In today’s episode, I’m answering your burning blogging questions! I sourced these questions from y’all on social media, and they really range from starting a blog, to monetizing, managing your time, and more. I’ll be doing this Q&A style, so let’s just dive right in:
- How do I start a podcast?
I definitely don’t feel qualified to answer this, seeing as I only started my podcast in October of last year, so at the time of this recording, about 5 months ago. But I can share resources that helped me when I was getting started and how I managed to launch my podcast with under $50!
First of all, podcasting is so much fun. If you have the desire to start a podcast of your own, this is your sign to just do the dang thing!! It’s been so much fun connecting in a new way, sharing information in a new way, and learning a ton of new skills in the process.
I have to give a major shoutout to Megan Porta from Eat Blog Talk because this podcast simply wouldn’t exist without her! She encouraged me from the very start and has continued to be so supportive. If y’all aren’t subscribed to her podcast, go over there right now and do so. She’s amazing! She also has several episodes talking about starting your own podcast and tips for being a podcast guest. She along with other podcasting bloggers gave me so much support and guidance, so my first tip is to reach out to your network and do your research. There are great videos on YouTube and TikTok plus an abundance of articles, so start there.
You’ll want to determine how long of episodes you want your podcast to be, will it be solo or interview style, frequency, what will you talk about, who’s your audience, do you have a goal associated with creating a podcast, and lastly what’s your key message.
So just for fun and to give y’all a little insight, I try to keep my podcast episodes on the shorter side, which is pretty easy because I also follow a solo format rather than interview style. I would love to interview creators in the future but starting out, it was more manageable for me to commit to solo episodes. If you listen regularly, you know my podcast is for blogging, influencers, and content creators and I share how to leverage new tools and platforms, social media trends, how to start a blog, and how to make money blogging. My goal for this podcast is to share the knowledge I wish I had when I was first starting out, as well as just share what new and exciting things are happening in the blogging space!
When you decide to start a podcast, you’ll need some equipment and tools, here’s what I use and enjoy but just know there’s options out there so be sure to do your research.
The quality of your audio can make your break you podcast. But that doesn't mean you need to break the bank paying for the top of the line mic! I use this budget-friendly Tonor USB Condenser Microphone with a Pop Filter. If you're wanting to splurge, the Logitech Blue Yeti is very popular amongst podcasters.
Assuming you already have a desktop computer or laptop, the next thing you need is software for recording and editing. GarageBand is free on Mac, so it's what I use and recommend. If you don't have a Mac, Audacity is a free recording software with editing capabilities.
More recording software options that work great especially for recording interviews are Skype or Zencaster. And lastly, Descript is an audio and video transcription service that's easy to use. You can get up to 3 hours of transcription for free. And it’s pretty dang awesome.
Next, you’ll need to decide on a podcast host. A host is where the podcast players like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify get your episodes and show details.
You upload episodes to your host and the players pull your RSS feed to allow listeners to find your content. I use and love Buzzsprout for its low cost, easy to navigate dashboard, and customer support.
The last thing to consider is cover art! I created mine using Canva, but you could also go all out and make yours really special.
- What deliverables can I pitch brands for a sponsored post?
This will likely depend on the type of content you already create or are interested in creating, plus what niche you’re in, and of course what the brand is actually looking for. Common deliverables include branded images, short format videos with the brand’s product featured, long format videos with brand integration, a review, recipe development using the brand’s product, and the list goes on. These deliverables can be shared to your blog, social media, within your email newsletter, really anywhere your audience is.
- Can you give example pricing when working with brands? Any tips or starting rates?
- How do you grow your traffic as a new blogger?
I think it’s so important to diversify your referral traffic, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been blogging for a while. You’re able to check on your traffic using google analytics and dive a little deeper to see what your traffic is coming from. Common places are google, pinterest, facebook, web stories, being featured in an article or roundup, and direct from your emails.
As a new blogger, it’ll take some time for your posts to show up in google search results. You can take matters into your own hands, up to a certain extent, and try the channels I mentioned above. Of course, if you’re new most of these platforms won’t have hundreds or thousands of followers quite yet but it’s important to stay consistent with posting. Just like it takes Google a while to index your posts, the same can be said for pinterest. So I highly recommend utilizing pinterest, I have a few episodes covering my strategy there, so be sure to check those out. I also suggest starting a facebook page and possibly even a facebook group that aligns with your niche. Posting there is another good way to drive traffic. There are also facebook groups with bloggers and media outlets looking for posts to feature in their upcoming posts, join those groups and drop your link when it’s relevant. Those are incredible opportunities! Google web stories is something I’ve talked a ton about and it’s because they can drive significant traffic directly to your blog posts. And it doesn’t rely on followers or anything like that. If you create a story that gets circulated, you can see remarkable results when it comes to increased pageviews. Lastly, start building your email subscriber list from the beginning! You can set it up so you email them once a week, once a month, or whenever you have a new post. It’s yours and it’s up to you! And of course, don’t look past creating great content with keywords users are actually searching for.
- Where should I promote blog posts after publishing?
This depends where you have an active audience but for me personally after publishing a new blog post or updating a blog post, I’ll share on my facebook page, in my private facebook group, and in other relevant facebook groups. I’ll create at least 1 new pin and save that to Pinterest. I’ll schedule out an email dedicated to the post. And lastly, I’ll create a web story directing users to the full blog post! And PS: I’ve mentioned google web stories a couple times now. If you’re unfamiliar with what they are, check out my previous episode where I covered them in depth! Anywho, those are the main places I’ll promote my posts after publishing.
- What is an email welcome series?
An email welcome series is a sequence of automated emails sent out to new subscribers to welcome them to your email list. It helps them understand who you are, the type of emails and content they can expect from you, and really establish brand awareness from the get go.
For example, when a new subscriber joins my email list for my main blog, my food blog, they’re immediately sent an opt-in freebie, which is currently an ebook. The following day, they are then sent an email that includes my top 5 recipes and more about why I started my blog. There’s then a 3 day time delay before sending another email relevant to my niche, then another 3 day time delay and a final email with again information relevant to my ideal audience. Once they finish the workflow, they are then automatically placed into my normal email list and will receive standard emails once a week.
Your welcome series can be one or two emails or it can be more, it’s up to you but be sure to check analytics and insights to help guide your decisions once it’s set up.
- Any tips for better time management?
Oh my gosh, I used to feel like time management was a super strong suit of mine but I honestly go back and forth on it now. So first of all, thanks for thinking that I’ve got my stuff together haha. I do think that being organized helps me a lot with my blogging business! And in turn, helps me manage my time better. I also think that it’s important to give yourself working hours. So for example, an ideal day I’m waking up, eating breakfast, drinking tea, then heading to my desk around 9am to go through emails and look at my to-do list for the day. I should also add, I create a weekly to-do list so I know what I’ll be working on each day of the week. And if I need to, I’ll adjust tasks around, but it’s helpful to have that already written out so I’m not just sitting in front of my computer waiting for something to happen. Anyway, day to day can really vary but I like to get the most important work done before lunchtime, which is typically around noon, so I give myself that solid chunk of time to knock that out. Then I eat lunch, try to disconnect, then head back into my office and check that to-do list. I personally like wrapping up work around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, so I know I have a few hours to get it done, so I’ll put on some focus music and get to it. I personally enjoy batch creating, so I’ll dedicate an entire day to just writing or just editing or just creating content. That way I’m able to motivate myself based on momentum, rather than jumping from task to task. So all of that to say, I think giving yourself a schedule is helpful and planning ahead so “future you” knows what the heck to be working on.
- What are the best resources for learning how to blog?
There are several and I’m so grateful for that! First and foremost, podcasts are an incredible way to learn more about blogging. My favorites include Eat Blog Talk, Food Blogger Pro, The Vine Podcast, and The Blogging Millionaire. I’m also a facebook group girlie, so I recommend finding groups that fit your niche. Food Bloggers Central is incredibly popular for food and recipe creators. There’s also an abundance of information online, on youtube, and on tiktok, just make sure you trust who you’re taking advice from. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and connect with other creators, that’s how masterminds are formed and it’s so nice to have these small groups of bloggers who know what you’re going through. And lastly, be on the lookout for conferences, in-person retreats, and online summits.
- What should you do when your traffic is stagnant?
I would suggest doing some investigating in different places. First, was the drop significant across the board or did one big post lose its ranking? You can find both of these in google analytics and google search console. If it’s a site-wide issue, you should reach out to your host or another tech expert. They might be able to find a technical issue that’s a quick fix! If you lost a ranking, consider what you can add to the post to bolster it up! Do the photos need updating? Does the post fully answer questions people would have? Is it following SEO best practices? You could also do some social promotion for the post on Facebook and Pinterest, plus create a web story directly traffic to the post, or even try to get a backlink. Next, if the drop doesn’t seem to be coming from organic traffic, try to figure out where it was from. Were you creating a ton of web stories that would get picked up and drive lots of traffic but took a break? That could be your answer right there. Or if Pinterest drives a significant amount of traffic, look into your profile and analytics there. Years ago I noticed something off with my traffic, looked into Pinterest, and ended up discovering my account had been incorrectly marked as spam. Reach out to Pinterest support if you suspect this! Lastly, consider writing new content using keywords that are searchable and relevant to your audience. Try not to panic week after week. Look at your traffic as a big picture, try comparing traffic from the previous quarter or even year.
- What is the etiquette regarding sharing on social media when you’re a guest on a podcast, have been quoted, etc.
This is a fun one! If you’ve been a guest on a podcast, shared a quote for a website, or even completed a freelance writing piece it’s a good idea to share to help distribution, promote what type of content you’re an expert on, and plenty of other reasons. I don’t think there’s one standard way to go about this! It can be a quick share, a short and sweet caption explaining what the content is about with a link, or even a longer caption going into detail on what to expect for the podcast episode, article, etc.
- Tips for getting onto Mediavine?
In case you don’t know, Mediavine is an ad management platform that requires blogs to have at least 50,000 sessions within the previous 30 days to be eligible to apply. I can speak from personal experience that this takes a lot of hard work, time, and dedication but wow it’s so worth it! So if you’re getting close to that 50K mark and need an extra bump, here are some things I did for my food blog that I recommend you try out! Share your blog posts in facebook groups that relate to your niche or the topic of your recipe. Do this consistently but don’t be spammy or you may get blocked! Make sure you’re utilizing your email list, if you have one. Your subscribers want to hear from you! Create web stories with call to actions leading users to click through. This one is a long game, but utilize Pinterest to drive traffic to your blog. And lastly, just continue writing blog posts with searchable keywords!
- How are you preparing for maternity leave?
I’m actually going to be chatting all about this with Megan over at Eat Blog Talk. So be sure to subscribe to her podcast and keep an eye out for that episode! In short, I’ve been trying to automate as many things as possible. So my newsletters are mostly scheduled out for the year, new email subscribers instantly get their freebie download and are loaded into my welcome series, and Facebook is pretty much on auto pilot. In terms of blog content, I’m doing a huge push to clear my backlog of recipes that haven’t been turned into posts yet. I’m also doing keyword research to identify high volume/low competition keywords that I think I’ll be able to rank for. Rather than scheduling these posts out, I’ve just been publishing them as they’re ready. That way I can promote them on social media and they have time to get indexed. I’ve been doing some sponsored posts and freelance work but I’ve scaled back significantly to focus on creating new blog posts. I don’t have a date in mind for when I plan to take my leave, but I’m hoping by the end of summer I’ll have everything set where I’m happy with and can step away for an extended break!
There were a lot of questions regarding pitching brands, negotiating campaigns, managing a Facebook group, how to make web stories, and how to utilize Pinterest to drive traffic - for all of those answers check out my previous episodes where I do a deep dive on each individual topic!
I hope this Q&A episode was fun and informational. I really enjoyed collecting these questions as it gave me a chance to do a lot of reflection as well as connect with y’all.
With that, season 1 of the Bloggerbytes podcast has come to an end… Thank you so, so much for supporting the show - Your rating, reviews, and messages have each meant so much to me. I’ll be out on leave starting at the end of this summer, but would love for you to keep in touch either via DM or email! All of the episodes will remain up, my blog posts on bloggerbytes dot com are still there, and I’ll be around so don’t be a stranger!
Thanks again for joining me, Jenna Urben, in this episode of BloggerBytes.
