marketing

  • Promotion

    Practical Tips to Get Your Article Published in Major Magazines

    Get Published in Major Magazines
    Get published in major magazines

    You probably already know that getting your name published in major magazines is important for building credibility for your brand.

    But do you know how to make that happen?

    If you’re like most authors, business owners and ministers, the answer is most likely no.

    If you know me or have read many of my blogs, you already know that I used to work for a Chrisitian magazine. In my role as online news director, I received hundreds of submissions every week from people who want to get published in our online magazines.

    But I couldn’t publish all of them.

    So what separated those who got published from those who didn’t? The answer is multifaceted, but here are several tips to help you best position yourself to get published online.

    Get Published in Major Magazines

    Tip #1: Submit your articles to magazines that align with your niche.

    This one is simple. If your article isn’t faith-focused, don’t submit it to a Christian magazine. If your primary target audience is believers in business, don’t submit it to a parenting magazine.

    Make sure your article would contribute to the magazine’s main purpose before you submit it.

    The reason for this is that magazine editors receive so many submissions that only the best ones get published. And if your content isn’t a great fit, your email may be quickly deleted.

    Speaking of which, try to find the name and email address of the correct person you should submit your article to. If someone sends an article to our generic customer service email, I most likely won’t see it. It helps immensely when authors submit their articles directly to me.

    (Hint: Start by asking your followers what magazines and online publications they read.)

    Tip #2: Give the editor a little space.

    OK, I might be saying this because I’ve lived it. But it’s still true. 

    Editors get so many submissions that they can’t possibly keep up if every author is demanding special treatment. That might include sending multiple emails in a row asking if the editor received your submission or requesting multiple changes to the article once it’s online.

    Sometimes the editor can’t get back to you right away because they’re juggling so many priorities. 

    I have to be honest right now. When I see an author email me three times in a row about an article they’re submitting to me, and then email me again three hours later to see if I got their previous emails … it makes me not want to publish their stuff at all.

    Also, keep in mind that the editor’s job is not to promote you—it’s to do what’s best for their magazine.

    I really don’t mean that to sound harsh at all. It’s just how it is. 

    As an editor, I truly want what’s best for our writers. I want their names to get out there and for their businesses or ministries to grow. 

    But my first business priority has to be to protect and promote the magazine I work for. If your article doesn’t help me do those two things, please understand when I can’t use it.

    Tip #3: Don’t send a million articles all at once.

    I understand that sometimes writers get time to write in infrequent bursts. But if you submit five articles within a week’s span, don’t expect the editor to use all of them … or even more than one.

    If you really want to be published in major magazines, space out your submissions. Unless you’re using the strategy of “Here are five submissions, so hopefully one of them works for you!” 

    But that sounds like a lot of energy for little return.

    Tip #4: Be careful not to come across as pushy, entitled or “all that.”

    Gross.

    At risk of sounding negative, I do have to admit I have come across many ministry leaders who want to be published in our online magazine who acted entitled. 

    They write their emails as if they’re doing me a favor when I publish their article.

    Nuh-uh.

    Don’t do that. When your article gets published in major magazines, they’re helping you out. They’re promoting your name and brand to their audience. That’s huge.

    Don’t let the size of your ministry or the number of your followers cause you to become entitled and treat others badly.

    Always be a servant. Always be humble. I promise it will make editors actually want to publish your work.

    Your character speaks volumes.

    Tip #5: Edit, edit, edit!

    This one is so huge.

    If you want to submit an article to a major magazine, make sure it’s good! 

    Make sure you have a main point, solid takeaways, and an easy-to-follow structure. Pare your article down so it’s an ideal length.

    Check your grammar and make sure your syntax, spelling and overall flow is clean.

    I have received so many articles that matched our audience, but I couldn’t use them because the writing was so bad.

    If you are a thought leader who can’t write to save your life, then hire someone. Ask them to edit an excerpt from your book or write an article based on one of your teachings or sermons.

    But don’t turn in a half-baked article and expect the editor to publish it. Again, their job is to protect their magazine, and that includes from bad writing.

    Tip #6: Make your article relevant and tell a story.

    I’ve turned down countless press releases because all they did was promote the business, ministry or author.

    But when I see a press release that actually tells a story or comments on a hot current event, I’m all over it.

    Magazines publish stories. They publish commentary on relevant current events. Practical advice that pertains to their target audience.

    They won’t publish your one-sheet or your promo piece. Give them a story that their readers will actually care about.

    Here’s an example: When Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter died in an unexpected helicopter crash, it broke the news. Everyone was talking about it because it was so tragic and so shocking.

    For about two weeks after that horrible incident, I published multiple articles about it. Some of the writers were counselors or psychologists. Others were pastors. And still others were just cultural commentators. 

    But they all had something unique to say that I knew our readers would care about.

    Keep your eye on the news and cultural trends. Be ready to write an article when something happens that you have the knowledge and expertise to comment on. Then submit it as soon as you can.

    (Hint: Always remember that hot news items involve real human beings. Don’t trash someone after a tragedy. Be respectful and gracious in your writing, even when expressing a controversial opinion.)

    And there you have it. Six practical tips to help you get your article published in major magazines. 

    Still have questions about this? Email me at jennyrosespaudo@gmail.com and let’s chat!

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  • Podcasting

    15 Creative Ways to Promote Your Podcast That Won’t Cost You Any Extra Money

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    promote podcast
    Promote your podcast online

    Congratulations on publishing another crazy-great podcast episode! That was the easy part. Now, you have to promote your podcast so others can benefit from the episode’s valuable content.

    But maybe you’re tired of the same old ways you’ve been promoting your episodes. After all, it can seem much easier to promote a blog than a podcast. You want to breathe fresh life into your podcast promotion strategy.

    Fantastic!

    Let me make that process easier for you by offering 15 creative ways to promote your latest podcast episode.

    And not to worry, these strategies won’t cost you ANY extra money.

    (Yes, you read that correctly. Each strategy in this list is FREE to do.)

    I’ve saved the most effective strategy for last, so be sure to stick with me to the end of this blog!

    Promote Your Podcast

    1. Promote your podcast by sending it to your email list.

    This one might be a no-brainer for you. But you’d be surprised how many of your listeners will forget you come out with a new episode every Tuesday. 

    Remind them with a fresh email that gives them a sneak peek behind the podcast studio veil.

    2. Create a blog post out of the episode. (Or several blogs.)

    You can either create one giant blog post that encapsulates your episode’s entire message. Or you can select specific portions of the episode and create an article around them.

    Either way, use the blogs to point readers back to the podcast episode. Then promote that blog on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or wherever your listeners hang out online.

    Success!

    3. Create a Q&A out of it.

    If your episode was an interview, consider turning it into a Q&A and posting it on your site. This can be an easy way to work on SEO for your podcast and draw in readers who care about your content.

    4. Post the best quotes from the episode with a link to the podcast.

    The best quotes are often inspirational or eye-opening. If you hear any of those gems, snag them and save them for social media promotion!

    If your episode is an interview, use a quote from your guest and attribute it to them.

    Then simply design an image with that quote and promote it on your favorite social media.

    5. Post a snippet of the audio with a link to promote your podcast.

    OK, so this one is actually super cool! You basically create a short video that plays a snippet of your podcast episode.

    You may have seen podcasters use these on Instagram or Facebook.

    And oddly enough, it doesn’t HAVE to cost money. There are several apps that offer free plans you can use to promote at least one episode a month.

    Check out Wavve, which lets you customize your design and create 1 minute of video monthly. (Their design is included in the video with the free plan.)

    Another way to do this is with Headliner, whose free plan lets you post 10 videos a month directly to social media, transcription included.

    6. Share on social media the top 3 takeaways people will learn from the episode.

    If your podcast is your way of drawing visitors to your business, then your listeners are likely tuning in to learn something from you.

    In those cases, their ears are perked to hear what they’re going to get out of the show.

    So tell them up front!

    In your social media post promoting the episode, tell people the top three things they’re going to learn from your latest podcast.

    7. If the episode is an interview, share a photo of you and the interviewee with a link to the episode.

    This is a fun way to let listeners look behind the scenes and see you and your interviewee actually bonding.

    If the person is in studio, snap a quick selfie with the two of you. Or if you have a photo of the two of you in general, post it!

    8. Take a selfie of you recording the episode and share one major takeaway people will get.

    This goes back to the whole idea of people loving to have a look behind the scenes.

    You can build up hype for your upcoming episode by promoting it beforehand.

    Or you can simply post the photo once the episode is live with your favorite lesson from the episode and link people can click to listen.

    9. Create an Instagram story about why you’re excited about this episode and how it will impact your listeners.

    I think this is one of the most engaging ways to promote your episode, honestly.

    At least, it works to pull me in! I’ve heard some podcasters share why this episode was so important to them or share some of the feedback they’ve already received from it.

    10. Tell listeners to promote your podcast by sharing it with a caption related to the topic. 

    When they share it, tell them to tag you so you can either keep them accountable or cheer them on, whatever the episode’s topic calls for.

    An example would be that you just released an episode about waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal every day to exercise. You could tell your listeners to share your podcast episode with a caption declaring what small habit they were committed to forming so they could make time for exercise.

    It’s an easy way to connect with your audience and create a sense of commitment to what you’re teaching.

    11. Stick your latest podcast episode at the very top of your website.

    I see a lot of podcast hosts do this, and it seems pretty effective.

    At the very top of your website, even above your menu and your logo, create a header that promotes your latest episode.

    12. Tell listeners to share the podcast episode and tag you for a chance to be a guest on the show.

    This is especially great for podcasts that occasionally host live coaching calls or Q&As.

    Tell your listeners to share the episode with a question they have and tag you. 

    And the “prize” doesn’t have to be inviting them onto the show. That may not be feasible for you for some reason. Find something else to incentivize them to share your content.

    13. Create a quiz out of the episode and share it on social media to promote your podcast.

    Now, you could go all out and be super fancy with this one with a paid quiz tool.

    But if you want to keep things simple, then simply form a few questions around your topic and post them online. Then say, “Find out your results in my latest episode” with a link to your podcast.

    It could be the type of quiz that tests people’s knowledge, like “How Much Do You REALLY Know About Content Marketing?”

    Or it could be something more fun, like “What’s Your Podcast Style Based on Your Personality?”

    14. Tag your podcast guest on social media.

    This one is especially helpful if your guest has a large social media following. When I’ve interviewed Christian influencers, I try to remember to tag them when we promote the show. 

    This isn’t just so that the guest sees it. It’s so that their followers see it.

    15. Ask your podcast guest to promote your podcast episode on their social media.

    This one is, by far, the MOST EFFECTIVE promotion strategy I have ever seen when it comes to podcasts.

    I mean to the point of making the difference of thousands of downloads.

    And, again, if your guest has a large following, it makes it that much more effective.

    Whenever I interview someone for a podcast, I make it my goal to share the link with them and ask them to please share it on their social media and, if they have one, even with their mailing list.

    And there you have it! 

    What are some other free promotion strategies you use for your podcast? Share them in the comments below!

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  • Marketing

    What Is a Content Marketing Strategy and Do You Even Need One?

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    Content Marketing Strategy

    Content marketing

    For many Christian entrepreneurs with at-home businesses, you say the phrase “content marketing” and their eyes glaze over.

    After all, let’s be honest, marketing yourself is probably NOT the most exciting task you have as a business owner.

    In fact, I know a lot of entrepreneurs (including my own mother!) who absolutely hate the sales and marketing parts of their businesses.

    In my mom’s words, “It just feels … weird.”

    I get it. I really do.

    (This is why I was hired as an editor at my 9-5 job and not a sales rep…)

    But if you’ve been in business for any amount of time, you know that sales and marketing are absolutely vital to the health of your business!

    So what do you do?

    Well, the good news is that content marketing is not the creepy-car-salesman kind of marketing you’re used to seeing on TV.

    In fact, once you actually understand what content marketing is and how to apply it to your business, it easily becomes the most exciting part of your job—and the most profitable!

    Content Marketing Strategy

    What Is Content Marketing?

    But first … what is content marketing?

    Well, according to the Content Marketing Institute: “Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

    If I lost you there for a second, it’s totally OK.

    Basically, it’s when you provide free and value-packed content to your ideal audience so that they trust you and eventually buy from you.

    The free content you consistently give them signals that you actually care about them. As your audience feels cared for, they begin to trust you. As they trust you, they begin to trust your solution to the specific problem your product or service solves.

    I’ve heard content marketing defined as “pull-down” marketing, where potential clients come searching for your content. This is way different than “push” marketing, which advertises to the masses, whether or not they even want what you’re offering.

    As Neil Patel points out, there are hundreds of different ways to do content marketing—from cartoons to movies to infographics to e-books to giveaways.

    But for the sake of your business’ needs, I’m going to narrow down my definition of content marketing.

    After all, you’re not a huge company that’s marketing to the masses. Your business might still be on the small side right now, and you’re probably running it out of your own home. Your strategy will be much more personal and nuanced.

    So from now on, whenever I talk about content marketing in this article, I’m talking about using your blog or podcast to deliver free, value-packed content on a weekly basis so you can build a loyal following of people who need exactly what you’re offering and trust you enough to buy it from you.

    Now, there is more to it than this. For you, content marketing will also likely include social media, your emails to subscribers and so forth.

    But it all hangs on your weekly content, whether that’s a blog or podcast.

    Do you have a set method of delivering free weekly content? 

    If not, check out my blog on “Blog vs. Podcast: Which One Is Better for Your Business?”

    Already decided? Great! Then the next question is …

    How Do I Create a Content-Marketing Strategy?

    Your strategy begins with figuring out a three-step plan that will lead bystanders who consume your content on a journey to becoming loyal followers.

    This does not have to be as scary as it sounds. 

    Creating the first part of your content-marketing strategy simply means:

    1. Deliver free weekly content that solves your audience’s problem, answers their burning questions, or satisfies a deep interest.

    2. Promote your content online where your audience spends time.

    3. Create a freebie (also known as lead magnet or opt-in) specifically designed for your ideal audience. You will use this freebie as an incentive for people to sign up for your email list.

    This three-step process doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey of building trust with your audience, which leads me to my next point.

    You Need to Be Trustworthy

    In my opinion, it’s crucial that you approach your content-marketing strategy with the mindset of “How can I serve?” instead of “What can I get out of this?”

    Believe me, if you approach your audience with the latter attitude, they will sense it and they will distrust you.

    I mean, come on. Give human beings at least a little credit. We can typically tell when someone is trying to take advantage of us, right? (OK, maybe not always. Unfortunately. Thanks, Eve.)

    This attitude of giving is one of the reasons I get so excited about content marketing.

    It’s all about giving before you take. 

    It’s about serving before being served.

    It’s about honoring others before yourself.

    The apostle Paul credits Jesus as saying it’s better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

    And in Matthew 20:28, Jesus says that He “did not come to be served, but to serve and to give [His] life as a ransom for many.”

    Now, I know I’m not Jesus. And neither are you. But we are called to abide in Him, walk as He did, and clothe ourselves in Him and not in the flesh (see Romans 13:14).

    I think content marketing is a great opportunity for you to exercise that command.

    Now that you have the right mindset about content marketing, let’s flesh out your strategy.

    1. How to Be Strategic With Your Weekly Content

    Your weekly content should always, always, always revolve around your audience’s needs.

    Your content should answer their questions, entertain them, solve their problems, or shed light on something they’re confused about or doing wrong.

    And it should also always revolve around your solutions to those needs.

    If you’re a legal contractor and your audience has questions about how to interpret LLC laws, how to word a client contract, and how to help their kid sleep at night, which topic do you think you should NOT write about?

    (Hint: It’s the third one.)

    My example was overly simplistic, but the point is still valid.

    I’ve seen entrepreneurs stray out of their niche with their weekly content, and the results often damage their brand. People get confused and wonder, Wait, what do you actually do again?

    Stay laser-focused on what needs you meet and your audience’s concerns and questions within those needs.

    The reason for this is that by focusing on your niche, you position yourself as an “expert” in that area.

    Don’t let yourself freak out at the word “expert”!

    Positioning yourself as an expert in your niche to your audience doesn’t mean that you have to know everything about that topic. It means you know enough to guide your followers to their next step.

    I am certainly not the world’s foremost expert on all things marketing. For example, even though I’m doing a lot of research on social-media advertising, I don’t have a ton of first-hand experience with it.

    But that’s OK because I’m not teaching you about Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram ads! 

    What I DO have is several years of experience creating and posting content that captivates an audience and using it to drive organic traffic to an intended site.

    That is the key element to your content-marketing strategy, and that’s what I’m teaching you how to do.

    For your weekly content strategy, I want you to answer the following questions:

    WHO exactly is my audience?

    What are their fears and concerns? What do they want to learn from me? What is their main pain point?

    WHAT is my solution?

    What answers can my products offer to their questions? How can my services assuage their pain point?

    HOW can I write about those solutions in a way that adds value to my readers’/listeners’ lives?

    What topics can I write about that will position me as an expert in my niche to my specific audience? How can I add solutions, ideas or strategies that will make them feel seen, heard, and satisfied?

    Once you’ve answered these questions, you need to make a promise to yourself to follow this one rule:

    Post. Every. Week.

    The point of valuable, consistent content is that it’s … consistent.

    Consistency is important because it tells your audience that you’re here for them long-term. (After all, content marketing is a long-term strategy, not a short-term one.)

    No one wants to follow a flash-in-the-pan. (No offense to the followers of Korah and Absalom.) 

    The once-a-week rule isn’t necessarily a gold standard. But you should avoid the temptation of posting five or six blogs in one week and then nothing for a month or so.

    You may find that you want to post twice or three times a week. Just choose a consistency and stick with it.

    If once a week is too much for you, start with twice a month. (I would be careful of only posting once a month because it can be very hard to build organic traction with fewer fresh posts.)

    So proud of you, friend! You’ve completed step one of your content-marketing strategy!

    Ready for step two?

    2. How to Promote Your Weekly Content Online

    Promoting your content online can be really easy—provided you know where your audience is hanging out online.

    So before you create your detailed plan for how many times you’re going to post on social media, ask yourself this question:

    Where does my audience spend time online?

    Is it Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? Twitter? LinkedIn? A combination?

    Do a little digging and find out which social media are their favorites and what they do on there.

    For instance, my mom (who also happens to be my ideal customer—I just really like her a lot) spends time on Instagram for entertainment, Facebook for her work and personal connections, and Pinterest for work and learning.

    This is valuable information for me to know. If the rest of my ideal audience is like my mom, then this impacts what kind of content I post on these media.

    I may hammer my blog posts on Pinterest with “how-to” language, post engaging and inspiring content on Instagram, and work on networking within Facebook groups.

    Researching your audience may take a little time, so give yourself some breathing room here!

    I would recommend starting with just two or three social media and being really strategic about it. As you finesse your strategies with these and you feel you can start experimenting with other social media, try it out. But first, just start with a couple.

    As you learn more about your audience’s habits, take notes and adjust your posting strategy as necessary.

    You can also work on playing around with how often you post.

    For right now, since this blog is still new, I’m experimenting with the following social-media schedule:

    Pinterest: 5 to 10 pins a day, the first 5 being my own content. (Everyone seems to be saying 30-50 pins, which just seems crazy at the moment.)

    Instagram: 3 times a week

    Facebook: 3 times a week

    LinkedIn: 2-3 times a week (Posts include article links to my site as well as articles created within the LinkedIn platform.)

    I will likely adjust as I analyze the response to my social media posts, and I encourage you to do the same!

    The algorithms and rules for engagement are ALWAYS changing on social media, so it’s crucial that you stay flexible and keep alert regarding how people are responding to your posts.

    3. How to Be Strategic With Your Free Lead Magnet

    The next step in your content-marketing strategy is creating a free lead magnet that’s valuable enough that people want to subscribe to your newsletter in order to receive it.

    Your free lead magnet could be practically anything! Just make sure it’s something your audience would find truly valuable, something that would make them say, “I can’t believe she’s just giving this away!”

    For right now, my main lead magnet is “19 Irresistible Headlines” that you can customize and make work for your blog or podcast titles. 

    In my freebie, I provide some of the top-performing headlines I’ve written or seen over the years and then provided the formulas behind why they work.

    I find that sometimes freebies that give away 100 or so headlines have a lot of unnecessary overlap in their list. And they often don’t explain why the headlines work.

    So then when bloggers go to use the headlines, they may choose words that don’t actually resonate with their audience and, again, no clicks for their blogs.

    Will people respond to my freebie and sign up for my list? I think so!

    In listening to my ideal customers talk about their frustrations with not knowing how to craft compelling headlines, I found that this list of headlines is probably something that can add a lot of value to their businesses!

    But here’s the beauty of freebies.

    If you don’t get a great response with your lead magnet, you can ALWAYS adjust!

    If I find that I read my audience wrong and they don’t actually want a free cheat sheet to improve their headlines, then I simply analyze, ask questions, listen, and pivot.

    Don’t overcomplicate this part of the process. You can always change your freebie later on if you want to.

    For now, settle on something you strongly believe your audience will want and make it the best you possibly can!

    How to Create a Freebie

    There are probably thousands of different things you could offer as a freebie. Here are just a few basic examples:

    • Checklist
    • Workbook
    • Journal
    • Planner
    • Recipes
    • Unit Studies
    • E-books
    • Business Plan
    • Quiz
    • Reading List
    • List of Tips
    • How-To Manual
    • Video
    • Podcast/Audio
    • Educational PowerPoint

    Once you’ve chosen what type of lead magnet you will create, it’s time to design it!

    Thankfully, there are free services like Canva where you can create awesome freebies that look professionally designed. The free version of Canva offers a wide variety of templates you can work with to get started.

    And if you want to upgrade to the paid version, they have even more.

    I personally decided to purchase a template for my lead magnet. I figured that between my full-time job, ministry responsibilities and duties as a wife and homeowner, I didn’t really have a ton of time to design my freebie from scratch. (Nor do I have the creative talent to do so.)

    Maybe you don’t either! If so, no shame in your game. There are plenty of places to buy lead magnet templates. (Tip: CreativeMarket.com has several templates for lead magnets that look professional and are simple to edit in Canva.)

    Using Your Lead Magnet to Gain Subscribers

    Remember that the whole point of your freebie is to add to your email list.

    For that reason, make sure that you create an opt-in page for your freebie with a sign-up form that’s connected to your email service provider (ESP).

    You can check out my opt-in page here.

    Once people sign up for your lead magnet, you can send them the link to your freebie in your welcome email.

    Amy Porterfield suggests housing your freebies on Amazon S3 so that the PDFs don’t take up a lot of space on your website. There’s a lot of wisdom in that.

    Since I’m focusing on only one freebie at the moment, I personally use Dropbox to house it. (You can’t beat free!)

    Once I uploaded my freebie PDF, I created a sharing link where people can view the freebie but not edit it. I then embedded that link into the automatic email that people receive after signing up for my email list.

    (Confused about this part? Shoot me an email and I’ll walk you through it!)

    The Next Step of Content Marketing

    If you think this is the end of your content-marketing strategy, you’re totally wrong!

    The incredible thing about content marketing is that is that it builds up the trust between you and your ideal client so that you CAN sell to them.

    If you’re struggling with writing sales copy, check out my blog on “How to Write Sales Copy That Doesn’t Sound Sleezy.” And check out my other blogs for more insights into how to strengthen your content-marketing game!

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  • Blogging

    3 Big Mistakes You’re Making With Your Blog Photos (And How to Fix Them)

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    Big Blog Photo Mistakes

    blog photos

    There are three huge mistakes I often see people make with their blog photos.

    I know they’re mistakes because I’ve made them, too.

    Unfortunately, blog photos tend to become an afterthought for writers because we spend so much time crafting our content that by the time we’re done, we just want to slap on a photo and be done with it.

    Yikes!

    Here’s why that’s a huge mistake.

    Did you know that blog photos are one of the biggest things that make people stop scrolling and pay attention?

    Articles that include images get 94% more views than those without, according to Jeff Bullas. That’s a high enough percentage to convince me that photos are important!

    Granted, photos may not be as important in your emails. But if you’re promoting your article on social media and you don’t have an image—forget about it.

    People scroll so fast that you literally have a split second to get their attention before they’re 10 miles further down their feed.

    Basically the blunt truth is:

    No compelling photo = No attention = No clicks

    It’s that simple.

    Now that you know how important it is to include compelling photos in your articles, here are the three biggest mistakes you may be making when choosing pictures:

    Mistake #1: Your blog photos are boring.

    Photos with bland colors easily get lost in the social media shuffle. 

    Because of that, be sure to follow step Number 1 in choosing non-boring photos:

    Choose photos with captivating colors. 

    Photos with bright or rich colors stand out. When considering a photo, take a moment to ask: “Would this image catch my attention if I were scrolling through Facebook or Twitter?”

    Choose photos of people.

    We’re emotional beings. We’re much more drawn to look at people than we are to look at objects.

    Because of that, I will often try to use photos of people for my articles. If the photo shows a person’s face, that’s even better. 

    Choose photos that are dramatic.

    Pictures have the power to stir up deep emotions within us. If your article is about a dramatic topic, don’t be afraid to choose a dramatic picture.

    What does that mean?

    If your article is about depression, for instance, consider using a photo that involves a lot of dark colors and shows a person crying or looking sad.

    DON’T choose cheesy stock images, unattractive cartoon images or photos that are super busy. 

    If you know your audience responds to those kinds of images, then OK, go for it.

    But it’s likely that cheesy photos make your brand look cheap and busy photos make you seem harried. Just saying. 

    Mistake #2: Your photos don’t make sense with the headline or content.

    Perhaps worse than a boring photo is a photo that captures attention but then totally confuses the reader when they see the headline. (Click here to learn how to write super compelling headlines.)

    Don’t be that person.

    Sometimes finding relevant photos is tricky because the content is so abstract. How do you find a photo for an article about spiritual growth or how to boost your Facebook traffic?

    In those cases, be creative. Chances are, you won’t go wrong with a photo of a person.

    Mistake #3: Your blog photos are breaking copyright laws. 

    OK, friend, this is a big one. 

    There are a lot of sites that offer free photos. Some are public domain; others have low-grade copyrights. But this is where you proceed with caution because breaking copyright laws can get you in a lot of trouble. 

    I mean like photographer-suing-you kind of trouble.

    In fact, this is the reason I’ve steered clear of Flickr. Copyright statuses can change on those photos and can trip you up later on. 

    Several years ago, I had a handful of people reach out to me saying a photo on an article I posted was infringing on their copyright. Why? Because it had changed from CC 2.0 (which is allowable with attribution in non-promotional materials) to a copyright that prohibited re-use without express permission. 

    The moral of the story is: Stay away from Flickr.

    Instead, use photos that are public domain or CC0. 

    Thankfully this is a lot easier nowadays. There are several great sites that have copyright-free photos like Unsplash, Pexels or Pixabay. 

    Check out my list of the top nine free photo sites that are safe to use for your money-making blog.

    (I would encourage you to still be cautious as sometimes there is confusion and photographers might accidentally upload photos they weren’t given permission to upload.)

    Another option is to purchase your photos from stock image sites. 

    If you are at a decent place in your business where this is financially feasible, this is a great option. It’s a guarantee that you won’t get in trouble for using the photo.

    But one of the best photo options if you need images of layout or background is: Take your own blog photos. 

    This is actually pretty simple if you have an iPhone. (I don’t have an iPhone, but my husband does, so I borrow his.)

    You can use items in your own house. Take pictures of the outdoors. If you sell physical products, take photos of your own work and, better yet, people using your products.

    If you teach busy moms how to cook quick, delicious meals, then take photos of your own food.

    You don’t have to make this complicated. Just consider lighting and angle so that your blog photos look pristine.

    There you have it! I think you’ll find that fixing these three big mistakes in your photos will dramatically improve your readers’ experience in finding and enjoying your articles.

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  • Spiritual Growth

    3 Ways I Invite Jesus Into Every Area of My Business

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    Jesus in Business

    Inviting Jesus into my business

    Your business, my friend, is unique.

    It’s different from most businesses in the world—because as a Christian, your business belongs to Jesus.

    In fact, that’s why you’re reading this blog. You don’t want a “normal” business. You want a business that honors Christ in every way possible. 

    But what does that mean? 

    First, let me tell you what it doesn’t mean. 

    It doesn’t mean your primary audience has to be Christian.

    It means that Jesus is the one in charge, leading the way and guiding every single step.

    And believe me, this doesn’t happen on accident.

    When you’re pursuing a new idea for a business, it can be easy to get so excited and focused on it, that little by little, Jesus goes from sitting on the throne of your business to sitting on the sidelines.

    It doesn’t have to be that way!

    When I first thought of the idea of starting a side hustle, I didn’t even know what exactly I would do or what I would offer to people.

    But I knew one thing: I wanted Jesus to be at the helm. Always.

    Because of that, I decided to do several things to make sure He stayed in charge. It was really important for me to follow these three things consistently because not every person I looked to for business advice was a Christian. 

    In fact, a lot of great marketing and entrepreneur podcasts/educators aren’t Christian. They have incredible content, but it’s not focused on Christ. I had to ask myself: “How can I apply these smart principles while keeping Christ at the center?”

    3 Ways I Keep Jesus First in My Business

    Here’s what this looks like for me:

    1. I surrendered my business to Jesus in prayer from the very beginning.

    As soon as I knew I wanted to start a side business, I brought it to the Lord in prayer and asked Him if this was something He was putting on my heart.

    I don’t want to do anything unless Jesus is behind it. I know you feel the same way.

    My prayers about my business in the very beginning were mostly full of questions. “Is this Your will? What do You want me to do? How can I honor my employers at my current full-time job while pursuing this dream?”

    Little by little, the Lord revealed His heart about these things. (Check out the overarching value statement He laid on my heart.) And if you’re just starting out and in that position of questioning, He will do the same for you.

    Above all, this meant that my heart was open to whatever the Lord wanted. If He had said no to a side business, I would have been OK with that.

    All I knew was that I wanted His will, not mine.

    2. I asked Him to define my values and parameters.

    Once I felt the Lord confirm my direction in starting a side business, I began seeking Him about the values and foundations He wanted me to have.

    I started by writing down several reasons I want to pursue a side business that would eventually become my main work. Some of those reasons included:

    • So I could stay home with my future children and homeschool them.
    • So I could have a creative outlet that hones my skills while I’m home.
    • So I could earn money that my husband and I could set aside for savings, investing, and any extra charity or gifts we wanted to give.
    • So I could have freedom to decide who I work with and what content I produce.
    • So I could have more flexibility in my schedule.
    • To help people.

    Now that I knew my reasons for starting a business at home, I asked the Lord to give me several guiding principles and values that would help steer my business. These values are crucial because they stand as the primary test I would use to weigh every business decision.

    For example, I told the Lord before I began the side business that I did not want this endeavor to interfere with my commitment to my family or ministry.

    To me, family and ministry are more important than my side business. For me, that looks like making sure I’m setting aside quality time for my amazing husband, Diego, each day as well as for our respective families each week.

    Ministry is also a huge part of my life. I’ve been on our church’s worship team since I was 13 years old. I’ve helped lead the church youth group since my sophomore year of college, and I’ve been discipling young women since I was about 15.

    Pouring into the kingdom of God through ministry is something I know the Lord has called me to do. Sowing into eternity will always be a primary focus for me. My side business won’t change that. I refuse to let it.

    And yes, my side business is another opportunity to sow into eternal things, but sowing directly into my church family is something I highly value and won’t stop doing.

    Maybe you can relate?

    3. I chose to follow biblical principles for my business finances.

    Long before I started this blog, I decided to save money to invest in my business instead of going into debt.

    The Bible talks about debt with caution several times. And although it never calls it a sin, it does call it pretty foolish. (See Proverbs 22:7, Proverbs 22:26, and Romans 13:8 for some examples.)

    I realize that it might be hard to save up money to invest in starting a business, and I realize that each person’s business journey looks a little different. But it was important to me not to go into debt to launch my side hustle.

    Secondly, I make sure to talk to my husband about almost every decision regarding my business. 

    On the one hand, this is super easy because I do my research and when I share what I’ve found with him and why I want to purchase a particular thing, he’s usually encouraging me to do it.

    My husband truly is my biggest cheerleader! And I don’t take that for granted.

    Now, that doesn’t mean we never disagree about money decisions for my business. But I’ve found that when I thoroughly explain my rationale and we openly and kindly communicate, we come to a decision together that we both feel good about.

    Some may read that and think, “Why does your husband even need to have a say in what decisions you make for your business?”

    My only response would be that I am 100% convinced that Jesus wants my husband and me to be in absolutely unity in all things relating to our marriage and family. 

    That said, it’s important to research and make wise decisions for what to buy. I know you won’t reach for every shiny object, but I still have to say it.

    Investigate what you think would be a good investment for your business. Read reviews about the tool, educational course or platform. See if there’s a trial run that you can use to test how you like the product and if it’s a good fit for you.

    The goal is to invest as a good steward.

    Don’t be afraid to spend money. Just be wise about it. Be willing to invest into your business and take good care of it.

    Ultimately, my business doesn’t belong to me. And your business doesn’t actually belong to you. 

    It belongs to Jesus.

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  • Blogging

    How to Write a Headline That Gets Your Audience to Click

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    How to Write a Headline

    how to write a headline

    You’re frustrated, and I get it. 

    You slaved over your latest blog to provide meaningful, value-packed content that you know will revolutionize your readers’ lives. 

    It meets their needs. It speaks to their problem. It’s what they’re looking for!

    You can’t help but smile as you post it and promote it on social media because you know it’s just that good.

    But then a day goes by and you have like 15 clicks. Five days later—16. 

    What went wrong?

    The most likely reason your blog flopped isn’t that your content wasn’t good enough. God gave you a message and you’re called to share it!

    Instead, chances are the real problem was with one of the most crucial parts of your entire article: your headline.

    How Important Is Your Headline?

    The late marketing guru David Ogilvy recommended that advertisers spend 80% of their budget on the headline. 80%!

    That’s a large percentage to spend on a single line of copy. (Especially considering your article is likely 70 times as long as your headline.)

    But I’m convinced Ogilvy was absolutely right. In my experience as an online editor, I’ve noticed that the amount of clicks an article gets correlates almost exactly with the quality of the headline!

    When I first started working as an editor, I couldn’t write a headline to save my life. It was a huge mystery to me. “Just tell me what to write!” is what I wanted to scream.

    But as time went on and I kept writing more headlines, I noticed which ones got people to click and which ones didn’t.

    Check out my free cheat sheet for 19 captivating headlines that you can tweak to make sense for your audience and get them to click on your articles! CLICK HERE to get your free headline cheat sheet: 19 Headlines That Will Capture Your Audience’s Attention (And Get Them Clicking)!

    Now, granted, you will never be able to convince me that headline-writing is a pure science. There will always be a weird x-factor that no one can explain regarding why one story explodes and another trickles out of public sight.

    And yet, there truly are several practical things you can do with headlines to ensure that your article gets as much love as possible. 

    Here are the main lessons I learned that dramatically improved my headline-writing game:

    1. Speak to the felt need or pain point with your headline.

    I know this sounds like marketing jargon, but it’s actually super simple.

    Speaking to a felt need or pain point simply means understanding what your audience is feeling, what they want, what keeps them up at night, what burdens their souls, and what they wish they could change in their lives.

    Understanding an audience’s emotions and motives is the most valuable thing you could do for writing better headlines.

    Don’t think like a writer at this point in the game. You’ve already written the content. You know it’s good. 

    Headline-writing is not the place to put your emphasis on being super cutesy, poetic or creatively ambiguous. It’s not that those things never work. It’s that it’s easy to get lost in those tactics and lose the felt need that your headline desperately needs to address.

    Writing headlines is when it’s time to think like a consumer. Pretend you’re your ideal client, scrolling through Facebook looking for your cousin’s photo of the humongous tree that crashed through her roof. 

    You’re not going to stop hunting for your cousin’s photo because you saw an article titled “The Solace of Spring.”

    But if you’re a young mom, you might stop if the article said “How I Got My Rebellious 3-Year-Old to Finally Stop Throwing Daily Tantrums.”

    See the difference?

    2. Use eye-catching words.

    there are other words that naturally draw attention no matter who’s reading them.

    Words that are eye-catching in and of themselves tend to be dramatic, unexpected and underused.

    For example, which would catch your attention more:

    “How to Deal With a Rebellious Child”

    Or

    “How to Extinguish Your Toddler’s Worst Tantrums (Without Losing Your Mind)”

    Maybe some of you are more drawn to the simplicity of the first headline, but I guarantee that the majority of people would be more intrigued by the second.

    While some words tend to draw attention no matter who you are, there are other words that are more confined to your specific audience (words they’re familiar with and talk a lot about).

    If you know your audience loves homeschool curriculum based on living books (also known as the Charlotte Mason method), use that phrase! Non-homeschooling people might not know what a living book is, but your audience does—so use it!

    3. Use numbers every once in a while in your headline.

    Listicles are a consistent attention-grabber. 

    Not only do numerals draw attention to headlines anyway, but listicles tend to give easy wins and practical advice. Readers don’t mind giving a little of their time to read your stuff if they know they’re going to get some concrete value out of it.

    (On the off chance you don’t know what a listicle is, it’s an article that centers on a numbered list, as shown by the headline. For instance, “10 Ways Green Smoothies Boost Your Overall Health” would be a listicle.)

    Odd numbers supposedly do best in headlines. People I would consider writing and marketing experts have told me this countless times. 

    But this doesn’t give you license to come up with a bogus point or tip just to take your list number from 8 to 9. Don’t force yourself to create an extra point if it doesn’t actually add value. 

    Another caution: Don’t overdo it. Listicles are great, but people can get irritated if every single piece of your content starts with a number.

    Listicles are like salt. Some people love a lot of salt on their meals. Others only need a dash. But no one wants to eat a bowl full of it. (And if you do, maybe have a talk with your doctor.)

    4. Make a promise, then deliver on it.

    Another important thing you can do in headlines is make a promise. Again, headlines are basically the first thing people read that tell them why they should click on your article and read.

    If the information or encouragement in your article can make a change in the reader’s life, then tell them what that change is. 

    Keep in mind that promises should be specific, timely, and practical/doable.

    Here’s an example of that: 

    How to Get Your Child to Eat Broccoli (and Love It!) in 2 Weeks

    This headline makes a promise to me (the reader) that if I apply the principles in the article, my child will not only eat their broccoli, but love it (specific and practical) in two weeks (timely).

    Please keep in mind this huge warning: Never overpromise in your headline. Don’t tell your reader that you will show them how to lose 10 pounds in one week if that isn’t actually realistic or likely. 

    Overpromising in your headline is the easiest way to become clickbait and cause your audience to lose trust in you.

    Make a promise, but be realistic about what that promise is. Then, in your article’s content, deliver on that promise.

    5. Add some headline mystery.

    Headlines with mystery make people feel like you know something they don’t–but desperately need to!

    For instance, if you read “Lose 5 Pounds of Fat in 2 Weeks With This Simple Diet Change,” you might wonder, What diet change is she talking about? Do I need to make that change to my diet?

    You can add mystery to headlines of promise (like in my example above), or you can add it to headlines that play on your readers’ fears.

    I know playing on your readers’ fears might sound manipulative, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

    For example, if you read “This Common Blogging Mistake Could Cost You Hundreds of Clicks,” you will want to know what that common mistake is because you care about your blog.

    Going back to my clickbait soapbox, make sure the fear you are presenting is actually a real problem. Don’t say in your headline that the fear you are presenting will do more damage than it really will.

    Be honest. Be real. Write compelling headlines.

    You can do this!

    Email me with some of your latest headline ideas at jennyrosespaudo@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

    P.S. If you’re still struggling with writing compelling headlines, I think you’ll love my free cheat sheet: 19 Irresistible Headlines.

    In it, I provide 19 headlines that are irresistible and explain why they work. I offer a formula for each headline so that you can easily tweak it to make it work for your content and audience.

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