Blog | Elite Blog Academy

The Introverted Blogger’s Guide to Networking

If the word “networking” gives you sweaty palms and makes you want to go hide under the bed, let me just say — this post is for you. Full disclosure: I hate the term “networking.” And most of the time, I hate the practice of networking. Interacting with large groups of people — especially people I don’t know — gives me serious social anxiety. My husband teases me for being a recluse because I never want to go anywhere with crowds or too many people. As an introvert, I don’t find being around large crowds of people energizing. Instead, I find being around a lot of people for an extended amount of time incredibly draining. If I have to be in large groups and putRead More

The Simple Secret to Staying Motivated

No matter how successful we are, there will be times on our blogging journey when things get hard. Like, really hard. And when those hard times come, we have two choices — we can either throw in the towel and give up, or we can push through and find the motivation to go further. When things are tough, it can be tempting to quit! I totally get it (and I’ve definitely been there myself a time or two!). But one difference I see in the people who stick it out (and build super successful blogs as a result) is that they don’t expect it to be easy. The people who tend to persevere are the ones who have have big goals, and who also know that theRead More

How to Create an Algorithm-Proof Traffic Strategy

Just a few months ago, Facebook announced (another) big algorithm change that will make it even more challenging for businesses to gain exposure and connect with their audiences. But are we really that surprised? We’ve seen it happen again and again and again, not just with Facebook, but with Pinterest and Instagram and even with Google. And I suppose if we are relying solely on Facebook to build our business, these algorithm changes are a HUGE blow. But that’s the point — we should never be building our businesses on someone else’s platform. Facebook (and Pinterest… and Instagram… and Twitter… and all the other platforms out there) are amazing tools to expand our reach. And if we can ride that wave and use it to connect withRead More

How to Balance Quick Wins with Long Term Strategy

As bloggers and online business owners, there is often an internal struggle between making decisions that benefit us RIGHT NOW versus making decisions that will benefit us EVENTUALLY. The ongoing questions that we face is this: do we focus on quick wins or long-term strategy? Is it really possible to have both? And how do we balance the two? On the one hand, we need to think about what’s going on today. After all, we have bills to pay today, and we need to get–or keep–the money coming in. So we think, “How am I going to make my business work today? What can I do to grow my business today? What’s the most impactful thing I can do right this moment?” And while figuringRead More

Repurpose Your Blog Content Like a Boss

Have you ever felt like repurposing content was kind of like…cheating? As new bloggers, we have this idea that everything we post needs to be 100% original or it “doesn’t count.” We think people will call us for rehashing old ideas. We worry people are scrutinizing every word we write, scanning line by line to see if what we’re writing is something we’ve already written before (“Wait a minute… I’ve read this line before! This was in a blog post from three years ago! So unoriginal.”). But here’s the truth of the matter — no one (and I mean no one) is paying that much attention. I promise. Isn’t that liberating? And even if they were paying attention that closely, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with repurposing content! Think about itRead More

Why You Can’t Afford NOT To Think Big

Put final touches on a blog post that’s waiting to be published. Brainstorm ideas for new content. Work on blog graphics. Reply to reader comments. Read up on what’s new and cutting-edge in the world of blog strategies. Go over your editorial calendar and plan your content. Check social media. PIN ALL THE THINGS. If this sounds like just another Tuesday in your blogging schedule, you are definitely not alone! And while everyone is different, which means there’s no “typical” day in the life of a blogger, there ARE a ton of little tasks that most of us find ourselves doing day in and day out to keep our blogs moving forward. Tasks that, while important and necessary, can also get us so focused on whatRead More

Lay The Foundation For a Wildly Successful Blog

About a month ago, I hosted my 2018 EBA VIPs for our first (of four) two-day strategy session of the year. It was such a great mix of people! There were veteran bloggers who are already pulling in six- and seven-figure incomes from their blogs, and then there were bloggers who are still in the beginning stages. It was so cool to be able to work with so many different types of people! (In case you are wondering, I select members based on mindset, not on income or traffic!) We covered a lot of different topics and strategies that applied to different stages of the blogging journey, and it was hard not to get excited about all the possibilities. But one thing we had to get veryRead More

Supercharge Your WordPress Blog

If you’ve read my book, How to Blog for Profit, or if you have checked out our recommendations for how to prepare to start EBA, you probably already know that the very first thing I recommend for new bloggers is to set up a self-hosted blog on WordPress. And it’s not that there are no other options available–there are–but that WordPress has more or less become the industry standard, which means that it has the most options available, and it is endlessly customizable— really, the sky is the limit. But I’m not going to sugarcoat it — it’s not always the easiest platform to use. There’s definitely a learning curve when you’re getting started — and it can be a steep one! I remember when I firstRead More

The Power of Core Values

On any given day, there are infinite number of distractions that can pull us away from what’s important – whether that’s writing our next post, promoting something new we posted on the blog, or getting ready to launch a new product. In those moments of distraction, we need something to propel us forward. And the best thing we can use? Our core values. When we use our core values as a compass, we’ll always be moving our blogs and businesses – and our lives – in the direction we need to go. And, for our team, our core values are important in steering the direction of everything we do. For example, one of my company’s core values is “we don’t peddle fluff.” So everything we create —Read More

Stop Overthinking Your Blog

Okay, it’s time for some real talk. Do you suffer from overthinkitis? In most areas of our lives, we’re rewarded for being chronic overthinkers — like when we do everything we can to keep our kids safe, planning a big event, or getting ready for the holidays. In those situations, overthinking can help us get more done and do a better job. But when it comes to our blogs? Overthinkitis is a momentum killer! In the interest of full transparency, I can tell you that I am generally NOT an over-thinker. If anything, I struggle with not thinking things through enough (which has certainly gotten me in hot water once or twice)! But I know this is a huge pain point for many bloggers — and asRead More