Your Writing Coach: Recent Episodes
Lynn Elikqitie Smargis
Are you looking to write and publish your first book? Do you need a seasoned writer to guide you through the book writing process? Would you like a writer coach with real-world experience who understands how to guide you to the right publishing options for your book?
Your Writing Coach podcast is where writers and soon-to-be authors listen in on writing knowledge and expertise so you walk down the right path to publishing your book. My writer podcast will guide you on how to start writing a book for beginners. Because not all writers have the same writing experience, background, or skill set, writing a book looks very different for each individual.
Find out how you can take your first steps to developing good writing habits, figuring out how to pick a genre and title for your book, how to get a published book, and whether or not going with a publisher is the right choice for your book. Learn about Amazon kdp, how to self publish your book, and when to hire a ghostwriter. Get your questions such as "Do book titles need to be capitalized? What is bookbub? Should I use Ingramspark? What is Amazon direct publishing? What are the costs of Amazon self-publishing?" answered when you listen to Your Writing Coach.
I'm a published author and writer with experience in self-publishing, content marketing, book marketing, and podcasting. If you're looking to publish and market your first or next book, become an author, uplevel your speaking money or get more speaking gigs, writing a book needs to be on your to-do list!
Your Writing Coach Podcast
Are you in the process of writing a book or do you want to become an author? Find out my top tips for writing and book publishing, whether you’re self-publishing on Amazon KDP or your publishing through a traditional author. Learn when to hire a ghostwriter, how to get started on writing your book, and tools you can use to become an effective writer. In this episode, Danielle and Sicily, founders of Octane Design Studios in Kentucky, interviewed me for their podcast More Than Graphics - an award-nominated podcast for women and creatives in the tech space!
Tools You Can Use to Become a Better Writer
With so many writing tools out there, including ChatGPT, what tools are good to use when you’re writing your book? While you can use ChatGPT, the ChatGPT AI, the ChatGPT app or another open AI to write your book, this isn’t recommended because the content is copied from other platforms and many times this can fall into the category of plagiarism. Find out how to use ChatGPT for ideation and rewrite the content so you don’t get flagged when you use your plagiarism checker.
Joining a Writer Focus Group
If you are a writer, you’re writing a book, or even if you enjoy writing for yourself, then you’ll want to consider joining a supportive writer’s group. A group that I like is The Daily Writer by Kent Sanders. Check out his community of professional writers, hobbyist writers, and book authors. You can also attend a writing conference if you want to experience and learn more about writing as well as network with other writers.
Podcast Resources
Find out more about course creation from Octane Design Studios
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Your Writing Coach on YouTube
Join Your Writing Coach Community today!
Your Writing Coach Podcast
Are you in the process of writing a book or do you want to become an author? Find out my top tips for writing and book publishing, whether you’re self-publishing on Amazon KDP or your publishing through a traditional author. Learn how to develop good writing habits, how to use mind maps to build your book content, and how to find a ghostwriter. In this episode, Danielle and Sicily, founders of Octane Design Studios in Kentucky, interviewed me for their podcast More Than Graphics - an award-nominated podcast for women and creatives in the tech space!
Getting into Good Writing Habits
Do you have good writing habits? It’s hard to form habits, especially good ones because our brains always want to default to what we know. In my interview, the two gals from Octane asked me about how to form good writing habits, how to write a book, and when you should choose a title. We also cover the top mistakes to avoid when writing your book and how to find a ghostwriter if you decide to have a professional with you when you write your book.
Book and Content Ideation
Ideation, or the process of coming up with ideas, can be hard when you’re writing your book, especially if you’re not a professional writer. Find out how you can build your book content using a mindmap for ideation as well as to construct your book outline. Learn why you don’t want to copy and paste your content from your blog, podcast, or video channel directly into your book and how to go about translating this content so that your readers will enjoy and value the content in your book as well as the content on your channel or website.
Podcast Resources
Find out more about course creation from Octane Design Studios
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Your Writing Coach on YouTube
Join Your Writing Coach Community today!
Your Writing Coach Podcast
Are you an author of a book? If you are an author or writer, you’ll want a fantastic website for clients and leads to visit that garnishes excellent SEO so people can find you online. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Danielle and Sicily, founders of Octane Design Studios in Kentucky. This is the first of a two-part series where we chat about Wordpress plugins, Wordpress maintenance services, custom WordPress development services, and how you can hire Danielle’s WordPress web design company.
What is a WordPress website?
WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites easily. A WordPress website is a website that has been created using the WordPress CMS.
WP is an open-source platform that provides a range of customizable templates and themes, making it easy for users to create websites without any coding knowledge. It also offers a range of plugins that can be used to add additional functionality to your website, such as contact forms, social media integration, and e-commerce capabilities.
On this platform, you can create and construct websites to be used for a variety of purposes, including personal blogs, business websites, e-commerce stores, and more. They are highly customizable and can be optimized for search engine optimization (SEO) to help improve their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).
What are the Advantages of Using a WP website?
WordPress is a user-friendly platform that makes it easy for even non-technical users to create and manage a website and offers a range of customizable templates and themes, allowing users to create unique websites that reflect their brand and style. WP is built with SEO in mind and offers a range of plugins and tools that can help optimize your website for search engines and also are highly scalable, meaning they can grow and expand as your business or website needs change.
In addition, WordPress has a large and active community of users and developers, making it easy to find support and resources when needed. With plugins like WooCommerce, WordPress can be used to create powerful and customizable e-commerce websites. An open-source platform WP is free to use and can be customized.
Podcast Resources
Find out more about course creation from Octane Design Studios
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Your Writing Coach on YouTube
Join Your Writing Coach Community today!
Your Writing Coach Podcast
Are you an author of a book? Whether you’ve self-published or you’re publishing through a publisher, you can always use more revenue generation with your book. Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Lucas Marino, author of Monetize Your Book with a Course on how you too, can make more income with your book by adding an online course to your offering.
What is an online course?
An online course is a class you can take at your own pace online. While some are free, we are going to chat about how you can make money with an online course that is attached to your book.
“Beyond the nuts and bolts, Lucas teaches the reader how to figure out who their ideal student is and how to find them. He covers everything from class design to landing pages. Are you ready to learn how to build your course?”
How to Build an Online Course
Lucas discusses the biggest misconceptions people have when building an online course, the difference between the use case of books and online courses, recommendations for beta testing your online course and how to use backward design to construct your digital online course around the learning goals of your online course.
Why Create an Online Course?
In today’s digital world, there are so many people building online courses. However, your advantage is that your followers will want to listen to you and learn from you because they like your personality and style.
If you are, then join us today for an interview with Lucas Marino and find out how to build a course, develop your curriculum, manage your content, how to receive testimonials, create your course site, bring in course sales, and how to monetize your product line.
Podcast Resources
Find out more about course creation from Lucas Marino
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Your Writing Coach on YouTube
Join Your Writing Coach Community today!
Your Writing Coach Podcast
Do you have your social media setup and posting on a regular basis? What about your email campaign? While many business owners see social as a great place to sell, where the gold is in selling is having an excellent email campaign. In addition to having a broadcast campaign, an email drip campaign is the most effective way to automate your email marketing and grow your email list.
What is an email drip campaign?
An email drip campaign is a marketing campaign that is setup through your email. You set up and schedule out your email drip campaigns to send them automatically every few days to people who subscribe to your lead magnet or landing page. Although email campaigns are the best use of your time and marketing money, not many people utilize the power of email campaigns.
Why are email drip campaigns important?
Email drip campaigns are important because they allow you to connect with customers for longer amounts of time. Because your drip campaign is automated, you're able to keep an important connection with your clients while being able to focus on other business tasks. With your campaign, you will catch the interest of leads and potential clients while passively selling your products and services.
An email drip campaign and an email broadcast are different entities. Email broadcasts are messages that are sent to your entire audience at the same time and are usually one-off emails. Your email drip campaign is automatic and accounts for special events that may only apply to a few readers, like birthdays and anniversaries. Your drip campaign emails are also sequenced, meaning they go out in a specific order.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 15
What is an email campaign?
Do you have your social media setup and posting on a regular basis? What about your email campaign? While many business owners see social as a great place to sell, where the gold is in selling is having an excellent email campaign.
What is an email campaign?
An email campaign is a marketing campaign that is setup through your email. You can plan and schedule out your email campaigns so you don’t have to write and send them at the time you’re creating your emails. Although email campaigns are the best use of your time and marketing money, not many people utilize the power of email campaigns.
What can you write about in your emails?
Let’s start by finding your email topic. It’s always a good idea to narrow it down to one topic to start; it’s even better when that topic is the one you have the most expertise in, the one you find the easiest to write about. Write your emails out on a document that sticks around, like a Word document or Google document, as opposed to in the email composer. This helps you stay consistent.
How often should I send emails?
Consistency is key. Your timing must be precise and intentional. Batch out your content by picking a time and day each month to work on new email content and graphics. Your email campaign should be completed and scheduled ahead of time, so your work is where you want it to be. Your recipients will be able to tell when you’re scrambling.
Finally, check on your aesthetics. You’ll want to include graphics that appeal to your reader. I often use Canva for this. Your email should make them want to visit your website and/or blog. Make sure you include a way to direct your reader back to your website.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 14
Can a ghostwriter edit your book?
Have you thought about hiring a ghostwriter to work with you on your first or next book but you’re not sure how much they charge or how to hire a ghostwriter? The services that ghostwriters can offer and what they charge for their services vary greatly from writer to writer. You’ll need to do your homework to learn if they require time contracts, forms of payments they will take, and how fast they can finish your book. Find out what you need to consider when you hire a ghostwriter and how ghostwriters typically charge for their work writing your book.
Who Should Write a Book?
While anyone can author a book, the verticals that benefit most from becoming an author are entrepreneurs, speakers, and business owners who want to be seen as an authority in their field. Having a book published in your name is a great way to expand the reach of your marketing campaign, give you the ability to receive higher-paid speaking gigs, and increase the number of touchpoints to obtain new clients. You can also write a book as a personal goal to fulfill your own bucket list item and to have an accomplishment that puts you in the top 1% of people in the world.
Why Write a Book?
There are many reasons why authors write books! Some authors want to be seen as an expert in their field, and others want to inspire with their passion. Another reason for writing a book is to educate your clients or build your client base with a published book.
No matter the reason for writing your book, having “author” as part of your bio is a lifetime achievement and a fantastic goal to achieve. Not only does it show your network and your tribe that you’re serious about your work, purpose, or business, becoming an author gives you a higher level of authority in your field.
The Job of a Ghostwriter
The job of a ghost is to write your book, and if you hire them for other services, to complete those other services too. While not all writers are ghostwriters, a good ghostwriter who has excellent ghostwriting skills takes practice and an ability to communicate well with the client. Hiring a ghostwriter is a great way to take the pressure of writing a book away from you and onto the ghostwriter’s plate who can provide your book in a timely manner - many times on a much better timeline than if you were to write your book yourself.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 13
How much does a ghostwriter charge?
Have you thought about hiring a ghostwriter to work with you on your first or next book but you’re not sure how much they charge or how to hire a ghostwriter? The services that ghostwriters can offer and what they charge for their services vary greatly from writer to writer. You’ll need to do your homework to learn if they require time contracts, forms of payments they will take, and how fast they can finish your book. Find out what you need to consider when you hire a ghostwriter and how ghostwriters typically charge for their work writing your book.
Who Should Write a Book?
While anyone can author a book, the verticals that benefit most from becoming an author are entrepreneurs, speakers, and business owners who want to be seen as an authority in their field. Having a book published in your name is a great way to expand the reach of your marketing campaign, give you the ability to receive higher-paid speaking gigs, and increase the number of touchpoints to obtain new clients. You can also write a book as a personal goal to fulfill your own bucket list item and to have an accomplishment that puts you in the top 1% of people in the world.
Why Write a Book?
There are many reasons why authors write books! Some authors want to be seen as an expert in their field, and others want to inspire with their passion. Another reason for writing a book is to educate your clients or build your client base with a published book.
No matter the reason for writing your book, having “author” as part of your bio is a lifetime achievement and a fantastic goal to achieve. Not only does it show your network and your tribe that you’re serious about your work, purpose, or business, becoming an author gives you a higher level of authority in your field.
The Job of a Ghostwriter
The job of a ghost is to write your book, and if you hire them for other services, to complete those other services too. While not all writers are ghostwriters, a good ghostwriter who has excellent ghostwriting skills takes practice and an ability to communicate well with the client. Hiring a ghostwriter is a great way to take the pressure of writing a book away from you and onto the ghostwriter’s plate who can provide your book in a timely manner - many times on a much better timeline than if you were to write your book yourself.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Have you thought about hiring a ghostwriter to work with you on your first or next book but you’re not sure if you can or if you’re ready to hire and work with a ghostwriter to write and publish your book? Would you like to know what services you can get when you use a ghostwriter? Get ready, because today we’re going to explore what services you can use when you hire a ghostwriter and when you need to hire a ghostwriter.
Who Should Write a Book?
While anyone can author a book, the verticals that benefit most from becoming an author are entrepreneurs, speakers, and business owners who want to be seen as an authority in their field. Having a book published in your name is a great way to expand the reach of your marketing campaign, give you the ability to receive higher-paid speaking gigs, and increase the number of touchpoints to obtain new clients. You can also write a book as a personal goal to fulfill your own bucket list item and to have an accomplishment that puts you in the top 1% of people in the world.
Why Write a Book?
There are many reasons why authors write books! Some authors want to be seen as an expert in their field, and others want to inspire with their passion. Another reason for writing a book is to educate your clients or build your client base with a published book.
No matter the reason for writing your book, having “author” as part of your bio is a lifetime achievement and a fantastic goal to achieve. Not only does it show your network and your tribe that you’re serious about your work, purpose, or business, becoming an author gives you a higher level of authority in your field.
When Should You Hire a Ghostwriter?
Did you know that there isn’t a right or wrong reason to hire a ghostwriter? You can hire a ghostwriter at any point in your writing process, even if you’ve finished your rough draft. A good ghostwriter can help you write and/or improve the book content you already have written. Some ghostwriters will also offer editing services while they are writing your book, so you can have your writing and editing done with one person!
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 11
How to Grow Your Email List on a Small Business Budget
Today I have a Digital Marketing Hotseat episode on Marketeers Mastermind! Bri Campano and her business partner Trevor from Numo - Numerous Perspectives where Bri and Trevor host a daily live show along with their numerous podcasts. Today Bri and Trevor are here to ask a digital marketing hotseat question: how to build an email marketing list when you have a small business sized budget?
One of the Best Digital Marketing Campaigns is Email Marketing
If you’re looking to grow your business, the best way to stay connected to your clients and leads isn’t through social media. When you want to build your business and create more sales from the time and money you spend with your marketing, you’re best bet is to consistently send emails to your marketing list.
Email marketing, although it’s been around for more than two decades, gets eyes on your content and enables you to make a personal connection with your readers without the distraction of scrolling, such as when you post content on your social media feed.
The best way to increase your email list is through offering lead magnets. Lead magnets are a great way to offer a freebee in exchange for someone’s email. Now you can stay in touch with your prospective clients and followers by sending personalized messages along with educating your clients in your email campaign, positioning yourself as an expert in your field.
Building Your Email Marketing List with Lead Magnets
A lead magnet is content you can offer your website visitors and social media followers in exchange for their email addresses or other contact information. A lead magnet is a content that you give away to someone who has clicked on your link. You receive their email address in exchange for the content you give them.
The best medium to deliver your lead magnet is by creating an ebook, an online course, or a newsletter. You’ll want your giveaway to be a product that is easy for them to download and use, such as a free mini-ebook, discount coupon, online course, a how-to course that’s dropped to them by email, or any other type of valuable content you can provide to them that is easy for you to deliver - it should not take a large amount of your valuable time.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 10
The Benefits of Using a Social Media Scheduler
There are a surprising number of business owners who still believe you have to post all of your social media posts natively (i.e. get on each social media platform to post daily). However, that hasn’t been the case for several years. You can easily use a social media scheduler such as Heropost, Later, or Buffer to schedule your social media for the week all in one fell swoop! Join me today as I talk about the benefits of scheduling your posts on social media through a social media scheduler.
What can I do with a social media scheduler?
Buffer and Later are two popular social media schedulers many businesses use to get their word out on social media. Build your brand in less time using a social media scheduler. With a scheduler, you can post an entire week of content at one time! You can post two weeks or more if you have your content ready to go! If you’re looking for help with content, click on my link for a complimentary consult or message me via Instagram.
Can I post videos with a social media scheduler?
Yes! You can post still photographs and stock images along with videos with a social media scheduler, although for YouTube I recommend posting on their platform with their internal scheduler so you can get more views on your videos. Some social media schedulers, such as Heropost also allow you to post on LinkedIn and even post articles to your Google My Business listing!
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 09
Six Benefits to Using a Branded Hashtag
While many companies who are on social media understand they have to use hashtags, many businesses don’t understand how to use or how to make a branded hashtag for their business. Learn how to find the best branded hashtag for your business, platform, or event and how you can utilize your branded hashtags across multiple platforms for your ideal avatar to find you online.
What is a Branded Hashtag?
A branded hashtag is a hashtag you create that is an identifier of you or your business, or your “stamp”, across your content on social media. Followers who follow or interact with your hashtag will see your content in their social media feed and can easily be directed to other posts with the same hashtag.
Do You Know How to Use Branded Hashtags?
Branded hashtags are a great way for your followers to find you across all your social media platforms. Most social media platforms offer a hashtag feature, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others, that can make your content part of a complete brand. A branded hashtag can be an incredibly effective tool for you, your brand, or your business.
Six Reasons to Use a Branded Hashtag
Using a branded hashtag can bring several benefits to a business, including:
- Increased brand visibility: A branded hashtag can help increase brand visibility by making it easier for people to discover and engage with the brand's content.
- Improved brand recognition: Branded hashtags can help improve brand recognition by creating a unique and recognizable symbol for the brand.
- Increased engagement: Branded hashtags can encourage user-generated content, which can increase engagement and promote a sense of community around a brand.
- Improved tracking: Branded hashtags make it easier to track and measure the impact of a brand's social media campaigns.
- Increased customer insights: By monitoring the use of a branded hashtag, businesses can gain insights into customer opinions, preferences, and behaviors.
- Cross-promotion: Branded hashtags can be used to promote cross-promotion between different social media platforms and increase the reach of a brand's content.
Podcast Resources
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 08
What is a Branded Hashtag and Why You Need One for Your Business
While many companies who are on social media understand they have to use hashtags, many businesses don’t understand how to use or how to make a branded hashtag for their business. Learn how to find the best branded hashtag for your business, platform, or event and how you can utilize your branded hashtags across multiple platforms for your ideal avatar to find you online.
What is a Branded Hashtag?
A branded hashtag is a hashtag you create that is an identifier of you or your business, or your “stamp”, across your content on social media. Followers who follow or interact with your hashtag will see your content in their social media feed and can easily be directed to other posts with the same hashtag.
Do You Know How to Use Branded Hashtags?
Branded hashtags are a great way for your followers to find you across all your social media platforms. Most social media platforms offer a hashtag feature, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others, that can make your content part of a complete brand. A branded hashtag can be an incredibly effective tool for you, your brand, or your business.
Choose a Branded Hashtag That Fits Your Brand
Make sure to pick a branded hashtag that represents your brand, and choose a hashtag that is unique to you, your brand, or your business. Your hashtag should make your company culture, event, or product clear and accessible to those using your hashtag or seeking a business/product like yours. Many other entities use branded hashtags, so it is important to make sure your branded hashtag is specific and easy to find, while also offering something different than any competition.
Your branded hashtag is your personal or professional stamp. Use your branded hashtag on all social media platforms, your blog, and your website. This will ease the process of finding your platforms and content for any clientele and other potential clients.
Podcast Resources Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Marketeers Mastermind Podcast
Season 02 Episode 07
How to Build the Most Effective Hashtag Lists for Your Brand
While many companies who are on social media understand they have to use hashtags, many businesses aren’t using the correct hashtags for their brand. Today, I’m joined by Marketeers Katie Carodine of Katie Carodine Photography and Eric Singer of Your Future in Franchises to explain the best practices on how to use hashtags which will draw people to your brand on social media.
What is a Hashtag?
The pound symbol is known as a hashtag in the social media world. In the old-school terminology, hashtags were used to denote numbers. A hashtag is a symbol that represents a tagged category and is used to facilitate more effective search results.
Chris Messina introduced Hashtags in the summer of 2007, a web marketing specialist. He suggested that Twitter start using the pound symbol to group related Tweets together. From here, other social media platforms adopted the practice, and today, you can find a myriad of hashtags in the world of social media.
How Do I Create Hashtags?
The 411 on hashtags:
- Start with # and your keyword.
- Don’t use spaces, punctuation or other symbols.
- Hashtagged content can only be seen on public accounts by others.
- Make sure your hashtags are short and easy to remember.
- Use hashtags that describe your content
- Don’t stuff unrelated hashtags into your content because they are popular or trending if they are not related to your content
- Don’t use hashtags in your storyline. Put them under your story with three to six spaces between your story and your hashtag family.
How to Use Hashtags
The best time to use hashtags on your website is when you intend to share your blog content on social media platforms as posts. Also, they can be helpful if you want them to be searched on social media platforms.
Using them between 5,000 and 10,000 times is recommended to achieve greater visibility. However, remember that using already popular hashtags with a large following will only make it harder to find you on the platform.
Podcast Resources Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Many of my clients don’t have an understanding of the difference between hashtags and keywords. To understand how to use these effectively in marketing and get the most exposure when using hashtags on social media and keywords in your content, you need to learn the use case for keywords and hashtags, in addition with how and when to use each of them in your digital marketing.
What is a Hashtag?
The pound symbol is known as a hashtag in the social media world. In the old-school terminology, hashtags were used to denote numbers. A hashtag is a symbol that represents a tagged category and is used to facilitate more effective search results.
Chris Messina introduced Hashtags in the summer of 2007, a web marketing specialist. He suggested that Twitter start using the pound symbol to group related Tweets together. From here, other social media platforms adopted the practice, and today, you can find a myriad of hashtags in the world of social media.
What is a Keyword?
A keyword is a word or phrase that relates to a specific topic. For example, "best business strategies" is considered a keyword. Anyone who enters these keywords into search engines will receive millions of results (SERP).
The keyword you use should be frequently searched for on search engines and has a high number of monthly searches. While hashtags are mainly used in social media, keywords are used by search engines.
Podcast Resources Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Write For You Content Marketing Services can grow your business and get you ranked above your competition online
Subscribe to Marketeers Mastermind on YouTube
Be a part of Marketeers Mastermind on Facebook
Join the Marketeers Mastermind Community Today!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 02 Episode 05
How Can I Use Instagram to Grow My Membership Program?
Kent Sanders is the founder of Inkwell Ghostwriting, which helps leaders grow their businesses through books and other content. Kent loves to help other writers cultivate the habits for creative success. Join us for today's show as Kent shares with us about his businesses, and later on, we answer Kent's burning question on how to use Instagram to grow his membership program!
Building a Ghostwriting Business and a Writers Community
Starting as a freelance writer, Kent shares with us how he ended up focusing on Ghostwriting after trying his hand at many businesses. Kent desires to help writers develop skills and the right mindset for writing success, leading him to start the Daily Writers Club. Kent talks about the Daily Writers Club as a community of writers and how it has benefited the members. Also, Kent talks about the three top lessons he has learned running his ghostwriting business and the Daily Writers Club.
Marketing Successfully on Instagram
Kent's first burning question is the most effective way to promote his businesses on Instagram. From using reels to collaborating with other users and using video posts on social media, Lynn and Mark share some great tips on being successful on Instagram and Facebook.
Connect With Kent Check Out Kent On The Web
Connect with Kent on Facebook
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn on the Digital Marketing Hotseat
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Come to My Free SEO Shoppe!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 02 Episode 04
Ten Ways to Use your Lead Magnet to Generate More Emails
I often get the question, “Where can I use my lead magnet?” If you didn’t listen to the last episode, definitely check out episode 03 where I show you how to make a lead magnet. Also, make sure to pick up a copy of my free ebook How to Make a Lead Magnet, then listen to this episode to find out ten ways to use your lead magnet to generate more emails.
Ten Ways to Use a Lead Magnet to Grow your Mailing List
Listen in as I share how you can use your embed code and lead magnet link on different platforms for more subscriptions. If you are offering an online course, I share some tips for creating a lead magnet chain. I give a guideline on how you could use a QR code generator to develop a code for your lead magnet and open up more avenues for sign-ups. Also, find out why the Link tree QR code is a great and versatile tool to help you manage your links.
Other ways to Market your Lead Magnet
I share why sending voice messages on Social media networks such as Facebook and Instagram is an effective strategy to increase engagement and get more email subscribers. I talk about pinning a post on the top of your page as a relatively new social media feature that you can utilize to get more people to see your lead magnet. Your website is a great place to market your lead magnet. Find out some great ways of incorporating your lead magnet on your site.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn on the Digital Marketing Hotseat
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Come to My Free SEO Shoppe!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 02 Episode 03
What is a Lead Magnet?
Let’s talk about lead magnets and how you can use lead magnets to boost your marketing efforts. Find out what a lead magnet is, and how you can use a lead magnet to boost your email marketing list! Make sure to pick up a free copy of my ebook How to Create a Lead Magnet for step-by-step instructions of how you can make a successful lead magnet for your digital marketing campaign!
Lead Magnet Ideas to Grow your Email List
The chance you have interacted with a lead magnet, even without awareness, is high. A Lead magnet refers to free products or services to gather potential customers' contact details. Listen in as I share more on why lead magnets are important and how to use them to launch your email marketing campaign.
What do your clients ask you often? Answering these questions is the best way to generate a great lead magnet. Find out more creative ways of coming up with lead magnets. I also discuss the structure of a good lead magnet and why your lead magnets should not be salesy.
Different Types of Lead Magnets
Offering free consultations might be a common lead magnet, but I share reasons you would rather avoid free consultations and offer webinars consistently. I delve into details of different types of attractive lead magnets, such as E-books, Email courses, quizzes, online courses, journals, and planners, as I share some great tips on how to use them effectively.
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn on the Digital Marketing Hotseat
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Come to My Free SEO Shoppe!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 02 Episode 02
Where Should I Spend My Marketing Dollars?
You might have a marketing budget but still find it a challenge deciding on which platform to focus your marketing efforts. Jenn Mangum joins us in today’s podcast as we guide you on the best way to spend your marketing dollars.
Where is Your Audience?
Are your customers on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, or are they likely to search for your services on Google and Bing? Mack shares with us the importance of focusing on the platform where your audience is.
Besides, focus on your existing clients. Find out if your customers have new needs and find a way of meeting their needs. At times we put too much emphasis on acquisition of clients and forget to serve our customers satisfactorily once we have them on board.
A Guide to Email Marketing
Discover why email marketing is a great place to start your marketing campaign. What email platform you can use for your email marketing plus if it’s better to use one or two email platforms.
We also discuss the need to diversify your email list. For instance, have your current clients whom you can upsell to, on one email list and a general email list to recruit new clients. You’ll also want to send out your emails constantly and have your emails professionally written for the highest quality content to send to your followers.
Using Lead Magnets
Lead magnets are an effective way of growing your mailing list. We discuss how to go about setting up lead magnets and thereafter creating a drip campaign to automatically send out emails. We also share how to integrate landing pages in your email marketing campaign.
Google My Business Articles
Lynn shares with us her personal experience on how posting articles on Google My Business is bringing a lot of traffic to websites. Get to know why posting regularly on Google My Business is a good way to spend your marketing dollars
Connect with Jenn
Visit Jenn’s store Spruce Your Home in Midway
Celebrate Christmas all year around at Kringles Midway
Watch Mistletoe Mixup on Amazon Prime and see Jenn’s stores featured in this show!
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn on the Digital Marketing Hotseat
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Come to My Free SEO Shoppe!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 02 Episode 01
Season 02 Trailer
Welcome to another season of the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast! Unfortunately, my co-host Mark Thackeray won’t be joining me this season, and he will be missed on this podcast. Hopefully, Mark will be able to come back for Season 03!
This season is full of great information about digital marketing, content marketing, and how to use different types of marketing to increase your SEO. Each episode will deliver a Digital Marketing 101 class, a short episode under 15 minutes highlighting a different aspect of digital marketing. So make sure to follow, like, or subscribe to my podcast on your favorite podcast player, so you’ll have the next episode dropped right on your device each Tuesday morning!
What is a Lead Magnet?
In episodes three and four, I’ll cover what a lead magnet and great ideas on how to market your lead magnet is. Lead magnets are a great way to gather emails you can add to your email marketing list.
Where Should I Spend My Marketing Dollars?
In our next episode, Season 02 Episode 02, I have a great interview with Jenn Mangum about the best place for a small business owner to spend her marketing dollars. Jenn has been a client of mine in the past, and I’ve helped her grow her social media channels. So tune in to find out more about where you can get the most bang for your buck when you’re spending money on marketing.
Should I Use TikTok or Instagram to Promote my Membership Offer?
In episode 05, we talk to Kent Sanders of the Daily Writer Community. Kent is a fantastic writer with an amazing community that I’m a part of and would highly recommend to any writer. He is also leading a writing retreat on October 18th, so sign up if you’re interested in writing your first short book!
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn on the Digital Marketing Hotseat
Sign up for Your Complimentary Website Review
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Come to My Complimentary SEO Shoppe!
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 29
Effective Ways to Ask for Google Reviews
When you want better local SEO, the quality and quantity of your Google reviews are an essential metric. Today, we will share effective ways to ask for Google reviews to boost your ranking and get your business the social proof you need to get ahead of your competition.
Why Are Google Reviews Important? Our nature as social creatures makes us consider other people’s experiences before deciding on what products to purchase. Therefore, Google also takes these reviews into account when ranking sites. You’ll need to have a Google My Business account for your business to receive Google reviews. Once you have a Google account, you’ll want to make a Google My Business listing for your different business locations. Each location can have its own reviews, and consumers can find your business based on their location. Targeted Ways to Ask for Google Reviews We discuss using social media, personalized text messages, emails, and videos to ask for reviews on Google. Also, find out why you need to be tenacious to get more great reviews than your competition. We also explore the option of using automated management software to send out texts to clients for reviews.
Learn simple ways to get quick reviews such as testimonials, use of QR code linking to Google, and why it is advisable to ask for a review immediately after a purchase is made. Also, find out why we caution businesses not to ask many clients to add a review within a short time frame.
Lastly, learn why you need to respond to your reviews on Google, whether they are positive or negative. And be especially careful to respond professionally when replying to negative reviews.
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 28
Creating Articles for Google My Business
Are you looking into new ways to increase your visibility and online presence? Then, join us as we share how to create articles for Google My Business, with the aim to increase your chances of showing up on search results.
What Topics Do I Write for Google My Business Articles? The first step in writing articles is to identify what topics to write on. Mark shares why it's advisable to start by writing about frequently asked questions you get from your clients. In addition to writing articles, you can also add new products, upcoming events, and any offers you have on your Google My Business.
Photos and Videos for your Google My Business Articles Lynn talks about the importance of adding photos and videos of your services and products to your articles on Google My Business. The images or videos you add should always relate to the article content. We also discuss if it's necessary to use professional photographers to take your photos.
Proofreading and Editing your Articles It's common to find mistakes when writing online articles. This is why it's crucial to have your articles written professionally? We give out some tips on proofreading your articles and free tools to help you edit your articles.
Posting your Article on Google My Business We will give you a step-by-step guide on posting your articles and photos once you have them ready. On some occasions, your article might get rejected. Find out some tips to get your article accepted after an initial rejection. For most articles, you're good to go once they are posted. Google My Business articles are a great way to add more SEO to your website.
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 27
Why You Need Google My Business
As a business, you have the opportunity to create a Google My Business account, update your listing and share your information. That's one of the things that Google looks at as it crawls for information to respond to queries. Listen in as we get into details about using Google My Business effectively
What is Google My Business Google My Business is a profile that provides a lot of great information about your business, ranging from your hours of service, what days you're open, what days you're closed, your specific services, an about page and much more which we will talk about.
Google My Business also gives insights such as what's happened during a particular month, quarter or week, in your business.
Getting Started With Google My Business The first thing is to have a Google account, you cannot do a Google My Business Without a Google account. A Google account is free. You then need to set up a business account.
We shall also guide you on how to create a profile, submit your business listing and go through the verification process.
Important Aspects of Google My Business We will share why it is important for you to add photos and videos in your Google My Business.
We discuss the importance of adding individual service descriptions of what your business offers.
We also discuss why asking your clients for reviews is necessary and the best way to go about it. We also explore ideas on how to respond to negative reviews.
Updating your business information is very crucial, as it allows you to communicate on various aspects of your business, which you have changed. We guide you how to update your hours, address and services so that it's consistent across the web.
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 26
Understanding Website Data.
Analyzing your website data is a very important activity that will guide your marketing while also helping you make important business decisions. Listen in to learn some of the most effective ways to use data from Google Analytics to grow your business.
Getting Started with Website data and analytics We start by looking at why it’s important to track your website data. There are dozens of WordPress plugins that one can use to generate website data, however we share why Google Analytics is our most preferred tool.
Functionality of Google Analytics We will take you from the basics of signing up for a Google Analytics account and linking it with your website.
Google Analytics is so powerful, it has access to a lot of data, we share different metrics and what to make out of it. We take look at
We also explore traffic channels, conversion rates and how you can use this data to identify which medium brings in more revenue.
Podcast Resources Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 25
Making Sense of Social Media Data
Many of us know we need to be on social media, but did you know that there is data from your social media accounts that you can use to create more focused and targeted social posts to get more traction on your platform? Tune in to find out how focusing on the data in your business, specifically the marketing data both on social media and website data, can work to your advantage when posting your social media posts.
Social Media Stats For Your Small Business
We will delve into social media stats to help you understand how they look, why we look at them, and what those stats mean. We will look at the metrics and make sense of the data that the social media platforms provide.
Many business owners find themselves in a situation where they will put out content haphazardly and hope they get followers, engagements, and likes. Small business owners get a little frazzled because there are so many options and social media choices that they can dig into with your social media. We will shed light on what you want to look at when you check out your stats.
Digital Marketing Metrics and Stats to Utilize for Your Small Business
There are a few reasons why data is essential for your social media campaigns. Mark will explain how data helps utilize your time, money, and energy more efficiently. Also, how using your social media data can help you stand out. Finally, you can gain insights into your social media postings using your stats to guide your digital marketing plan. A few social media platforms have statistics, and we're going to dive into what types of statistics they have.
Facebook and Instagram have different stats, even though they are both owned by social media platforms. So why would the same post do well on Instagram and not on Facebook? We will share insight on whether posting daily will get you better statistics and how the algorithms have advanced and evolved, including how to evolve with the algorithm and use statistics and data to improve your social media.
How Social Media Tools Help Your Small Business
The audience section of your Facebook statistics shows how many people on each platform are following you or your business. In addition, this section also gives you information on the age, gender breakdown, and cities that your followers live in. We will see how vital this information is and how this data will inform what you post on social media. Lastly, we will also look at insights, which go deeper into specific data such as impressions and interactions.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 24
How to Find the Right Audience for Your Facebook Ad
You want to run Facebook ads, but who should you advertise online? First, find out how to find your target audience when launching a formalized ad campaign. Then, listen in on this Digital Marketing 101 episode to learn the core components of digital marketing to utilize for your business.
Using Client Profiles to Find Your Audience
Your ideal client profile is the person you're trying to reach with your business. A common mistake of new business owners is to cast a wide net and try to service as many people as possible when in reality, it's more effective to find a niche that you excel in and can best provide for others.
Mark emphasizes the importance of talking to your clients, whether over the phone or in person, and taking the time to get to know them better. Asking questions about their day-to-day life or hobbies can actually inform you how to promote your business more effectively.
Formalizing a Campaign was a Boosted Post
A sponsored advertisement on Google or Facebook is usually either a formalized campaign or a boosted post. While a boosted post is 'simpler,' Mark says that a formalized campaign is much more effective, as it's less limiting in finding the right audience and meeting your own unique objectives.
One of the biggest mistakes that Mark sees in business owners with limited marketing experience is that they only test one campaign at a time and pray that it works. The key, in his opinion, is to continuously test and refine many campaigns to identify what works best. Finding the sweet spot in digital marketing can be a long process but is worth the higher ROI it will ultimately yield.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Season 01 Episode 23
How To Create Your Ideal Client Profile
When you are planning your marketing, you’ll want to know who you’re speaking to so you can clearly target the correct avatar for your business. This week we revisit the conversation from last week’s episode and dive into how to create your ideal client profile. So listen in for this one-on-one digital marketing 101 episode to find out how you can make and find out your ideal client profile to use for your own business.
Identifying Your Ideal Client Profile
According to Lynn and Mark, everything about your marketing should be founded on the audience it’s trying to reach. It’s easy to fall in love with your product or service, but it’s crucial to remember that without reaching the right audience, that product or service will never succeed.
From there, Mark recommends looking into past client history to determine who your ideal client is. Next, list out what customers you genuinely enjoy working with and why. By diving deeper into their passions, interests, and demographics, you gain a clearer picture of how to write an ad attracting that type of person.
Marketing with Your Ideal Client Profile
After you’ve determined your ideal audience, Lynn says that the key is to learn how to connect with them. Your marketing default may be to advertise the unique features you offer, but we as customers don’t buy ‘features,’ we buy the benefits that feature brings. Finding the emotional hook will lead to a more prosperous digital marketing campaign.
If you don’t have a long history of clients to look at, Mark’s advice is to create your own ideal client. Start with yourself or someone you know who likes your product and build out from there. With a familiar image in mind, it will become easier to attract the people who are the right fit for your business.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 22
How To Cover Ad Buys For Your Next Book
So many of our clients ask us about ad buys on social media. So get ready as we deep dive into the topic of how to create a marketing campaign for your next independent self-published book. Listen in on this digital marketing one-on-one episode to educate yourself on marketing your product or service to the world.
First Steps for a Book Marketing Campaign
First things first: do your homework. Mark stresses the importance of doing your own research before launching a new campaign so that you’re not blindly throwing money out to be wasted.
The most critical first step is to know your target audience. Who are you speaking to? When doing ad buys, determine where you will find the ideal audience. Are they on Google, looking for answers to a question they have right now? Maybe they’re a specific age group or have a specific interest, and you can find them through Facebook or Instagram.
What to Consider When Advertising Your Book
The main advertisement of a book comes down to its title. A title is its own headline, and a subtitle acts as a hook with promises for the readers of your book. This is often seen in nonfiction, like Tim Ferriss’s “The 4 Hour Workweek: Escape the 9 to 5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.” The title itself is a list of compelling reasons to read.
Mark shares other tips, including testing (and testing, and testing), running remarketing campaigns, and generating as much interest as possible leading up to your book launch. Knowing how your advertisements are performing, where people are finding you, and what your audience is interested in seeing will all aid you in promoting your next book.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 21
How To Grow My Business with YouTube
We have another digital marketing 101 episode. In episode 21, we explain how to utilize the power of YouTube for your small business. Listen in to understand more about YouTube and what steps you can take to begin utilizing this social media video platform to get noticed on the web.
Why Use YouTube to Promote Your Business
More than one-fourth of the world’s population is on YouTube, and more than 122 million users log on a day. As a result, marketers have a massive opportunity to tap into this audience. In addition, while many social media platforms prioritize video, YouTube has the unique ability to reach just about any demographic.
When getting started on YouTube, Lynn and Mark emphasize the importance of creating content with the ideal client in mind. YouTube is often used as a search engine, with users logging on to find answers to their questions in video format. Catering your content to match the mindset of a YouTube user will establish you as a leader in the field.
How To Start Promoting on YouTube
Starting out on YouTube doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, if you use Zoom to record podcasts, you can simply upload the edited video to YouTube and the audio to your preferred podcast platform. That way, you’re creating content for multiple platforms at one time.
Lynn encourages business owners with less experience in graphic design to use the free website Canva to create YouTube thumbnails for their videos. Canva provides multiple free templates that make it easy to create visually pleasing content without the technical skills needed for Photoshop. Lynn and Mark also share other pieces of advice, such as batching videos and scheduling them on YouTube and utilizing a linktr.ee account to consolidate all your brand’s links into an ‘electronic business card.’
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 20
Should I Utilize YouTube to Grow My Podcast and If So How?
Get ready for our fantastic interview today as we discuss the potential benefits of promoting your podcast on YouTube. Listen in for tips and advice on getting started on YouTube and how to best utilize the platform if you’re a podcast producer.
Rise Beyond Recovery with Tamar Medford
Tamar is a Neuro Change Method Master Practitioner who overcame more than 20 years of addiction and is now building a foundation for recovery. She’s an author and host of the “Road Beyond Recovery Podcast,” with an upcoming virtual summit designed to bring together speakers with a desire to help others in their recovery. The summit is April 4th to 8th, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Touched By Addiction nonprofit.
Should I Use YouTube to Promote My Podcast?
In short: yes. Lynn and Mark both agree that YouTube is a powerful tool for promoting your content and building a loyal following. YouTube is a powerful search engine, and videos are an excellent boost for SEO. Video is vastly popular across all platforms and offers the opportunity to provide a more engaging experience with an audience.
How to Promote a Podcast Through YouTube
As a general rule of thumb, 10 to 12-minute videos are the most successful YouTube. If you’re converting a podcast to a video, don’t just upload an audiogram. Include visual elements, such as a recording of the podcast or title slides and photos to illustrate your podcast audio.
If your podcast is on the longer side, consider doing a 10 to 12-minute recap of your episode or an extension that goes further into depth on each topic. This not only creates even more original content but allows you to encourage people to find your full podcast to learn more once they’re interested. Lynn and Mark also recommend embedding a YouTube video into a blog, if you have one, as that will generate even more traffic on your brand’s website.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Learn more about Tamar’s services on her website
Sign Up for Tamar’s event the Rise Beyond Recovery Summit
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 019
Spring Cleaning Your Digital Marketing Plan: Part II
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark continue the conversion on spring cleaning your digital marketing plan. Listen in to learn about the essentials of digital marketing as a small business owner.
High Quality Leads in Digital Marketing
Updating your digital marketing plan yearly is a crucial component for business growth. The first tip that Lynn shares is evaluating the quality of leads and referrals you receive from different parts of your digital marketing. Where are people finding you, and how does your client experience change platform-to-platform?
Leads from Facebook, for example, were generally more difficult for Lynn and sometimes didn’t pay, whereas leads she generated at podcasting events were far more successful. Putting your time and energy into higher-quality leads makes your life easier as a business owner.
Playing to Your Digital Marketing Strengths
Mark and Lynn recommend focusing on where you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Consider how much time you’re spending on projects and how much they yield, and if something isn’t working for you, adjust accordingly. Rather than trying to offer everything, offer your skills and strengths at a more profitable price point.
Both Mark and Lynn restate the importance of investing in digital marketing basics before anything else. If you don’t have a website for your business and email newsletters, start there. From there, track what digital marketing components are performing the best and devote more resources to optimizing those components. Social media and content are both vital parts of a successful digital marketing plan.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 018
Spring Cleaning Your Digital Marketing Plan: Part I
Do you have a digital marketing plan that needs a facelift? Would you like to learn how to bump up your reach online for your small business? Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week to find out how to freshen up your digital marketing plan so you can feel more confident about your small business's digital marketing.
How to Start Spring Cleaning Your Digital Marketing Plan
When revamping your digital marketing plan, you first want to look at what marketing assets you already have. This may be a website, email marketing campaigns, various social media channels. Then, starting with the digital marketing elements you already have, you can optimize your current venues to make them work for your business better and more effectively.
Next, look at your social media and website performance data. Rather than using how you feel as an indicator of how well your digital marketing works, use your numbers to understand what aspects of your digital marketing aren't working--and what is working. It may not be an entire campaign failing; you may have one or two elements that need to be tweaked to yield better results for your digital marketing campaign.
Tips for Updating Your Digital Marketing Plan
Mark talks about the benefits of having software to track progress. This can be having a Google Sheet, where you keep track and analyze the results from various aspects of your digital marketing campaign. In addition, there are many free digital resources that you can take advantage of as a small business owner to track your digital marketing.
When Lynn gets a call or email from a new customer, she likes to ask how they found her services. This offers insight into what parts of her digital marketing plan are generating new leads. Likewise, clients can be a valuable resource for gaining insight into your digital marketing by asking questions about what's worked for them, what they want more of, and what problems they may be having in their digital marketing campaign.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 017
What is a Digital Marketing Plan?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark discuss the basics of creating and implementing a digital marketing plan. Listen in for more digital marketing tips and techniques.
What is a Digital Marketing Plan?
Simply put, a digital marketing plan is a basic calendar that outlines what digital advertising you’re going to be doing each day. These may be social media posts you’re going to send out, email marketing you’re planning on, and so forth. Making a digital marketing plan will actually save time in the long run. Even a simple plan cuts down the decision-making process day-to-day.
Why You Need a Digital Marketing Plan
In Mark’s words, a digital marketing plan is like a hypothesis: making educated guesses on what will drive leads, make sales, or reach any other goal in your business, and testing what works. If you’re not testing your digital marketing, then you’re just guessing, which Mark doesn’t recommend, as you’ll end up spending unnecessary money and time.
A digital marketing plan can include anything from social media posts, to blogs, to YouTube videos, to email marketing. If you’re still unsure of where to start, think back on what questions you commonly get from clients, and turn that into content. It’ll save you time, as well as generate new business for you.
How Do I Create a Digital Marketing Plan?
Lynn recommends first looking at what your goals are. What’s important to you and your business? This provides a base to build off of. She will also ask her clients what they’re comfortable with doing regularly. At the very least, Lynn suggests sending out an email every other week, which will bring more views to your website.
A digital marketing plan can be as simple or as complex as you want. With new business owners, it’s best to start out small and build from there. Don’t be discouraged by other companies’ large funnels and extensive plans. Chances are, they have years of experience and dedicated teams running their digital marketing plans.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 016
How to Be Successful at Digital Marketing When You’re Introverted
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark share their tips for successful digital marketing as an introvert. Listen in to hear how you can best market yourself or your brand as an introvert.
Katie Carodine Photography
This episode’s guest is Katie Carodine, from Katie Carodine Photography. Katie is based out of Oregon, with a background in art that influences her wedding photography. She loves to include costumes, makeup and themes in her wedding photography, and creates an experience beyond just photos. Katie shares her creative works on her website and on Instagram.
Do You Need to be an Extrovert to be Successful?
Lynn and Mark share that you don’t have to be an extrovert to have a successful marketing campaign. In fact, digital marketing is a great way to get your message out without having to speak to someone face-to-face. But getting in front of people is important, and Lynn recommends going to events or expos in order to practice being an extrovert, sometimes.
Not everyone feels like a natural-born salesperson, but Mark says that it’s important to acknowledge the value in your own unique perspective. He recommends looking at digital marketing in the terms of what effort or information you can provide as a business, and helping guide others in the process.
How To Market Your Brand as an Introvert
Lynn says that a recognizable brand personality is the key to a successful digital marketing campaign, regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. There will always be people who are more attracted to your brand than others, and that’s fine.
Mark’s advice is to look at avenues or channels that work for you. Search for your strengths rather than weaknesses. If you’re uncomfortable in front of a camera but love to write, lean on blogs and emails as a way to make your brand voice heard. The goal is to identify who you serve best, and how you can best help them with your business.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Explore Katie’s photography on her website
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 015
The Importance of a Branded Hashtag
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark discuss the benefits of using a branded hashtag for your business in this digital marketing one-on-one. Listen in for more digital marketing techniques to add to your small business digital marketing toolbelt.
What is a Branded Hashtag?
Chances are you’ve seen a branded hashtag before, at an expo or conference, or from other businesses. A branded hashtag is a unique hashtag explicitly made for you to include on your business posts on all platforms.
A branded hashtag can be as creative as you want it to be, and a more unique hashtag can speak more to your brand's purpose rather than just the name. You can find ideas for creating a branded hashtag by seeing what other people in your field are using.
Why You Should Use a Branded Hashtag
A branded hashtag is a powerful tool to help people find your business. Handles and usernames can change from platform to platform, but a hashtag will remain consistent. Searching for a branded hashtag, like #DigitalMarketingHotseat, will show all the posts that include that hashtag.
Branded hashtags also allow you to build a community of like-minded people. Social media is a two-way street, and using a branded hashtag encourages people to create their own content. A specific hashtag for your brand can contribute to your story and make your business easier to find online or on social media.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 014
What’s the biggest mistake entrepreneurs make with digital marketing
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark talk about some of the biggest mistakes that new entrepreneurs make with their digital marketing strategies. Listen in to
Listen in to
Meet Janet Fish
Janet is a business coach who helps entrepreneurs get out of their own way with her ten-step process. She’s the author of “Quit Your Dayjob: 10 Steps to Finding Financial Freedom” and runs the “Breakthrough Your Profit Ceiling” podcast, where she and three other entrepreneurs discuss starting or growing a business, making money, and investing.
What Mistakes Do Entrepreneurs Make in Digital Marketing?
Digital Marketing is broad, with opportunities anywhere from email marketing to social media platforms, which means there are a lot of platforms where you can gain customers, or push them away.
Lynn advises listeners not to mix personal life and business on social media. She also notes issues she’s seen with inconsistent branding across social media, where a customer is unable to tell it’s the same company across platforms. Having a website is key, Lynn says, as even a three-page website with good copy will make your brand more available to potential leads.
Do’s and Don'ts in Digital Marketing
Mark encourages listeners to know their audience, as it will help them understand how to properly tailor their digital marketing strategy. Answering questions about your ideal customer--your target audience--will lay the foundation for your digital marketing and your brand as a whole. He also says to focus on direct response marketing, where the goal of every message sent out is to generate a response of some kind.
Lynn and Mark also warn of being too generic. Oftentimes, new entrepreneurs will try to appeal to everyone, when in reality, efforts should be focused on appealing to your target audience. Who are the people you are best going to serve with your business? Rather than casting a wide net and spending more money to get less sales, specialize your marketing for the right people.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
GUEST LINK HERE
Find Janet’s business and podcast on her website
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Quotes:
- Mark: “Once you get a clear picture of the people that you’re trying to reach, it’s going to help you understand where to go to find them.”
- Lynn: “A lot of new business owners feel like they have to appeal to everyone, and that’s actually not what you want to do… You want to appeal to the people who you are going to serve the best.”
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 012
What is the Best Way to Market my Book Online?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark talk about how to digitally market your book. Marketing is perhaps the hardest part of the book-writing podcast, with endless places to start. Listen in to learn strategies for marketing your book through email marketing, social media, and influencers
Meet Katie Barbaro
Katie is a fellow podcast producer with the “Casual Ecstasy” podcast, as well as an intuitive healer, creativity doula. She is also now an author, having published her first book: “Fed Up: An Illustrated Guide to Food Freedom.” Katie’s cartoon-based memoir documents her recovery from disordered eating and her discovery of a better self on the other side. Katie hopes that illustrating her process will help others feel liberated from whatever it is that’s holding them back in life.
What’s the Best Way to Digitally Market My Book?
Lynn recommends starting to market your book 6 months ahead of time. The easy part, in her opinion, is writing the book -- marketing is the hard bit. Even if you’re being traditionally published, most of the marketing falls on the author, not the publisher. There’s a lot to juggle as a single person and small business owner, so start early.
When it comes to marketing a book, Mark says to hone in on the audience. Identify the ideal reader and figure out where it is that you can find them. Social media, podcasts, and expos with similar audiences are all great places to start.
When it comes to partnering with influences, Mark recommends looking for strategic partners whose audience would resonate with your book. Someone who reliably and consistently connects with your target audience could sample a chapter of your book and then share it on their account. In this way, you’re creating a kindred space rather than a competitive one. Not to mention, both parties benefit, with you (the author) getting the opportunity to market your book, while also providing valuable content for your influencer partner.
Podcast Resources
Learn more about Katie’s book here
Connect with Katie on Instagram
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
“The actual ‘easy’ part of publishing a book is writing it.’” - Lynn
“Some of the hardest things to do is continue to create that content.” - Mark
“I tend to start with, ‘Who has an ear to that same audience that I’m looking to gain access to?’” - Mark
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 011
How Should I Choose a Name for My New Travel Podcast?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain how to choose a name for your podcast. Listen in to find out how to pick a title and tagline for your podcast and optimize them for your target audience.
Meet Robin Cline
This week's guest is Robin Cline. Robin is a luxury travel consultant looking to start a podcast; she is the founder and owner of Cline & Co. Travel Consulting, a luxury travel company that curates extraordinary luxury and expedition travel experiences for discerning travelers.
Choosing a name for your podcast
Starting a podcast is an excellent way to market and grow your small business. Ideally, podcasts are used by businesses that aren't constrained by geographical barriers. Podcasts are a great relationship-building tool and are an excellent way to have uninterrupted one-on-one conversations with your audience without the oversaturation of information that you can find on other mediums like social media. However, to ensure that your podcast appeals to your target audience, it's essential to craft the perfect title and tagline.
A podcast title is the name of your podcast; it is what listeners will look up in search engines or podcasting platforms. Choosing the right name for your podcast ensures that you communicate what your business offers and that the right people will find and engage with your business.
A tagline or a by-line is a short, concise sentence that fully encapsulates what your business is all about and the services or products it offers. After reading a well-written tagline, your target listener should know that your podcast is targeted towards them and will be a great resource. In addition, it should reflect why they should choose your business over your competitor's.
This episode spells out how to choose the right name for your podcast and formulate the perfect by-line. It goes in-depth into the different ways you can conduct research and the advantages of audience research to your overall marketing strategy. By knowing your audience and crafting language around this, marketing your business becomes much more straightforward!
Choosing the right name and by-line for your business is crucial because it can differ between being memorable or fading into the background. In the age of information overload, being memorable can ensure massive growth for your small business.
Podcast Resources
Find out more about Cline & Co. By visiting their website
Follow Cline &Co on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
Connect with Robin on LinkedIn and subscribe to her YouTube channel
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 010
Which Social Media Platform Should I be on?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark chime in on what social media platform you should be using. Listen in to hear how to determine what platform is best for you, and how to take full advantage of the analytics that come with.
Emilie Davis from Whole Essentials Nutrition
This week’s guest is Emilie Davis, owner of Whole Essentials Nutrition. Emilie has been a health coach for more than three years, and specializes in one-on-one nutrition counseling with a focus on gut health. Gut health affects the entire body in a wide variety of ways, and Emilie helps people address chronic health conditions, lose weight, or simply feel better in their body by approaching an individual’s nutrition and teaching them what and how to eat.
What Social Media Platform is Right for Me?
This is a question that we’ve had from a lot of clients. There are many different options for social media platforms, each with its own advantages. The first place to start is with your audience. For someone like Emilie, who works mostly with those in their mid-life, Facebook and Instagram are the ideal platforms to start exploring.
Mark also recommends working on the platforms you’re best with. Are you comfortable in front of a camera or do you prefer the written word? Dedicate your time to the platform that best shows off your strong suits. Remember, you don’t need to be on every platform. Realistically, you should master one to two before branching out.
Navigating Social Media Analytics
Social media offers the unique opportunity to create an ongoing dialogue with your audience and uncover information on the needs of your ideal client. But what analytics should you be looking at? How often should you post? What’s working and what’s wasting time?
Lynn suggests using attention-grabbing visual content on Instagram, such as before-and-after pictures or quick, 1-minute video reels. She also recommends a social media scheduler, like Buffer or Heropost, to streamline posting on multiple platforms.
To take full advantage of analytics, Mark says to look for little clues in the data. He shares a few benchmark standards to start with, but recommends downloading the analytics and diving into the numbers on a spreadsheet to get the full story.
One standard he shares is the average reach for posts is about 5-10% of followers, but the ideal goal is 30%. So, posts that are performing closer to that 30% baseline are really hitting the mark. A good video view length is 15-20 seconds, but if you’re only averaging 8, that might mean you’re not reaching the right audience.
There’s a lot to think about, but starting with the common benchmarks can give you a good idea of what content is working for your brand. Keep things simple with one or two platforms, and expand from there
Podcast Resources
Find Emilie’s services on her website
Connect with Whole Essentials Nutrition on Facebook
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
“One of the things that I think is so, so unique about social media is that it provides for this opportunity for a direct conversation with your audience.” - Mark
“My takeaway from today is that I just need to keep it simple. Keep it simple, stick to one or two platforms, do it well.” - Emilie
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 009
How to Leverage the Instagram Algorithm and Hashtags for Your Social Media
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain the ever-confusing Instagram algorithm. Listen in to find out how the algorithm works and how you can better use hashtags and reels to grow your small business.
Meet Heather Zeitzwolfe
This week’s guest is Heather Zeitzwolfe. Heather is a CPA, profitability coach, and podcaster; she helps entrepreneurs make sense of their financials, empowering them to make strategic decisions within their business. Her weekly business podcast, Get the Balance Right, serves to highlight her no-shame approach to money.
Instagram for Small Business
Instagram can be an excellent tool for small business owners to get their products in front of a larger audience. Instagram provides various ways to do this, and two such ways are through reels and hashtags. But, Instagram’s ever-changing algorithm makes it very difficult for entrepreneurs to figure out how to use it to their advantage.
When determining the content the user will see, Instagram uses an algorithm, a set of rules that ensures the content is relevant instead of chronological order. Relevance is determined by how likely a user is to engage with said content.
One type of content published on Instagram is reels, 15-second clips used to better engage your followers and grow your audience. One way that you can ensure your reels reach a wide enough audience is through hashtags. Hashtags are words used to categorize your content and make it more discoverable to the right audience. Usually, users will utilize hashtags when searching for relevant content.
This episode will show you how to navigate the algorithm to make the best use of Instagram reels and hashtags. Knowing how these elements work allows you to use your Instagram to increase business sales and build a loyal customer base and community around your product. Using reels to educate your audience, humanize your brand and build brand awareness, along with the correct hashtags, can ensure your small business has more reach. Instagram can be a gratifying aspect of your marketing strategy.
Podcast Resources
Connect with Heather https://linktr.ee/getthebalanceright
Check out her Instagram
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 008
Using Lead Magnets to Increase Your Email List
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain lead magnets. Listen in to find out what lead magnets are, why they are vital to your marketing strategy, and how to use them to increase your email list.
A lead magnet is a free resource provided by a business, often on its website, in exchange for a prospective customer’s contact information. This resource can be in various formats and is customized according to the type of information one is sharing or the type of content most likely to be consumed by the target market.
A lead magnet can be in the form of a pdf, a video series, an ebook, or a free online course. Providing a free resource on your website or social media is an effective way to collect relevant emails and increase your email list.
Lead Magnets are a powerful marketing resource because a small business owner is more likely to attract potential customers who are sincerely interested in their product or service, providing them with an email list full of potential buyers. Providing information that is important to your target customers also establishes your business as an authority.
Lead Magnets are a fantastic relationship-building tool; they establish your business as one that cares for your customer’s well-being over earning a profit. By using this marketing method, your small business is bound to stand out, and in a sea of competitors, standing out could mean immense growth for your business.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 007
Is Email Marketing Dead?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain how email marketing is very much still alive. Find out why email is essential to your overall marketing strategy and how it can grow your business.
Email Marketing is the act of sending promotional emails to a list of prospects using a specialized software known as an Email Service Provider (ESP). In order to carry out an email marketing campaign, you need an email list; a compilation of people that have shown interest in hearing from your business. To build an email list, you need a lead magnet which is a free content or resource offered to your prospects in exchange for their email address.
Although email is known as one of the most effective modes of marketing, many business owners are opposed to using it because they believe that email is dead. However, email is a great way to get right in front of your prospect without any distractions or interference from an algorithm, as with SEO and Social Media Marketing. Email is a powerful and inexpensive tool, and in the age of more humanized marketing, it is a great way to have more personal conversations with your prospects.
Email provides more stability to small businesses as it hasn’t changed much since its inception. Businesses that add email to their marketing strategy benefit immensely as it is a means of getting direct sales. It’s a great way to build relationships and confidence in your business and brand. Email is a valuable tool in an entrepreneur’s arsenal.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 006
Unraveling the Social Media Mystery
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain the ever-changing social media. Listen in to find out how to leverage the five main social media platforms to market and grow your small business.
Social media is proving itself to be a valuable asset for small businesses. Not only is it a phenomenal way to market your business, but it can also be a great way to build authority, create community and foster genuine relationships with your customers. But with a new platform popping up often and the dynamic nature of social media algorithms, it's difficult for business owners to know what platforms they should utilize.
Choosing a social media platform requires a bit of analysis into your business. In order to get the best results, you will need to first inquire into your ideal audience and be knowledgeable on the platforms they use and the types of media they consume. Next, you will need to factor in what platform is suitable for each type of content.
This episode breaks down the five main platforms: Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Facebook, and YouTube, as well as the types of media and verticals that are better suited to each one of them. If done well, social media can be a boon to your digital marketing strategy. Social media marketing can be a great way to establish your small business as the go-to provider within your vertical.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 005
What is SEO?
Check in to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast this week as Lynn and Mark explain the ever-vague SEO. Listen in to find out what Search Engine Optimization entails and three easy steps you can implement to increase your website SEO today!
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your business’s website to be easily found and indexed by search engine crawlers, which are bots that travel the internet that find and rank content. When a business has a successful SEO campaign, it’s usually because the company has several critical components of content marketing, including an optimized website, a consistent blog, and a presence on social media.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is part of a robust digital marketing foundation for your small business’s success. Companies and other small businesses that don’t have good SEO for their website won’t appear at the top of Google’s rankings. Even if you have a beautiful website presence, your site will be hard to gain a following because consumers won’t find your website with a search. Even if you have a fantastic business, if Google does not show your website in their search results, potential customers will struggle to find out about you, what you sell and what you do.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
What is a Digital Marketing Plan?
This week in the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast, Lynn and Mark starts with the basics as we talk about digital marketing - what exactly is digital marketing, what are the components of digital marketing and
Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and it’s hard to keep up with the latest trends and activities to optimize your online reach. However, without digital marketing, you may not have enough traffic coming to your website or be able to effectively reach your customers online with a great email list.
Tune in to find out more about the big picture of digital marketing and where you can start to build your digital marketing strategy today! The best digital marketing plans are focused on goals and metrics that matter to your company. In addition, your message and brand should be unified across platforms to achieve a comprehensive digital marketing plan and create a stable brand that your customers can connect with.
Now is the perfect time to organize and clean up your digital marketing strategy! With a digital marketing plan, you’ll have a clear vision to propel your company forward with sales and marketing.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 003
Creating Digital Content to Increase Your SEO with Lynn Smargis
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast hosts Lynn Smargis, and Mark Thackeray are digital marketing experts, showcasing small business owners’ digital marketing questions. In each episode, we feature a small business owner’s burning digital marketing question as they put us in the hotseat for the answer. So tune in to find out what question we will be answering next, and contact us on our website to become a guest and put us in the hotseat!
When you run your own business, content creation is a task you know you have to do. But who has time to sit down and write articles, editorials, and social media content for their company? Many businesses can’t afford to have a full-time content writer or advertising team on hand but know they need great content to share with their followers and customer base.
Write For You gives you quality content along with our marketing background. We understand small businesses, and we give you our expertise with marketing and writing so you can have a team of qualified marketing peeps behind you all the way!
Find out why Write For You has earned a 5-Star rating on Google Reviews and how we can assist your business or platform create consistent and relevant content for your company by making an appointment for a complimentary consultation today!
Ghost Writing
Podcast Production
Social Media Posting
Website Content
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 002
Facebook and Instagram Ad Buys with Mark Thackeray
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast hosts Lynn Smargis, and Mark Thackeray are digital marketing experts, showcasing small business owners’ digital marketing questions. In each episode, we feature a small business owner’s burning digital marketing question as they put us in the hotseat for the answer. So tune in to find out what question we will be answering next, and contact us on our website to become a guest and put us in the hotseat!
Mark first jumped into Facebook Ads back in 2010 and used them to grow his photography business from a local market to a national market, with clients flying him around the country for events. Since then, Mark has helped dozens of local companies to grow their client base through Facebook Ads.
If you’re looking to do less work finding clients and more work on your business, make sure to schedule a 20-minute strategy call with Mark so you and he can deep dive into your business to find out where you are and how he can get your business to where you’d like to be on the internet.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Episode 001
Welcome to the Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast
Digital Marketing Hotseat Podcast hosts Lynn Smargis, and Mark Thackeray are digital marketing experts, showcasing small business owners’ digital marketing questions. In each episode, we feature a small business owner’s burning digital marketing question as they put us in the hotseat for the answer. So tune in to find out what question we will be answering next, and contact us on our website to become a guest and put us in the hotseat!
Tune in and find what other small businesses are asking about digital marketing, listen in to educational episodes to learn more about digital marketing, and find out how you can enlist Mark or Lynn to work with you or your digital marketing team to increase your online presence and bump up your SEO for your website.
Podcast Resources
Visit Lynn and Mark at Digital Marketing Hotseat
Find out about digital marketing services from Mark Thackeray
Grab a 20-Minute Strategy Session from Mark
Subscribe to Mark Thackeray on YouTube
Learn how Lynn Smargis can help you grow your digital content
Get a 15-Minute Complimentary Consult with Lynn
Subscribe to Write For You Content Creation on YouTube