ConvertKit founder and CEO, Nathan Barry, returned to the podcast this week and joined host Darrell Vesterfelt to talk about how he got his start, the competitive advantage of email marketing, and the future of email. Nathan Barry founded his company to help founders, creators, and digital marketers serve their audiences better with email …... Listen to episode

Copyblogger s Editor-in-Chief, Stefanie Flaxman, joined host Darrell Vesterfelt this week to talk about translating the traffic that comes to your website and how to create compelling content to keep them there. Stef is a professional writer and editor who manages the editorial calendar for Copyblogger.com, where she helps publish one of the most popular... Listen to episode

The founder of Smart Gets Paid and sales coach for women entrepreneurs, Leah Neaderthal, joined host Darrell Vesterfelt this week to talk about strategies to “… master business development and land higher-paying consulting clients.” In this week’s conversation, Darrell and Leah dig into her unique methodology, the how of selling, and untangling the myths of... Listen to episode

This week on The Copyblogger Podcast, Tim Stoddart had the opportunity to speak with entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, and founder of iwillteachyoutoberich.com, Ramit Sethi. In this week’s conversation, Tim and Ramit dig into tricks for great copywriting, going for “big wins” to move the needle in your life and business, and product development... Listen to episode

Welcome back to The Copyblogger Podcast, and this week Darrell Vesterfelt speaks with podcasting expert Tara McMullin about the ins and outs of podcast production for content marketers. In this week’s conversation, Darrell and Tara dive into what you should be talking about on your podcast, and how you can use content strategy to drive... Listen to episode

This week, Copyblogger partners Darrell Vesterfelt and Tim Stoddart returned to talk about the importance and opportunities of SEO for today’s content marketers. In this conversation, Darrell and Tim get back-to-basics to discuss the power behind search for businesses. In this episode, Darrell and Tim talked about: Why it’s a mistake to ignore the basics... Listen to episode

Darrell had the opportunity to interview guest Ed Gandia — from High-Income Business Writing — on what it takes to go pro as a freelancer. In this conversation, Ed talks about the power of copywriting, clear goals, pain points and strategies for freelancers, and why he created a coaching business to “help writers … earn... Listen to episode

Darrell interviews Brennan Dunn, the founder of the popular online course Double Your Freelancing Rate, and the software RightMessage. In this conversation, Brennan talks about how we naturally use segmentation and personalization in our everyday lives, and how we can use simple tools to create a better connection and build trust with our audience. In... Listen to episode

In this episode, Darrell talks with Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income about why it’s not too late to start a podcast, and why it’s one of his favorite content marketing platforms. These days it seems like everyone has a podcast, but there are some pretty staggering stats that show podcasting is just as viable... Listen to episode

Copyblogger partners Darrell Vesterfelt and Tim Stoddart use this episode to talk more specifically about the new content marketing plan for 2020. Darrell and Tim also also share strategies from behind the scenes. In this episode, Darrell and Tim talked about: How Copyblogger is restructuring its content and how Why traditional content marketing distribution is... Listen to episode

In this episode, Darrell and Brian share about a new change to Copyblogger Media, and expose some of their exciting plans for the future of Copyblogger in 2020! Brian, Darrell, and Tim Stoddart also explore the future of content marketing. In this episode, Brian, Darrell, and Tim talked about: How Copyblogger’s hierarchy and business model... Listen to episode

In this episode, Darrell talks to John Jantsch — the founder of Duct Tape Marketing — about his new book titled The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur. The two talk extensively about the why behind entrepreneurship, and how writers like Emerson and Thoreau give lessons to modern-day entrepreneurs. In this episode, Darrell and John talked about: Where John... Listen to episode

In this episode, Darrell talks with Matt Ragland, the Director of Customer Success for Podia. Darrell and Matt Ragland dive into more thoughts about online education, Matt shares his story of building an audience, and the time-tested secret that helped him get to more than 35,000 subscribers today. In this episode, Darrell and Matt talked... Listen to episode

In this episode, Brian Clark and Darrell Vesterfelt talk about the past, present, and future of online education. Brian shares about his most recent product and launch, and he and Darrell compare notes on how things have changed over the years. In this episode, Brian and Darrell talked about: What inspired Brian to launch a... Listen to episode

Productivity coach Charlie Gilkey talks about going from ideas to completed projects — and how to take a more balanced approach to getting it all done. We all have amazing ideas for projects. What we don’t all have is amazing finished projects. Charlie Gilkey is on a mission to help you out with that. In... Listen to episode

In this episode Brian Clark and Darrell Vesterfelt dive deep into the topic of email. Think email is an outdated tool? Think again. After learning some interesting data, you might reconsider past conceptions about the most powerful tool on the internet. In this episode, Brian and Darrell talked about: Why email isn’t even close to... Listen to episode

In this episode, Brian Clark hosts the Copyblogger FM podcast for the first time, and reveals — among other things — why he’s returning to Copyblogger and aiming to reinvent it along with new partner Darrell Vesterfelt. Brian shares some exciting news about the future of Copyblogger Media, along with his co-host and new business... Listen to episode

Copywriter and webinar strategist Beth Hayden talks about some of the most effective ways companies are using webinars. Some people feel that webinars seem a bit old-fashioned. But there are a lot of fresh, effective ways that smart companies are using webinars for lead generation, prospect maturation, and customer retention … as well as getting... Listen to episode

Tim Brownson talks about how we can use our values to design our businesses and make wiser decisions. Tim Brownson has been coaching (and teaching coaches) for decades. In that time he discovered that working with clients’ values is one of the most useful tools for change. His new book, The Clarity Method, explains his... Listen to episode

Challenges and opportunities for content-driven business in 2019 and beyond … and a new look at a content marketing platform. Ed Bardwell, president and new owner of Rainmaker Digital Services, dropped by to talk about digital marketing and advertising, as well as content marketing and business trends that are informing site design. And he talked... Listen to episode

Ever been told you’re “too nice” to run a business? Yeah, I’m gonna call BS on that. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told I lack the “killer instinct” to run a successful business. All I can say is, I’ve been very happy with the success of Copyblogger and my other businesses.... Listen to episode

Part three of our series: How to polish and promote an epic blog post or other piece of remarkable content. You’ve got your first draft of a solid, dare we say “epic” piece of content. Now it’s time to polish it to perfection, and promote it for the widest possible audience. That’s what I cover... Listen to episode

Part two of our series: How to write an epic blog post or other piece of remarkable content. OK, you’ve assembled a pile of research and done some careful thinking, and now it’s time to write. Now what? You may have heard the advice to “tell them what you’re going to say, then say it,... Listen to episode

New series! Part one: How to prepare to write an epic blog post or other piece of remarkable content. What’s the best antidote to the glut of content? Better content. Much better content. This episode is the start of a three-part series on how to write a genuinely remarkable piece of content. In this 18-minute... Listen to episode

Want to do a little bit of work and see really good results with your content? Make some time to learn about crafting great headlines. Copyblogger has long been known for its articles about headlines, and today I’m going to share three “nearly magic” ingredients that will start getting your content more engagement and shares.... Listen to episode

Has the “influencer bubble” really burst? Maybe, but … probably not This week I’m talking about some real-life lessons any business owner or marketer can learn from a very public marketing fail. Instagram personality Arii shows 2.6 million followers … but couldn’t sell 36 t-shirts. Is this the beginning of the end for influencer marketing... Listen to episode

Having a hard time coming up with headline ideas? Here are 13 tweaks, prompts, and hacks to keep you moving. We’re working on headlines this month for our Copyblogger content challenge — but sometimes it’s really hard to come up with ideas! Fortunately, there are lots of structures out there you can use to spark... Listen to episode

It turns out those successful people you admire aren’t always so perfect. We love to give advice about all of the good habits you should be cultivating as a marketer and businessperson. But in the real world, a lot of actual successful people have plenty of “bad” habits. I don’t advocate adopting any of these,... Listen to episode

Are you writing for a paycheck … or to create revenue for your organization? Professional writers make a living. Conversion writers generate revenue. A lot of otherwise capable writers are a little fuzzy about how the words they write actually generate money that an organization can spend. In this 17-minute episode, I talk about: Why... Listen to episode

Looking to create a much greater impact with your content? Start by understanding how it’s framed. It’s a little early for a Book Club episode, but I just read the new edition of George Lakoff’s Don’t Think of an Elephant, and I was blown away by the simplicity and power of his ideas. In this... Listen to episode

Some advice from Rainmaker Digital Services spun copywriter and teacher Belinda Weaver into a surprising new direction with her content. When our colleague Robert Bruce told me about some advice he’d given copywriter Belinda Weaver, and that she was seeing great success with it, I knew I wanted to have her on CopybloggerFM to tell... Listen to episode

Three ways that good writers can find the great clients they deserve. It really does break my heart to see a terrific writer who can’t find those wonderful writing clients — the ones who have interesting work to do, and the budget to pay for great execution. In this 13-minute session, I talk about: Why... Listen to episode

Speaking to your prospects’ emotional brains isn’t manipulative — it’s just good communication. Copywriters have known it for many decades, and brain researchers have started to find the evidence to support it: Humans make decisions with our emotions first, then justify those decisions with logic. Today I talk about three charged (or even potentially embarrassing)... Listen to episode

“Document your content marketing strategy” can sound about as exciting as “buy new socks.” Improving your content marketing strategy might not feel like the most fun thing you’ll do this week, but if you want all of that content to actually help meet your business goals, it’s an important place to put your focus. It... Listen to episode

The lines between content and copywriting, and why you want to make yourself the “Chief Empathy Officer” for your audience. Today I wanted to talk about some distinctions that have been on my mind lately — the differences between crafting content and writing copy for conversion, and how much of ourselves to put into our... Listen to episode

While no single tactic is a “magic bullet” for your content marketing, this one comes pretty close. Rainmaker Digital’s Robert Bruce comes back on the show this week to talk about the easy-to-miss essential element he always looks for when he’s reviewing a client’s content marketing strategy. (The good news is, it’s relatively easy to... Listen to episode

The key to marketing success isn’t the latest shiny tactic. It’s making sure that your tactics are resting on solid strategy. Everyone wants “the magic bullet” that will give them the audience, traffic, and revenue they want. But there is no magic bullet. Rainmaker Digital’s Robert Bruce rejoins us this week to talk about the... Listen to episode

A look into why it’s so hard to move forward with creative work This week I was so pleased to be able to connect with Jessica Abel, author of Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When You’re Drowning in Your Daily Life. In this 34-minute episode, Jessica and I talk about: Business (especially digital... Listen to episode

Is it better to do all of your own copywriting and content marketing, or to bring in a pro? We teach so much copywriting technique and strategy at Copyblogger that you might think anyone could “DIY” their own content and copy. But that ain’t necessarily so. Even if you’re a business owner who loves to... Listen to episode

Prospects need to be at the right stage of awareness before they can move forward with a purchase. And content marketing is a superb way to get them there. Today, I touch on some specific ways that content marketing can pave the way for excellent conversion. In this 18-minute episode, I talk about: How strategic... Listen to episode

There’s a huge volume of content marketing advice out there — but most of it only applies to certain sites. Pamela Wilson joins us to talk about “content lifecyles” of websites, and how to know precisely what to focus on for your site, depending on where you are today. Our one-time colleague Pamela Wilson literally... Listen to episode

Stressed out? Anxious? Just out of sorts? Stress can wreck havoc with your creative productivity. Here are some thoughts on how to manage it. These are stressful times, and you’ve probably noticed that it’s hard to be your best self when you feel crummy. Learning gets difficult, energy levels sink, and good habits start to... Listen to episode

Creating excellent content is expensive — in time, money, or both. Make sure your content marketing strategy is driving real business results. Too many businesses think of blog posts and podcasts as a “fluffy” nice-to-have. But content marketing can drive real business results — and if you’re going to put the work in, there’s no... Listen to episode

Think you know what LinkedIn is all about? Today’s conversation with Amber Naslund may get you seeing the platform in a new way. Amber Naslund is a writer, speaker, veteran content and social media strategist, and co-author of the best-selling The Now Revolution. She’s also the new senior content marketing evangelist at LinkedIn. Once known... Listen to episode

Thoughts on how to create really good content … without a huge team or an unlimited budget Content strategist Ronell Smith joins us this week to talk about how to tackle high-quality content … even if you don’t have all the time and money in the world. In this 29-minute episode, I chat with Ronell... Listen to episode

We often take it as a given that businesses should always grow — but is that really true? Writer, designer, podcaster, and software creator Paul Jarvis has a lot of experience with all kinds of business. He’s written a thought-provoking new book called Company of One, about the assumption that “bigger is always better,” and... Listen to episode

The foundation you choose for your persuasive copy can make all the difference. I’m sometimes asked — do I think that high-priced copywriting courses are worth the money? Often the answer is absolutely Yes. But it’s really important to make sure you’re building advanced techniques on the right foundation. In this 17-minute episode, I talk... Listen to episode

If marketing or content strategy plays any role in your professional life, you need to understand copywriting. Here are five of our most important bits of advice for writing that persuades. Persuasive copywriting is a big part of what Copyblogger is all about. In this episode, I pull a few posts out of our archive,... Listen to episode

“The big distinction here is to see confidence as an ability that you keep getting better at.” – Dan Sullivan Ever have a wobble in confidence? Ever have trouble moving forward with a project, because you’re just not sure you’re good enough to create value? In this 15-minute episode, I talk about: The real source... Listen to episode

How to stand out in a sea of boring content? It might be time to get stinky … Content marketing only works if your content is interesting enough to make people want to read, listen to, or watch it. So how can we make our content more fascinating? You can start by thinking about what... Listen to episode

Sometimes the difference between success and frustrating failure is just a question of mindset. Carol Dweck’s book Mindset hit me like a brain-bomb some years back, and from time to time I like to share the love. In this 16-minute session, I talk about: The two mindsets that control how you react to adversity When... Listen to episode

When does traditional sales advice actually push prospects further away? We’re returning this week to selling … the effective kind, and the other kind. In this 25-minute episode, I talk about: Stereotypical “used car salesman” techniques that can wreck your sales Why hiding your prices can make you invisible to the clients and customers you... Listen to episode

Ever been frustrated by the daunting task of making a (really good) living as a writer? I have some thoughts on what it takes … Your friends and family might think you’re nuts for pursuing it, but it’s more possible than ever to make a good living as a writer — but (in my opinion),... Listen to episode

Busting social media marketing myths with Social Media Lab’s Scott Ayres. Social media marketing is one of those topics that invites a lot of lore: snippets of advice that get passed around that don’t really match up with objective reality. AgoraPulse thought this was a great opportunity, and they launched the Social Media Lab podcast.... Listen to episode

“You’re so vain … you probably think your About page is about you …” A recent Google update has a lot of sites looking to improve their About pages. (We’ll talk more about that update in a future episode.) About pages are pretty simple — but that doesn’t mean people don’t sometimes screw them up.... Listen to episode

There’s so much content marketing out there that’s perfectly ok … but it lacks creative spark. Here are some ways you can get more vitality into your blog posts, videos, and podcasts. When we write, day-in and day-out, it’s easy for things to get a little stale. In this 16-minute episode, I talk about some... Listen to episode

Have a new content site, or an existing site that needs more focus? Here’s a “checklist” of 10 things to keep in mind. Whether you’re starting a brand-new content site or have one that just needs a spruce-up, great sites tend to share similar habits and structures. Today, I talk about ten things to keep... Listen to episode

How can we find the confidence to publish regularly — when we’re not completely confident in our writing ability yet? “Publish regularly!” is one of the frequent commandments of content success. “Only publish high-quality content” is another frequent commandment of content success. How do we reconcile them? How can we work up the confidence to... Listen to episode

A quick three-step check to make any piece of content more interesting and more effective. While doing critiques for our private community of content marketers, I noticed a pattern emerging. That pattern turned into three quick checks you can do for any piece of content. Try looking over your last few podcasts or blog posts... Listen to episode

ConvertKit founder Nathan Barry dropped by to talk about their platform, their evolution, and why they’ve taken a leap into a brand-new name and identity. Editorial note: ConvertKit recently announced that they’re going to stay with the name ConvertKit — here’s why. At Copyblogger, we really like the ConvertKit email solution. In fact, we’re marketing... Listen to episode

Most of us won’t make a living making “pure art” that only serves our creative expression. But you won’t make a reasonable living writing cynical garbage, either. Hope your new year is going well! Brian Clark and I have had some great conversations about what we want to write and teach in the new year,... Listen to episode

A lot of us feel a tension between effective copywriting and content that fully respects our audiences. “Conversational Copywriter” Nick Usborne joins us to talk about why that’s a false choice. Nick Usborne is an unusual writer. He has many years of direct response experience, but he talks more like a “content guy.” He’s here... Listen to episode

Does search engine optimization seem depressingly hard to stay on top of? Things do move quickly, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it drive you nuts. Over the past 10 years, Brian Clark has drummed some important things into my head about what we should (and shouldn’t) do to keep Google and the... Listen to episode

Lots of businesses and marketers are scrambling over the new data protection law, GDPR. But Tara Gentile is here to talk about some of the real-world benefits it can bring — not just to consumers, but to business. This week, Tara Gentile swung by to talk about the GDPR (Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation), and... Listen to episode

Tim Paige is that rarest of creatures: A really good salesperson who understands the people who aren’t (yet). This week, I was pleased to be able to interview “webinar gun for hire” Tim Paige, to talk about how “normal people” can learn to be genuinely effective at selling. Important Note: We’ve updated the date on... Listen to episode

Selling is a skill, not an innate talent. But that doesn’t mean it’s always comfortable to learn. Too many content creators have amazing audiences and a wonderful product or service — but they fall apart at the “last mile” of selling to their customers or clients. In this 19-minute episode, I talk about: Why starting... Listen to episode

Legislators, citizens, and advertisers are all concerned about the trends in privacy and permission on social platforms — but they’re concerned for different reasons. Even as Facebook tries to dodge legislation about what it does with user data, marketers have a choice. We can try to do whatever we can get away with, or we... Listen to episode

A conversation about what matters in marketing and business. I was delighted to be able to catch up with our friend and one of my favorite teachers, Seth Godin. In this 19-minute conversation, we talk about: The fundamental shift in how Seth sees marketing differently His thoughts on fake news and the “post-truth” online environment... Listen to episode

Given everyone’s crowded inboxes and fragmented attention spans — what’s the best way to reach people? Content and permission marketing have been a wonderful development. It’s great to be able to connect with audiences instead of just interrupting people. But what happens when attention spans are so fragmented that people have a hard time tracking... Listen to episode

There’s an incredibly useful tool that can actually sabotage your content … if you don’t use it correctly. Note: If you want to know more about the upcoming Creative Content Foundations class, get on over to this page and let us know how to get you by email: Creative Content Foundations interest list There’s a... Listen to episode

What’s the best way to handle overwhelm, especially when it comes with a side of procrastination? Note: If you want to know more about the upcoming Creative Content Foundations class, you can drop your details here: Creative Content Foundations interest list Lots of us (most of us?) have big, challenging projects that we want to... Listen to episode

It’s time for the latest round of “Content Marketing doesn’t work any more” stories. Can you tell these make me a little cranky? It’s official — content marketing has moved from the Gartner Hype Cycle “peak of inflated expectations” to the dreaded “trough of disappointment.” Yes, there’s an awful lot of content out there. And... Listen to episode

Tech and tactics come and go — but storytelling lasts forever. In this episode, Shane Snow and Joe Lazauskas of Contently share their favorite techniques for developing a storytelling edge. (Part 2 of a 2-part episode.) We all know that stories are powerful — but sometimes it’s hard to know how to tell stories that... Listen to episode

Tech and tactics come and go — but storytelling lasts forever. In this episode, Shane Snow and Joe Lazauskas of Contently share their favorite techniques for developing a storytelling edge. (Part 1 of a 2-part episode.) We all know that stories are powerful — but sometimes it’s hard to know how to tell stories that... Listen to episode

What do the search engines mean by a “high quality site”? While technical SEO still exists, a huge chunk of modern search engine optimization consists of “generating high-quality content.” So what does that mean? When a search engine ‘bot looks at your site, what kinds of things is it looking for? In this 23-minute episode,... Listen to episode

Here’s a simple way to make the best use of your time when you’re creating new content, improve your SEO, and create a great user experience on your website. Whether you’ve created a lot of content already, or you’re just starting out, here’s how to structure your site with strong “cornerstones” so you do an... Listen to episode

I see and hear the horror stories on Facebook, on LinkedIn, at conferences. Folks who spend months or sometimes years on a big, bold business idea … only to see it die at launch with no sales. You don’t have to risk months of time and thousands of dollars to try out your business idea... Listen to episode

The web needs talented writers. So why is it (sometimes) so hard for the best writers to get paid what they’re worth? There are so many really good writers out there who are thiiiis close to making a great living — they just need to add a couple of readily-learnable skills. In this 15-minute episode,... Listen to episode

Content sharing is the great “free ride” of 2018. You get more people looking at your stuff, and you don’t have to pay a dime for it. But you do need to set your content up for sharing success. Optimizing your content to share is a great, cost-effective way to grow your audience and expand... Listen to episode

I don’t believe in predictions. The future isn’t a mystery novel, with carefully selected clues left for us to decipher. But there’s something I do think is useful to watch. Rather than trying to make predictions, I’m a big fan of looking at significant trends — at watching what’s happening now, and looking for what’s... Listen to episode

January is the traditional month to work on goals for the new year, but there’s a lot to be said for starting in December. Today, in the middle of a month that can often be hectic and chaotic, I thought I’d talk about three things to noodle on for the upcoming work. Nothing you have... Listen to episode

Why do some of the most talented people see the least success? Sometimes they’re held back by misconceptions about marketing and sales. Some of the most talented people out there don’t get the recognition they deserve because they’re apprehensive about marketing themselves — or they’re apprehensive about marketing in general. I’ll do what I can... Listen to episode

It’s hard enough to come up with ideas — but when we do, how do we know they’re any good? How can we evaluate our ideas and make sure we’re choosing the ones that will create the best content? Shannon left us a great comment on the blog with exactly this question, so I thought... Listen to episode

Do the usual “gratitude practices” ever feel formulaic or simplistic to you? Here are some that I’ve found can go a little deeper. This week as we head toward U.S. Thanksgiving, you’ll see a lot about gratitude around the web. But sometimes gratitude practices can feel like just another obligation. And on those days when... Listen to episode

William Maynard of the Bates agency once wrote that “… most good copywriters fall into two categories. Poets. And killers. Poets see an ad as an end. Killers as a means to an end.” And David Ogilvy famously added,”If you are both killer and poet, you get rich.” We’ve talked before about the Killer and... Listen to episode

Happy Halloween week! Today we’re talking with Rebecca Tracey about entrepreneurial fear — how it holds us back and what we can do about it. I’ve been talking this month about entrepreneurial fear — on the blog, in our private content marketing community, and today on this podcast. Today, I invited Becca Tracey to talk... Listen to episode

Neuroscience tells us that making decisions for our content strategy or our websites is “cognitively expensive.” In simpler terms — it’s exhausting. Here are a few “back of the envelope” factors that can help you zero in on the right choice. The internet is an endless parade of exciting shiny things we could be doing... Listen to episode

5 painful mistakes I’ve seen writers, marketers, and business owners make … and how you can avoid them We all make mistakes — but it sucks a lot less to learn from someone else’s. In this 18-minute episode, I talk about five painful mistakes that I’ve made (some of them more than once), and how... Listen to episode

How one freelance copywriter found his groove, and how you can find yours, too. Lots of our listeners are freelance copywriters — and many more would like to do some writing as a “side hustle,” whether or not you ever want to go full-time. In this 31-minute episode, I chat with freelance writer and content... Listen to episode

Think marketing is evil? Only if you’re doing it right … Every once in awhile, I run across someone who hates me, my job, my website, and my company, because after all, marketing is intrinsically interesting. In this 9-minute episode, I share my favorite techniques for enslaving the wills of others to sell your products... Listen to episode

A collection of great questions from our smart audience! I love audience questions! Thanks to four thoughtful folks this week for asking questions (or leaving their thoughts) to spark this week’s responses. In this 26-minute episode, I talk about: Whether the flood of crummy ebooks is damaging the market The four points that I believe... Listen to episode

A comment from one of our blog readers sparked some thoughts… A reader left a great question as a blog post comment, and the answer took us to some fundamentals about the role of content on our sites. In this 17-minute episode, I talk about: Why I’m not a fan of “monetizing” your site Why... Listen to episode

Seems simple enough, right? Then how come so many people are terrible at it? In principle, leaving a comment on someone’s blog, podcast, or social media account doesn’t seem too tricky. Enter your name and other info, write down your thought, and click Post Comment. In practice, too many folks leave comments that are weak,... Listen to episode

Which works better in content marketing — positive messages or negative ones? Well … it depends. On the one hand, as content marketers, we want to associate ourselves and our content with lots of great feelings — that’s what makes our audience want to spend more time with us. On the other hand, negativity bias... Listen to episode

Being able to visualize a specific and vivid “who” is one of the most important things you’ll ever figure out in your marketing or your business. Digital marketing always offers fun and shiny new tools to tempt us — but it’s wise to keep your eye on the fundamentals. And there’s nothing more fundamental to... Listen to episode

We all know the cliche of the starving artist — but how about the thriving artist? Jeff Goins has some advice on how to “build a bridge in the direction of your dream.” Today we invited our friend Jeff Goins to talk about his new book, Real Artists Don’t Starve. In this 33-minute episode, Jeff... Listen to episode

Can we change who we are? Are we stuck with the aptitudes and habits we have today, or can we make fundamental changes? And if change is possible … are we up to the challenge? It’s funny when you think about it — virtually everyone wants to change. They want to be smarter or richer... Listen to episode

Are you a “training addict”? Wondering how to handle all of the marketing and business information you’re taking in? Allow me to suggest a plan. It’s easy to say, “Just don’t read or listen to any more marketing advice until you implement what you already have.” But digital marketing and business do change. Besides, learning... Listen to episode

Want to be more persuasive? You need to start with a great idea. Here’s how to develop one. We think of ideas as coming in a flash of inspiration … but when you’re talking about the “big idea” that informs persuasive communication, it pays to actually develop your idea systematically. Brian Clark thinks a lot... Listen to episode

Is your fear of selling keeping you from where you want to go? Selling is part of business — but it makes a lot of us nervous (especially writers, I’ve noticed). I think that’s because we have skewed “Glengarry Glen Ross” ideas about what effective selling truly looks like, and we don’t understand the structures... Listen to episode

A business community for the new economy I had a lot of fun talking with Tara Gentile about her new community for digital business owners. In our 28-minute conversation, we talked about: How Tara engineered a community that got past the bias for whining The difference between selling education and delivering educational experiences Why we... Listen to episode

Perception is not reality. Reality is still reality. The great thing about the Internet is, when people do really dumb stuff, we all get to find out about it … and maybe even learn something. Today, I share some lessons from a pair of extremely public missteps. These include: What a great attitude and hard... Listen to episode

Our certification program for content marketers will be opening up again soon. If you’re a professional writer, particularly a freelancer, you’d probably like to know how to get more high-quality clients. Our Certified Content Marketer program exists to connect your high level of skill to the kinds of clients who value it. And that program... Listen to episode

Has the entire business world lost its mind? Some thoughts on interesting disasters … and on how to do your homework for better results. Today’s a bit of a two-parter. First, I talk about some of the recent impressive PR fails committed by giant brands — and what I believe might be at the heart... Listen to episode

There’s so much mindset advice out there to make you more successful … but is it doing you more harm than good? A lot of advice about business and success focuses on mindset — those mental habits we can adopt to make ourselves more productive and effective. In my experience (and my reading of the... Listen to episode

In memory of Washington Post copyeditor, Bill Walsh, and the finer points of grammar and usage peeves. When you write about writing, there are few topics more lively than our favorite grammar and usage mistakes. But how many of them are mistakes, and how many are just differences? And is it actually possible to learn... Listen to episode

This week, I talk with copywriter and content creator Kaleigh Moore about her tips for staying productive and creative. Content marketing isn’t an easy game — and when you create content for clients, you need to develop strong skills and habits to keep the creativity flowing. In this 21-minute episode, I talk with writer Kaleigh... Listen to episode

A conversation with Brian Gardner about the evolution of WordPress and new things happening at StudioPress Self-hosted WordPress is a wonderful thing … except for all the hard parts. Like figuring out hosting, security, design, installation … In this 19-minute episode, I talk with our Chief Product Officer (we sometimes call him our Chief WordPress... Listen to episode

What’s a freelancer’s biggest nightmare? Clients from hell! Guest Bryce Bladon shares his experience on how to cope — and how to avoid problems from the outset. If you haven’t checked out Clients from Hell yet, you’re in for a treat. This entertaining blog pulls together anonymous stories about those clients who give us aches... Listen to episode

Is it wise to get political with our content marketing? We’ve all seen this year’s Super Bowl ads hashed, rehashed, and re-rehashed. The big theme of the year was: Crossing the line into politics. But what happens when the line crosses you? In other words, how should a company respond when a previously non-controversial position... Listen to episode

We love books at Copyblogger! Today, we’re digging into Jonah Sachs’ Winning the Story Wars. Stepping into the world of meaning-making means stepping onto a high-stakes battlefield where important stories compete.”– Jonah Sachs, Winning the Story Wars When Sachs wrote his book in 2012, the phrase “Story Wars” seemed like it might be putting things... Listen to episode

No, content marketing strategy is not “make a whole bunch of spaghetti and see what sticks to the wall.” “How come my content marketing isn’t working?” This is a great question … and the answer isn’t necessarily, “you need to create more content.” Often, you aren’t creating the right kind of content — the kind... Listen to episode

New Year, New You? Or Nah? Woot! This is our first “official” pair of prompts for the 2017 Content Excellence Challenge. (In December we were just getting warmed up …) The January Prompts Creative: Brainstorm 20-30 headlines for possible content. Incorporate as many ideas as you can from the ebook and articles below. Every day... Listen to episode

So much bad advice … Funny thing — you can ask for people’s favorite words of advice, and you’ll get a decent number of answers. But ask for their favorite piece of bad advice, and you’ll really get a response. I did exactly that on Twitter, and the podcast and post this week are all... Listen to episode

See ya, 2016! We’re starting 2017 early this year. This year has been a rollercoaster … so I’m proposing we kick 2017 off early. To get where you want to go professionally, you’ll need to create excellent content, and to create enough of it to make an impact. We want to support your efforts in... Listen to episode

Ever thought about launching an online course … or some other digital product or service? Here are the four most important elements you need to put into play. Whether you’re starting out or a you’re digital commerce veteran, there are some fundamental pieces that need to be in play before you can profitably launch a... Listen to episode

It’s time again for Andy Crestodina’s annual survey of 1000(+) bloggers. Take a listen and see how your site measures against the trends … For the third year running, Andy Crestodina over at Orbit Media has run his Survey of 1000 Bloggers. We had a chance to chat about the most interesting findings … and... Listen to episode

Is it too late to start a podcast? Should we all just shut up and listen quietly, rather than launching something that isn’t great? So, Ryan Holiday published a post, and it got a lot of attention. Ryan is excellent at getting attention, and he details some of his most effective techniques in his book,... Listen to episode

“Help! No one is reading my content!” We have some thoughts … Whether your site is big or small, we all want more engaged visitors who are reading, watching, and listening to our content. In this 23-minute episode, Sonia talks about: The smartest place (usually) to send paid traffic How to generate the “signals of... Listen to episode

Content marketing is a long game … but that doesn’t mean we can’t create some quick wins. Strategic content marketing is all about long-term results — but there’s actually a lot you can do to create some momentum right away. In this 19-minute episode, Sonia talks about: The fastest way I know to create lots... Listen to episode

Smart content producers know that we can produce a lot more (and better) content when we collaborate. But collaboration brings its own set of headaches and complexities. Today we talk about a nifty new tool to make it simpler. Joanna Wiebe, conversion expert extraordinaire, two-time speaker at our live event in Denver, and creator of... Listen to episode

There’s a word that comes up a lot when we talk about content marketing: Intimidating. It’s easy to get intimidated at the prospect of creating a high volume of really good content. And even more so if you don’t completely think of yourself as a writer. Guess who wrote a book to help? It’s Copyblogger’s... Listen to episode

Here’s a great problem to have: Producing so much high-quality content that your audience gets overwhelmed. But the thing is … it’s still a problem. Today, Sonia Simone and Pamela Wilson take you behind the scenes to look at the development of our new weekly email roundup — Copyblogger Weekly. We’re putting this new approach... Listen to episode

Fiction needs what editor Shawn Coyne calls “obligatory scenes” — the elements that satisfy audience expectations and make the book a must-read. Do those elements exist for content? And if so … what are they? Today, Sonia Simone gives her thoughts on the “must-include” elements of a solid content marketing program. In this 28-minute episode,... Listen to episode

The Copyblogger blog was founded on a simple but powerful idea — that our content (blogs, podcasts, video) can be strengthened by adapting techniques from the world of direct response copywriting. Today, Sonia drills into some specific techniques and approaches that we can profitably swipe from our direct response brothers and sisters. In this 24-minute... Listen to episode