Nov 16 2015

5 Must Have Blogging Tools

Many, many years ago when I was a hobby blogger I gave very little thought to resources, tools, educational materials, or project management systems to help me with my writing. Like most part-time or “for fun” bloggers I simply wrote what was on my heart. I didn’t plan for the holidays, didn’t plan for seasons, and certainly didn’t manage an editorial calendar.

When I made the jump from hobby blogger to professional blogger I knew things would have to change if I was going to succeed.

After a great deal of trial and error I have finally widdled down the 5 must have blogging tools in order to be a successful blogger. These are the 5 things that I can not live without in my blogging career. These tools make successfully blogging and building an online brand easier and possible.

[Read more…]

Aug 07 2015

Now Offering Weekly Link-Up Party Services

Health Matters Media is now offering weekly link-up party virtual assisting services. Contact us today for rates and schedules.

Health Matters Media is excited to announce a new virtual assisting service. Weekly link-up party services are now available.

All over the blogosphere bloggers host weekly link-ups on their blogs to increase their page views and site traffic but also as a way for those that link-up to increase their page views. Visitors to their weekly link-ups will see your blog post and visit your site if the link-up content is of interest to them. Additionally, many of the weekly link-up parties feature the most popular or hand picked posts the following week which offers additional opportunity for increase page views.

In short, the benefits to adding weekly link-ups to your marketing plan include increase page views and networking opportunities with fellow bloggers in your niche.

Let Health Matters Media link-up your most popular blog posts every week to a wide variety of link-up parties on your behalf. Save your precious time, focus directly on money making opportunities, let us link-up for you.

Weekly Link-Up Party Services

Weekly link-up party services include 10 blog post link-ups for $5. Billed per month at a rate of $20.

Jun 24 2015

3 Simple Steps to Help You Grow Your Business

HMLM Affiliate Disclosure

When you are growing a business you must prepare for sustainable growth and long-term success by by doing certain things. Some of them are so simple they can be easily overlooked.

These 3 simple steps will help you grow your online business or blog. premierexecutivemedia.com

An online business owner wears many hats:

Web designer
Product Creation Engineer and Project Manager
Sales and Marketing Guru
Copywriting Wizard
Newsletter Writer Extraordinaire
Graphic Designer
Social Media Expert
Affiliate Program Manager
Accountant and Chief Financial Officer

and the list could go on and on. When you are small there may be enough hours in the day for one person to take care of most of these on a regular basis, but you want to grow. And with a growth of reach, market, and income comes a growth of responsibilities.

Suddenly you’re not just studying social media metrics for one platform, but all of them. Overnight a product takes off and you realize you have 500 entries on the financial statement to categorize, balance and record this month, instead of 15, and you just don’t have the time to get it all done.

One person can’t do it all, at least not all at the same time, and realizing that is the first step towards building a team that can take your online business from small to successful.

These 3 Simple Steps Will Help You Grow Your Business Smoothly

Step 1: Make a Source File

Take time now, while you have the time and your business is small, to make a master list of all the little details about your business and your website and design preferences. And keep it updated as necessary.

What fonts, colors, image sizes you use, what layout or template you prefer for images, all of those million little details that make your brand what it is. Make a note of your theme name and any customizations that you have had done to it. If you use a storage account like AmazonS3 or Google docs make note of that. Have a list of passwords and login information for service providers, affiliate programs and payment gateways.

This file should include information that would make it easier for someone to

Complete a task you currently do,
Find and fix a problem, OR
Run the show for you if for some reason you could not for several months,

All of that should be noted somewhere. It is much easier to give a newly hired assistant or a website designer a document to read, than to have to explain it or take time to write it all down in a moment of crisis. You might even create tutorial screenshot videos as you do a routine task, so that you can easily share the link and pass the task off to your assistant when the time comes. Many of us know it would be good to do this, but don’t follow through and end up regretting it later.

Step 2: Outsource

As soon as you can pay your bills (hosting, email, etc.) you should be investing in your business by hiring people to do for you the things you do not HAVE to do.

Depending on your business and you personal strengths, those things may be email, customer service, blog post writing, image creation, marketing, product development etc.

Anything that you do not personally have to do to maintain the integrity of your brand can and should be hired out to capable managers so that you have more time to concentrate on the things you do have to do to build your business. (If you need help figuring out what those tasks look like, I recommend this book.)

My first outsourcing was for social media scheduling, link up party postings, and freebie creation. Those time consuming tasks handed off to someone else gave me time to concentrate on creating content, products, advertising and other business-building activities that gave me a better return for the personal time invested.

3: Keep a Common Calendar

When you do outsource, whether it is task-related or hourly, you will need a way to communicate with your team member(s). Using a project management system that lets you collaborate on a calendar, assign tasks, and make comments or have discussions about upcoming to-dos will simplify the communication, keep everyone on track and allow for more success.

A simple way to do this for blog posts is by using the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin. You can plan and schedule posts making note in the title what needs to be done, leaving notes on post drafts etc for other team members to see when they next login. TeamWork and Basecamp are additional not-in-your-blog project management system that are great for organizing multiple projects or team members, but there are many others as well.

Following these 3 simple steps will streamline your transition from one-man (or woman) to team business, and will make growing your business a smoother and more enjoyable process.

Blogging Concentrated’s BC Prime also has a wealth of resources and knowledge to help you grow your business.

Katie Hornor is a professional blogger, entrepreneur, international speaker and founder of Como Blog, a bilingual education site for bloggers and online business owners, and the new Como Blog Connection, an affordable membership program where you will find resources, connections and coaching to spur you on to reach your business dreams. Get info about The Connection and download the Free ebook 50 Powerful Tips for Successful Business Habits at Como Blog.

Jun 08 2015

Create a Hidden Pinterest Image

If you are an online business owner utilizing Pinterest it is absolutely essential that you know the ins and outs of this platform and how to effectively use it to market your business. Whether you are selling physical goods, online services such as ecourses, or driving traffic to your blog, knowing how to gain the most marketing power from Pinterest is critical.

Pinterest is visual, nothing more nothing less. The key to getting your image noticed in the enormous sea with all of the other visual input is to take up as much screen real estate as possible. In other words, vertical images are key. Noticed I said they are key, not optional or recommended, vertical images are essential if you want any chance of getting repins or website traffic.

All too often, when I am managing Pinterest accounts for my clients, I see bloggers and well known brands pinning horizontal images. These images get passed over resulting in low repin numbers and missed marketing opportunities.

Infographics are also popular on Pinterest but long info graphics take up a lot of real estate on your blog post or website. Infographics are effective marketing tools for brands, professional bloggers and speakers, as well as everyone else that has statistical information about their product or niche that they need to market.

The question was recently raised by one of my Pinterest clients about how to make a vertical image available for pinning from her website when her website style lends itself to horizontal images.

Thankfully, for both her and you there is an easy solution. With a little CSS code you can quickly and easily hide an image on your blog post that is only visible when your readers pin from the blog post.

If you have a WordPress website here is how you can hide an image on your next blog post:

Step 1 – Add the code to your theme’s CSS

CSS is the cascading style sheet and hidden pin images work by changing the way your image is displayed on your blog post. In essence, using this CSS code you are going to add a new style to your theme and then apply the name of your new CSS style to any image you want to hide.

Sounds easy right? Don’t worry, it really is.

First, find your theme’s CSS. For most themes, this is under appearance —> editor. Copy and add the following code to the very bottom of your style sheet. I recommend adding this code to the very bottom of your editor so as to not disturb any other code on your blog. You may also need to add a } to the line before this code so as to not break your site.

/* hide the pinterest image */
.hiddenpinimage {
opacity: 0;
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
height: 0px;
width: 0px;
}

Don’t forget to save your CSS update!

Step 2 – Add the long image to your blog post

Now it’s time to add the vertical pin-friendly image to your blog post. Because this image will be hidden, you can add it anywhere on your post. I recommend adding it to the very bottom.

Pinterest pulls images based on date and time ranking from newest to oldest. So naturally the image at the bottom of your post will show up in the pinnable image list first and the first image in your blog post will be shown last.

Step 3 – Apply the CSS code to your hidden image

Once you have added the hidden image to your post it is time to add the hidden image tag to the image.

Click on the image in your visual post editor. This will bring up a menu which includes a variety of options including the option to edit. Click on the pencil, otherwise known as the image editor.

The next popup window will bring up the image details including URL, position, size and a variety of other specifics. In order to apply the name of your hidden image CSS to your image click on advanced options in the lower left corner.

In the advanced image option window locate image CSS style. In this field add hiddenpinimage. Adding this title in the image CSS style field will tie your image to your new CSS code.

Choose update on the image editor then update your blog post.

That is it! You are done!

You have now successfully added a hidden image to your blog post and have an easy work around for creating pintastic vertical images that you do not want shown on your post.

For all subsequent blog posts, simply repeat steps 2 and 3 for any image you want to hide. There is no limit for the number of images you hide on a blog post.

Truly, it is that easy!

If you need a helping creating images, managing your Pinterest account, or even editing the backend of your wordpress blog including add this code to your CSS please contact us.

Don’t forget about our June Pinterest account review and management special! For only $25 you can receive a complete review of your Pinterest blog and learn how to get the most marketing potential out of your Pinterest account. Or save $75 when you purchase 3 months of our pin-friendly Pinterest account management. Learn more!

Jun 05 2015

HMM June Pinterest Sale Special

To celebrate the one year anniversary of managing Pinterest accounts and providing Pinterest account reviews, Health Matters Media will be offering a special sale for all new Pinterest clients.

Is your Pinterest account in dire need of organization or purpose? Perhaps you’ve been wishing you had more activity on your account or page views on your blog as a result of your Pinterest account. Looking to increase your Pinterest account SEO? Or do you simply not have the time to put into your account to make it highly effective in attracting new business?

During the month of June, you can choose from the one or both of the following sale specials to improve and overhaul your Pinterest account.

Special #1 The Pintastic Account Review

You will receive all the following when you purchase a Pintastic Account Review

A thorough review and analysis of all of your current boards. Including recommendations for reorganizing, changes in your board descriptions, board cover images, and recommendations for additional board content.
Optimization analysis on your current Pinterest boards including pin content, pin quality, and pin volume.
Analysis of your account description and keyword suggestions for optimized SEO.
Complete PDF report off all recommendations and analysis.
Video analysis including explanations, first impressions, and recommendations.

Regular Price $40. On Sale this month ONLY for $25

Special #2 3 Months of Pin-Friendly Account Management

You will receive all the following when you purchase the Pin-Friendly Account Management

Complete overhaul of your board SEO including board titles and descriptions.
Thorough reorganization of current boards to optimize placement and content exposure.
Purge of inactive and underperforming pins.
Creation of new boards directly related to your brand and high quality pins to fill each of these new boards.
Monthly personalized management of your Pinterest account.
Scheduled pinning of your blog content to all relevant personal and group boards.
HMM will actively search out highly active group boards related to your brand and work to have your account added to these boards.

Regular Price $100/month. On Sale this month ONLY Save $75 off a 3 month package. You will receive 3 months of Pinterest account management for only $225.

BUT WAIT! The first 3 who purchase a new Pin-Friendly Account Management package will also receive a complete Pintastic Account Review for FREE. That is a $115 savings!

This sale will end June 30th at midnight PST. Don’t delay! When this sale is gone it is gone for good! After all, you only have a one year anniversary once!

Take your Pinterest account to the next level and capitalize on the huge marketing potential of Pinterest!

Alexis, has been instrumental in doing for me what I could not do for myself. I had a beautiful blog site and the social media sites to support it for more than a year, but it was all so over whelming. It was like learning a foreign language and it seemed to be more of a defeat than a delight. That is until, I met Alexis. Alexis came along side of me and encouraged me to do what I do best and to leave the rest up to her. I cannot tell you what a weight was lifted from my shoulders and how it has freed me up to do what I do best and that is to write. Not only is Alexis an expert in this area, she is always there to support or encourage. She sees the bigger vision and know s how to help you get there. Working with Alexis is not only a privilege but a delight! Due to her diligence my blog and social media sites have increased in so many ways. She truly did for me what I could not do for myself and I am forever grateful.

Terri Hamman

When I first met Alexis, she was the only person who really took the time to sit down with me, one on one, and answer questions I had about becoming a virtual assistant. I was brand new in starting my business and growing frustrated with being unable to find answers to some of my questions and concerns. Alexis went above and beyond, not only answering my questions but reinstating my confidence in myself. She reminded me that yes – I could become a successful virtual assistant.

Almost a year after our first conversation, I was given the opportunity to meet Alexis in person at a blogging conference. The sincerity of her personality along with her willingness to help others was just as great in person as it was through our online conversations.

Not long after the conference, I jumped at the chance to learn more about Pinterest management from Alexis. I walked away from that course finally feeling like Pinterest was no longer a mystery. I felt confident in my ability to offer Pinterest as a service to my customers, and I have used the information I gained from her lessons towards my own blog’s account as well.

I can easily say that I would not be successful as a virtual assistant today without the help and encouragement from Alexis. I will forever be grateful for her guidance and friendship. I highly recommend any aspiring virtual assistant to take every possible opportunity to learn from her as well.

Jeanetta Roberts

Alexis is a professional in everything she does. She works diligently to understand the needs of her client and quickly develops a strategy that produces results. Alexis is approachable and easy to work with. She keeps her client informed on what is working and provides critical insights as to adjustments that need to be made. Saving the client both time and money. I was so impressed by her knowledge of social media I brought her on to help with other projects. I highly recommend hiring Alexis if you want to grow your social media presence or build you online business.

Connie AlbersConnieAlbers.com

Pintastic Pinterest Account Review

A thorough review and analysis of all of your current boards including recommendations for reorganizing, changes in your board descriptions, board cover images, and recommendations for additional board content. Optimization analysis on your current Pinterest boards including pin content, pin quality, and pin volume. Analysis of your account description and keyword suggestions for optimized SEO. A complete PDF report off all recommendations and analysis. Video analysis including explanations, first impressions, and recommendations.

3 Months of Pin-Friendly Account Management

Complete overhaul of your board SEO including board titles and descriptions. A thorough reorganization of current boards to optimize placement and content exposure including purging inactive and underperforming pins. Creation of new boards directly related to your brand and high quality pins to fill each of these new boards. 3 months of personalized management of your Pinterest account. Scheduled pinning of your blog content to all relevant personal and group boards. HMM will actively search out highly active group boards related to your brand and work to have your account added to these boards.