to Your Postach.io Theme</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now you've got the form code, you need to log in to <a href="http://postach.io/">Postach.io</a> and add the form to your theme.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Start by logging in to your Postach.io account at <a href="http://postach.io/">http://postach.io</a>.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>On the dashboard page, click the settings icon for the blog you'd like to add the form to.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now you need to select the <strong>Source Editor</strong> tab. If you haven't dealt with HTML code before, this might look a little alien, but don't worry, you're only going to be copy and pasting some code.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You now need to decide where you would like the form to be displayed. I like to have the sign up form displayed after the blog post content, and only on the main post pages, not on the home or tag pages. To do this, you need to paste the form code you got from MailChimp underneath the <b>div</b> element with the class post-footer. If you're using the default 'Expanse' theme, that's about line 194 at the time of writing this post.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/3133e387879a02ecbf69.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>The first part of the code you got from MailChimp actually belongs somewhere else in the theme template. Copy the <strong>link</strong> html element and everything within the <strong>style</strong> html element that follows it, and paste it just before the closing <strong>head</strong> html tag at the top of the template. Be sure to delete those lines from their original location too.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/35a39af9df8a25bfdf34.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now if you hit <strong>Save</strong> and load up a post on your blog, you should see that the mailing list form is displayed underneath the post (as below). Try doing a test sign up to make sure that everything is working.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7a71a444-c358-4d3f-af0d-e91336b132bc/046fcba2-36cb-4bab-a29c-ac999bf4d54a.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><strong>Styling the Sign up Form</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You can style your new sign up form using CSS. In this section we're going to focus on some pretty simple styling changes, but if you're familiar with CSS feel free to get creative!</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Remember that <strong>style</strong> element that you moved up into the <strong>head</strong> in the previous section? That's where you're going to be putting the code to style your form.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Let's start by adding a background color to make the form stand out.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Alter the background rule within the #mc_embed_signup selector and change the color to #F7F7F7.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>background: #F7F7F7;</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Now you can add a border. Add the following code within the #mc_embed_signup block.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>border: 1px solid #EEE;</div>
<div>border-radius: 3px;</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>This code will put a thin border around the form and round-off the corners.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Next, you need to add a bit of a margin so that there's some space between the post metadata and the form.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>margin-top: 3em;</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Finally, you're going to remove the margin applied to the form heading. Add this code below the #mc_embed_signup block within the <strong>style</strong> element.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>#mc_embed_signup h2 {</div>
<div> margin: 0;</div>
<div>}</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Your <strong>style</strong> element should now look like the following:</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/58e2a35afa5ee26062f0.js"></script></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Hit the <strong>Save</strong> button and reload your blog to see the changes take effect. Play around with the CSS code until you achieve the look you're going for.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/7a71a444-c358-4d3f-af0d-e91336b132bc/2f7e0f84-9280-46ba-8a96-7e581271ddc7.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div><strong>Summary</strong></div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>You're done! In this tutorial you've learned how to add a MailChimp sign up form to your Postach.io blog.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Sending out a regular email with a summary of your latest blog posts is a great way to keep your audience engaged. Don't expect readers to come to your blog. It's hard to build new habits, so reaching your audience via the channels they're already used to checking is a great way to keep people engaged.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>
<div><strong>Useful Links</strong></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://mailchimp.com/">MailChimp</a></li>
<li><a href="http://kb.mailchimp.com/article/embed-code-css-reference/?t=1404803575&v=103&enc=decf7b378be01c4db257a61a6a99ccfd330f5d78875a5a25360a71b5022cae1a">MailChimp Docs: CSS Hooks for Customizing Forms</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Keeping Your Creative Flow On Trackhttps://postach.io/blog/post/keeping-your-creative-flow-on-track2018-03-19T21:22:01.352000Z2014-07-10T05:09:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/1649b216-eb2d-4c6e-8a62-53aba344e99b/6829c28d-0c36-4ff6-9230-eab3eaa3791d.png" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div>One of the things I frequently struggle with as a creative professional is deadlines - not because I can’t keep a deadline, but it’s more because I believe in the importance of quality work — and sometimes, due to any myriad of reasons, this takes longer than expected.</div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>For people like you and I, it sometimes feels like our projects are out of our control. And indeed, they often are. But there are things we can do to track our progress. These things will not only help you feel encouraged when you’re behind, but will also show your clients and coworkers what sort of work you’re capable of accomplishing. </div>
<div><br/></div>
<div>Below is a list of tips that I know I need to start doing to help keep myself on track. I hope you’ll take up the challenge too!</div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/1649b216-eb2d-4c6e-8a62-53aba344e99b/09a5abe6-5607-4c4d-8461-b58ccf9c0c2a.jpg" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div><b>1. Start Writing</b></div>
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<div>The best tip I can give you is to keep a blog. If you don’t have one just for your creative musings, start one. If you’re not the coding type, there’s no better place to start than right here on Postach.io. Just do it.</div>
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<div><i>“What am I writing about?" -</i> Ah yes, I can hear you asking that question through the veil of your computer monitor. Start with what you’re struggling with. Leave the comments open. If the Internet is having a good day, people will leave you notes of encouragement and they might even offer words of advice and wisdom to help you!</div>
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<div>The nice thing about the blog is that you can share it with any community you like. It’s longer than a tweet, but less pretentious than your own self-important website. Beyond that, if it’s at a private address that isn’t associated with your professional site, you can share more openly than you would otherwise with a broader audience.</div>
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<div>I also recommend writing about the projects you are working on — your hopes for them and your dreams for them — even if they are client-based. If you can legally talk about it, and aren’t under some form of NDA, then writing about it often helps generate more ideas. And if your clients read it and see the amount of thought you’re putting into their work, they’re much more likely to respect your decisions — even if they don’t always agree with them.</div>
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<div><b>2. Keep an Visual Log</b></div>
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<div>This one is a little bit more interesting, and it doesn’t apply to everything, but we’ve already seen how well it can work. Many great artists, fascinating people like <a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/elle-luna">Elle Luna</a>, keep Instagram feeds that are popular and inspirational. They are sources of encouragement, but also sources of honesty and accountability. You could also apply this same logic to Pinterest - whatever you like best :)</div>
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<div>The thing about a picture is that it does say, well, 'a thousand words'. It forces you to be honest about how a project looks when it’s done, and how it looks when it’s in progress. It’s an intimidating process, of course, but I don’t believe it has to be. Most people are eager to get a look “behind the scenes", and pictures are a big part of that. That’s why the visual books behind popular movies always sell so well.</div>
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<div>So open up the walls to your works in progress. I don’t recommend this for every client project you do — you need to keep some of the mystery alive for them — but I do think sharing is an important step in the creative process, especially for those of us who work in visual communications.</div>
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<div><b>3. Maintain a ‘Status' Board</b></div>
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<div>This is something I just started doing for <a href="http://www.wildfirestudios.ca/the-collective">the nonprofit that I’m launching</a>, and I’m loving every minute of it. There’s nothing more satisfying than sharing a list of completed steps in a large project. A status board doesn’t work for smaller projects, because there wouldn’t be a point to it. A small project can be completed fairly quickly, and there’s no reason to build up the suspense. As coders like to say, <i>"just ship it"</i>. But with a larger project, the buildup to release or reveal can require a little bit more finesse.</div>
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<div><i>Here’s my example:</i></div>
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<div><span><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/1649b216-eb2d-4c6e-8a62-53aba344e99b/968f33c4-92c5-466a-ae5a-be6bcfd72b70.png" style="height: auto;"/></span><br/></div>
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<div>A status board, like the one for my own project above, allows you to work at a project on your own pace while forcing you to <i>get work done</i>. After all, if you have nothing to share on your status board for a while, you feel like you’ve failed in some small way. So continually updating the status of a project helps keep it moving. It gives it life - and yes, it definitely gives it a little publicity. </div>
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<div>You might be concerned about clients looking at the status board for a project and wondering why their project doesn’t seem to have the same level of “priority". Well, to put it simply, they won’t. Most clients understand that their consultants are busy with multiple projects, and trust you to manage your time appropriately and in a professional manner. So don’t worry about whether or not a status board could be affecting their view of you. You probably have bigger fish to fry.</div>
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<div><b>4. List Your Daily Activities</b></div>
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<div>This one is a much more client-focused detail that I like to insist upon myself. It’s important, I believe, to let clients know about the work you’re doing for them. If you work on an hourly rate, I have no doubt that you already track your hours and you keep careful track of what you spend each hour doing. I list all my work on invoices, as you can see below.</div>
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<div><span><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/1649b216-eb2d-4c6e-8a62-53aba344e99b/8a803b51-7dff-4e45-84c1-84101f37814f.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></span><br/></div>
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<div>However, if you’re working for flat project rates, things are a little different. I still recommend tracking what you do each day, and noting it in your final invoice for the project (as above). That gives the client a sense of confidence that they might not otherwise have. For many people, particularly older generations (my father comes to mind), work is associated with time spent on the project. Make sure your clients know you took the time to get it right, and you’ll feel better about the time you spent getting it right too.</div>
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<div><span><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/1649b216-eb2d-4c6e-8a62-53aba344e99b/9af21531-3de2-4b01-bc12-3b235429ecaf.png" style="height: auto;"/></span><br/></div>
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<div>I also use a service called <a href="https://idonethis.com">iDoneThis</a> (pictured above). It’s a cool email service that asks you what you’ve done every day at a user-defined time. You can use hashtags to track your projects (or clients, as I do), and then just keep a list of all your different accomplishments. That way, some things that I wouldn’t put on an invoice — like a business lunch — can still be noted for prosperity.</div>
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<div><b>My Final Thoughts</b></div>
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<div>The bottom line, unfortunately, is that there is no real remedy for some of the problems that come with creative work or consulting: there will always be creative dry spells or days when you find it hard to get out of bed. And I have no doubt that there will always be days when you return home and speak with your best friend or partner and tell him or her you felt incredibly unproductive today.</div>
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<div>But I do believe we can make those days less frequent with the use of a few select tools. Hopefully some of my ideas generated some thought for you. Get in touch with us <a href="https://twitter.com/postachio">on Twitter</a> and let us know what some of your favourite tips are for keeping your work on track! </div>
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Use Your Blog To Boost Your Personal Brandhttps://postach.io/blog/post/use-your-blog-to-boost-your-personal-brand2018-03-19T21:22:00.023000Z2014-07-01T09:17:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>For me, generating business isn't easy. I work in a relatively new field as a digital marketing strategist and start-up mentor - to be honest, I need all the help that I can get.</div>
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<div>My original intention for starting a blog was to increase my brand equity as an independent freelancer. Indeed, the greater your personal brand, the easier it is to attract and convert clients. Although my blog isn't the primary source for attracting new business, it plays an important part in helping me to convert clients.</div>
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<div>With that in mind, I want to share what I've been doing with my Postach.io blog over the past year. By the end of this post, you too will know how you can build your own personal brand through your blog. Who knows? Maybe you'll go on to court fame and fortune ;)</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5fa0d0ab-efd3-4985-b99a-714d7c958550/d0f8d753-220f-43e3-a0d6-163a64d5f059.jpg" style="height: auto;"/></div>
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<div><strong>Look and Feel</strong></div>
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<div>As is the case for most of us; the aesthetic <em>look</em> of my blog is paramount. I want a unique identity and a conducive mobile experience. Based on current digital marketing insights, mobile traffic has steadily been on the rise year after year. Comscore reported that this year <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/">mobile usage is at approx 50% of all internet traffic</a>. As many of you know, this number is set to increase even further over the next few years.</div>
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<div>In practical terms, this meant I had to choose the simplest blog theme I could find. There has to be minimal friction and the reading experience has to be as visually engaging possible.</div>
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<div>I short-listed six mobile-friendly and minimalist templates from <a href="https://creativemarket.com/">Creative Market</a> and discussed the pros and cons with the team at Postach.io. Since mobile traffic is increasing, the blog layout has to render well on mobile websites. This means the main body text has to be easily readable without the need to "pinch and zoom". All meaningful links and calls to action have to to be present without distracting or annoying the user (other "fancy" website components such as pop-ups and sidebars etc have to be evaluated on a case by case basis to evaluate the effect on a mobile visitor).</div>
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<div>The Postach.io team gave me their thoughts in terms of the suitability to the blogging platform and also gave me a time estimate regards how long it would take to get the theme ready. From there it was easy enough to make a decision.</div>
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<div><em><strong>Font</strong></em><strong>astic</strong></div>
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<div>Layout and aesthetic play a large part of a good reading experience, but nothing is as important as the font. I've often found that even the most functional and beautiful blog designs get everything right <em>but</em> the font. Why?</div>
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<div>A poor font choice can be distracting; it may hamper a person’s ability to immerse themselves in the content. For my own blog, the font I use is Palatino Linotype. For the purposes of blogging it is one of the most engaging and readable fonts I've ever seen.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5fa0d0ab-efd3-4985-b99a-714d7c958550/a29feac4-f410-443f-a9b7-ea4fe8cadcbe.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
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<div>As you can see, the font has a rather elegant quality and is easy to read. It has a calm feel to it.</div>
<div>Other fonts, can often be difficult to read and hamper the reading experience.</div>
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<div>Take for example Microsoft's preferred font on it's tech blogs. They use Calibri, which on the face of it seems suitable to the task, but in reality -- and especially on mobile devices -- has an abysmal reading experience.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5fa0d0ab-efd3-4985-b99a-714d7c958550/fa93c9bf-dd67-41b2-8e31-3ac5c463e068.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div>So, I bought the font from a font marketplace and sent it to a UX/UI designer extra-odinaire. He was kind enough to customize the theme I bought from Creative Market, including my chosen font. He then made the theme available in my Postach.io dashboard. I then enabled Disqus comments by creating an account at Disqus and adding the ID to my Postach.io settings.</div>
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<div>Themes are made available in HTML/CSS format and often need to be tailored to give you a unique identity and away from the "cookie cutter" look. Since this customisation requires knowledge of html and css, if this is something you're not comfortable with, it's useful to hire a web developer to help you. It's not an expensive process and can save you weeks of grief.</div>
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<div>The result of my first sample post made me jubilant!</div>
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<div><strong>Collecting Data for Insight</strong></div>
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<div>The next thing I wanted to do was make sure I was able to collect analytics data. This was to collect insight so I could make further improvements to my blog based on visitor behaviour.</div>
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<div>To do this, I entered my Google Analytics ID directly into the Postach.io Dashboard. Google Analytics is great for general summaries of data, such as total number of visitors, average page time etc. But real-time analytics software such as Mixpanel allows behaviour tracking at a granular level. It is much better for analysing a customer journey (also referred to as a marketing funnel).</div>
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<div>Here's a sample marketing funnel visualization that shows the percentage of people that read my bio that then went onto my contact page.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5fa0d0ab-efd3-4985-b99a-714d7c958550/618a588a-79af-4c90-96f2-f2c5f96c8e45.png" style="height: auto;" width="942" height="525"/></div>
<div>!</div>
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<div>With Mixpanel I can do some pretty nifty things: I can effectively track how often a particular button on my website was pressed, or see exactly my website failed on a visitor's journey through my site. This helps me gauge the effectiveness of the various elements of my site.</div>
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<div>I created an account with Mixpanel and implemented their javascript tracking code on my site. I used a text editor to modify my blog source code.</div>
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<div>Here's some sample code:</div>
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<div> <!-- Event Tracking --></div>
<div> <script></div>
<div> mixpanel.track('Blog Loaded', {'page type': 'Blog'});</div>
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<div> $('#Twitter').bind('click', function() {</div>
<div> mixpanel.track('Twitter Link');</div>
<div> });</div>
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<div> </script></div>
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<div>(Postach.io's source code editor is useful for minor html/css changes, but is limited in scope. I usually copy the code to my local text editor, make the changes and then copy the whole code back to the dashboard.)</div>
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<div>I use javascript to send event tracking data to Mixpanel. I tracked how often a post is loaded and how often my social media links are clicked.</div>
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<div>While I didn't use the marketing funnel feature for this particular website (it's more useful on my main site), I highly recommend it if you have a particular visitor journey or a set of "call to actions" you want to analyze, such as a purchasing process.</div>
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<div>If you're worried about the technical nature of implementing analytics tracking on your site, you might prefer <a href="https://heapanalytics.com/">Heap Analytics</a>. It has been designed from the ground-up for non-technical people.</div>
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<div>Regardless, the visualisation of data is a modern miracle every single one of us should experience.</div>
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<div><strong>Generating Awareness</strong></div>
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<div>The first thing people often ask themselves after writing their first post is, "<em>how do I get noticed?</em>". I personally experimented with multiple ideas in order to answer this question.</div>
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<div>My Gmail address book was pretty large. I had built relationships with a large number of people for the past several years, and therefore had a large contact list to work with. I imported the email addresses from Gmail into Mailchimp and sent out my first blog post to the mailing list.</div>
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<div>I was aware of the possibility of a large number of unsubscribes on the first mail shot. Although I had 'permission' to contact these people, not everyone was likely interested in my blog.</div>
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<div>My first post went reasonably well - 200 unique visitors from my mailing list took the time to read my first post. 40%…not bad!</div>
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<div>Nowadays, I make sure that each time I write a post, I send it out on my mailing list. As I meet new people, I encourage them to subscribe to my mailing list and my readership grows.</div>
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<div>In addition to using Mailchimp, each time I wrote a post, I select key points from my post and add the content to my Buffer queue.</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/5fa0d0ab-efd3-4985-b99a-714d7c958550/fa128425-2d9e-4bb0-b422-f533e55c4d19.png" style="height: auto;"/></div>
<div>By doing so, I can auto-post content of interest from my blog on all of my social profiles throughout the week. Bufferapp is great for scheduling tweets and status updates. For the tweets, I add relevant hashtags, since many brands and people often monitor hashtags. This makes it easier to ‘get noticed'.</div>
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<div>Occassionally I would also seek relevant sub-reddits on Reddit and other forums and publish my post there. This is often a 'hit or miss' strategy. Many sub-reddits have varying rules, and self promotion is generally frowned upon. Despite that, it can still work for some.</div>
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<div>One blog post of mine managed to get over 8000 visitors in the space of just a few hours. I did this by making a post to the /r/Entrepreneur sub-reddit. My blog post was about why teenagers are making a lot of money online these days. To be fair, I haven't been able to replicate the same results since (the moderators of the sub-reddit have since banned this sort of self-promotion), but hopefully it gives you an example or an idea of what can be achieved. Often you have to experiment with various strategies and see what sticks. I'd love to give you something more scientific or methodical than that, but the reality is, there's no sure fire way of pulling this off.</div>
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<div><strong>Insights to Improvement</strong></div>
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<div>Once I establish a modicum of traffic for each post, I analyse my traffic data both in Google Analytics and Mixpanel.</div>
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<div>Initially I suspected most of my audience would be from the U.K (my homeland). However, to my surprise, I found that a large chunk of my audience was from the USA and the Far East. This was a useful insight gained from Google Analytics.</div>
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<div>I then analyze visitor behaviour in Mixpanel. Often I find that a large percentage of visitors read multiple posts, and also visit my Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Thus, I've come to the conclusion that new readers typically want to gain a better idea of what I "do" upon their first visit the site. This insight has helped me improve my prospecting process. I've also realised that I need to make it easier for them to get in touch with me.</div>
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<div>I was also lucky enough to get some qualitative data; more than 30% of my initial audience sends me written feedback! I use this feedback for each new post to make sure my blog is as useful and relevant as could be for my target audience.</div>
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<div>You see, trust is an important part of sales. It can only come from forming deep and meaningful relationships. In my field of work, most negotiations take more than one meeting. In between these meetings, I encourage many of my prospects to subscribe to my blog. This helps me form an ongoing relationship with my prospects throughout the prospecting process. This consequently helps 'tip' the clients over to a sale.</div>
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<div>I also track email analytics in Mailchimp, looking at 'click through' and opening rates. I experiment with various headlines, layouts and body content for the email blast everytime I write a new post in order to learn what works best. Over time, I have found that short body text and personalization gets a higher rate of click-throughs.</div>
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<div><strong>In Summary...</strong></div>
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<div>-Make sure your theme is mobile-friendly and has an engaging reading experience with minimal friction.</div>
<div>-Add analytics tracking to your site and use the insights to make improvements.</div>
<div>-Hire a friendly front-end developer to make the code customizations</div>
<div>-Use Bufferapp, forums and your address book to get your blog noticed</div>
<div>-Encourage your prospects to read your blog to help improve the quality of your relationship with them.</div>
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<div>Then, wait for a phone call from Oprah.</div>
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<div><em><strong>Useful Resources Mentioned Above</strong></em> :</div>
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<div><a href="http://bufferapp.com/">Buffer App</a>: Schedule your social media updates</div>
<div><a href="https://creativemarket.com/">Creative Market</a>: A place for finding PSDs and themes for your website</div>
<div><a href="https://mixpanel.com/">Mixpanel</a>: Realtime Analytics tracking for the web</div>
<div><a href="https://heapanalytics.com/">Heap Analytics</a>: Realtime Analytics for non-technical people</div>
<div><a href="http://mailchimp.com/">Mailchimp</a>: Email newsletters</div>
<div><a href="http://www.reddit.com/">Reddit</a>: The so-called "Frontpage of the Internet"</div>
<div><a href="http://ninjamock.com/">NinjaMock</a>: Wireframing software</div>
<div><a href="http://www.sublimetext.com/">SublimeText</a>: Text Editor</div>
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<div><strong>References</strong>:</div>
<div>Mobile Marketing Statistics (Comscore): http://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/</div>
Taming Your Inner Trollhttps://postach.io/blog/post/taming-your-inner-troll2018-03-19T21:22:04.216000Z2014-06-11T01:13:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>While cruising your news feed, I bet you’ve read a few articles that tell you all the ways you’re doing social media wrong. They probably have titles like:</div><ul><li>How Annoying Are You On Instagram?</li></ul><ul><li>7 Ways to Be Insufferable on Facebook</li></ul><ul><li>43 Annoying Things People Do On Twitter</li></ul><div>I find myself cringing reading these gems since I’m often guilty of at least one, if not all 43 things on the list. Or, worse, I puff up because it’s my neighbour/BFF/father-in-law who’s guilty of these <em>apparent</em> social media sins, and suddenly I’m tempted to share the article on Facebook and tag other culprits in the post.</div>
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<div>…because we know this will be the thing to finally stop people from #hashtagging #the #hell #out #of #Instagram #posts...right?</div>
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<div>“<em>If you have a low threshold for ‘annoying,’ you’re in luck: Teams of brilliant people are working, as we speak, in the headquarters of America’s most powerful corporations to fine-tune the algorithms that shield you from stuff you find ‘annoying.</em>’" - Maureen O’Connor, <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/01/no-tmi-on-the-internet.html">The Joy of Unfollowing</a></div>
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<div>However, next time you cringe at, revel in, or author one of these posts, here are some things to consider:</div>
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<div><strong>There are as many ways to use social media as there are people</strong></div>
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<div>Short of abusive posts, there are no wrong ways to engage online. Some ways just happen to annoy you, me, and Mr. Opinion Pants. But for every person rolling their eyes at Stella’s “overuse" of hashtags, there are ten people she delights and who found her through her abundant hashtags.</div>
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<div>Someone unfollows you on Twitter because you post a link to your latest blog post three times in one day, while someone else replies with glee because they missed your first two tweets.</div>
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<div><strong>Have some compassion</strong></div>
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<div>Sure, maybe someone is looking for attention, bragging, or lonely and their post is a not-so-subtle tell. Instead of shaking your head or composing a 500 word essay about how much they annoy you, why not consider their story, instead?</div>
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<div><em>“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." - Wendy Mass</em></div>
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<div>Think: <em>what might be going on in their lives to cause their behaviour?</em> And ask: why is their unmet need a trigger for you? When my friend’s Instagram posts have more hashtags than pixels, I bristle for a lot of reasons. One is that it speaks to a neediness in myself that I know pops up in public spaces more than I’d like. And, for whatever reason, neediness repels. And who wants to repel? Not me.</div>
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<div>OMG LIKE ME PLEEEASE!</div>
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<div>The older I get, the kinder I am to my own lingering neediness and the neediness in others. We’re human. We need eachother. And that’s kind of wonderfully amazing. Even when it’s hard.</div>
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<div><strong>Delight in the unfollow</strong></div>
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<div>When I say delight in, I mean as the person doing the unfollowing and as the person being unfollowed. Why have people in your life who make you feel anything less than spectacular? If someone you have no investment in grates on you, walk away. And as the person left standing there, whisper your thanks to the universe for helping you shape your perfectly unperfect community.</div>
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<div>A new acquaintance I was super excited about befriending unfollowed me on Twitter when I tweeted something she deemed too personal for public consumption. And man did that sting!</div>
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<div>But I also thought about how great it is that I’m no longer at risk of making her uncomfortable. I don’t have to imagine her cringing while watching me do what I’m best at: being me. I'm growing to be a "stark, raving, maniacal fan of being unpopular."</div>
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<div><em>"We should spend time trying to actively polarize our audience. Give them tools to help them know whether or not they should love us. And give it early and give it often."</em> -<a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4DOJpB2I8o">Erika Napoletano</a></div>
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<div>So, yes. Obviously just like life offline, it’s important and smart to have boundaries. But don’t shy away from updating your profile picture every full moon or posting about your trek through the desert just because some bossyhead ninny says your Facebook posts have to be useful and entertaining to 95% of your followers 85% of the time. That’s 78% hogwash.</div>
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<div>Your social media is <em>your</em> canvass. What do you paint on it that makes you feel good? What will you be happy to remember 30 years from now when you dust off your digital archives to show your grandkids?</div>
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<div>Forget about me and Mr. Opinion Pants. This is your domain. Make your own rules and delight in them.</div>
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<div><em>“Embarrassing, perhaps. Awkward, alienating, depressing, enlightening, inspiring, boring — any emotional reaction is possible. But no self-expression on the Internet can be categorically too much, because to someone, that artifact of human existence is just right."</em> - Maureen O’Connor, <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/01/no-tmi-on-the-internet.html">The Joy of Unfollowing</a></div>
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<div><hr/>This post was written by <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="https://twitter.com/shannonfisher">Shannon Fisher</a>. She's a writer and content strategist for <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://www.republicofquality.com/">The Republic of Quality</a>. </div>
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Happy Birthday Postach.io! - A Message to Our Fanshttps://postach.io/blog/post/happy-birthday-postach-io-a-message-to-our-fans2018-03-19T21:21:43.014000Z2014-06-10T04:09:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/0c6779c7-a6b4-4dba-a322-f6afeb1bf121/815acbec-b331-4dfc-b64f-3715b042faf4.jpg" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
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<div>After launching Postach.io's public beta exactly one year ago, we've been privileged to receive incredible support from both Evernote and fans like you. As a team, our goal is to provide the world with the ultimate publishing tool, and thus far, Evernote has been instrumental in helping us turn this vision into a reality. <span style="text-align: right;">Since </span><a href="http://blog.evernote.com/blog/2013/09/27/blogging-tool-postach-io-wins-devcup-gold/">winning Gold at Evernote Dev Cup</a>,<span style="text-align: right;"> we’ve learned a lot, made amazing progress, and worked towards generating a long-term vision for Postach.io. </span></div>
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<div>But if there is one thing we've learned from developing a revolutionary blogging platform like Postach.io, it's that sometimes the most interesting thing about a digital product is not necessarily found in the app itself, but rather in the people who use it.</div>
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<div>Take <a href="http://mrmacnology.postach.io/">Jeremy</a>, for example:</div>
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<div><strong>The Educator:</strong></div>
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<div><em><strong>His passion:</strong></em><strong> </strong>finding meaningful ways for kids and their teachers to integrate technology into their learning process.</div>
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<div>As an educational specialist and father of four, Jeremy knows that in order for kids to become purposeful with technology, they must first learn to reduce all the 'noise' that comes along with it. But, instead of attempting to control every step of a student's technological integration (like most educators), Jeremy is all about "just letting it happen". He guides their way, providing them with the opportunities to use technology as an asset, rather than a hindrance to life.</div>
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<div><em><strong>His method</strong></em><em>:</em></div>
<ol>
<li>Get every student set up with an Evernote account on a shared email address.</li>
<li>Let each of them create their very own Postach.io site, just the way they want.</li>
<li>Encourage kids to customize their themes, post their own content, and share stuff with friends.</li>
<li>Have teachers regularly post important learning materials on each student's blog to keep them engaged and involved.</li>
<li>Blend technology with meaningful, integral learning experiences.</li>
</ol>
<div>Can you spell <em>'revolutionary'?</em> Jeremy is not alone in this approach to using Postach.io. Many other educators have turned to it as a safe, efficient, and easily manageable means of introducing children to the many applications of the web.</div>
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<div>Oh, the things we would do to go back to high school today....</div>
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<div>And then there's <a href="http://tyabblemons.com/">Brad</a>, a retired firefighter from Australia:</div>
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<div><strong>The Volunteer:</strong></div>
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<div><em><strong>His passion:</strong></em> supporting his community through social enterprise.</div>
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<div>This guy is stoked on wildlife (and his Cockatoo named Buddy would probably tell you the same thing if you ever had the pleasure of hearing him scream at you during a Skype call). As an avid conservationist and wildlife expert, Brad is devoted to protecting the endangered species that live in the forests of his home town, Victoria. For him and his volunteer organization, awareness is critical; Postach.io provides a simple solution for Brad and his fellow activists.</div>
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<div>But he also has found a way to use Postach.io and Evernote in an entirely unique way.</div>
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<div><em><strong>His method:</strong></em></div>
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<div>With a limited budget but unquestionable enthusiasm, Brad also uses Postach.io to run a live blog in order to help "build Victoria into a disaster-resistant state". As the primary source for relevant information during emergency situations, <a href="http://vostvic.net.au/">VOST Victoria</a> provides live action updates to keep the public prepared, informed, and warned of any dangers - in fact, the Evernote-powered website was particularly effective during a recent coal mine fire that threatened the evacuation of numerous residents.</div>
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<div>While citizens and emergency personnel post updates through social media and communication channels, Brad is constantly on alert, publishing news from the source to help keep his community safe.</div>
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<div>...talk about commitment, eh?</div>
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<div><strong>Everyday Postach.io Heroes</strong></div>
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<div>In reality, every one of you has something to share with the world - even if you don’t know it yet.</div>
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<div>People like Chylene, Braden, Chris, Tracy, and Tate - winners of the #<a href="http://blog.evernote.com/blog/2014/05/30/postach-io-evernoteblogging-winners/">EvernoteBlogging competition</a> that went down this last month (May 2014); these are just a few of the every-day Postach.io heroes that grace the Discover feed. They are the reason our tiny team of developers, designers, and marketers wake up every morning to make things happen! </div>
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<div>As we continue working to make Postach.io the best it can possibly be, our team is constantly motivated by the unique stories and testimonies shared by every single one of you. While we pride ourselves in our efforts, we have our fans to thank for our accomplishments. You are our inspiration; you are part of our team. Thank you for being here :)</div>
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<div>So, whenever you’re feeling down, overburdened, or annoyed by life's nuisances that prevent you from reaching your ultra zen, just stop, breathe, and remember...</div>
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<div>…your notebooks are always open; their pages are never full. And when that discombobulated library called 'your memory' fails you, Evernote will be there to save your ass - and ours too! Along with Postach.io, Evernote will remain the place where we all turn to log our thoughts, keep track of our work, write our stories, and share our creations.</div>
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<div>Evernote may have planted the seed, but its users are the ones who have made Postach.io grow.</div>
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<div>What does Postach.io mean to you?</div>
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<div><em>From the Postach.io Team - Shawn, Gavin, Brandon, Dmitri, Caleb, & Matt <span style="-evernote-sentoj-emoticon:true">😃</span></em></div>
<div><i><br/></i></div>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/0c6779c7-a6b4-4dba-a322-f6afeb1bf121/26f9977f-49b3-4d17-87d1-4e2ce6dda717.png" style="height: auto;"/><em><br/></em></div>
Security for the Social Networkerhttps://postach.io/blog/post/security-for-the-social-networker2018-03-19T21:22:04.720000Z2014-06-01T12:03:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>Without a doubt, social media has become one of the foremost marketing tools in the world. In fact, it’s probably safe to presume that an entrepreneur of any kind who doesn't utilize the vast amount of social sites available to them will likely render their business virtually invisible. <br/></div>
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<div>However, as we become ever more integrated and comfortable with our various social media and blogging platforms, there is still a safety factor that many people tend to overlook. </div>
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<div>As much as we’d like to think the opposite, not everyone in the cloud is playing fair. There are criminals searching the net daily, and they want to know everything about you. They’re using your social media sites to get the information they want, and you may be openly handing them the keys to your kingdom without even knowing it! </div>
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<div>Of course, these security risks can be easily resolved with a few simple tricks - and some common sense. </div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/733dd17f-bb0b-4e1f-b924-278b1d7bbfcf/d92d8366-e2a5-4623-b3ce-7c30d1e77182.jpg" style="height: auto;"/><br/></div>
<div><strong><br/></strong></div>
<div><strong>The Moat Around Your Castle</strong></div>
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<div>Working in a virtual world allows you the freedom to move around, to work as you please, where you please. Quite often though, the more in depth facets of your job will be done at your home office. It’s where you feel safest, and more than likely it’s where you keep all of your important documents that don’t exist on a hard drive.</div>
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<div>You might keep your bank statements, client lists and secured items locked up in what you believe is impenetrable vault - your home. For the most part you are probably correct, but that picture on Facebook of you and your friends celebrating your first big client on the back porch can give an attacker your exact location. You may say, “<i>But you can’t see my address in the photo</i>." This may be true, but remember: your social page probably lists your general location, and the digital photo your buddy took with his phone now contains the GPS coordinates of your house… All it would take is a simple drive through your neighbourhood to pinpoint exactly where your vault is kept. </div>
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<div>It may be difficult, but if your business social page is open to the world in an attempt to reach out to the masses, avoid placing photos of your home office on your sites or profiles. Furthermore, don’t provide exact locations - ever. </div>
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<div><strong>The Status Timeline</strong></div>
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<div>Far too often we tend to announce our plans to the world. If the previous paragraph rung any bells of familiarity, telling the world that you’re going away on a conference and won’t be back until Sunday simply helps your attackers plan out their day. I’d like to say that I’m not trying to scare you - however that is not the case. Put on your criminal thinking cap for just a moment and pretend that you have been researching a particular victim. Through their social media sites you have managed to discover that they are single, live in a rural area, and will be gone from their home for at least a week. This not only gives you the time to plan, but also allows you to execute the theft of all of their valued information. Simple as that...</div>
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<div>So how can you keep yourself safe from this situation? </div>
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<div>It’s simple really. Wait until you return from the event to post any photos or funny anecdotes that may have occurred. If this is not possible, then make plans for someone to watch over your castle while you’re away and store your valuables in a separate, secret location while you’re away on your trip.</div>
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<div><strong>Social Security Zones</strong></div>
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<div>There are many aspects of our lives that we want to share with our friends and family. I personally have two separate Facebook accounts - my personal site that is locked down so tight that only my immediate family and friends that I trust are able to see what I post. I simply will not accept a friend request unless I know exactly who they are. The second site is my author’s page. It helps me boast to the world about all of the dreams that I am trying to achieve. It is filled with funny pictures and stories that I find amusing so that people can get an insight to what they might find in my writing. It is open for public viewing and shows nothing of my family or where I live. </div>
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<div>Is it completely secure? Not even close. I receive requests to speak to people on the daily, and for the most part I have no issue with this. I like to think of myself as a friendly person. However, when the questions turn to ones of a personal nature, my fingers tense and I become tight lipped with quick one word answers to questions like, “Are you married?" “Have any kids?" “How old are you?". These may seem harmless enough, but information is a powerful weapon. Let’s face it, if they aren’t asking questions like, “So what does your product do and how can it help me?" then chances are they’re not looking to be a client.</div>
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<div><strong>Keeping Safe</strong></div>
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<div>Internet security is not simply your antivirus. It goes well beyond keeping the files in your system safe from hackers - it keeps them out of your personal life. Don’t let the idea of security keep you from branching out into the world, just remain diligent in the personal information that you share within it.</div>
Using Tags and Tag Clouds in Postach.iohttps://postach.io/blog/post/using-tags-and-tag-clouds-in-postach-io2018-03-19T21:22:02.781000Z2014-05-30T15:10:00ZThe Postach.io Team<div>When organizing your Postach.io blog, a key feature you will come to rely on is tagging. Adding tags to a post makes it easy for readers to find similar content and browse your blog.<br/></div>
<p>In this post you're going to learn how to take full advantage of tags in Postach.io. You'll be looking at how to add and remove tags from posts, as well as how to add support for tags to your own custom Postach.io themes.</p>
<div>Let's get started!</div>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f9f9efcd-8818-40a0-a547-9e4f2479c121/3b37a0d8-227c-46ea-bd54-9a8e77a12baf.png" style="height: auto;"/><br clear="none"/></div>
<p><strong>Adding & Removing Tags From Posts</strong></p>
<p>The tags displayed on your Postach.io blog will directly mirror any tags that you add to notes in Evernote, with just a few exceptions. Postach.io uses some tags, such as <em>published</em> and <em>page</em>, to generate the pages of your blog. These <em>reserved tags</em> will not be displayed to your readers when applied to a post.</p>
<p>Adding and removing tags is really easy to do using the Evernote editor. The interface for managing tags may look slightly different depending on which Evernote app you're using. In the Evernote web and desktop apps the tags interface is displayed above the post title.</p>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f9f9efcd-8818-40a0-a547-9e4f2479c121/2ce664ff-e7cf-4f9f-b58d-9d42aadb4685.png" style="height: auto;"/><br clear="none"/></div>
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<div>For the mobile apps you can access the tags interface by tapping the <em>note details</em> icon in the editor.<br clear="none"/>
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<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f9f9efcd-8818-40a0-a547-9e4f2479c121/af41ba0a-ba28-4948-9c59-84cf05991fdb.png" style="height: auto;"/><br clear="none"/></div>
<p>It's best to use a common set of tags throughout your blog to make it easier for readers to find similar posts.</p>
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<strong>Displaying Tags on Post Pages</strong></p>
<div><img src="https://cdn-images.postach.io/a364382a-e52d-4c45-9f69-c1cdaa7b5946/f9f9efcd-8818-40a0-a547-9e4f2479c121/0b693d84-514c-4ea2-a01f-cb1e101350f6.png" style="height: auto;"/><br clear="none"/></div>
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<div>The default Postach.io theme will display a list of tags that are assigned to an individual post below the post content. In this section you're going to learn how to emulate this behaviour when building your own custom themes.</div>
<p>Postach.io themes work by exposing a series of <em>data objects</em> which you can use to display information to the user. These objects are accessed using some special syntax which is processed by the templating engine and replaced with the corresponding data.</p>
<p>On individual post pages you have access to a <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">post</span> object containing information about the current post. This object has a <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">tags</span> property which represents a list of all the tags assigned to the post. Using a <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">for</span> loop, you can iterate through this list to display each of the tags on the page.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at an example of how to do this.</p>
<p><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/56db79c897cad2bdb390.js"></script></p>
<p><em><strong>Note</strong>: Some of this code may look a bit strange if you haven't dealt with templating languages before. Basically anything enclosed within curly braces <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">{}</span> will be processed by the templating engine. The rest of the HTML code will be left untouched. Statements enclosed within curly braces with percentage signs (<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">{% %}</span>) are processed by the templating engine but don't directly output data that will become part of the page. These tags are generally used for things like <span>for</span> loops, or <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">if/else</span> control structures. Statements enclosed within double curly braces (<span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">{{ }}</span>) output data that will become part of the markup for the page.</em></p>
<p>Back to the example. Here we first check to make sure that <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">post.tags</span> exists. If it does, we start by creating a new list (<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">ul</span> element) to hold the tags. We then create a <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">for</span> loop that will iterate over the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">post.tags</span> list and expose a <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">tag</span> object for each entry in the list. For each of the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">tag</span> objects we create a new list item containing a link to the dedicated tag page. (Each tag used within Postach.io has it's own dedicated page which lists all of the posts with that tag.) We've used a double set of curly braces to indicate to the templating engine that the value of the <span>tag</span> object should be output to the page.</p>
<p>If our post had the tags 'cat', 'dog', and 'rabbit,' the example above would generate the following HTML.</p>
<p><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/58fc9a45ba3f85d2f954.js"></script></p>
<p>Next up, you're going to learn how to create a list of all the tags used throughout your blog.</p>
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<strong>Adding a Tag Cloud to Your Blog</strong></p>
<p>In the previous section you learnt how to create a list of tags for an individual post. Now you're going to learn how you can create a tag cloud containing all of the tags used throughout your blog.</p>
<p>Every page of your blog has access to a global <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">site</span> object which contains information like the site title, description, and author. This object has a property called <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">tags</span> which contains a list of all the tags used on your blog.</p>
<p>By modifying the code from the previous section we can output a list of all the tags used on the site.</p>
<p><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/3a386d76cdb4362314ad.js"></script></p>
<p>There are two key differences between the code here and the example in the previous section. First of all, we're using <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">site.tags</span> in the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">for</span> loop rather than <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">post.tags</span>. The second key difference is that the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">tag</span> objects in the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">site.tags</span> list have two properties, <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">name</span> and <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">count</span>. The <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">name</span> property contains the tag text, and the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">count</span> property contains the number of posts that have this tag. For this example we've just used the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">name</span> property.</p>
<p>You can make the tag cloud more visually appealing by adding some CSS code to the <span>head</span> of your theme template.</p>
<p><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/4d4acca6347f49026613.js"></script></p>
<p>You can see an example of this tag cloud in action on <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://tags.postach.io">the demo blog</a>.</p>
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<div><strong>Identifying Dedicated Tag Pages</strong></div>
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<div>The last thing we’re going to cover in this post is how to check if the current page is a dedicated tag page. This can be useful for altering the page title and headings.</div>
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<div>To check if the current page is a dedicated tag page you can use the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">is_tag</span> condition. Passing this condition to an <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">if</span> statement will allow you to control whether a section of your theme template should be processed.</div>
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<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/74c93af93baac6408d19.js"></script></div>
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<div>If the current page is a tag page the code within the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">if</span> block would be processed and displayed. </div>
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<div>The name of the current tag can be accessed using the <span style="font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">tag</span> object. The posts assigned to the tag can be accessed through the <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;">posts</span> object. Looping through this <span>posts</span> object would allow you to display each of the individual posts, as shown below.</div>
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<div><script src="https://gist.github.com/matt-west/9a99994033bb12ebfce2.js"></script></div>
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<strong>Summary</strong></div>
<p>In this post you've learnt how to add tags to your custom Postach.io themes. You've looked at some examples of how to add tags to individual post pages, as well as how you can display all of the tags used throughout your blog in a tag cloud.</p>
<p>Tags are the backbone of your Postach.io blog and provide a key method of directing readers to collections of similar content. You may want to prominently display a small sub-set of the tags used on your blog to show off the topics you write about most. For information on how to do this check out <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://blog.postach.io/how-to-add-categories-to-your-postach-io-blog">How to Add Categories to Your Postach.io blog</a>.</p>