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

‘The Writer Files’ podcast has moved to writerfiles.fm where you’ll find all new shows featuring bestselling authors, journalists, self-publishing superstars, neuroscientists, and publishing pros. Kelton Reid continues his survey of their habits, habitats, and brains to learn their secrets. Click here simply point your web browser to writerfiles.fm for more great content! Thank you, Kelton

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

If you’re paying attention to the world of work, the news is unavoidable. Everyone is bracing for a tech-induced transformation — and it s already started. As a solo or small business person, technology allows you to do things that used to require scores of employees and tons of capital — and that ability will accelerate... 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

In Part Two of another special edition of The Writer Files called “The Writer’s Brain,” with guest host neuroscientist Michael Grybko, we’ll dig back into the inextricable link between productivity and creativity, and the Catch-22 so many writers face as a result. This all began when Michael and I started a conversation about why we... 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

Welcome back to another special edition of The Writer Files called “The Writer’s Brain,” a guest series with neuroscientist Michael Grybko, and in this episode we’ll dig into the inextricable link between productivity and creativity, and the Catch-22 so many writers face as a result. This all began when Michael and I started a conversation... Listen to episode

Happy holidays from the Writer Files, this is just a quick update that we are on hiatus until 2019. Thank you so much for listening and helping us find our audience! I hope 2018 has been a creative, productive, and successful year for your writing life and career, and that you’re setting some ambitious goals... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this file the audiobook publisher, award-winning podcast producer, and internationally acclaimed speaker, Tina Dietz, returned to wrap up our chat about her passion for helping authors grow their audiences, why you should produce an audiobook, and the bright future of audio content. Tina is an entrepreneur and content marketing expert who... Listen to episode

This week audiobook publisher, award-winning podcast producer, and internationally acclaimed speaker, Tina Dietz, took a timeout to chat with me about her passion for helping authors grow their audiences, why you should produce an audiobook, and the bright future of audio content. Tina is an entrepreneur and content marketing expert who has been featured on... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this file the acclaimed New York Times bestselling sci-fi author, Richard K. Morgan, spoke with me from overseas about his winding journey from English tutor to bestseller, having his novel adapted for the small screen, what it’s like to write for Marvel comics, and his unique take on creativity and the... Listen to episode

Acclaimed New York Times bestselling sci-fi author, Richard K. Morgan, spoke with me from overseas about his winding journey from English tutor to bestseller, having his novel adapted for the small screen, what it’s like to write for Marvel comics, and his unique take on creativity and the writing life. Richard is best known as... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this file the prolific pro comedy writer, author, and amateur parenting expert, James Breakwell, took a timeout to rap with me about @XplodingUnicorn and his rise to viral Twitter fame, how he juggles multiple writing projects, his family and his sanity, and the writer as entrepreneur. In the early days of... Listen to episode

Prolific pro comedy writer, author, and amateur parenting expert, James Breakwell, took a timeout to rap with me about @XplodingUnicorn and his rise to viral Twitter fame, how he juggles multiple writing projects, his family and his sanity, and the writer as entrepreneur. In the early days of his writing career James told me that... 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

In Part Two of this file the prolific, bestselling author of the paranormal and dark fantasy, Steff Green, returned to talk with me about overcoming rejection, perseverance, her inspiring journey from copywriter to bestseller, and her advice to fellow scribes who may be facing adversity. Steff Green is a New Zealander who is a fervent... 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

Prolific, bestselling author of the paranormal and dark fantasy, Steff Green, dropped by the show to talk with me about overcoming rejection, perseverance, her inspiring journey from copywriter to bestseller, and her advice to fellow scribes who may be facing adversity. Steff Green is a New Zealander who is a fervent self-publishing advocate, public speaker,... 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

The author of the captivity memoir, The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast, Michael Scott Moore joined me this week to talk about his fascinating journey as a writer, how he wrote his harrowing and detailed memoir (much of it without notes), and why it’s changed him as a... 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

In the second half of this special edition of the show we’re shining the light on two more freelance writers out there who are making it happen as professional online content creators. These are scribes who have found success — and a very good living — doing what they love … writing and helping others... Listen to episode

In this special edition of the show we’re shining the light on freelance writers out there who are making it happen as professional online content creators. These are scribes who have found success — and a very good living — doing what they love … writing and helping others achieve success. In full disclosure, the... 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

In Part Two of this archival file from early 2016, the prolific international bestselling thriller author and self-publishing advocate, Mark Dawson, rapped with me about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the productivity hacks that have helped him publish over 30 books. Mr. Dawson’s multiple thriller series, self-publishing savvy, and an impressive email list of over... Listen to episode

Prolific international bestselling thriller author and self-publishing advocate, Mark Dawson, dropped by the show back in early 2016 to talk with me about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the productivity hacks that have helped him publish over 30 books. Mr. Dawson’s multiple thriller series, self-publishing savvy, and an impressive email list of over 100,000 subscribers,... 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

In Part Two of this special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn” I’ve invited back my old friend, award-winning international journalist, author, pundit, and bad penny, Adam Skolnick, to discuss with me a piece I wrote recently for Copyblogger titled, “5 Things Only Serious Writers Do.” There are never enough words to... 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

The Unemployable life is all about being a digital nomad, maybe cruising around the country in a van, trusty laptop at your side, right? Well, for the last 20 years, I can t say that s been my experience at all. So, let s fix that. For the next year, the family and I will be living abroad.... Listen to episode

Welcome to a special edition of The Writer Files, we’re back from an extended Summer hiatus. My old friend, award-winning international journalist, author, pundit, and bad penny, Adam Skolnick, turned up this week to discuss with me a piece I wrote recently for Copyblogger titled, 5 Things Only Serious Writers Do. But before Adam and... 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

It can be easy to think that highly successful people have just ended up that way, fully formed. The reality is, almost every person deemed to have “made it” makes the same joke: “I m a ten-year overnight success.” I ve been fortunate to know Lewis Howes for about ten years, and what a ten years it s... 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

Over the last 20 years, the way we work and collaborate has changed dramatically. The promises of a free agent nation from the early days of the internet have become a reality for freelancers and solo entrepreneurs around the planet. Effective teams still matter, though — maybe now more than ever. How those teams come... 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

In Part Two of another special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn,” writer, educator, and co-founder of Prolifiko, Bec Evans, returned to conclude our chat about writer personality types, productivity secrets, and understanding your writing psychology. Bec is the co-founder of Prolifiko, a new digital coach aimed at helping writers beat writer’s... 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

Over the last 12 years or so since I started Copyblogger, I ve had an amazing journey. Along the way, I ve also been fortunate to watch the journeys of those who started about the same time, as well as those that broke out in the following years. One of those people is my friend Jonathan Fields,... Listen to episode

Welcome to another special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn,” and this week the writer, educator, and co-founder of Prolifiko, Bec Evans, stopped by to chat with me about writer personality types, productivity secrets, and understanding your writing psychology. Bec is the co-founder of Prolifiko, a new digital coach aimed at helping... 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

Late last month, I announced that StudioPress, our WordPress design and hosting division, was acquired by WP Engine. It was my first “liquidity event” ever, despite having started a string of companies over the last 20 years. With this episode, I’ll take you behind the scenes a bit to discuss some of the things I... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn” I’ve invited back award-winning international journalist, author, and serial pundit, Adam Skolnick, to discuss a piece I wrote for Copyblogger.com last year titled, “21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers.” Over the last four years, I ve been given the fantastic... 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

In this special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn” I’ve invited back award-winning international journalist, author, and serial pundit, Adam Skolnick, to discuss a piece I wrote for Copyblogger.com last year titled, “21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers.” Over the last four years, I ve been given the fantastic opportunity to interview... 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

Listeners to Unemployable are no strangers to the idea that one person, armed with the internet, affordable technology, and a network of fellow unemployable people can do big things. So you won t be surprised to hear that the number of one-person businesses earning a million dollars or more a year continues to rise. These are... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this special edition of the show we call “The Writer’s Brain,” a guest series with neuroscientist Michael Grybko, we dig into a phenomenon known as “impostor syndrome,” an experience many writers struggle with. The experience known as “impostor syndrome” has been recognized in over 70% of the population across a wide... Listen to episode

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Writer’s Brain,” a guest series with neuroscientist Michael Grybko, and in this episode we dig into a phenomenon known as “impostor syndrome,” an experience many writers struggle with. The experience known as “impostor syndrome” has been recognized in over 70% of the population... Listen to episode

Once you’ve made the big decisions about who your course is serving and what transformation your course will deliver (our topic last week), it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty of determining how you will actually execute your lessons. In this episode, we discuss three important questions you need to ask yourself to... 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

Everyone discovers the power of content marketing in their own way. And ultimately, those who do it well take their own unique path from there. As a film and television guy in Los Angeles, Peter Abraham focuses mainly on the visual and experiential side of content with Abraham content marketing studio. Which makes sense with... Listen to episode

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process. This is Part Five of the series and a rebroadcast... Listen to episode

Once you have your website up and running, and you re consistently publishing good content and connecting with your audience, it s time to ponder whether creating an online course would be a smart next move. There are many different ways — both big and small — to incorporate an online course into your content and product... 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

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer’s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process. Q: Have you ever wondered why writer’s block is such... Listen to episode

The best way to navigate the crowded marketplace for online content is with a smart positioning strategy. What makes you stand out? Why will people pay attention to you and your content with so many other options out there? In this episode, we take a high-level look at how to reassess, and improve, the positioning... 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

On his 30th birthday, Steve Jobs sent the following Hindu saying to his friends: “For the first 30 years of your life, you make your habits. For the last 30 years of your life, your habits make you.” James Clear understands the power of habits as well as anyone. And he uses that knowledge to... Listen to episode

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process. Q: Have you ever wondered why storytelling is such an... Listen to episode

This week, as our series on SEO continues, we re talking about getting more links — which remain one of the most important and influential ranking factors that search engines look at. In general, what should you be doing to get more links? Here are three questions to ask yourself … Here is a quick rundown... Listen to episode

It s no secret that I m a big fan of partnerships to effectively build businesses without investors. I ve done it successfully over a half-dozen times. It s also no secret that I had a very public falling out with a partner back in 2010. While it was no fun at the time, it led to my amazing... Listen to episode

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process. Q: Have you ever wondered how great writing creates an... Listen to episode

How do you attract more search visitors to your site? And more importantly, how do you make sure that the majority of those visitors are members of your target audience? Your keyword strategy will play a huge role in this, and this episode you will discover three areas of focus that will optimize your keyword... Listen to episode

Everyone feels fear when faced with uncertainty — especially when starting a new business. But if you have the right mindset — and framework — you will find your own success. Starting a new business endeavor can be one of the most stressful events of your life. So many things to do and so many... Listen to episode

Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process. Q: Have you ever wondered how prolific writers summon vast... Listen to episode

As we continue our series on SEO, we’re diving into local SEO this week. And we have a special guest to help out with this week’s lesson — and it’s a voice you know well: Sean Jackson. He provides insight on what NAP means, how to harness the power of reviews, and why images make... 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

Are you in a creative rut? Well don’t worry, this episode is filled with great ideas to help you repurpose your content. We all get in a creative rut from time to time. Sometimes we are afraid of doing something new. Or maybe we have difficulty convincing others of our creative ideas. In this 32... Listen to episode

The iconic, international bestselling author of 14 novels, including the era-defining Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Douglas Coupland, paid a visit to the show to rap with me about his latest collection, his strange ritual for starting a new book, and the timeless difficulties of getting published. Mr. Coupland started his career in... Listen to episode

Now that you have a live website, and you re publishing posts, and you re building community and gathering subscribers, it s time to start optimizing what you ve got. And there is no better place to start your optimization than with search engine optimization. This episode begins a multi-part series on improving your SEO, and we start this... Listen to episode

Brian Clark has written a lot of headlines. And the vast majority of those headlines have been very effective in achieving their simple goal of getting you to click on a post and read it. In this discussion, we tease out Brian’s best and latest advice on how to write magnetic headlines that readers won’t... Listen to episode

LinkedIn is rolling out a lot of new features for marketers; including video. If you are looking for creative ways to connect on LinkedIn, then this episode will inspire you. LinkedIn is one the oldest social media platforms on the web. However, it has not always been easy for marketers to create meaningful engagement through... Listen to episode

In Part Two of this file, the award-winning New York Times bestselling author, investigative journalist, and anthropologist, Scott Carney, returned to talk about the dangers of putting yourself into the story, what he’s learned in his 20+ years in mainstream publishing, and how he juggles his multiple creative adventures. Throughout his globe-trotting career as a... Listen to episode

You can waste a lot of time creating amazing content if you don’t invest similarly in writing irresistible headlines. What’s the point of great content if you can’t get anyone to click on it in the first place? In this episode, we walk you through the mindset and techniques you need to write the kind... 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

How do you build a community up from nothing, attract the right kind of people, and repel the kinds of fanatics and fools who threaten to derail all of your hard work? In this edition of Site Success, Sean Jackson and Jerod Morris discuss some of the fundamental elements of building a community the right... Listen to episode

Award-winning New York Times bestselling author, investigative journalist, and anthropologist, Scott Carney, stopped by the show recently to talk about the dangers of putting yourself into the story, what he’s learned in his 20+ years in mainstream publishing, and how he juggles his multiple creative adventures. Throughout his globe-trotting career as a journalist Scott has... Listen to episode

As you start building your audience, you may find yourself wondering how you can increase connection and give people more reason to interact with you and your ideas. One great way is to establish a community around your content. But don’t just jump into it head first. Consider these questions to make sure you start... 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

To blog or not to blog, that is the question … we’ll debate on this episode. Blogging is considered an essential tool in the content marketer’s toolbox. But is it worth the time? With so many options available for online ad buys and social media engagement, does having a blog really help you grow your... Listen to episode