Every business needs a website. And every website needs an About Us page. Actually . . . take two steps back. Let’s revise that. Every website needs a unique and exciting About Us page that compels visitors to buy your product or service. Stick with us, and we’ll look at what an About Us page is and why you need one. More importantly, we’ll discuss how to create compelling About Us pages that build trust, increase conversions, and boost retention rates. After that? We’ll dip into 17 examples of unique and exciting About Us pages and delve into what it is about them that makes them worth a special mention. We’ll Support Your DreamWhatever your online goals, we’ll be right there with you, making sure your site is fast, secure, and always up. Plans start at $2.59/mo. ![]() What Is an ‘About Us’ Page?In short, it’s a page that serves to inspire people — either to work with you or to buy your product. It can contain (but isn’t limited to containing) your brand story, your achievements, and your best testimonials. Related: Customer Testimonials and the Power of Social ProofWhat Is an ‘About’ Page Not?An About page is not a page for pushing a hard sell or a page for boasting about your business. It should offer an up-front and honest portrayal of your company, its story, and your brand values. So when creating an About Us page, you should make sure to:
Why? It’s simple: People work with people, and people buy from people. Tips For Making Great ‘About Us’ PagesYou should now have a decent idea of what an About Us page should and shouldn’t contain. We’re going to follow this with a few tips to help you stand out and create an About Us page that works for you and your business.
Oh, and never use stock photography. Ever.
Related: 7 Tips for Writing Winning Calls to Action for Your WebsiteHow To Make An ‘About Us’ Page That Converts1. Keep your copy simple.Don’t litter the page with industry jargon and confusing copy. The words should leap off the page and inspire your visitors to take action. A block of text that visitors have to read six times to grasp is not going to cut the mustard. 2. Make sure your contact details are on the page.This might seem obvious. However, we dug through countless About Us pages while researching this article, and you’d be surprised at how many we came across that didn’t contain contact details or even a contact form. If a visitor’s got as far as looking at your About Us page, there’s a good chance they’re thinking of working with you or using your service. Don’t miss that opportunity to convert them by making them search for a separate contact page. 3. Put yourself in the readers’ shoes.What do you think they are looking for? What do they need to know? Many About Us pages don’t seem to have considered these things. At all. Does your page highlight your skills? Your knowledge? Your experience? Does it explain to readers the benefits of using your service or products? Does it reference your USPs? 4. Don’t be afraid to use visuals.Consumers today are used to things being delivered fast. Whether it’s a product they’ve ordered or, in this case, information. Are you able to sell your service or business in visuals and words? The human brain processes images much faster than words, so if you can, use both. 5. Include customer testimonials.Trust in your brand is essential. Testimonials from genuine customers are a massive selling point and can help convert prospective clients into actual, revenue-generating customers. Fancy going one step further? Alongside customer testimonials, include quotes or endorsements from influencers or industry experts (if you can get them, of course). 6. Tell a story.Tell your company’s history, but in a way that compels visitors to keep reading. Who doesn’t love a good story? Stories get visitors more invested in your brand. And that, naturally, leads to more conversions. Bonus points if you can craft a more personal story. 7. Make sure the page loads fast.This, of course, goes for every page on your site, but it’s crucial that key conversion pages load as fast as possible. Make sure to talk to your web developer and emphasize the importance of page load speed. You can find out exactly how long a particular page of your site takes to load and what can be done to make it load faster with Google’s PageSpeed Insights. Related: 12 Reasons Why Your Website Is Slow and How to Fix Them8. Don’t forget the fold.Ideally, all important information should be positioned above the fold. You should also guide users to scroll down and read more. 9. And mobile usability.While it varies from industry to industry, more than half of internet browsing now takes place on mobile devices. So make sure your About Us page, and your site as a whole, is built for mobile first. You can check if a page is mobile-friendly using Google’s Mobile-Friendly test. 17 ‘About Us’ Pages That Get It Right — And WhyAre you in need of some inspiration to help you build your ideal About Us page? Look no further. We’ve scoured the Internet to find some of the best About Us pages out there. No matter your niche or what kind of business you run, you’ll be able to find some inspiration in these 17 examples. Let’s take a look at each one and discover what makes these pages so unique and exciting (and worthy of inclusion on this list). 1. HERoines Inc.![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
2. Iconiq Creative![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
3. RubyLove![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
4. Band![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
5. Anton & Irene![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
6. LessFilms![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
7. MailchimpWhat makes this a good About Us page?
8. 500px![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
9. GIPHY![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
10. Twitter![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
11. Moz![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
Related: How to Write a Blog Post — A Step-By-Step Guide12. Cupcakes and Cashmere![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
13. Eight Hour Day![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
14. National Geographic![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
15. Cultivated Wit![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
16. Lonely Planet![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
17. GummiSig![]() What makes this a good About Us page?
Ready to Create a Stellar About Us Page?Whether you need help writing a mission statement, creating a marketing strategy, or boosting your conversion rate, we can help! Subscribe to our monthly digest so you never miss an article. ![]() So, What’s Your Value Proposition?As you might have noticed, there’s no one set way to design an effective About Us page. Pages can be casual or corporate. Silly or serious. Image-led or copy-led. Or both. Throughout all these pages, the running theme is that they engage, educate, and entice readers to become customers. They’re also an accurate reflection of the brands, and leave users feeling that little bit closer to the company — as well as the people behind it. Create an About Us page that ticks these boxes, and you may well find you’re converting more customers (and better quality customers) with minimal extra effort. Good luck, and more importantly, have fun! The post 17 Great About Us Pages to Inspire You appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/how-to-create-about-us-page/
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Lightbulb! You’ve got a great idea. We’re sure of it: You’re destined to sell the next must-have tech toy or life-changing product. The virtual masses have a problem, and your business has the solution. Trouble is, you need a little $$$ to get your venture the ground. No problem. In this day of 280-character tweets and viral BuzzFeed listicles, anything is possible. Harness the power — and pennies — of the masses to make your idea a reality with the web’s favorite money-making method: crowdfunding. Crowdfunding has become one of the most highly-favored and fastest-growing ways to raise money for causes, events, and projects. Crowdfunding accounts for $34 billion raised globally! That’s no chump change. Familiar with Exploding Kittens? How about the Facebook-acquisition Oculus? Between cutting-edge wireless headphones, pioneering smartwatches, high-class fitness equipment, and more, scores of recent small-biz triumphs are the results of successful crowdfunding efforts. Crowdfunding (and a killer web host) can provide the means for ordinary small businesses to accomplish the internet age’s American Dream. But contrary to popular belief, you don’t need Kickstarter to, well, kick-start your fundraising into high gear. By enlisting the power of your own brand and site traffic to build (financial) support, you can run your campaign on your terms and reap long-lasting business benefits. It’s demanding and requires hustle, but the growing hype and effectiveness of crowdfunding are on your side (plus, we believe in you!). From now on, consider your site as your all-in-one crowdfunding workhorse. Skip the outsourcing — you have what you need to succeed. Launch Your Crowdfunding Website with DreamHostOur automatic updates and strong security defenses take server management off your hands so you can focus on creating a great website. ![]() A Closer Look at CrowdfundingCrowdfunding is a big player in the current state of e-commerce; it’s on the rise and still evolving as people and businesses experiment with new ways of utilizing its power. A marriage of crowdsourcing and microfinance, crowdfunding impacts not only the way businesses raise money, but also how individual consumers spend money. Crowdfunding also deals with social community on the web. Just as the internet can bring together like-minded individuals for virtual book clubs, organized playdates, pop culture fan clubs and more, this collaborative financing system creates communities out of clicks and unites web users to a common goal: your great idea. It also offers avenues for web users to support companies and projects that interest them outside of traditional brick-and-mortar methods. Through your crowdfunding campaign, your website can play a role in utilizing and adding to those virtual circles and influencing buyer behavior. Crowdfunding is typically categorized into a few main types (with many other smaller types), including Reward-Based (the pledge-based kind you’re probably most familiar with, like Kickstarter or Indiegogo), Peer-to-Peer Lending (alternative or non-traditional banking and lending solutions, like Lending Club), Donation-Based (GoFundMe fits here), and Equity (real investments made to startups). Crowdfunding has even extended to supporting top-tier athletes, financing education, and even offsetting the cost of the your annoying Facebook friend’s honeymoon fund. OK, back to your hot new idea. Do you feel overwhelmed with the idea of crowdfunding it into creation? Don’t fret. If you’ve got a website up and running, you’re already well on your way to mobilizing your followers (and getting them to open their wallets). Why Crowdfund?Like exercise or flossing your teeth, the benefits of crowdfunding are multifold. It may not be right for every project, but if it serves your needs, it offers a host of benefits. Not only does crowdfunding offer value in financial ways, (can you say CHA-ching?) but it can bolster your brand, establish stronger and more loyal customer communities, increase the visibility of your business, help you conduct better market(ing) research, and build beneficial buzz that lasts beyond your campaign. So, what’s the benefit of ditching those popular platforms and hosting a crowdfunding campaign solo on your site? Let us count the ways:
Issue your own edicts by running the campaign on your site. Stay in the driver’s seat and determine the experience of the campaign for your participants — tailor structure, aesthetic, and technical aspects to your personal goals. You can design and dissect every step of the customer flow to your unique specifications, rather than working around the popular platforms’ established models. A custom setup gives you the reins to alter campaign length, pledge level, media options, reward offers and more with flexibility. Plus, you’re able to give your backers more options and can implement more tactics, like affiliate marketing, that you can’t do on those other sites. Your creative spin can help set you apart and improve user UX. With a custom setup, you’ll be able to:
Remember: if you’re new to running a website or don’t quite have the technological know-how or promotional power to pack a punch, an established crowdfunding site might be a good tool to start financing your project. ![]() If you want to run things, do keep in mind: building and running a campaign (not to mention the everyday, routine tasks for your site) are no small to-dos, especially when playing manager. While success is never guaranteed, you can increase your chances of meeting your goals through commitment, grit, and a wide arsenal of tools: strong planning, social media mastery, technical prowess, exhaustive advertising and PR work, tip-top customer service, and patience — especially during the tricky, sometimes complicated, aspects of a campaign. (And it’s okay to outsource and automate where you can). You need to stand out — that takes work. But that’s what we’re here to help you do. Read on. DIY Crowdfunding: How to Host a Campaign on Your SiteSo now you’ve got the why. Let’s talk how. Start small and follow these steps: Do Your ResearchTo build a better campaign, do your homework. Utilize the host of tools available on the web to conduct vital research, like reading up on trends related to your industry, market, and keywords. A few to start:
In addition to taking advantage of the web’s wide array of tools, take to the popular platforms to research crowdfunding projects similar to yours — crowds that have backed like-minded campaigns might be interested in participating in yours, too. And of course, don’t neglect the most important research: direct engagement with your current visitors. By soliciting their feedback, you take important steps in preparing your campaign. Create those essential early adopters by talking with potential customers and those who might be interested in learning more about your product or idea. Discover your audience — and find them early on. (FYI: The research stage is also a good time to identify possible mentors!) Gauge Your IdeaSure, it felt like an epiphany when you dreamt up your new product idea in the middle of the night. But can your lightbulb moment translate into successful business numbers? Not every invention will reach iPhone-level success, so put the feelers out early and often to gauge the level of interest and the potential of your idea. First of all, take time to assess the demand for the product and the needs in your field. Does your idea fit into a niche too limited to garner enough interest or attention? Does it offer the promise of providing real value to your visitors’ everyday lives? Create a business pitch and get feedback from family, friends, and strangers, noting observed holes in your plan, places where details can be improved, and questions addressed. Are you solving a problem? Providing value to a perceived need? Is your plan realistic and unique? This insight can help you know if your idea is viable enough to continue, and provide the direction to guide further planning. If you hit roadblocks, keep refining your pitch — or rework your idea. Plan and Set GoalsJust like Rome, successful crowdfunding campaigns are not the result of a single day’s work. To see your efforts come to fundraising fruition, plan ahead before clicking ‘publish.’ The most successful and well-orchestrated crowdfunding campaigns have a few characteristics in common; one is good planning. Take the time to consider a few goals, like:
Then consider: if you reach your goal, can you deliver on your product and your promises? Make sure to take the status of your website and your business into account. Plan your goal numbers around the current strength of your following and readership — a smart target amount that pushes you and your backers, but that is still realistic based on your site’s situation. Use your research about each aspect of the campaign to establish your figures. Work with a budgeting template to crunch the numbers (and try this nifty program to estimate fundraising possibilities).
With goals established and plans made, you can now direct each step of your campaign with your ultimate aim in mind. Prepare the Technical ComponentsNow that you’ve got the details of your campaign mapped out, it’s time to make sure your site is capable of handling the technical tasks of running a successful crowdfunding campaign. Between setting up seamless checkout processes and creating a positive UX, polishing your site and oiling its gears assures that your campaign — and your business — runs smoothly. As the home-base for your campaign, your site needs to be functional, consistent with your brand, and appealing (no Comic Sans or animated graphics here). Prep your site before you begin your campaign by completing the following checklist:
Additionally, a good host provides a hardworking CMS to keep up with your campaign responsibilities (like sharing updates and creating spaces for interaction). Partnering with a quality host is one of the most critical parts of running a successful campaign on your site, and luckily, we can help you with that. We’re hosting experts.
![]() Successful communication promotes trust and satisfaction among your backers, and encourages continued participation and engagement — even shareability! Be transparent in your communications and make your audiences feel like a critical part of your campaign (ahem, they are) by preparing built-in methods for visitors and backers to contact you easily. Provide simple contact forms and then respond as quickly as you’re able.
Lay out a menu that’s simple and easy to navigate. Don’t create a labyrinth; you want visitors to quickly find what they’re looking for. Create special pages of your site dedicated to your campaign and your backers, where they can find information, updates, and contact forms. Related: What Is User Experience (And How Can You Use It to Build a Site That Suits Your Audience)?First impressions are crucial, so make your website inviting: clean up your design by ridding it of old, outdated content and implementing design principles that attract eyes. Keep visual elements consistent and use them to target your CTA. Their experience on your site should be positive enough to inspire confidence in you and your campaign.
Now, a word (or two) for you WordPress users: building a successful crowdfunding campaign can be easy as pie on the popular platform with a fundraising-ready theme or plugin. Gather Leads with Landing PagesNow, time to drop a truth bomb: you can’t expect to draw crowds the day you launch your campaign. You can’t, that is, unless you’ve performed the necessary prep work. The reality is, successful crowdfunding campaigns are actually built long before the campaign hits the web. How? Email. Let us explain. Committed backers don’t appear out of thin air the moment you announce your campaign, especially if they know nothing about your product, and money is involved. Supporters won’t come running with wallets open unless you’ve taken the time to introduce them to your brand and ideas beforehand. Spend the months before your campaign meticulously generating leads by building an email list. Outfit your site with strong landing pages that feature an opt-in email form, committing your visitors to engage with you before you begin dropping campaign hints. Those invested audiences will be critical to your campaign success. (We’ve already created the exhaustive guide to building landing pages, so if you need a crash course, start here.) And it’s not just sending out an occasional “hello” email once in a blue moon. Building and prepping the rapport you need before your project launch requires that you provide value-ridden communications (like free downloads or other offerings, useful content, etc.) to your followers consistently over time. If you’ve given them something they want and made an effort to solicit their feedback, they’re more likely to engage (and pony-up!) when you present your campaign. You can propel your success in those first days of your campaign, a push that can carry you through to fulfilling your goal if you’ve built and prepared an engaged following before you launch. Spend the necessary time building an email list so you can leverage those crowds once campaign time comes. It’s proven: 53% of email shares convert into donations, so make garnering an essential part of preparing your website. The small investment of time you spend building a landing page and collecting leads will be rewarded with increased crowdfunding success down the road. And don’t stop building an email list once your campaign is over. Email is still one of the most powerful (and multi-purpose) marketing tools in your arsenal, so use it to continue to build your subscriber list, inviting readers to share content, and to recover abandoned shoppers through email communications. A few more words on landing pages: you’ll want to set up a few pre-launch pages (that you’ve thoroughly tested), enticing visitors about what’s to come. They should have a singular focus dedicated to collecting email sign-ups. During your campaign, your landing pages will likely feature CTAs inviting crowds to contribute to your campaign. Keep your landing pages updated as goals change before and during your campaign. Get the Word OutWhile hosting your campaign on your own site has a myriad of benefits, the popular platforms often have an advantage: they’ve got traffic built in as established sites, and as a double whammy, reporters often scour popular crowdfunding sites looking for projects to publicize. So while you’ve got that working against you, implementing a solid marketing campaign can help you bring attention to your project. You’re not out of the game yet — not even close. Like most aspects of your campaign, marketing should be planned and developed long before you launch, and with significant chunks of your budget devoted to it. You need your campaign to gain early traction to promote a positive trajectory, so give it a big push as you begin, and continue to engage in daily marketing activities. Repeat after us: ABS. Or, Always Be Searching. Trust us; there really are audiences out there willing to invest in your idea. We’ve identified email as a key marketing tactic; here are other crucial ways of promoting your campaign:
Related: How to Create a Content Marketing StrategyMeasure Your SuccessWithout a yardstick to measure results, you can’t judge the success of your campaign. Of course, the numerical figures of your fundraising clue you in, but there are more analytics to consider when quantifying the success of your project. ![]() A few basic metrics to keep your eye on:
You’re Cordially InvitedJoin DreamHost’s Facebook group to connect with like-minded website owners and get advice from peers and experts alike! ![]() Raise Those FundsWell, there’s your start. Are you ready? The success of your crowdfunding campaign lies in your hands. Scary, isn’t? Sure, but it’s also exhilarating. With your hands on all the controls, you control your e-commerce destiny. Contrary to the internet’s common dialogue, you don’t need a Kickstarter or other platform to build a successful campaign. With a decked-out site, careful planning, and megaphone-like marketing, you can draw crowds and raise the funds you need to bring your stellar idea to fruition. You’ve got this. The post How to Create a Kick-Butt Crowdfunding Campaign on Your Own Website appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/crowdfunding-on-your-website/ Running out of ideas might be one of the worst situations when you depend on content to drive your business. You probably never imagined this would happen when first starting your online business. However, realizing you have nothing to say when facing a blank blog post is frustrating and panic-inducing. But don’t worry. You have plenty to say! Everyone gets hit with a case of “blogger’s block” once in a while. Fortunately, there are lots of tried and true methods for getting back in sync with your editorial calendar. In this post, we’ll talk a little about why having fresh content matters. Then, we’ll share 20 fail-proof ways to come up with new content ideas. Let’s get started! The Best Content Marketing Idea?Partner with DreamHost! Our automatic updates and strong security defenses take server management off your hands so you can focus on managing your blog, not downtime. ![]() Why Creating New Content MattersContent creation is a key aspect of inbound marketing, but it’s also how your audience gets to know you. Your next potential customer will only know you as an online persona. As such, you’ll want to take advantage of every opportunity you have to establish yourself as an expert in your niche. Providing new, insightful content to your audience is an efficient way to do this. Additionally, companies that post more content get more traffic. Publishing 16 or more blog posts a month can help you pull in nearly four times the traffic of your less prolific competition. Of course, content creation isn’t just about what’s on your website. You’ll also want to have steady social media content to help promote posts, articles, and videos. Social media is also an effective way to let your current followers know you have something new to share and bring fresh eyes to your content. Finally, keep in mind the trust factor when it comes to digital consumerism. Without the benefit of a physical storefront, if you’ve stopped producing content, it can be hard to tell if you’re still around. An e-commerce website with a blog and social media that hasn’t been updated in six months is unlikely to inspire confidence in potential customers. Related: How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy20 Fail-Proof Ways to Come Up With New Content IdeasNow we’ve covered why developing new content is so important, let’s get to work with 20 fail-proof ways to create new content ideas. There are plenty to get through, so let’s begin! 1. Create Topics in BunchesComing up with a topic under pressure can be stressful, and the relief you feel when you come up with something might be enough to make you stop for the day. However, you may want to try extending that brainstorming session and coming up with a few ideas at once. Batching similar tasks together is a tried and tested productivity technique. It can keep you focused and cut down on multitasking. What’s more, you can better develop themes in your content, which will likely come in handy to keep readers engaged. So pour some coffee, set a timer, and away you go! If you can, try to come up with enough topics to last a month or two. You can plug your new topics into your content calendar and make a plan for your next brainstorming session while you’re at it. 2. Scour Social MediaSocial media could be a continuous source of topic ideas. Since Americans spend about two hours a day on social media, chances are your followers will be online discussing what they’re currently interested in. By doing a bit of virtual eavesdropping, you can kickstart your content idea generation. To start, look at what’s trending among your current followers. Take note of questions they’re asking and topics they’re interested in — but don’t stop there. Instead, let yourself go down a rabbit hole. Who are the other people and brands that your fans follow, and what hashtags are they using? All of this information can be used as fodder for future content. 3. Review Your Blog CommentsEngaging with your readers in your comments section is an effective way of building a relationship with them. However, you can also read through comments to develop new ideas. Your readers are likely from different parts of the world and have very different life experiences from you. So they may be leaving unique insights into and observations about your post’s subject matter. They may even be asking questions that you can answer in future blog posts. Interacting regularly with your readers can make it more likely that they’ll leave thoughtful comments. After all, if you take the time to respond, it’s more rewarding for them to share their thoughts. You might also give them some encouragement with a strong Call To Action (CTA) at the end of your posts. 4. Conduct InterviewsInterviews with an expert in your niche are a versatile way to help develop content for your blog or social media channels. The material you get from a single interview can bolster your content calendar for a week or two. First, the material lends itself to multitasking. Of course, you can publish the interview as a blog post. However, you might also shoot some video and share short clips of the highlights. Also, as there’s likely some overlap in your audiences, you may gain new followers from your guest. You might try creating a few easily-shared social media graphics for your interviewee to post on their channels. Try reaching out to a personality in your industry to see if they’re open to being interviewed. You might want to try asking some of the people your audience follows on social media. If you’re concerned about coming up with questions, this could be a good time to poll your readers to see what they would ask. 5. Check Out Competitor SitesYour competitors’ sites are a potential goldmine of content ideas. After all, they’re targeting the same population as you! Of course, you can start with their blog to see if they’ve covered any topics you haven’t thought of. If you find ideas this way, try to outdo them by creating longer and better content (otherwise known as the Skyscraper Technique). However, take care not to plagiarize. There’s nothing wrong with using their content as inspiration, but be sure your words are your own. Next, head for the comments sections. Just like your own audience, your competition’s readers are likely asking valuable questions and sharing thoughts that you can use as a jumping-off point. While you’re on their site, you might also want to sign up for their newsletter. They may offer additional content to subscribers that you can’t access on the website. 6. Google Search SuggestionsGoogle may have some great ideas for your next topic. This tactic can be incredibly valuable, as you don’t need to provide much information. Also, the suggestions you get back will be relevant and mostly optimized as they’re based on actual searches. Start by typing in a general idea or even just your niche. You’ll get a list of potential topics. You might want to log out of your Google account first or use a private browsing tab, so your past search history doesn’t influence the results. ![]() Also, check out the People Also Ask and Searches Related To… sections. These are two more places to find topic and keyword inspiration. ![]() You may want to incorporate this strategy into your topic brainstorming sessions. If you come up with one good idea, Google might help by giving you five more. 7. Connect Your Brand to Current EventsBe on the lookout for any current events you may be able to relate to your brand. While your audience may not be especially interested in the event itself, a clever and relevant tie-in could take advantage of trending searches and hashtags. This can be an excellent strategy for social media posts, as they’re shorter and more in-the-moment. Keep in mind, although this tactic can be a lot of fun, you’ll want to exercise some caution to avoid tying your brand to anything overly controversial. You might also stick to your niche when discussing current events. You can spotlight any new developments on social media or dig into the latest happenings with a blog post. 8. Create Product ReviewsEven if you don’t sell a product, you can still review items your followers may find helpful. Product reviews are another versatile bit of content. You can quickly tweet out some praise, being sure to tag the relevant company when you do. Reviews also lend themselves well to video, as you can demonstrate the product and “humanize” your business. Start by thinking of things you use every day and if they might be useful to your audience. For example, if you’re a food blogger, you might not believe a scented candle relates to your niche. However, if you swear by it to get rid of lingering food smells in your apartment, your readers will likely appreciate the recommendation. Furthermore, you can ask your audience about the items they can’t live without. A monthly product review could quickly become one of your more popular features. Related: 36 Brilliant Blogging Tools to Help You Write Better, Publish More, and Increase Traffic9. Use a Topic Generator PlatformIf you’re still stumped, you can get an assist from a topic generator platform. You might try HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator. ![]() This free tool can provide you with up to a year’s worth of weekly blog post topics. All you have to do is type in up to five different nouns and click on the Give Me Blog Ideas button. It may not offer cast-iron and fully-formed ideas; however, it can be a great starting point for developing more relevant content. 10. Tell Personal StoriesIt’s highly unlikely that you’re the only person creating content in your niche. Your audience follows you because they like you. Chances are, they’ll enjoy learning more about your successes and failures. These stories may inspire your readers or make you more relatable to them. Best of all, since you’re pulling from your experience, there’s no research required. How you share your story is as personal as the story itself. You may want to write a narrative or simply list lessons you’ve learned over the years. You could even let your audience ask you questions on a Twitter chat or YouTube live stream. This is also an excellent opportunity to tell your brand’s story. 11. Get Ideas From Industry NewslettersNo matter your niche, it’s a pretty safe bet that there are a few respected newsletters dedicated to it. These periodicals are likely full of up to the minute details about topics your readers will be interested in. Try subscribing to some industry newsletters and use what they cover to help cultivate fresh content for your blog. You might also note who is writing the content and who is being interviewed for these publications. Following these people could lead to even more inspiration, or even an interview or two. Want to Learn How to Create Great Content?Whether you need help finding a target audience, crafting the ideal digital marketing strategy, or launching a podcast, we can help! Subscribe to our monthly digest so you never miss an article. ![]() 12. Watch YouTube VideosHaving your own YouTube channel is a great idea, but you can also use the platform to develop content ideas. You may start by watching videos in your niche and reading through comments for inspiration, similar to what you might do on a competitor’s blog. However, you can also try searching for some of your old topic ideas and then using the suggested videos to come up with new ones. ![]() You could also try looking at the most popular videos in your niche. This should give you a good idea of what your audience might be interested in. Related: How to Start a YouTube Channel13. Stay Up to Date With New Products and TechRegardless of the industry you’re in, new developments are likely happening all the time. Staying on top of new products and technology related to your niche can regularly help you generate new content ideas. If you subscribe to industry newsletters, you’ll be well-positioned to discuss these advancements. Try sharing this information with your audience on social media and get their thoughts on it. This is potentially an effective way to get a conversation started on your social platforms, which could spark even more ideas for you. 14. Talk About Recent StudiesConducting original research is a great way to generate content, but it’s not always practical. Instead, let your readers know about new studies or survey results related to your niche. This strategy provides value to your audience and helps cement your reputation as an expert. While you should probably share these findings on social media quickly to capitalize on recency, you might build other content as well. For example, you could craft an in-depth blog post or shoot a video exploring the study’s potential impact. 15. Refresh or Expand Your Old ContentSpeaking of studies, if you’ve included any in older content, it could be time for a refresh. Taking time to look through old content can help update facts and statistics for the sake of accuracy. Also, suppose the content is especially dated. In that case, you may have been trying to rank for different keywords or using poor Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. You might also look through your older blog posts to see if you can expand upon ideas. A small paragraph in an old article could be fodder for a brand new piece of content. Finally, you could browse your metrics to identify lower-performing posts that could benefit from some attention. Related: Keep Your Content Fresh: How to Repurpose Old Blog Posts16. Visit Online ForumsIf you’ve already mined your own comments section for reader questions, you might want to try some online forums next, such as Quora. This website is devoted to the asking and answering of questions and covers just about any topic you can think of. ![]() Type in your area of interest, and you can find a wealth of content inspiration. Look for questions you haven’t covered, or curate a few related questions and try writing an ultimate guide. You’re Cordially InvitedJoin DreamHost’s Facebook group to connect with like-minded website owners and get advice from peers and experts alike! ![]() 17. Give Your Users a SurveyTo find out more about what your readers would like to see, try asking them directly. Your audience will be familiar with the types of content you produce and the topics you cover, so they’re in a great position to provide advice. This can be as formal or relaxed as you’d like. You can select individuals and ask them directly what they’re interested in, or just hold a conversation on Facebook to find out more about your audience. You could also try sending out a survey to your newsletter subscribers. Related: Take Your Content Strategy Up a Level with a Content Audit18. Read Conference AgendasIf you’ve had success checking on industry newsletters, you might also explore conference agendas. These can be full of interesting topics to research and knowledgeable people to follow or connect with. You can try reading through agendas for upcoming or even past industry events. If it’s being talked about at a conference, you should probably be talking about it as well. And once it’s safe to attend events again (thanks, COVID-19), you might consider writing a roundup for your followers. 19. Help a Reporter Out (HARO)Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a website that connects journalists with sources. While you can use this tool in the hopes of being included in a story, it’s also helpful for generating content ideas. ![]() Signing up for HARO as a source will get you three emails a day full of potential content topics. You’ll receive pitch requests every weekday, which you can mine for potential content ideas. 20. Browse Amazon’s Best Sellers in Your IndustryAmazon lists the top-selling books by industry. You might find your next read there, but it can also give you a sense of what people want to learn about. The list is based on sales and is updated hourly. ![]() You can pull up a list of relevant titles and start judging books by their covers (and table of contents). Try scanning summaries and chapter titles to help generate new content ideas. Blog Post Ideas Made EasyConsistently coming up with new content ideas can be one of the more stressful aspects of running an online business. However, it also has the potential to pay off. Besides better traffic and increased profits, content creation is how you build a community and engage with your customers. In this post, we shared 20 tips that should help you come up with some new content ideas. You might start close to home by reading through your blog comments and looking to improve or repurpose old content. Don’t forget to stay on top of current events in your industry through conference agendas and new product developments. If you’re still stuck, you might want to give a topic generator a try. Developing new content takes a lot of time and energy. The last thing you need to worry about is whether your web hosting is reliable. Have a look at our shared hosting plans so you can get your brain back in the content creation process. The post 20 Fail-Proof Ways to Come Up With New Content Ideas appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/how-to-come-up-with-new-content-ideas/ You probably haven’t started thinking about turkey and cranberry sauce, but maybe it’s time you did. No, you don’t need to go grocery shopping or plan your Thanksgiving feast quite yet. Still, as your hosting experts, we’re telling all you website owners out there: You need to start strategizing for the epic holiday weekend. We know it’s been a difficult year in many ways. You’ve likely felt that strain hard in your business as you’ve adjusted during COVID-19 conditions and embraced an online environment. The reality is this: Many people are out of work, small businesses are struggling, and consumers likely have less $$$ to spend. But that doesn’t mean you have to end the year on a sour note. As the calendar approaches the normally mammoth holiday shopping dates of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, you can prep your business — and your website — to make the most of the spending season. Even in less-than-ideal conditions, holiday shopping has a lot of potential to boost your business. Historically, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend has been a record-shattering buying event that you’ll want to get your business on board with. Last year, Black Friday brought in more than 93 million in online sales, Those aren’t the only eye-opening numbers; a survey reported that more than 189 million Americans shopped online during the holiday shopping season’s harbinger weekend. That’s a lot of potential customers — and potential sales — for your business. Here’s the catch: If you aren’t anticipating the Black Friday e-rush well ahead of time, you could be looking at a mass exodus of your site’s visitors, who will happily take their credit cards elsewhere for the year‘s biggest spending season. Cue the flying-money emoji. ??? Over the years, people have increasingly turned to their screens for Black Friday deals rather than retail stores. For example, in 2019, consumers spent a whopping $7.4 billion at online stores on Black Friday — an increase of $1.2 billion from 2018. This year will likely break e-commerce records as people shop from the safety of their homes. And never underestimate Cyber Monday’s money-making potential; in 2019, Cyber Monday brought in $9.4 billion online, a near 19% jump from the previous year and markedly the biggest online shopping day in history. So what’s on your Black Friday/Cyber Monday To-Do list? Well, you need to prep. Your site needs to be whip-quick and bug-free, not to mention stocked with quality products and smart navigation. And we can help with that! First, we’ll talk strategy, helping you plan out the best ways to get your sales in front of customers.
Then we’ll get into the nuts and bolts of prepping your sites for the e-crowds, one technical task at a time.
With a website primed for a critical weekend of sales, you can put on your stretchy pants and enjoy another slice of pumpkin pie — while you watch your business grow. Get Ready for BFCM WeekendJoin our monthly newsletter for tips and tricks to build a better site, increase traffic, and boost sales during the holiday season and beyond! ![]() Create Your Marketing StrategyWhether your small biz is a team of one or one hundred, you need to have a pow-wow, STAT. You must organize a Black Friday plan of attack before your site gets left out in the dust. With an increased focus on online sales during the holiday shopping season, you have to be ready. Start with baby steps. 1. Take Stock (Literally and Figuratively)It’s smart first to take a look at where your business stands. What are your goals? How established is your brand? How is your social media presence? And what are you hoping for — in sales terms and otherwise — for the big Thanksgiving shopping holiday? ![]() Knowing where you are and where you want to go helps you set appropriate goals and put a plan in place to accomplish them. Then there’s physical merchandise or, if you sell a service or non-physical commodity, virtual goods. In the case of tangible products, you will need to take stock of your items and increase inventory (and shipping supplies) in anticipation of sales (especially of your best-selling items) so that those ever-important buying days run as smoothly as possible. Keep a spreadsheet of inventory handy — this can help you stay organized and be useful if contingencies arise (more on this later). Regardless of what you sell, you need to make sure you have the tools in place to run a sale on your site and figure out the kind of sale you want to offer — based on lifetime customer value or cost per acquisition stats — or if you’d be better to provide more out-of-the-box savings, like service upgrades or add-ons. So, make some calculations and gather your data — you need this information for our next stage of planning. Remember that COVID-19 has moved many businesses nearly entirely online. So how you approach inventory, shipping, and the services you offer will differ from years past. It will likely require additional time, planning, and resources to successfully navigate a successful holiday shopping season. Plan ahead and prepare for contingencies (we know you’ve been dealing with a whole year of contingencies). 2. Plan Out Your SalesBelieve it or not, holiday shoppers are researching products and scouting deals well ahead of time — like, now. So it’s important — crucial even — to take time to get organized by mapping out the sales you’re going to offer for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend. Plan ahead to avoid messy last-minute sale scrambles and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants deals (yikes). Also, note that coronavirus conditions have caused shortages in many industries, many of which could affect your manufacturers, suppliers, or operation suppliers. It may take extra time to get what you need, so plan for these delays well ahead of time when planning sales. The sooner you have a plan in place, the sooner you can bring attention to your Black Friday sale and prep customers to bring their holiday dollars to your shop. A simple Excel sheet works well for outlining planned sales — identify products or a set discount, regular and sale prices, the sale timeline, and how you anticipate promoting that sale. ![]() You may need to talk with your supplier (if it’s not you) to work out the production details of increased demand. Also, keep in mind that most Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers haven’t completed their holiday shopping at the end of the Thanksgiving spending spree. Last year, only 18% of people (46.3 million) were done with holiday shopping before Nov. 1. So don’t see Black Friday as the end-all, be-all. In your plan, include actions (and additional incentives) that encourage Black Friday shoppers to return to your e-commerce store throughout their holiday shopping and, eventually, become loyal customers. 3. Map Out a Marketing CampaignNow that you know what kind of sales you’re going to offer, you need to disseminate that information effectively to consumers. Advertise well ahead of time and prep your customers for buying. We know things this year have been hard. Since we’re all pinching our pennies, here are some affordable — and creative — ways you can create a BFCM campaign that drives sales. Related: The Best Holiday Marketing Campaigns (And What You Can Learn from Them)Email MarketingIf you’re wondering where to start with Black Friday marketing, email is truly a safe bet, since a healthy, growing email list is invaluable for your small business or e-commerce website. Sending marketing campaigns to those who have chosen to be engaged with your business allows you to tailor personalized messages that have the most impact come buying time. ![]() Promotional emails can prep your most loyal consumers for an upcoming sale or reward frequent buyers, and specific types of communications (like abandoned cart emails) can help wary or slow-to-act visitors complete unfinished purchases. Your promotions can also help you to build an email list. It’s like an epic circle of benefits. Related: Build an Email List With Your WordPress Website in 3 Simple StepsSocial Media MarketingWhile social media tends to cast a wider net in marketing, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help you tease upcoming promotions and provide creative ways of distributing Cyber Week deals. You can also boost your posts to target specific audiences or reach a larger crowd for only pennies on the dollar. Tailor your content to each platform for maximum effectiveness. Create a calendar to help you determine and plan out the best times to distribute marketing content — then stick to it! Consistency rules. Pay-Per-Click AdvertisingSure, the saying goes that the early bird gets the worm, but if you’re planning deals late in the game, all hope is not lost. While search engine optimization (SEO) and other organic traffic drivers take time to implement, pay-per-click advertising allows you to pay for more clicks (hence the name) right now. If you’ve got more of a marketing budget at your disposal, you can utilize PPC campaigns to have more control over your search engine rankings and, at best, turn clicks into customers and see strong ROI. The basic steps are to create an ad and make bids on virtual auctions for top placement in search engines. Check out Google AdWords to learn more and start generating more traffic to your site. 4. Keep an Eye on the CompetitionWith a tidal wave of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals flooding every inch of the web, your small biz needs to set itself apart against other small operations and big-name retailers. ![]() Extra touches can help distinguish your site from a rival online retailer; consider offering a gift (or an additional discount on future return purchases) with each sale, expedited or free shipping, special packaging, or customized thanks-for-shopping messages from your business. Watch your industry competitors and work to have the leg up. ![]() And even if manpower or budget limitations restrict you from including additional incentives, always provide hassle-free returns and friendly, prompt customer service. Emphasize the personality and care offered by your small business versus big-box retailers. Customers like to support small businesses and, in most cases, will appreciate, remember, and reward a more intimate online shopping experience. Related: 11 Ways Your Online Store Can Compete with Mega-Retailers and Win5. Build (More) BuzzIn addition to your organized marketing efforts, you can boost the hype for your Black Friday steals by engaging in additional awareness-building activities. Craft Winning Copy and Create Alluring GraphicsTime is on your side; with your early-bird preparation, you can plan out and prep copy that is engaging, personable, and error-free. Same with photos and graphics; planning ahead guarantees you have attractive visuals that impress and persuade. Putting special attention to even these most basic of website fundamentals can significantly improve your users’ experience during their holiday shopping. Related: How to Write Product Descriptions That Really Sell: 8 Simple TipsUtilize HashtagsInsert yourself into the popular topics of each week by taking advantage of trending hashtags. The viral hype will seamlessly (and effortlessly) aid in spreading the word about your products and upcoming sales. #blessed Build in ScarcityShoppers will naturally feel a sense of urgency to buy if they know your limited-edition, few-in-number, or wildly-discounted product won’t last long. Use language that reminds shoppers to act quickly to score the best deals. ![]() Display Shop SignageWell before the actual Black Friday/Cyber Monday crowds hit your e-shop, you can outfit your site to prep visitors for approaching sales. Consider updating your homepage with a special Black Friday header or landing page signage that cements SALE into your customers’ minds — especially those who are conducting their holiday gift-giving research now. ![]() Update Your BlogHopefully, your blog is regularly outfitted with quality posts that are relevant and engaging. If it’s not, get writing. A blog consistently updated with useful content brings visitors back to your site and builds your brand. Use friendly, personable language that establishes you as a trusted authority in your field or industry. Related: How to Write a Blog Post — A Step-By-Step GuideIn the next few weeks, consider publishing useful holiday shopping content, like curated gift lists or helpful instructional guides (wink, wink) that feature your products and provide a service to customers. Media entertainment company Brit + Co compiles helpful content for visitors — a creative way to feature their products. Pitch to Other Blogs and Social Media InfluencersInfluencers are called influencers for a reason. Get your products in front of the web’s most influential people, and you could be rewarded with more traffic to your site — and ideally, new shoppers. Pitch your products to other sites (for their gift guides, guest posts, or other content), and you’re inviting a whole new set of eyes to explore your offerings. Score! Share Positive Product ReviewsWord-of-mouth marketing is powerful, especially in e-commerce. With prompts on your site or through after-purchase email messages, invite your customers to leave product reviews. Share the glowing ones with new customers (and turn them into repeat customers) or use them to persuade on-the-fence buyers. ![]() Write and Share Customer SpotlightsBring attention to the superstars championing your products or services — your existing customers! Profile their unique story and how your business helps them achieve success. These stories (like our own tales of a millennial-minded online publication creator or writer looking for a quick way to set up a website) will inspire other consumers to engage with your brand and, ideally, make purchases. If you’re looking to go even more out of the box, try these other creative promotional ideas. And lastly, know this: According to Adobe, the power of social media influence on purchases is decreasing, but retailers have greater opportunities to invest in email marketing and search optimization for increased revenue. That could be a major thumbs up for your site if done well. So plan now. Prepare the Technical Aspects of Your SitePlanning the details of your Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales is essential. But that’s only the first step. Especially when shoppers notice the buzz you’ve created and want to make purchases. Is your website up to the challenge? If not, start here! 1. Consult With Your Hosting ProviderAs is necessary for success in all parts of your website, a site that’s functional and ready to deliver during the fall’s killer shopping holidays depends on your website’s foundation: your hosting provider. Your provider should be reliable and helpful, and at the most fundamental level, keep your site up and running 24/7. Yes, a good hosting provider is essential. So consider:
Based on your needs, you may need to consider upgrading to a plan that can do more heavy lifting during the rush. Not sure what plan is best for your site? Chat with us. We’ve totally got your back. Is Your Site Ready for a Cyber Monday Sale?DreamHost has the perfect hosting plan to handle your holiday season traffic. ![]() 2. Set Up Your E-ShopBefore you can draw customers in with deep discounts, you need to make sure your site is actually outfitted for e-commerce, if you haven’t already. Whatever tool you use — like WooCommerce or Shopify — get it up and running well before the big day. Ensure that it’s capable of handling your site’s crowds and that it allows customers to make purchases using a simplified checkout process. Related: How to Build an Awesome Online Store with the OceanWP Theme3. Provide a Safe Shopping ExperienceA vital part of building trust with your clients (and ensuring that they make return visits) is shopping safety. Shoppers — especially ones with the seasonal inclination to splurge — want to know that their information is safe on your site. That’s a big reason to think about security. A study by the Department of Commerce revealed that half of U.S. internet users are deterred from buying online because of worries about privacy and security. To remove worry from customers’ minds, display prominently on your site’s checkout pages signage that proves it’s safe to shop with you. ![]() More often than not, your hosting provider can help you get set up with a free or low-cost SSL/TLS certificate (an authentication and encryption system — meaning, data is transferred online safely). If you’re a DreamHost user, we’ve got you covered. Another way to ease your customers’ minds about security: Share the other websites that have featured your products. Display endorsements from other blogs and companies, (it’s OK to toot your own horn!) and give your products and services an outside seal of approval. ![]() Visitors to your site will see the buzz already building around your business from other familiar companies and will be more likely to engage. Consider it e-commerce FOMO. These trust-building measures that can make a world of difference, especially on those big shopping days. 4. Create an Easy-to-Find Return PolicyIt’s inevitable — some customers are just not going to love their purchases. The National Retail Federation estimates the value of holiday gift returns in 2019 to be nearly $100 billion. Currently, up to 40% of all online purchases will be returned, but 96% of customers said they would shop with a retailer again if their return experience with that business was positive. With the vast majority embracing online shopping this year, you’re likely to see an increased rate of returns. Returns are not only a part of the holiday season but a valuable point of interaction with consumers. They are an opportunity to connect with your audiences, provide them the best possible experience, and encourage repeat business and customer loyalty. ![]() First, make your return policy easy to find — in a limited number of glances or clicks. Keep your customers loyal by avoiding “the fine print” mentality; clearly state shipping costs, deadlines, and return policies (and make it big enough to read, please). 5. Fine-Tune for OptimizationYou want every aspect of your site to be optimized for the best possible web experience. With eyes on increased sales, more traffic, and a loyal following, fine-tuning your site in these specific areas will help you build your numbers. Make Your Site MobileWe could easily inundate you with reasons why having a mobile-responsive site is so important, but we’ve already been there, done that. So instead, we’ll just pass along a few key statistics to prove our point. Like the fact that Black Friday is big (no, let’s say B-I-G!!!) for mobile. Last year, both Black Friday and Cyber Monday were record-breaking days in retail history for e-commerce, with sales reaching nearly $3 billion on mobile.and 61% of all online retail coming from smartphone transactions — and that’s only on Black Friday. Cyber Monday also made waves for mobile in big ways, with transactions soaring to $3.1 billion, the highest ever year-over-year dollar gain for smartphones. What’s more, smartphones accounted for more than half of all traffic on retail websites on Cyber Monday. Holy smartphone, Batman. ![]() Mobile is also crucial for good SEO. How? Well, having a site that’s mobile-responsive increases your chances of earning a high ranking in search engines, and therefore, your chances of being found by potential customers. Your site can look snazzy on a desktop, but if it delivers a disappointing mobile presence, then you can say adios to your sales. Ensure that your site’s template is mobile-responsive. Make sure that your site loads fast on a mobile device, links work, images load correctly, and any pop-up forms display correctly. Consider utilizing the AMP initiative to upgrade your mobile experience for users. Boost Your SEOAs a small business or website owner, you’ve probably already had a rudimentary education in the importance of SEO. Simply put, SEO means positioning your site for discovery in search engines. After all, a simple search is where most people begin their holiday (or basically any) shopping. ![]() More than any other shopping season, you want your site — and by extension, your products — to have the best chance of meeting the eyes of potential customers. So prepping your website by establishing good SEO is a task of high importance as you anticipate Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Even if you’re a beginner, you can take a few small steps to improve your SEO. But remember, SEO gains take time, so get started now — the sooner you optimize, the better. If you want to dig deeper into optimization, consider taking a few additional measures to improve. We recently outlined 13 key steps to boosting your SEO, but check out these main takeaways:
Related: How to Create a Content Marketing StrategySimplify Your NavigationThe Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping weekend is crucial for your business or website. Fail to simplify your navigation, and you could be looking at potentially lost sales and disengaged — not to mention frustrated — customers. ![]() Don’t squander your opportunity by making your website a maze of riddles. It’s got to be easy to navigate. Whether that means streamlining your design or improving the menu, tidy up your site structure. Simplify searches and checkout processes so that your customer can get from Point A to Point B in a minimal number of clicks — and you can make those sales that much faster. Reduce Your Load TimesA reality check here: No customer (Black Friday-frenzied or not) will stick around on a slow site. As attention spans on the web get increasingly shortened, you need to think speed. One major key to a speedy site? Your site’s design. We outlined all the dos and don’ts in-depth, but here’s what you need to know for the holiday crunch:
6. Be Available for Customer ServiceWhile shopping, your customers may have an urgent question about your holiday sale, sizing, or shipping (or a million other things). If possible, be available to answer their up-to-the-minute questions during the Thanksgiving weekend. If you anticipate heavy crowds, assemble a team to help address consumers’ pressing needs, and leave them with a positive and memorable customer service experience. Related: How Your Online Business Can Nail Customer ServiceEnable a live chat function on your site or have a customer service email readily available for them to contact you — and be waiting by the keyboard. ![]() (And you DreamHost users know that you can count on us on Black Friday. We’re just a chat away.) 7. Test, Test, TestThe best way to anticipate any potential glitches or problems with your e-commerce site during the holiday shopping rush is to test it. We know we sound like a broken-record-meets-Jan-Brady, but: TEST, TEST, TEST. Think about it: You wouldn’t turn in a term paper without reading through it, using spell check, or editing for grammar mistakes. And the way your site looks is just as high-stakes for your business, so perform necessary trial runs. Test your links for functionality (this handy WordPress tool can help), analyze responsiveness across devices, check load times, and even request visitors’ feedback. The more you can correct beforehand, the better. 8. Plan for ContingenciesBy now, 2020 has taught us all that even the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. So in your preparation, you should try to account for unforeseen circumstances (like website downtime) and — dare we say it — emergencies you might encounter during the holiday shopping rush. Besides allowing us to Zoom in our pajamas and inspiring our makeshift WFH spaces, the pandemic has caused us to pivot in many business-altering ways. Some things to think about as you prepare for Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
Luckily, preparation can help you anticipate some of those potential mishaps. Make a contingency plan for situations that may arise — like an “if ___, then ___” exercise — so that you can quickly correct problems (and keep your blood pressure low because #holidaystress). To help prevent unanticipated issues, take a few prep steps, like analyzing your site’s past Black Friday statistics (see the next section) and asking helpers to stand by. 9. Analyze Your ResultsA good rule of thumb after executing a plan is to review your outcomes. Whether you utilize Google Analytics or another metrics platform, gather the data and use it to make informed decisions on how to improve your site. ![]() Don’t let those numbers go to waste — they provide you with valuable info about customers’ behavioral patterns and a starting point for further improvement. Dedicate specific time to reviewing last year’s data (as you prep for this year’s shopping rush) and this year’s — so that you can continue to reap the financial benefits of the holiday shopping season. Related: 20 Metrics Every Blogger Needs to Track to Measure SuccessAre You Ready for Black Friday Weekend?Hey, you’ve made it this far into 2020. Give yourself a pat on the back. Wave your mask in the air. We know it’s been hard. But as the holiday shopping season approaches, you can still prime your business operations to take advantage of and prepare for the increase in online traffic. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are a big deal for your website, and the time to prepare your site and strategy is now! With a website primed for handling the e-crowds and a winning marketing strategy designed for our “new normal”, you’ll be able to navigate Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020 and turn seasonal shoppers into frequent buyers that’ll follow you into 2021. Ready to optimize your site for Black Friday? Start with DreamHost. Leave migrating your site, installing WordPress, managing security and updates, and optimizing server performance to us. Now you can focus on what matters most — taking care of your customers! Check out plans today. The post How to Prepare Your Website for Black Friday and Cyber Monday appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/prepare-your-website-black-friday-cyber-monday/ The so-called fast-fashion industry — which brings runway fashions to discount stores — means more trendy clothes are produced faster and cheaper. It also means that, when trends change or cheap fabric wears thin, much of that gets thrown away — about 85% of all textiles produced annually end up in the landfill. The list of the industry’s environmental offenses goes on: Discarded clothing contributes to microplastics polluting the ocean. Creating fast fashion produces more carbon emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined. It takes 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pair of jeans. Enough is enough, says Claudia Martinez Puerto. “Fashion is a part of the life of every single person, and it is one the most contaminating industries in the world,” Martinez says. “One of the problems of the industry is the amount of waste it generates.” In 2015, Martinez founded Les Common People, a Colombian clothing brand styled as “an indie clothing brand for indie women.” As Martinez became more familiar with the fashion industry — including its notorious waste and, at times, dubious supply chains, riddled with low pay and poor working conditions — she decided to make some changes. “In 2018 we decided to change the concept of the brand and focus on environmental sustainability and the development of products with textile waste,” Martinez says. Les Common People uses discarded textiles, including waste from clothing manufacturers, to upcycle and stitch together one-of-a-kind garments from jackets to pants. And all the stitching is done by in-country locals, giving Les Common People control over the working conditions. Martinez has relied on DreamHost to support her entrance into the world of e-commerce — and her goal of a more sustainable future. “By upcycling, we can begin to be part of the change that humanity is looking for: people who care about the environmental and social impact it generates,” she says. We’ll Support Your DreamWhatever your online goals, DreamHost will be right there with you, making sure your site is fast, secure, and always up. Plans start at $2.59/mo. ![]() Style and SustainabilityMartinez was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, and today runs Les Common People in her hometown. “This country is full of inspiration,” she says. “Its landscapes are like no other; its people are quite unique and even though Bogota is kind of a messy city, it has some really beautiful places and you can find all kinds of things.” Martinez began her career as a freelance advertiser, designing and sewing her own clothes as a hobby, before building Les Common People. She works with other collaborators to help with photography, design, and accounting. “I wanted people to feel in clothes the way I did with the clothes that I made for myself. That was the moment I decided to start my own fashion brand,” she says. ![]() Today, she designs and even sews some of the clothing for Les Common People, drawing inspiration from art, music, and film. The name of her company, which combines English with her native Spanish, reflects Martinez’s own fashion philosophy and why she wanted to get into the industry in the first place. “The name of the brand was born from the idea that all human beings are the same and that we communicate who we are through the clothes we wear. We are ‘common people’ full of originality and uniqueness, people who use the garments that we wear as a way to let the world know who we are.” But expressing your individuality through beautiful and stylish clothing, she says, doesn’t have to destroy the environment. “In a market full of fast fashion brands, finding unique, authentic and designer garments is an almost impossible task, which is why at Les Common People we decided to create unique garments from upcycling of completely new textile waste,” she says. “We add value to fabrics that were wasted for others; we transform 100% new textile waste into garments.” This strategy — creating pieces that are not only different from what you find in the store, but that are crafted and designed individually, using available fabric waste to create a look literally found nowhere else — creates a perfect marriage of style and sustainability. And this union results in the opposite of fast fashion: handcrafted, quality garments meant to look great for years. “By mixing design with sustainability values, we reached the midpoint we were looking for,” Martinez says. “We are offering a product with the style and design of the brand, a product that will help mitigate the environmental problem generated by this industry, and that was developed respecting all the links of our productive chain.” Supply and DemandAnother of Martinez’s priorities is cleaning up the supply chain. The bargain-priced, trendy clothes lining shelves at many western shops are often made by workers in China, India, and other countries, primarily women and girls, many working long hours in dangerous conditions for as little as 15 cents an hour. To make sure her clothing is both skillfully and ethically made, Martinez collaborates locally to create her inventory. “We outsource the manufacturing of the garments to small producers in Bogota, where our brand is located,” she explained. “As a brand with sustainable values, we managed to create designer garments from upcycling. And by producing locally we can manage the work conditions of the people who make all our garments possible.” The source of her clothing itself is new textile waste — that is, unused fabrics that would have otherwise been discarded into landfills. The raw material dictates what kind of projects Martinez and her collaborators can work on and forces creativity into the design. The result is a one-of-a-kind patchwork look in her clothing that mixes complementary patterns and textures. “By taking the waste of others, we have the possibility of developing our creativity through the different shapes, textures, reliefs, and designs that the textile waste gives us, and with this create a unique garment,” Martinez says. The waste fabric also impacts the lineup in the inventory. Right now in the Les Common People shop, you’ll find jackets and pullovers for sale — because they built the collection based on the materials that were available at the moment. Martinez and her team are currently busy producing their next collection, which will feature shirts and pants designed to pair well with the outerwear. In addition to sustainable production and supply chain, Martinez’s products stand out for their design. “Our products are recognized as a garment with style and design, which is appreciated for its originality as well as being an easy garment to integrate into our clients’ closet.” Challenges and TriumphsOwning and running a small business suits her, says Martinez — even with the long hours it demands of her. “I like the independence that having your own business gives you — having control of your own time and working the way you like to,” she says. “Even though you may think that working by yourself is going to be a more relaxed job, it isn’t. Sometimes you have to work 10 times more, but it is really gratifying when you see the results of working on your own project.” ![]() The workload was a challenge, especially in the early days of Les Common People, but bringing in outside help allowed Martinez to hone her strengths. She learned to let go of the details and keep her eyes on the big picture. “When you have a small business usually you do almost everything by yourself and that is not an easy task,” she says. “For me, it was hard to let people in and get help to do things. I thought that I could do everything by myself, and I was so wrong. Even though I wanted to do everything and have control of every little process so everything gets done the best way possible, it was impossible and I was draining myself. Now that I have some collaborators, I can focus on the design and management — the things that I am good at.” Martinez has been able to build Les Common People into a full-time job for the past few years. “I love what I have achieved,” she says. Now she’s looking forward to continuing to grow the business and building a bigger team. Of course, Martinez’s background in advertising has been an asset, “with all the communication of the brand and how to work with inspiration boards and get ideas to reality,” she says. And customers have really connected with the brand, Martinez says. They feel they can really get behind the social mission of her clothing label — and the style and design don’t hurt either. They especially recognize each piece for the time that it takes to create by hand — the oversized bomber jacket in the Les Common People collection, for example, requires more than 10 hours of sewing to construct. “People love how original and innovative our products are and how easy they can mix it with all kinds of garments,” she says. “The social and environmental core of our brand are also really appreciated by our customers, who are looking for ways to make a good impact on the world, and they find that in our brand.” Related: Building Your Own Business Website? Don’t Make These 10 MistakesSpreading the WordLes Common People is an online e-commerce store without a brick-and-mortar location. Fairs and other live events put the clothing in front of buyers, so they can see and experience them in person. Otherwise, the brand relies on connecting with potential customers online and through social media. “We love to hear what our customers have to say about our brand and products,” she says. “Through social media, we connect to our clients and possible clients, and on our website, they can find all the products so it is really easy to get from Instagram to our site, for example.” Related: 10 Easy Social Media Tips for Your Hard-Working Small BusinessLes Common People’s website is simple and to the point, and the homepage goes directly to their shop — a choice Martinez made purposefully. “What we love about our website is that it is really clean so clients can focus on our products,” she says. “Even though it is a basic site, it is really easy to navigate and to get in contact with us if our clients want to. The main thing we want our clients to find is our products and that is the first thing they see when they get in.” She recognizes that there’s room in the future to develop the site more and use it as a space to tell more of the company’s story, but for now, it is focused on showcasing their products to the world. ![]() Martinez used WordPress, hosted by DreamHost, to build her website. This power combo, she says, helped her make a smooth entry into building an e-commerce business that relies so much on its website for sales. “DreamHost has a very user-friendly dashboard, is easy to use, the support forum is very complete, and the customer service is excellent,” she says. “The WordPress hosting plan really helped me to build, develop, and manage my website.” Want to Meet More Awesome Site Owners?Subscribe to the DreamHost Digest for inside scoops, expert tips, and exclusive deals. ![]() Changing Our Clothes, Changing the WorldFor now, Les Common People ships only within Colombia. Shipping costs outside of the country are high, and as a small brand, they are focusing on local growth for now. They do have plans to ship worldwide in the future. To benefit her work with Les Common People — and for pure personal enjoyment — Martinez is studying artisanal dyeing techniques, such as marbled fabric and dyeing textiles with natural pigments. “I really enjoy learning new things that I can use for my personal and professional life,” she says. She also is always on the lookout for new ways to support her brand’s mission of sustainability in fashion. “We want to keep creating unique garments made of upcycled fabrics, to learn new techniques to keep hundreds of kilos of new fabric out of the landfill, and to continue our path into sustainability not only with the brand but with our life as well,” Martinez says. With these changes in hers and other brands and a growing awareness of the environmental toll of fast fashion, Martinez is optimistic about the future of fashion — and hopes that her customers and others will make responsible choices about what clothing they purchase and wear. “We all can be part of the change and dress without affecting the planet and its inhabitants,” she says. “The world is changing; the way we dress should too.” The post This Colombian Clothing Brand Is Tackling Fast Fashion’s Environmental Problem appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/customer-spotlight-les-common-people/ Two and a half years ago, we started a series of improvements to our email service to make it more reliable. Our email service hadn’t received as much attention as it should have over the years, and it was starting to show. Customers, friends, family, and even DreamHost team members regularly saw emails delayed or rejected because of blocklists, email client connection timeouts and errors, and various issues with webmail. Once we realized the impact we could have, we set off to fix it, and the results have been dramatic. We’ve made a lot of progress but still have a ways to go! Our current project is to migrate our spam filtering service to a new provider for incoming messages. Unfortunately, we’re discovering that it tends to be overly aggressive and sends some messages to your spam folder that clearly don’t belong there. Spam blocking is a bit of an art form that requires careful attention to get the balance just right, and we’re working on that balance to get acceptable results. Our new provider is working closely with us to solve the problem and prioritize development efforts that will improve incoming mail filtering at DreamHost. One method we’re using to resolve the problem is to train the spam filtering algorithm in bulk. Some customers have written to our tech support team for help and have been asked to provide examples of messages that have been mis-filtered. Thank you to everyone who has done so; these messages have been extremely helpful in training the filtering algorithm quickly. As we monitor the reports of incorrectly filtered messages, we’ll also be safelisting known good senders at the DreamHost level. While training the filtering algorithm can take some time, these changes will have immediate effects. We are adding well-known domains to our global safelist when they have a valid DMARC configuration. This is a manual process and is similar to the allow and blocklist settings you have in the control panel and mailboxes interface. We’re also working to improve the interface in our customer control panel to make this even easier going forward. We have seen progress in the functionality of our spam filters over the last two weeks. We’ve seen fewer legitimate emails getting caught by the spam filter, and customer complaints are trending downward. Our spam filtering partner has further updates planned to improve its capabilities, and we are continuing our manual safelisting process. We hope to meet your expectations (and our own) very soon. Enhancements So FarOne of the first improvements we made was to completely refresh the hardware we use for email service. Our previous generation of email hardware had reached the end of its practical life, and it struggled to keep up with the growth in email users and the amount of storage they consumed. The new hardware is faster, easier to maintain, and highly scalable. This has brought improvements to our email service speed and stability along with fewer errors for customers in their email clients. Next, we took on the challenge of rejected customer emails due to our email servers appearing on blocklists. The unfortunate fact is that spammers are relentless and will use every method at their disposal — legal or not — to send their junk messages. That includes breaking into our customers’ email accounts and using them to send spam. The activity on these compromised accounts leads to our mail servers being placed on blocklists and, unfortunately, legitimate emails are often blocked as a result. We implemented a third-party service to filter outgoing emails and reject sending fraudulent messages or spam. We immediately saw our email servers’ reputation improve, and their appearance on email blocklists is now a thing of the past. Earlier this year, we changed our webmail system to use the popular open-source software, Roundcube. While this may appear to be a simple software change, there was a lot of work to migrate existing data from the old webmail system to Roundcube. We also took the opportunity to modernize the infrastructure and deployment process behind the scenes making it easier to operate going forward. When all was said and done, we had gained a more performant webmail system with a beautiful and responsive design. Future PlansWe have several more projects we want to complete to further stabilize and improve the reliability of our email service. The next project will be a change invisible to email users. We will be updating the architecture of our email back end so that it is more manageable and fault-tolerant. This isn’t an exciting project from a “cool new features” perspective, but it will result in less downtime and errors for the service. Looking further ahead, we plan to improve the deliverability of messages sent from our hosting machines and customer email forwarded outside of our service. These services are also affected by compromised accounts, blocklists, and spammers. Our aim is to ensure those legitimate messages are delivered to their final recipients. We have lots of ideas to further improve the email experience once we get past these crucial initial projects. To name a few, we want to improve the email user experience in our control, provide better options for spam handling instead of simply moving it to the spam folder, and provide better integration of features in webmail. The list may be long, but we are excited to build it! We appreciate your patience while we work to continually improve our email offering at DreamHost. Please don’t ever hesitate to contact us to share your thoughts about email — we truly value your feedback. The post An Update on Spam Filtering at DreamHost appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/update-spam-filtering/ It’s that magical time of year again when spooks and spirits abound. And what better way to celebrate than watching some scary movies alone in the dark. Mwahahaha! Evil laughter aside, horror films have a storied history, beginning in the silent era with stars like Lon Chaney and Max Schreck up until present-day hits like Get Out. Audiences can’t get enough scary cinema. And a common theme running throughout the horror genre? Technology. Think about it: high tech and horror go together like tricks and treats. History’s horror catalog is filled with countless mad scientists, killer robots, and imaginative technologies that come with unintended — not to mention terrifying — consequences. So armed with a bucket of popcorn and a fair bit of hubris, we decided to combine our love for technology (we’re a web hosting company, after all) and horror films to find out which ones deliver the biggest tech scares. Fair warning: this isn’t a list of family-friendly flicks. Many of these are down-and-out, shock-and-awe, blood-and-gore horror films so use discretion if you’re screening around young ghosts and goblins, okay? Now turn off the lights, grab a flashlight, and back up your website — it’s going to be a spooky ride. Web Hosting Shouldn't Give You the CreepiesStarting a website can seem terrifying, but it's not like watching a scary movie you when you partner with DreamHost! Plans start at $2.59/mo. ![]() Science Gone MadOur first category features films that revolve around a single scientist or scientific goal. These films definitively prove why clinical trials are a *very* good idea. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)Dir. James Whale — 1h 15m In the sequel to Whale’s own 1931 classic, Frankenstein, a new mad scientist, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), shows up to continue Dr. Frankenstein’s work, who now wants nothing to do with his disastrous experiments. Pretorius finds The Monster (Boris Karloff) and promises him a mate. What unfolds is an amalgam of creepy imagery, religious symbolism, and psychological games, as you realize, despite his brutality, The Monster is a deeply sympathetic character. Pretorius eventually does create a mate for The Monster — The Bride of Frankenstein (Elsa Lanchester) — and you guessed it: it doesn’t end well. Fiend Without a Face (1958)Dir. Arthur Crabtree — 1h 14m The constant outpouring of nuclear power from a U.S. Air Force test facility causes one of the neighboring town’s retired scientists, R. E. Walgate (Kynaston Reeves), to covertly reroute some of the power to his own lab, where he’s secretly conducting telekinesis experiments. Through these experiments, Walgate ends up inadvertently creating a race of invisible “thought” monsters that attack the townspeople and suck out their brains in order to multiply. These creatures are completely invisible for much of the film until they finally appear as slimy brains that slither around via their attached spinal cords. Suspenseful with an incredibly high “ick” factor, this horror movie is a fantastic watch. Altered States (1980)Dir. Ken Russell — 1h 42m Professor Edward Jessup (William Hurt) is an abnormal psychologist who experiments with hallucinogens in a sensory deprivation tank. By doing so repeatedly, he begins tapping into a previously undiscovered part of the human mind. His wife, Emily Jessup (Blair Brown), desperately tries to calm him down from his infatuation with this alternate reality, but Edward insists that he’s about to find the next big breakthrough in the field of evolutionary science. The results of his obsession are very unexpected and truly horrifying. Complete with disturbing hallucinogenic sequences and a mind-altering musical score, this film is one heck of a ride. Re-Animator (1985)Dir. Stuart Gordon — 1h 26m Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) is a medical student who attempts to reanimate the dead using a special serum. During his experiments on both animals and people, he uses especially high doses that result in the subjects behaving insanely violent. As West starts to become obsessively self-consumed, more bodies are reanimated and wreak havoc, and the film becomes an all-out gore fest. Honestly, this has some of the most unique — and utterly disgusting — makeup effects in film history. It’s gross, irreverent, and funny. From Beyond (1986)Dir. Stuart Gordon — 1h 26m Dr. Edward Pretorius (Ted Sorel) — yep, another Pretorius — and his assistant, Dr. Crawford Tillinghast (Jeffrey Combs), develop a device called the Resonator, which emits a frequency that enlarges the brain’s pineal gland allowing those within range to see a reality beyond normal human perception. Pretorius becomes obsessed with the machine’s power and crosses over into a parallel dimension, leaving his lifeless physical body behind. Tillinghast and a new scientist, Dr. Katherine McMichaels (Barbara Crampton), conduct further research on the Resonator to discover what happened. What unfolds is a series of grotesque sequences and haunting visuals that scream 1986. Scanners (1981)Dir. David Cronenberg – 1h 43 min This cult classic definitely has some Stranger Things vibes — at least where offspring-with-mind-numbing-superpowers content is concerned. In this case, a fictional drug causes pregnant test subjects to bear children with altered neurological functioning — specifically, with telepathic and telekinetic ability. These individuals, called Scanners, are now an underground channel of curiosities, locked in an unconventional good versus evil tug-of-war between those Scanners who are learning to control their abilities and those wanted for use as weapons in building a new world order. This thought-provoking flick is especially well-suited for gore-hounds — yep, that much-talked-about head-explosion scene is only the half of it. Tech Gone AwryEach of the films in this category focus on a single type of technology. Someone should have QA’d this ish. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace — 1h 38m Conal Cochran (Dan O’Herlihy), the owner of a Halloween mask manufacturer, is gearing up for his biggest sale of the year. Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Challis (Tom Atkins) is investigating a mysterious death that seems to be connected to the masks. Unfortunately, detailing the technological aspects of the plot would spoil it for you, so you’ll just have to watch it. I promise it’ll surprise you. Though audiences disliked this film when it was released (mainly due to the fact that it didn’t have anything to do with the series’ iconic antagonist, Michael Myers), it’s a uniquely interesting take on the Halloween horror franchise. The Fly (1986)Dir. David Cronenberg — 1h 36m This remake of the 1958 classic film is centered around Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), an eccentric scientist who is in the process of building a set of telepods capable of instantaneous teleportation. Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis), a science journalist, is invited to Brundle’s lab to document his process. After several attempts with inanimate objects and animals, Brundle is convinced the telepods are ready for human trial and uses himself as the guinea pig, not realizing that a housefly snuck into the pod prior to the experiment. Brundle’s human DNA and the fly’s DNA become intertwined, and we witness his methodical and eventual transition into a human-fly hybrid. Combining impressive effects with humorous and compelling performances, this film is a modern sci-fi horror classic and an absolute must-watch. eXistenZ (1999)Dir. David Cronenberg — 1h 37m Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a world-renowned video game developer, famous for her virtual reality games played on biotechnological VR gaming consoles that connect directly into human spinal cords. Geller demonstrates her newest game, “eXistenZ,” to a focus group where she is shot by a member of a counter-VR group called the Realists. Ted Pikul (Jude Law), a marketing trainee, rushes to her aid, and the two of them embark on a harrowing journey through what may or may not be part of the “eXistenZ” game narrative. You’re never quite sure what is real or what is virtual reality, and that’s one of the reasons why this film is so darn compelling. It’s also inherently eerie and will leave you scratching your head — in a good way. Pulse (2001)Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa — 1h 58m Several people in Tokyo discover ghosts entering the living world — and consuming lives — via the internet. Well, that’s the simple explanation. Kurosawa weaves a complex narrative with a lot of plot points happening beyond what we see on the screen. The themes of death, suicide, depression, love, isolation, despair, and hope are all present in the film. Let’s put it this way: this film will sit with you for a while. It’s easily one of the creepiest and most compelling horror films made in the last 20 years. The Den (2013)Dir. Zachary Donohue — 1h 21m Elizabeth Benton (Melanie Papalia) is a grad student who is conducting sociological research on a video chat service called The Den. She ends up video chatting with a number of people from all over the world until she witnesses a live murder. After looking into the murder, the killer’s focus turns on her and her friends, resulting in a grizzly and unexpected series of events. The entire film is made up of spliced together computer and phone footage, but this isn’t just another stale, by-the-numbers found-footage gambit. The suspense is palpable, and it results in a twist that is both surprising and terrifying. It’s an underrated horror gem. Ghost in the Machine (1993)Dir. Rachel Talalay — 1h 35m Karl Hopkins (Ted Marcoux), a serial killer and local computer technician — because hey, even murderers need a day job — is hunting down his next victims when he crashes his car in a storm. While undergoing an MRI, a lightning surge transforms his mind into electrical energy, which he then uses to continue his reign of terror, infiltrating electrical grids and computer networks to kill. Even with this cringeworthy, trainwreck of a horror flick — featuring a ‘90s view of the most overblown ideas of what tech of the future could look like — you might still, after watching, be a little hesitant to microwave that popcorn. How to Make a Monster (2001)Dir. George Huang – 1h 31m The return of the deadly power surge. (Has anyone in these films ever heard of a surge protector? Just wondering.) This time, a lightning strike and an AI chip bring a frightening video game, Evilution, to life. Crafted for a new level of terror by three renowned game designers, the monstrous — and now real life — game confines the developers alone in a building and targets them as prey. A video game-themed storytelling of what could happen when your creation turns against you, this film ranks pretty high on the cheesiness factor but is a good pick for when you don’t want your horror getting too heavy. You Can Solve the Mystery to Website SuccessJoin our monthly newsletter for tips and tricks to build your dream website! ![]() Robots Gone BadLast but certainly not least, when it comes to thrills, these films focus on the dark side of advances in modern robotics and artificial intelligence. The Stepford Wives (1975)Dir. Bryan Forbes — 1h 55m Joanna Eberhart (Katharine Ross) is a freelance photographer who moves from New York City to Stepford, Connecticut, with her husband Walter Eberhart (Peter Masterson), only to find that all of the women in the small town are vapid, seemingly contented housewives. Joanna befriends a fellow newcomer, Bobbie Markowe (Paula Prentiss), with whom she begins to unravel the sinister plot. Joanna eventually realizes that the self-obsessed husbands of Stepford are replacing their wives with androids, programmed only to keep house and support their husbands implicitly. Though this social satire is soaked in transparency, it’s an entertaining and suspenseful viewing experience. Plus, the ending is a masterfully executed exercise in psychological chills. Demon Seed (1977)Dir. Donald Cammell — 1h 34m Dr. Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver) is the creator of Proteus IV, a particularly advanced AI software that was built to solve the world’s biggest problems — think disease and famine. His wife, Susan Harris (Julie Christie), feels estranged from Alex, and the situation is made worse by Alex leaving her to focus more on his research. Proteus IV becomes self-aware and motivated to procreate. Susan gets unintentionally caught up in the AI’s plan, and what follows is an experimental science fiction film that tests the boundaries of what is morally right and wrong. It’s a fascinating watch. Alien (1979)Dir. Ridley Scott — 1h 57m Though this timeless sci-fi horror film primarily deals with the eponymous “alien,” one of the most chilling and unexpected parts of this thriller is the reveal of the AI character. For those of you who still haven’t seen it, we won’t give away exactly who it is. But trust me, it’s a solid twist. After a commercial resource-gathering mission, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the crew of the spaceship Nostromo are returning to Earth when they intercept a distress call from the planetoid, LV-426. And that’s when the excrement starts hitting the fan at a methodical and spine-shivering pace. The film does an immaculate job of familiarizing the audience with the social environment of the Nostromo crew, so when the android character is made known, it’s a very effective reveal. If you haven’t seen it already, do it. It’s a classic for a reason. Chopping Mall (1986)Dir. Jim Wynorski — 1h 17m The Park Plaza Mall has recently installed a brand new team of high-tech security robots to patrol the complex at night and make sure there are no intruders. Unfortunately, a group of teenage mall employees is planning an after-hours party in the mattress store — if you know what I mean. Of course, the security robots malfunction and go on a killing spree. This film is pure 1980s schlock at its finest. The acting is terrible, the action is laughable, but the entertainment value is 100. It’s a genuinely great piece of trash cinema. Hardware (1990)Dir. Richard Stanley — 1h 34m Moses Baxter (Dylan McDermott) is a scavenger in a futuristic urban wasteland. He buys an old robot head off a mysterious trader and gives to his on-again, off-again lover, Jill (Stacey Travis). Jill installs the robot head to an android body that she’s already been working on — as one does. But soon, the robot develops a tenacious bloodlust and starts terrorizing everyone in its path. Auteur director Richard Stanley is a controversial figure, admired by some and panned by others. The world he creates in this film is engrossing and admirably executed, but you’ll have to be the judge of whether or not this is cinema gold. For our money, it’s worth a watch. Related: Your Website Downtime Survival GuideJump Scares AheadWell, there you have it: 15 fun tech horror movies to watch this Halloween. Sink your claws into as many of these films as you like, and let us know if we’ve missed one of your horror cinema favorites. Here’s wishing you all a safe and happy Halloween! Just remember, technology can be a real killer. The post The Best Tech Horror Movies to Watch This Halloween appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/best-tech-horror-movies/ What is keeping internet users up at night? It could be that scary movie they just watched, or worse yet, it could be your website. If you’ve got a digital presence decked out in a ghastly design, it’s likely robbing you of precious clicks, driving away potential customers, and sabotaging your chances of building a well-ranking, authoritative brand. The good news? You don’t need to be a web designer or an expert in web development to improve a weak website! In this guide, we’ll detail seven scary web design mistakes that could be spooking your visitors — and how to fix them quickly — so you can make sure your website is all treats and no tricks. DreamHost Makes Web Design EasyOur designers can create a gorgeous website from SCRATCH to perfectly match your brand and vision — all coded with WordPress so you can manage your content going forward. ![]() 1. Scary Slow Site SpeedsFor consumers browsing the internet, nothing is more spine-chilling than a slow-loading site. Before you can say “Boo!” they’ve abandoned your page, leaving you with irritated audiences and suffering engagement. In fact, page speed can be the make-it-or-break-it factor for the success (or failure) of your website, dramatically affecting everything from sales to sign-ups to search traffic. Visitors have high expectations: 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, and 49% abandon a site that takes more than three seconds to load. Plus, 79% of online shoppers who have trouble with site performance say they won’t return to the site to buy again. Ouch. That’s a lot riding on your site’s load time and overall performance. Is your site (creepy) crawling? Use a tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to clue into your site’s performance and discover needed areas of improvement to achieve lightning-fast load times. ![]() We’ve also got a few tips to speed things up: trim down bulky code, patch up caching issues, optimize your site’s CSS, and perhaps most importantly, choose a quality web host. 2. A Haunting User ExperienceNow let’s take a trip in the way-back time machine, you know, before COVID-19 changed everything. Think about the last experience you had at a brick-and-mortar store. Did the floor layout, decor, and atmosphere invite and engage you? Or did tight aisles, overly-intrusive sensory elements, or labyrinth-like setup negatively affect your shopping experience? Whatever your experience, we’ll take a guess that it largely determined whether or not you wanted to visit that store again. It’s the same with your website. The kind of experience users have on your site (from the second they land there) will affect how — and if — they engage with you. If your site contains nightmare navigation, unsavory design elements, or poor performance, visitors won’t stay long. ![]() To craft and cultivate a positive user experience, make your navigation and drop-down menu intuitive so users can find what they’re looking for. Then follow aesthetically-pleasing design principles and keep site operations fine-tuned. If your visitors have an enjoyable experience on your site, not only will they be more likely to come back, they’ll engage with you and help you find site success. Related: How to Build an Awesome Online Store with the OceanWP Theme3. An Unresponsive LayoutReady for some hair-raising facts? Based on data from January 2018, the global population of unique mobile device users reached 3.7 billion — yep, billion. What’s more, 52% of web internet traffic in 2018 was mobile, and the mobile-only audience is expected to grow to 55 million by 2022. Mobile internet usage is gaining significant traction, and will likely overtake desktop internet usage in the future. That means if your website is not optimized for different types of screens, including smartphones and tablets, you’re going to lose out on meaningful engagement from your target audiences. Related: How to Optimize Your Website for Mobile DevicesPlus, having a responsive site isn’t just important for user experience; it’s a critical element of your SEO strategy. Google operates on a mobile-first indexing policy, meaning the search engine predominantly uses the mobile version of website content for indexing and ranking. So, investing in a mobile-first approach to your web design is essential when it comes to optimizing for search engines and, ultimately, driving traffic to your site. ![]() Responsive design also affects your brand image. A whopping 89% of people are likely to recommend a brand after a positive experience on mobile. On the other hand, 46% of people say they would not buy from a brand again if they had a less-than-stellar mobile experience. What’s more, 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly-designed mobile site. The key takeaway here? Prioritize a website optimized for mobile and responsive across devices and different browsers. 4. Terrifying TypographyYou might not think the fonts on your site matter, but utilizing type haphazardly or without thoughtful intention is a major design flaw and affects the experience your visitors will have, even if just subconsciously. Just like with other elements of design, typography follows rules — dictating what text combinations, colors, font size, and layouts are aesthetically-pleasing and effective. Well-established typography can increase your conversion rates, build your brand authority, encourage action, amplify your message, and create a positive sensory experience. Consult our guide for typography to-dos, and plan your font strategy with meticulous consideration or else you risk interrupting usability and cognitive fluency. Related: How to Build a Lead-Generating Landing Page with WordPress (3 Steps)5. Ghostly Calls to ActionWhen you enter a haunted house, you never quite know what you’re going to get. Zombie up ahead? Hidden skeletons behind the door? Unidentified noises behind you? As you’re feeling for the exit in the dark, you’re going to face a host of unexpected and spooky mysteries. Your website visitors shouldn’t feel like they’re having a haunted house experience when they type your URL. When internet users land on your site, it should be free of mystery ghosts and ghouls. Meaning, visitors should know what to expect. They should know where to find a contact button, how to navigate your menu, and above all, what you want them to do — whether that’s read a blog post, subscribe to an email list, follow your social media platforms, or purchase a specific product. ![]() Having a clear call-to-action button helps users know how to engage with you, vastly increasing the chances you’ll find success (and those boosted analytics you want!). Guide potential customers to a specific action with a clear, prominent, and well-distinguished icon or button and include it on all your pages and content. Related: 7 Tips for Writing Winning Calls to Action for Your Website6. Spine-Chilling Safety OversightsOnline users worry (a lot) about online safety. In fact, 73% of Americans who use the web are concerned about online privacy, so your website needs to be a safe space, free from creepy-crawly web demons and malicious malware. ![]() First, outfit your site with an SSL certificate, giving your visitors the peace of mind that your website is secure. Even the presence of a safety badge or security can do wonders. Then, tighten security by using a quality web host, upgrading to HTTPS, utilizing secure plugins, configuring file permissions, and backing up your site regularly to keep site terrors at bay. Related: How to Back up Your WordPress Website — A Complete Guide7. Cloak–and–Dagger ContentThe fact of the matter is, you need to offer your website visitors value or else they have no reason to stay. With quality content, you provide users with a way to engage with you, helping drive traffic and build a following. But if your content is hard to find, sub-par, or (gasp!) nonexistent, you’re sabotaging your chances of success. Use the following tips to make sure you’re creating top-notch content. Embrace Your NicheWhatever field or industry you occupy, keep your content consistent for your target audience. Relevant content will build your brand and help establish your site as an authority amongst your competition, distinguishing you from the rest. ProofreadError-ridden content will brand you as an amateur. Stay professional by taking the time to edit and polish your content before hitting “Submit.” Clean content will go a long way toward establishing your brand. Related: How to Create a Brand Style Guide for Your WebsiteOffer ValueNot only are attention spans shorter than ever, but often, visitors need a good reason to even engage with your site. Entice potential customers with incentives — whether that be free e-books, blog posts, printables, or insider tips — to get their eyes on your content. ![]() You don’t have to post content on your site every hour, but you should be posting regularly. Your visitors should know when to expect new content from you. This will build their trust — and your authority. Use a content calendar to plan, schedule posts ahead of time, and keep yourself organized. If you want a few pointers, check out our guide to creating a content marketing strategy. We Always Creep It RealWhether you need help finding a target audience, crafting the ideal digital marketing strategy, or outlining your brand values, we can help! Subscribe to our monthly digest so you never miss an article. ![]() Fix Those Eerie Web Design ErrorsDon’t give your audiences the heebie-jeebies with poor website design. Offer them the best of online experiences with the virtual treat (we’re talking king-size candy bars here) of a well-designed website. Fixing those pesky web design mistakes will prime you for top-of-the-line placement in search engines, improve user experience, boost conversions, enhance site usability, lower your site’s bounce rate, and establish your online presence — plus, they won’t leave screaming. Sounds good, right? If you’re ready to makeover your website, trick-or-treat yo’ self to a professional web design. Our talented designers can create a polished, professional website (and brand) to reflect your vision at an affordable price. Learn more about our professional design services today! The post 7 Web Design Mistakes That Could Be Scaring Away Your Visitors appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/scary-web-design-mistakes/ Everyone wants to get ahead of their competition. But there’s far more to love about monitoring the competition than just the satisfaction of beating them in the search results. In short, you can learn a lot from your competitors. What they’re doing right. What they’re doing wrong. Or simply, what they’re doing. And you can use all this information to your advantage, especially as a small business owner. But first, you need to find out who your competitors are (or check that those you think you’re competing against, are actually your competition). In this post, we’ll walk you through how to identify who your competitors are, the tools and tactics you can use to track them, and the opportunities for you to use that information to beat them.
Ready to take your website to the next level? Let’s dive in! Search Engine Optimization Made EasyWe take the guesswork (and actual work) out of growing your website traffic with SEO. ![]() How to Identify Your CompetitorsYour obvious go-to is Google. Just search for your most important keywords, and see who’s ranking for them. Bear in mind, however, that depending on the size of your brand and the Domain Authority of your site, those at the top of the search results aren’t necessarily your “realistic” competitors. You can still analyze them and learn from them, but your focus should be on companies you share a (more or less) level playing field with. For that, you might have to step off the first page of Google’s search results. You might also have to look up some slightly less competitive search terms. Businesses with a local presence have another thing to consider. Your closest competitors are those that are not only close to you in terms of the products they offer but geographically, too. Discovering them, thankfully, is easy. Just adapt your search terms to include the location (or locations) of your premises. Other ways to uncover your competitors are included in some of the tools we’ll talk about below, so stick with us to learn about some of the best tools for finding and monitoring your competitors’ marketing activities. But first, let’s talk about … The Tactics You Can Use to Monitor Your CompetitionWondering how to monitor your competitors? And how you can get started with competitor analysis? We can help! There are countless ways you can track your competitors and what they’re up to — for example, the strategies they’re employing, the keywords they’re targeting, and the results they’re getting. Just looking at their site (specifically their title tags) should give you a good idea of the keywords they’re targeting. Tools like SEMrush, Sistrix, and others listed below can be used to view some of the keywords they’re ranking for. You can also use the FATRANK Chrome extension to instantly discover where a site ranks for any given keyword. In addition, you can look at their current links and monitor their sites for new links. Pay particular attention to industry-relevant links, and links to content they’ve created (you may well be able to target those links too.) Another tactic for monitoring your competitors involves researching and analyzing their most shared content.
Just simple things like checking in on their social activity, reading their blog content, monitoring their brand name with Google Alerts, and signing up (and paying attention to) their mailing list can give you valuable insights into your competitors’ tactics and the quality and strength of their marketing strategy. Related: How to Create a Content Marketing StrategyTools to Track Your Competitors’ AdsWhat Runs WhereWhat Runs Where is designed solely for competitive analysis of the paid ads market. In short, it removes the guesswork and reduces the time you spend testing, so you can start pushing out more effective ads faster. SistrixSistrix covers most of what you need in a digital marketing tool. Included in that is a nifty little feature that brings up heaps of data for any site — perfect for sites you want to keep an eye on. All you need to do is login and head to the More section. From there, you can click Ads and access the dashboard. ![]() Next, populate the search bar at the top with the domain you want to look at, and you’ll be presented with all the data Sistrix has on that domain. ![]() You can see:
You can even see and look at the banner ads they are using. Handy, huh? ![]() SEMrushSEMrush has been in the digital marketing space for years, and if you want the most bang for your buck, it’s a good bet as your go-to SEO tool. Their competitive research for ads kicks butt and is invaluable when it comes to spying on your competition. Navigate to the Advertising Research section, and you’ll get a wealth of data, including:
![]() Changes over time can also be viewed in simple — but super helpful — graphs. ![]() ![]() In addition to this, you can view position changes, competitors, ad copy, ad history, pages, and subdomains. Pay special attention to the Competitors tab. It’s extremely useful. For one, you’ll get a cool looking competitive positions map. ![]() You’ll also get a list of all potential competitors and their data. In the example below, we can see that Walmart has over 15,000 competitors in its ads market. ![]() The amount of data you can collect on your competitors from SEMrush is — in short — amazing. Trying to collate this data by hand would take weeks or months, but in SEMrush, you can grab it with the click of a button. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, we’ve worked out a free trial with SEMrush for our readers, so you can see if the tool is a good fit for your site without a long-term commitment! SpyfuFounded in 2002 and originally called Googspy, Spyfu is one of the original players in the ad monitoring tool space. While Spyfu has since evolved into a more complete marketing tool, its ad competitive intelligence alone makes it worth investing in. To access it, head over to the PPC Research tab and enter the name of the domain you want to research. From there, you get a nice clean dashboard that includes a lot of data. You’ll see:
This can also be exported to a handy PDF. If you want more, click on the Competitors tab in the main menu. Spyfu will then pull the data for the sites it believes are competing for ads for that domain. ![]() If you believe Spyfu’s picked the wrong competitors or you have a particular competitor in mind, you can add a custom domain. ![]() The tool also lets you graph PPC keywords, paid clicks, and ad budgets over time. Handy. ![]() Another powerful feature in Spyfu is Kombat. The name might sound a bit intimidating, but don’t let that put you off. It essentially lets you compare the keyword universe of three domains to see which ads are competing and which ads are exclusive to a particular competitor. This will help you spot where your competitors are outdoing you because you don’t currently have ads in those areas. ![]() Beyond this, Spyfu can help you supercharge your PPC research and account with other features like Keyword Groups, PPC keywords, Ad History, Ad Advisor, and Adwords Templates. Related: The Top SEO Tools to Optimize Your Website for SuccessBacklinksIf you’ve been working in Digital Marketing for a few weeks or even a few days, you likely understand the importance of links. They’re pretty much the heart of SEO and still today remain one of the biggest ranking factors. Related: How to Create a Link Building StrategyBut how do you find out who’s linking to you, and more specifically, who’s linking to your competitors? Here are a few tools to help. AhrefsAhrefs was a bit of a latecomer to the backlink research tool market, but it quickly established itself as one of the big players thanks to its massive index of links and ultra-smooth interface. Once logged in, head over to the Site Explorer section. From there, just pop in your own domain or the domain of a competitor. ![]() Ahrefs will start doing its magic and pull in data points for the domain, including:
That’s a whole lot of data! Everything is exportable to Excel, so you can easily chop and change the data and focus specifically on what you want to dig into. One of Ahrefs’ best features for competitor research is their Link Intersection Tool. Simply add in your own website and a handful of your competitors’ sites. ![]() Click Show Link Opportunities. Go and make a cup of coffee. And wait for the magic to happen. ![]() When you return, you’ll find a list of backlinks that your competitors have and you don’t. You can then target some of the strongest sites from the list yourself. ![]() Link ExplorerFounded in 2004 by Rand Fishkin, Moz is arguably one of the best-known SEO tools in the market. Until a few years ago, their link index was, let’s say, a little underwhelming. That changed when they launched a brand new version of Link Explorer. It blew the old version out of the water and regained Moz its position as a legitimate competitor in the backlink analysis market. ![]() So how do you use it? From the PRO option in the main navigation, you need to locate the Link Explorer. As with other tools, you then need to put in your website (or a competitors’ site) to grab the data. ![]() You should then see a dashboard that looks like this: ![]() Like with the other tools listed above, you’ll get a wealth of data, including:
Moz also has a couple of features that can help you compare your site to your competitors’. Look on the left-hand side of the navigation and you will see an option called Compare Link Profiles. Click it. Next, drop your competitors into the boxes provided. ![]() Click Analyze, and grab a twinkie while you wait. If you’re looking at the root level data you will see:
The results will look a bit like this, and in no way should we be surprised that Amazon has ALL THE LINKS! ![]() This is also super useful if you’re looking at exact pages on your site and similar pages on a competitor’s site. Links could be the reason your really awesome page doesn’t rank as well as a competitor’s not so awesome page. You can also compare Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Linking Domains over time. ![]() Majestic SEOMajestic is the grandfather of all backlink tools. It’s probably been around since before the Internet was invented. Heck, they even sent a 3D model of the Internet into space. Much maligned for its poor UX, Majestic more than makes up for that with its data. Dropping your URL (or a competitor’s URL) into the search box will give you data on:
And so much more. You also get some (not so pretty) data visualizations. ![]() ![]() If you want to do a more competitive analysis, then head over to the Related Sites tab and Majestic will give you a breakdown of all the sites it thinks are related to your own. You can then look at who you believe to be your closest competitors and analyze their Link Trust Flow and Citation Flow. Super useful. And so much data that it will keep you busy for ages. ![]() Majestic also has a pretty cool Compare feature (you can compare one site to yours in the Lite version of the tool, and up to five in the Pro version.) Simply pop your domain into the search box and then click the compare button. ![]() Add a competitor into the second URL box. ![]() Click the search button, and you’ll get backlink comparison data that covers:
That’s a lot of data (which is exportable by the way) for you to dig through. Happy analyzing. ContentWe all know about the importance of great content. Google’s been telling us to create “great content” for years. So how can you spy on your competitor’s content? How can you see what’s working for them and what isn’t? There are many great tools for doing this, but here are two of the most powerful. BuzzSumoBuzzsumo was one of the first content analyzing tools to enter the market, launching back in 2012. It has become so ubiquitous in the space that many other tools base theirs around the features and functionality of Buzzsumo. We’re not sure how Buzzsumo feels about this, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! Buzzsumo’s handiest competitor content analysis feature is the Content Web Analyzer. You fill this in the content section of the navigation. Simply drop in a topic that you and your competitors are likely to cover, and let the tool do its magic. It will return results like this: ![]() As you can see, it locates the top-performing content for that topic and gives you the following metrics:
You can also dig deeper to find out where on the web this type of content is most popular, its word count, and what sort of content gains the most traction for a given topic. ![]() ![]() ![]() During this, you’ll identify some of your competitors’ most successful content. If you want to learn more about it, Buzzsumo will let you search by domain. This is extremely useful for uncovering the strategies they’ve used and to what success. ![]() Ahrefs Content ExplorerAhrefs initially launched as a tool for analyzing websites’ link profiles. Over the years, they’ve added more and more tools to their suite. One of those tools doesn’t get talked about as much — which is a shame because it’s awesome. Want to try it out? Log in and head over to the Content Explorer section. As with Buzzsumo, you just enter the topic you’re looking to analyze and pop it into the box. ![]() You’ll then see a dashboard that brings back loads of data.
![]() If you’re looking to discover new competitors, then head over to the Websites tab and you’ll see a list of 100 domains with the top-performing content for that topic. ![]() If you know the domain of a competitor, you can also search for their site specifically. ![]() And you’ll get to see their top-performing content. ![]() That should keep you busy for some time. Related: Take Your Content Strategy Up a Level with a Content AuditKeywordsSolid keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO campaign — but where’s the best place to find keywords — and more importantly, your competitors’ keywords? Here are some of the most powerful keyword research tools and some of their features. iSpionageThis is a comprehensive competitor analysis tool that will help you uncover your competitors’ most profitable (paid) keywords, as well as their most successful ad copy and landing pages. In other words, iSpionage offers deep insights into what’s working best for your competitors in the digital ad space, so you can go one step further and get two steps ahead of them. SistrixHead over to Sistrix’s SEO tab and pop in a keyword that you want to rank for. Sistrix will then search its index and return data, including:
The top-ranking domains will help you surface some of your competitors in the search results. SEMrushSEMrush works in a similar way. Simply dropping your keyword into the search function of the Keyword Explorer section brings back all the metrics you might expect, such as:
![]() Dig a little further and you’ll see the actual search results for that keyword. You’ll also be able to find competitors to analyze. ![]() Want to find keywords that your competition ranks for, but you don’t? Head over to the Keyword Gap tool and pop in your domain and the domains of your competitors. ![]() In only a few seconds, you’ll have data relating to keyword opportunities for your site, as well as an overlap that shows which keywords the domains have in common, and which are unique to each site. You can even see where your site ranks for a given keyword and where your competitors are outranking you. ![]() ![]() Become a Digital Marketing ExpertWhether you want to monitor your competitors' website, start a YouTube channel, or set up a Facebook ad, we can help! Subscribe to our monthly digest so you never miss an article. ![]() Bonus Tools To Add To Your ArsenalUnfortunately, no one tool covers everything you need when discovering and analyzing the competition. With that in mind, here are a few bonus tools to check out too.
Another Great Tool? DreamHost SEO ServicesNow that you have a bevy of tools to track your competition, it’s time to dive in. Whether you want to monitor ads, backlinks, content, or keywords, you now have your arsenal to get informed and get ahead. If this is all a little too much to take in and you’d rather leave the nitty-gritty to someone else, why not talk to us about our SEO services? You’ll get your own SEO team, new content every month, regular on-site optimization, and much more — all from just $399 a month. The post How to Find, Monitor, and Beat Your Competition appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/how-to-beat-your-competition/ Running a blog can be tough. There are times when it can feel like having multiple jobs. Not only do you need to create fresh, high-quality content, but you’ll also have a website to manage, social media posts to schedule, and data to analyze. Having a versatile bag of tools at your disposal can keep your blogging gig from becoming overwhelming. There are solutions for most of your day-to-day tasks, from design to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and everything in between. With all the possibilities to choose from, you could spend weeks just combing through your options. So we’ve done the hard work for you. In this article, we’ll cover why you need the right tools. Then we’ll detail 36 brilliant blogging solutions worth checking out. Let’s get started! Why You Need the Right Blogging ToolsAs a blogger, you’ll want to find tools that help you become more productive and successful. For example, discovering topics to blog about that your audience will love can be tricky. The right solution can help you brainstorm ideas and explore new niches you weren’t previously aware of, saving you a lot of time in the process. What’s more, there’s more to blogging than just writing. You need to be sure people can discover and share your website. Therefore, to maximize your reach, you’ll want to look into blogging tools that give your SEO and social media a boost. This can make up for any lack of knowledge or experience on your end, and free up your attention for your actual content. Related: How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy36 Brilliant Blogging Tools to Help You Write Better, Publish More, and Increase TrafficWe’ve argued the case for having the right blogging tools at the ready. Now let’s explore 36 of the top options and see what they can do. ResearchContent creation requires lots of research. You need to be sure people are searching for what you’re going to be writing about. You’ll also need someplace to keep ideas and notes. 1. Google Keyword Planner![]() Before you start writing a new blog post, you might want to make sure you’re using words that people are searching for. Google Keyword Planner can provide you with feedback on your potential keywords. This great tool will help you by showing you how popular each chosen keyword is through search volume metrics. You’ll also get some suggestions for other relevant phrases you may want to use. Price: Google Keyword Planner is free to use, as long as you have a Google Ads account set up. Related: 20 Metrics Every Blogger Needs to Track to Measure Success2. Google Trends![]() When trying to nail down an idea for a successful blog post, you might want to start with Google Trends. You can enter any topic into the search box, and this tool will provide you with a ton of information and history about it. You can filter your results, which is especially useful if you’re trying to capture a particular region’s attention. Google Trends also provides you a list of related topics, which you can use to brainstorm more content ideas. Price: Google Trends is entirely free for anyone to use. 3. BuzzSumo![]() If you’re wondering what’s trending in your niche, BuzzSumo can tell you. Just search for the topic you’re interested in, and you’ll get a list of the top-performing content in that area. You can also enter the URL for one of your competitors. BuzzSumo will give you a list of the top-performing content from that site, so you can see what’s resonating with your potential audience. Price: BuzzSumo offers a seven-day free trial. After that, you can choose from several tiers starting at $79 per month. 4. HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator![]() When you start blogging, it’s hard to imagine ever running out of ideas. However, the day will likely come when you sit down to write and come up empty. That’s where HubSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator comes into the picture. Provide the generator with up to five nouns, and it will return a week’s worth of blog ideas. If you need a year’s worth of topics, you can enter some details and unlock 250 more potential blog posts. Price: The Blog Ideas Generator is free for anyone to use. But, if you want more ideas at once, you’ll have to trade some information to get them. 5. Evernote
With all those new blog post ideas, you’re going to be doing a lot of research. If your bookmarks bar is becoming a disorganized mess, Evernote can provide a place to keep all of your screenshots, notes, and articles. What if you prefer a mix of handwritten and electronic notes? You can actually scan your notes with your phone into the app. You can even search these scanned documents since Evernote can read handwriting. Price: Evernote has several plans to choose from, including a robust free version. You can upgrade to one of the paid versions starting at $7.99 per month. Writing and GrammarWell-written, readable content is crucial for a successful blog. Even the most compelling ideas will suffer without the right words to convey them. 6. Grammarly![]() Even the strongest writer can benefit from having a second pair of eyes look over their blog posts. Grammarly is like having an experienced editor making suggestions to improve your writing and style. Each time you open a new document in Grammarly, you can set goals for its tone, formality, and intent. You’ll then receive feedback to help you hit those targets. Grammarly also has a Chrome extension, so you can check your emails and Google Docs as well. One downside: Grammarly is currently only available in English. If you’re looking for a multilingual grammar checker, consider Language Tool, which can check your writing in more than 20 languages. It’s what our team uses to review Spanish content. Price: Grammarly’s free plan checks your grammar, spelling, and conciseness. The premium tier adds more style and genre checks (as well as a plagiarism detector) for $11.66 per month. Related: From the Experts: 20 Great Blogging Tips for 20207. Associated Press (AP) Stylebook![]() The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook is a reference every blogger should have on their bookshelf. Using AP style for blog posts can help to keep them concise, clear, and informative. The AP Stylebook is updated frequently. If you buy the book from the official website, you’ll receive email notifications about these changes. It’s a simple way to keep up with stylistic adjustments. Price: You have multiple options for purchasing the AP Stylebook. A spiral-bound physical copy will cost you $26.95. The online stylebook starts at $22.00 for one user. 8. Google Docs![]() Google Docs is a web-based word processor. You can use this application to compose, edit, and format your blog posts. One advantage of Google Docs is that you can access your documents anywhere, regardless of your device. For a blogger on the go, this is a must-have feature! Price: Google Docs is free to use. You can upgrade to G Suite for additional features and applications, starting at $6 per month. Project ManagementBlogs have a lot of moving parts. Project management tools can help you stay organized, so your blogging tasks stay on track. 9. Asana![]() Asana enables you to build a roadmap for your blog projects. You can group tasks to make up a project or divide them into smaller chunks. If you collaborate with other writers on your blog, Asana is a powerful tool for team management. You’re able to see at a glance where each post is in your pipeline. Price: Asana’s free option allows collaboration with up to 15 people. Premium plans begin at $10.99 per user per month. 10. Trello![]() Trello’s design is based on cards, lists, and boards. It’s an intuitive system that can hold a ton of information. Trello is an excellent alternative to Asana if you’re looking for something a little more streamlined. You can keep all the attachments and notes you need for a task on its card. This format is also easier to handle if you’re a team of one. Price: Trello has a robust free option that enables you to have an unlimited number of personal boards and ten team boards. Upgraded plans begin at $9.99 per user per month. DesignGorgeous visuals to complement your words are an essential part of creating branded, shareable blog posts. You don’t need to be an artist, but the right tools can help you fake it. 11. Adobe Photoshop![]() When you think of photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop probably comes to mind. Whether you’re touching up a stock photo or creating a new logo, you can probably do it with Photoshop. One exciting aspect of this platform is that new features are always being added. One of the latest is the object selection tool. You can lasso or draw a rectangle around an object, and the selection snaps into place around it. Price: You can try Adobe Photoshop for free for seven days. After that, plans start at $20.99 per month. 12. Canva![]() Canva is like Photoshop’s younger but no less accomplished sister. The free plan gives you generous access to templates, stock photos, and other design elements. However, Canva Pro contains some valuable features as well. With a Brand Kit, for example, you can collect the colors, fonts, and logos that make your blog recognizable all in one place. Imagine the time you could save on looking up HTML color codes! Price: You can upgrade to Pro for $9.95 per month. There’s also a 30-day free trial. 13. Logaster![]() Are you struggling to come up with a logo? If so, Logaster can generate a variety of options to choose from in seconds. Just enter your blog’s name and scroll through the possibilities. If you’d like, you can give Logaster more information to build your logo with. For instance, you can try specifying a color and industry for more personalization. If you’re not entirely happy with the design, you can do some editing by signing up for a free account. Price: You can download and use the small version of your new logo for free. However, Logaster also offers packages that include different size logos, letterheads, favicons, and more. These range from $19.99 to $89.99. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)SEO has many different facets that all need your attention. The following tools can help you analyze and optimize your blog’s content, so you’ll have a fighting chance for higher rankings. 14. Yoast SEO![]() If you have a blog on WordPress, you’ll probably want to install the Yoast SEO plugin. This tool makes optimizing each of your posts easy. For example, you can give Yoast SEO a keyphrase, and it will return actionable advice that you can use to improve your post. The premium version can even account for other forms of that keyphrase, including synonyms and plurals. Price: You can get started with the free version or go all-in with Yoast SEO Premium. The latter starts at $89 for one site. 15. SEMrush![]() It might be unfair to give SEMrush only one spot on this list, as it provides multiple tools. SEMrush offers insights on everything from social media to Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising. Most importantly, however, SEMrush’s SEO Toolkit can give you an edge over your competition. The Domain Overview lets you see which keywords your competitors use. You can use this information to hone your content plan over time. Price: SEMrush plans range from $83.28 to $333.28 per month. Higher tiers get you access to more reports and extended limits. The good news? We’ve worked out a free SEMrush trial for our readers, so you can see if this tool is a good fit for your blog without a long-term commitment! 16. MarketMuse![]() MarketMuse is a complete, AI-based solution for content. This tool can lend a hand with anything from research to content creation. The ability to optimize content can make MarketMuse a valuable part of your blogging strategy. Its AI analyzes your copy and makes suggestions for the language you should use. This can boost your SEO rankings, as you’ll be using the same words your audience uses to search. Price: You can try MarketMuse’s Pro plan free for a month. After that, the cost is $325 per month. 17. Ahrefs![]() Ahrefs is an invaluable resource if you’ve been blogging for a while and want to move to the next level. This SEO toolset can help you maximize your efforts. While Ahrefs offers a wide range of features, it started as a backlink checker and still excels at that task. The Content Explorer tool analyzes individual pieces of content and displays how many backlinks they receive over time. Price: Ahrefs offers a seven-day trial for $7. Full plans start at $82 per month for a single user. Related: How to Create a Link Building Strategy18. Can I Rank?![]() Can I Rank may be the next best thing to hiring an analyst. This tool uses AI to deliver actionable insights that can help you improve your blog’s SEO. To do this, Can I Rank’s reports provide steps towards ranking for your target keywords. You’ll get suggestions for improving your current content, and new keywords you may want to focus on going forward. The AI will also connect you to other SEO tools that may be helpful. Price: Can I Rank has a free plan, which limits how many times you can access each report. Paid plans start at $49 per month, and a free trial is available. 19. Ubersuggest![]() Installing the Ubersuggest Chrome extension gives you access to SEO metrics and insights every time you search. Ubersuggest can help refine keywords that you’ve researched. If you perform a search with one of your target keywords, you’ll receive a list of related target phrases, along with the search volume for the current month and the estimated competition for the keyword. Price: This extension is free. You don’t even need to create an account, although you’ll gain access to more features if you do so. 20. LinkMiner![]() Broken links can hurt your site’s SEO. They’re easy to fix but not always simple to find. Fortunately, the LinkMiner Chrome extension unearths broken links for you. This extension provides you with overall results for each page you analyze. It also highlights all the links in your content in red, so you can get them fixed right away. Price: You can use this extension for free. Related: Improve Your Search Engine Rankings with These ToolsSite ManagementA user-friendly CMS can make managing your website much more straightforward. When you pair that with reliable hosting, you’ll have a solid foundation for your blog. 21. WordPress![]() WordPress powers 37% of all sites on the internet, and for good reason. This free, open-source platform is powerful, flexible, and supported by an active community. One appealing feature for bloggers is the Block Editor. This editor makes it easy to create stunning, rich content, with no design or coding experience necessary. The drag-and-drop interface makes it possible to rearrange your content and experiment with different possibilities. Price: WordPress itself is free. You’ll just have to pay for a hosting plan. You can also choose to purchase premium themes and plugins. Related: What Is WordPress?22. A Managed WordPress Hosting Plan![]() You’ll probably get more out of WordPress if you complement it with a managed WordPress hosting plan. These specialized plans come with extras that can make your website building and upkeep a lot easier. After all, just because you’re a blogger doesn’t mean you’re a web designer. That’s why our DreamPress managed hosting plans include a website builder specifically designed for WordPress sites. After you’ve created your site, we’ll keep it safe by performing daily and on-demand backups. Price: Managed WordPress hosting can vary in cost depending on your provider. Our hosting plans start at $16.95 per month. Blog Better with DreamPressOur automatic updates and strong security defenses take server management off your hands so you can focus on content creation. ![]() 23. Wordable![]() As awesome as the Block Editor is, there are advantages to composing your blog posts in Google Docs. However, you’ll lose a lot of time copying and reformatting your posts before publishing them. The Wordable plugin accomplishes all of those tasks in a single click. Wordable doesn’t just import text; it also brings along the images and headings. You can have guest writers submit their pieces as Google Docs and import them with Wordable. You don’t have to set up an account on your site for them, and you won’t have to reformat their posts either. Price: You can test out Wordable with a three-export trial. After that, plans start at $19 per month for one user and one WordPress site. Social MediaHandling multiple social media channels can create confusion and the potential for mistakes. To avoid that, you can stay on top of your social media schedule with the help of these tools. 24. CoSchedule![]() CoSchedule is the editorial calendar of your dreams. It can help you manage blog posts and get them onto social media platforms. CoSchedule’s Blog Calendar lets you see your scheduled blog and social media posts in one place. If you need to reschedule a post, you can just drag and drop it wherever you’d like. The calendar automatically adjusts the accompanying social media messages. Price: You can get the Blog Calendar for $14 per month. If you’d like to add more functionality with the Marketing Calendar, the price increases to $29 per month. Related: How to Create Your First WordPress Plugin25. Social Snap![]() Social Snap is a social media plugin for WordPress. This solution comes with a suite of tools designed to get more traffic to your blog. With Social Snap, you can place social sharing buttons anywhere in your blog posts. The floating sidebar could be an effective strategy if you tend to write longer content. You can also customize the buttons to match your website’s design. Price: Social Snap offers plans starting at $27.30 per year. There is no free trial, but there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. 26. Buffer![]() If you’re in the market for a complete social media solution, you may want to check out Buffer. This platform provides tools to help you publish and analyze your content. Buffer’s Publish tool enables you to manage all of your social media channels from one dashboard. With some determination and a lot of coffee, you might schedule a month’s worth of content in a single afternoon. Price: Buffer Publish begins at $12 per month. The Pro plan enables you to schedule up to 100 posts. 27. Click to Tweet![]() Click to Tweet is a free plugin provided by CoSchedule. If you have your eyes set on the Twitterverse, you’ll likely want this blogging tool at your side. With it, you can pull out especially tweet-worthy wisdom from your content. Your readers can then share these insights with their followers in one click. Price: Click to Tweet is free to download and use. You do need to provide some personal information and sign up for CoSchedule’s mailing list to access the tool. VideoYou may already include video on your blog, as it can increase the time visitors spend on a page. If not, these solutions can get you started. 28. YouTube![]() You may already use YouTube to host your videos, but there’s more you can do with the platform. For example, did you know that you can live stream with YouTube? Live streaming is a fun way to connect with your audience and has been growing in popularity in recent years. It’s a great way to build a sense of community around your blog. Price: YouTube is free to use. All you need is a Google account. Related: How to Start a YouTube Channel29. Adobe Premiere Rush![]() If creating video content sounds like a lot of work, you can check out Adobe Premiere Rush. This helpful tool makes producing a video (almost) as easy as posting to social media. With Adobe Premiere Rush, you can capture and edit footage right from your mobile phone. You can even add graphics, overlays, and voiceovers. Then you’ll be able to share the video to your YouTube channel, Instagram account, Facebook page, and other social media platforms. Price: Adobe Premiere Rush offers a free trial that limits you to three exports. After that, you can access the software for $9.99 per month. AnalyticsBy keeping an eye on your blog’s statistics, you’ll be able to see where you can improve. If you’re not a data analyst, you might appreciate some help in that department. 30. Google Analytics![]() If you haven’t already installed Google Analytics on your blog, what are you waiting for? Its many tools will give you access to the metrics you need for running a successful blog. While your hosting provider may provide you with some traffic data, Google Analytics offers you a wide range of numbers. Knowing where your traffic is coming from will help you focus your efforts on those channels. Price: Google Analytics is free to use. You just need to add a tracking code to your website. 31. MonsterInsights![]() MonsterInsights is a plugin that helps make Google Analytics even more powerful. It’s a match made in blogging heaven. A favorite feature of MonsterInsights is the Google Analytics dashboard. Instead of navigating away from WordPress, you can view all that data right in your admin dashboard. You’ll also be able to see what’s happening on your blog in real-time. Price: MonsterInsights plans begin at $99.50 per year. There’s no free trial, but there is a 14-day money-back guarantee. Marketing Your BlogHaving the best content on the web won’t do you any good if no one knows it exists. Fortunately, you can get your blog in front of more people with these tools. 32. OptinMonster![]() As a blogger, convincing readers to sign up for your email newsletter is critical. OptinMonster can help you create opt-in campaigns that turn casual readers into devoted fans. If your opt-in isn’t user-friendly, it’s unlikely to convert. OptinMonster gives you powerful targeting options, such as device-based targeting. This ensures that mobile users only see campaigns that are optimized for their devices. Price: OptinMonster’s basic plan will cost you $9 per month. 33. Hunter![]() Guest posting is a tried-and-true link building technique for bloggers. Crafting a strong pitch is hard enough, but sometimes the most challenging part is finding the right email to send it to. To make things easier, you can simply enter a domain name into Hunter’s search box, and the tool returns every email address it can find for that company. You can use this to see a particular individual’s email or search for a role, such as “submissions@” or “editorial@”. Price: You can perform 50 free searches per month. Paid plans start at $34 per month. 34. NinjaOutreach![]() Partnering with an influencer can increase your blog’s audience. NinjaOutreach enables you to filter through lots of influencers in your niche, so you can find the right one. Whether you’re targeting Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or YouTube, NinjaOutreach has you covered with its extensive database of influencers. You can even find other bloggers who may be interested in collaboration. Price: NinjaOutreach offers a 7-day free trial. A monthly plan starts at $119. 35. Mailchimp![]() There’s more to email marketing than sending out a blast whenever you publish a new post. Mailchimp helps you organize your list and send out updates on time. No one wants to read ugly emails, but thanks to Mailchimp’s drag-and-drop builder, you can make customizations and even add images and videos. Then, real-time analytics lets you monitor how effective your campaigns are. Price: Mailchimp offers a generous free plan to get you started. You can get an upgraded email-only plan for $9.99 per month. Related: The Website Owner’s Guide to Email Marketing36. Teachable![]() Sharing your knowledge is an effective way of establishing yourself as an expert in your blogging niche. Unfortunately, setting up an online course can be a challenge. Teachable is a complete solution for building and running an online course. You can make your lessons extra special by taking advantage of Teachable’s live features. For example, you can schedule one-on-one sessions with your students to check in on progress and answer questions. Price: Teachable’s Basic plan comes with everything you need to create your first course, and costs $29 per month. 11 Blogging Tools We Use on the DreamHost BlogWhile all of the blogging tools on this list are excellent, we have some favorites we use for the DreamHost blog itself. Here’s some extra love for the solutions that make our job so much easier:
If you’re not sure where to begin, the above tools should start you off on the right foot. Ready to Launch Your WordPress Blog?Whether you need help choosing a blogging platform, understanding affiliate marketing, or picking a WordPress theme, we can help! Subscribe to our monthly digest so you never miss an article. ![]() What’s Your Next Blogging Tool?Handling a blog on your own is a difficult task. Taking advantage of a few of the many blogging tools available can give you back some valuable time. Today, we’ve looked at a few reasons why you might want to invest in some blogging tools. If you’re just getting started with your blog, you might try out Google Docs and Grammarly to keep your content organized and polished. If you’re ready to step up your marketing game, Mailchimp can give you the edge you’re looking for. Ready to put those new blogging tools to work? It may be a smart time to upgrade your hosting service, to prepare for all the new traffic you’ll be getting. Check out our managed WordPress hosting plans! The post 36 Brilliant Blogging Tools to Help You Write Better, Publish More, and Increase Traffic appeared first on Website Guides, Tips & Knowledge. from https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/blogging-tools/ |