Important Legal Advice for Small Business Owners

I’m a big fan of Chris Guillebeau’s products, in particular the Empire Builder Kit which teaches you how to build a meaningful lifestyle business in one year and really helped me improve and hone my own business marketing strategy.
So I know Chris’s brand new product the Unconventional Guide to Law and Order will be a great resource, both for new business owners who are just getting started, and for people who’ve been running their own business for a while.
We business owners all need to stay on the right side of the law and while I’m sure that you and me are the ethical type, the kind of people that want to and try to do things by the book, there’s an awful lot to learn about business law. The fact is that there are a lot of potential for mistakes  to be made when it comes to business land law and some of those mistakes could cost you a lot of money.
The Unconventional Guide to Law and Order will not only help you stay on the right side of the law but will also show you how to use law for good to build your business, create strong relationships, define clear terms in agreements and calculate your risks.
The Unconventional Guide to Law and Order demystifies the world of contracts, liability, intellectual property rights, taxes and incorporation — and builds a better business by putting the law to work for you.
The Unconventional Guide to Law and Order will help you learn:

• Practical action steps to use legal tools to build your business;
• How to handle the most common legal issues faced by artists and entrepreneurs;
• How to craft a contract with the language required to protect your business and relationships;
• What legal business you can safely DIY, and when you need to call in a professional;
• The most important things you need to consider about protecting your intellectual property in the internet age.

If you have questions like these about running a business the guide will answer them:

• Do I need to incorporate my business? If so, what kind of incorporation do I need?
• What kind of intellectual property can be protected—and how do I protect it?
• Is a handshake and email enough to hire a contractor? What if something goes wrong?
• How can I license my artwork to sell?
• What kind of formal agreement do I need to have with a business partner?
• I’ve hired a designer, but who owns the work?

So if the legal issues of running a business are a concern for you you can either spend two hours reading this resource and working through the action steps or pay an attorney $1,500 or more to tell you the same things.

Why I Promote the Unconventional Guides

I’m an affiliate for the Unconventional Guide to Law and Order and all of Chris Guillebeau’s products because I love them and know you’ll love them too. That means if you like his unconventional guides and buy them then I get a percentage of the cost but you don’t pay any extra.
Being an affiliate doesn’t make me rich but it does help to cover some costs of running Successful Blogging and support me as I support you with your digital marketing efforts.
You can read more in my disclosure policy but if you’d like to find out more about the Unconventional Guides, including the Empire Builder Kit or the Unconventional Guide to Law and Order, I’d love if you use those affiliate links. If it’s not something you’re interested in right now or if you’d rather not use the links that’s okay. Whatever happens I’ll be back with more blogging tips soon.

Final Thoughts on the Unconventional Guide to Law and Order

Even if you don’t live in the U.S. this guide still help you because law is different in every jurisdiction, across the U.S., across the world, and across the internet and the guide has been written with an investigative inquiry approach to help you figure out what you need to do, and what questions you need to ask no matter where you live.
Find out more about the Unconventional Guide to Law and Order including what you get, the guarantee and the prices here.

Author: Annabel Candy

How to Start a Blog People Will Read

Starting a blog is easy. Anyone can start a blog in a few minutes on WordPress but starting a blog that people will actually read is challenging.
In 2007, when I set up my first blog I just wanted to practice my writing and overcome my fear of rejection. I published my first blog post but then didn’t do anything else. I didn’t tell people I’d started a blog, I didn’t promote the blog post and I didn’t even keep blogging.
After I wrote that first blog post my focus changed. I busied myself selling our home in New Zealand and moving to Central America then I ending up living in Costa Rica with no Internet. My first blog post would have been my last blog post if I hadn’t decided to give blogging another go a few years later when we moved to Australia.
Even then I didn’t do the right thing. I just carried on blogging with the old free blog I’d set up all those years ago. The design was amateur. I changed domain name three times and changed the blog topic as often. Which made it hard to find readers, keep them and build a dedicated following.
The best thing I did second time round was to persevere with blogging because, having learnt from my blogging false start, I set myself a goal of writing three blog posts a week for a year. I stuck to that no matter what and I’m glad I did but it wasn’t easy.
For the first six months blog growth was slow. Practically non-existent although I poured my little heart out, shared great tips for people who wanted to move overseas and started to get active on Twitter and Facebook.
Around the six month mark I still didn’t have many readers but even so I’d already fallen in love with blogging. So I invested time and money buying my own domain name (www.GetIntheHotSpot.com) and creating a professional blog design.
I wasn’t a problogger by any stretch of the imagination but my blog looked professional which boosted my confidence and made readers more confident about recommending posts to friends, leaving comments and subscribing.
Slowly but surely Get In the Hot Spot grew to over 10,000 readers a month. Then blog readers even started to hire me for web design, blog design or copywriting even though I wasn’t actively promoting those services.
I soon realised that blogging was a great business marketing tool so I set up Successful Bloogging to help other small business owners tap into the power of blogging. I created a new income stream by writing Successful Blogging in 12 Simple Steps and then brands started to notice my blogs which allowed me to diversify my income through advertising and sponsorship.
It’s been quite a journey from timid writer top confident blogger but it’s an adventure that is open to everyone. So how do you start a blog that people want to read?

1. Know Who Your Blog Readers Are

You can’t really know your blog readers when you first start blogging because you don’t have any yet so you’ll have to use your imagination to begin with.
Create a profile of your ideal blog reader because only then can you design a blog and create content that will get them excited and keep them riveted.

2. Put the Design Back into Blog Design

WordPress templates are great. You can create a blog in minutes and if you choose a decent template it might even look good. The problem is that it will look like a template and it will look much like thousands of other blogs. Hiring a blog designer might help but you’ll need to give them something to work with like a unique logo or a fabulous professional photo.
Having a tired old blog template isn’t good enough any more, it’s just lazy and you can still create a unique design that will make your blog stand out from the crowd and appeal to your ideal readers even if you haven’t got much money to spend. If you’re working from scratch with no budget then think about swapping your services (writing, business mentoring, massage or whatever they are) for the services you need like graphic design or photography.

3. Write Mindfully

Start your blog with the most important post. That’s the content that is most important to your readers, not to you. They might be that less interested in knowing why you started your blog and more interested in jumping straight into the useful or entertaining content they’re looking for.
Create three to eight topics within your blog to help you focus on the content you want to share and make sure every post falls within those topics. You can alter and refine them slightly in time if you notice that some topics are less popular than others.
Every time you plan and write a blog post think about your ideal reader and write it specifically for them. That way you’ll be writing in a natural tone and focusing on the important issues.

4. Be Consistent

Nikki Parkinson’s Successful Blogging Story rammed this point home. Consistency, or lack of it, was a stumbling point for me when I started blogging because I didn’t have clear blogging goals. Hopefully you do, so keep your goals and your blog readers goals in mind and stick to them.
You probably won’t see many results from blogging for six to twelve months but if you’re not consistent in the style of blog posts you write, the topics you cover and how often you post then it will be hard to ever build up a readership.
Being consistent shows new readers what they can expect, keeps them coming back for more and gives them a reason to subscribe by email. It’s one of the main keys to starting a blog that people will read again and again.

5. Promote Your Blog

When you start blogging people won’t visit your blog unless you tell them about it. I started promoting my blog to friends and family on a small email list and recommend you do the same. Don’t spam your loved ones just let them know  you’ve started a blog, that you won’t carry on telling them about it if they’re not interested but if they are you’d love them to subscribe by email.
Now it’s time to set a Facebook page, Google+ account and Twitter account to promote your posts to a wider audience. Remember to ask readers to share your blog posts on social media and thank them when they do.
When you have a reasonable base of blog posts to show off start guest blogging because that’s still the fastest way to grow your blog. Really it is.
Finally have fun with your blog and resepct your readers. Anyone can start a blog but now you’re ready to start a blog that people actually love reading.

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Photo credit: SCA

Author: Annabel Candy

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13 Top Tips from the Social Media Tourism Symposium

Successful Blogging

If you love travel and social media then you would have been in  heaven at the recent Social Media Tourism Symposium in Wollongong, Australia.
Travel marketing movers and shakers from around the world converged in Wollongong this month to share social media marketing success stories and talk about how we can do even bigger and better things in the future.
I was honored to be one of them and to be invited to sit on a panel about working with bloggers, a topic so terrific and thorny that it needs to be tackled in a separate blog post.
Ytravel blog shared a huge post on the two day event here summarizing every single speaker but if you’re after a quick fix these are my favourite quotes from the event. Sadly not every speaker is mentioned here because I was constantly jumping up and down for more earl grey, M&Ms or even to get my microphone fitted. Sorry about that. But special mentions also go to:
- Tabitha Galvin from Wollongong Tourism for leading the way and persevering to make sure Wollongong won the right to host the conference through a social media voting campaign;
- Sophie Baker for starting the eye catching Instameets on Hamilton Island;
- Kate Duffy from the Canadian Tourism Commission whose ideas on communication and human relations, and whose passion for making sure social media excellence started within the organisation on their own private intranets was fabulous.
- Lauren Bath for her social media success story of getting over 250k Instagram followers then quitting her job as a chef to become a professional photographer. Lauren even made time to take some portrait shots of me on the beach after the conference so hopefully I’ll have a shiny new Twitter photo to share with you soon.
- Nelson Hall for shouting me coffee after our sunrise photo shoot at the lighthouse and for having the most cryptic Twitter handle.

On the panel from left to right: Kate Duffy, Annabel Candy (that’s me), Lauren Bath, Craig and Caz Makepeace and Holly Galbraith moderating on the far right – although we were very well behaved.

So here are some top tips from the 2013 Social Media Tourism Symposium in Australia:

1. Want to track a social media campaign? Decide the metrics you want to track BEFORE you start.
William Price, South African Tourism

2. Openness and authenticity is key for social media campaigns.
Ian Hill, Australian Capital Tourism

3. For travel marketing think about the four stages of travel – Dream, Plan, Experience and Share.
Sarah Mattsonn, Tourism Queensland

4. Be consistent with social media updates.
Sean Blocksidge, Margaret River Discovery Tours

5. Ask your readers and fans to share your content.
Donna Moritz, Socially Sorted

6. Work with people who are well connected.
James Hacon, Destination Content

7. Create a harmonious visual connection on all your social media outposts.
Steve Hanzic, Hanzic Design

8. The integrity of your brand is at stake if you don’t take social media seriously.
Jesse Desjardins, Tourism Australia

9. Social media is cost effective mass media and enables you to target different markets. (Unspoken tip for the fearful: so use it!)
Diana Kahui, Destination NSW

10. Personalise the experience – different people want different things.
Emmanuelle Legault, Tourism Montreal

11. Get people talking and they’ll do the marketing for you.
William Bakker, Think! Social

12. Social media is changing advertising and marketing and this is only the beginning.
@Craig Wilson, Media Hunter

13. Spend ALL your marketing budget and time on digital.
That’s what Emanuelle Legault says Tourism Montreal is aiming for by 2014 and it sounds like a very smart plan.

Check out the SoMeT website for upcoming events – there’s another Social Media Tourism Symposium this year in Albama which  is totally tempting.
Which of these tips inspire you most? Or maybe you’ve got a social media marketing tip or two to add? 

Author: Annabel Candy

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Best Blogging Success Story Ever With Instagram Tips and Tricks from Lauren Bath

Successful Blogging

I heard one of the best ever Blogging Success Stories at the Social Media Tourism Symposium. Lauren Bath sat on a panel with me about working with bloggers. I was there because of my travel blog Get In the Hot Spot but I loved Lauren’s story about amassing over 250,000 followers on Instagram in two years then quitting her job as a chef to become a professional photographer.
I’m a sucker for any blogging success story but if you’re in any doubt about the powers of social media to launch your career read on. I’m including Lauren’s story here because Instagram is a visual form of micro-blogging based on people sharing photos and even if you don’t want to become a professional photographer Instagram is a fun and useful part of your social media tool box. It’s perfect for visual blogging niches like travel, food and style.
If you’re after tips and tricks to grow your Instagram following then Lauren has oodles of them so of course I picked her brain and invited her to share her blogging success story with us an interview.
Hi Lauren, thank you for joining us on Successful Blogging. Please introduce yourself for those who might not know you yet:
My name is Lauren Elizabeth Pirie Bath which is quite a mouthful but accounts for my Social username and business name. @laurenepbath on Instagram and Pirie Bath Photography respectively.
Let’s get personal! Where do you live? Do you have a family? What’s your idea of the perfect day?
I live in Main Beach on the Gold Coast with my mum, my partner and my mum’s partner. It’s an unusual arrangement that works exceedingly well. It started as a favour for six months and now we’re coming up to three years.
My partner is amazing and completely supportive of my work. He’s probably the reason why I decided to push myself into business and take such a big risk changing careers. My idea of a perfect day would include equal parts photography and spending time with my family.

Tell us About Your Instagram Experiences

How long ago did you get on Instagram and why?
I downloaded Instagram after reading a blog post that said Instagram is more fun than Facebook. As a total Facebook addict at the time I had to see what the fuss was about.
I downloaded the Instagram app in August 2011 and uploaded a few silly pics before getting involved in a community and learning about liking, commenting and hash tagging. Armed with just my iPhone and the great camera app “Hipstamatic” I soon found myself going out on mini photo expeditions and getting hooked on Instagram. Before this I had never taken a creative photo in my life.
So what do you take photos of? Who enjoys them?
Since I live on the Gold Coast, and close to the beach, it only made sense that I spend time photographing our famous beaches. Whereas originally I used my iPhone only I upgraded to a DSLR in November 2011 and started to learn how to use it. Sunrises became a special time for me and I developed a very beachy stream of waves, sun, shells, seagulls and all things “beach”. This style attracts almost everyone! Who doesn’t want to see the beach?
I also started to enjoy portrait photography and slip in a few shots on my Instagram feed as well as various other photographic experiments – macro, nightscapes, water drops and animals. Having a very consistent stream but with lots of room for new styles has really allowed me to evolve as a photographer and take my Instagram followers with me.

Let’s get to the Instagram Tips and Tricks

How often do you upload new photos to Instagram and how many followers do you have now including your other social media accounts?
I upload between 3 and 5 shots on Instagram every single day. I don’t want to flood people’s home stream but I like to maintain consistency and momentum.
I now have 257,000 Instagram followers and just over 6,000 fans on my Facebook Page, although I assume that they are all on my Instagram as well.
What are your three tips for gaining followers on Instagram?
I get asked this all the time and there is no easy answer. People need to stop worrying about having followers and being popular and just use the app how it’s meant to be used – as a social media platform.
I legitimately like looking at photos and spent my first days and weeks on Instagram looking at pics, liking pics and commenting. I also like meeting people so I started building relationships and friendships on Instagram. This led to good advice from great photographers which improved my own photography.
One of my earliest insta-friends taught me so much! Advice that he gave me 2 years ago still applies today. So really the tips are 1) Be social 2) Don’t ask for shoutouts and 3) Good pics help.
I’ve heard you mention forums. What are Instagram forums? How do people find them and use them?
Forums are like challenges or competitions. A lot of the big groups post forums. For example @joshjohnson and @gang_family . You discover them as you go along and on people’s recommendations.
What about using hashtags on Instagram? Please can you tell us a few recommended ones?
These are some old ones I used to use :
#nikon #dslr #instacanvas #ic #photooftheday #igersgoldcoast #igersbrisbane #instagramhub #jj #instafamous #instamood #gmy #all_shots #gang_family #igersoftheday #statigram #seeaustralia #australia #nature #beach #water #sand #shell #flower #skyporn #sunrise #beautiful #rainforest
What are the best times to share photos on Instagram?
Any time of the day. Instagram is worldwide so there is always people awake and ready to see your upload.

The Journey Fom Amateur to Professional Photographer Through Instagram

So originally you were a chef and just started Instagram for fun but now you’re a professional photographer. Can you tell us a bit about that evolution? How long did it take?
Yes I was a chef for my whole life until I started Instagram but once I started taking shots it became quite clear that I had some raw talent and my affinity for social media really helped me to improve and grow. You learn very quickly what works visually and what doesn’t when you put your images online.
From when I got my camera to when the first opportunities came rolling in was just over a year. My success on Instagram led to my pictures being “discovered” by various people.
Tourism Australia was first and featured an album of my work on their Facebook page in early 2012. Small American companies started approaching me to feature their products on my Instagram page which I did a couple of times just for fun. Hamilton Island and Tourism ACT approached me in late 2012 for my first travel jobs, both all expenses paid but no payment.
That’s brilliant. What other good things have come to you from Instagram?
Early this year I became certain that more opportunities would come along and that I wouldn’t be able to take them due to work commitments, it was then that I decided to quit my job and focus on social media photography. The very day that I gave my notice I was emailed by three separate companies for big jobs. It was definitely a big sign that I was on the right track.
How exactly do you earn money from Instagram, social media and your photography?
This is where you have to be careful. I’m very aware that people follow me because they like my photography. I never wanted to be a sell out or endorse brands, post images that I didn’t take or do shout outs. If I went down this road I could be making good money for doing nothing but I would lose Instagram followers that have become friends.
On the other hand, quitting my job to make way for opportunities meant that I needed an income. I started to tentatively broach the subject of payment when organisations approached me to take part in famils or media trips. I didn’t over-quote and I always include all content for social media use and sometimes joint copyright options.
So technically I am being paid for my photography but in reality the attractiveness of my social media popularity is getting me the work. Nobody dictates to me what I take photos of or what I post, I maintain 100% creative control over my photography and my Instagram account.
Can you explain how a sponsored campaign works on Instagram and what kind of payment you get for that?
Well I can’t talk for others but for me I charge a base rate to travel away from home and that rate includes posting whatever images I like with all content available to the client. I’m also very happy to talk social and teach operators and organisations all my secrets!
I don’t like to talk about my rates in interviews. They are very fair and I’ve had amazing feedback from everyone that I’ve worked with. This includes almost every State Tourism Organisation in Australia, Tourism Australia and various Regional Tourism Organisations and Operators.
I’m often asked if I still do free work and the answer is yes. I love social media, I love travel and exciting content. When I’m between travel I often go out with local operators to give them a social helping hand.
Have you got any sponsors and if so how did they connect with you and how does the arrangement work? Do you get paid or do you promote them in return for equipment?
My main sponsor is Nikon Australia and it’s not really a sponsorship, more of a friendship. I shoot Nikon and chose Nikon myself. When Nikon Australia got wind of the impact I was making on social media they contacted me to see if I would be interested in borrowing some equipment. Basically just so that I have the opportunity to work with better cameras and lenses. It’s not a formal arrangement and I’ve loved Nikon from the start, even before our arrangement.
I also have sponsorship from Lee Filters. Again, I was using Lee filters anyway and I approached them because I needed a new set for my wide angle lens and I believe them to be the best. They’ve happily provided me with some filters and if anyone asks, I tell them the truth that I use Lee Filters.
Finally Aquatech loans me waterproof housing. This came about through my contact at Nikon Australia but I’m about to get a housing for a second time through my own negotiations. It’s all good PR for the companies and I get to use the best gear on the market.
Now you’re starting to work with brands and travel destinations too. What kind of thing do they typically want you to do?
One of the biggest things that destinations want is social content! I hear this all the time, getting enough content is an issue. I think that a lot of organisations just get excited to work with me because of my passion for Social Media.
For people that have worked in destination marketing for many years it’s great for them to work with a fresh and enthusiastic mind. I don’t work with many brands except those listed that sponsor me. It’s not that I wouldn’t do it, it just has to interest me photographically.
How do you think brands can get the most value from working for you?
Let me do my own thing. I know my strengths and weaknesses photography wise and over social media. I work best when I’m not overloaded on trips, when I have access to the best locations to shoot and when I can just do my own thing.
I love your Instagram success story and am inspired by your creativity and work ethic. Have you got any tips about those things?
Well my work ethic hasn’t changed, I’ve always been a good worker it’s just that now I’m putting all of my energy and enthusiasm into my own business. The cliches about doing what you love are all true. If you truly love something and have a passion for it you will do it better. My entire journey from starting Instagram has honestly felt like fate. It works to all of my strengths and I truly love what I do.
What are your recommendations for budding photographers who want to make the jump from amateur to professional?
Another common question and easy to answer. Number one, shoot often. I usually shoot every day. And don’t be shy. Take 200 shots of the same sunrise just to get the one perfect one.
Secondly, research technique and talk to other budding photographers. Immersing yourself in photography is the quickest way to learn. Equally important is gear. I literally cringe when I hear of people shooting weddings on kit lenses. A decent pro lens starts from $2000. They have better glass and wider apertures. Everything looks better shot through the right gear.
Can you tell us a bit more about the techie stuff. Do you take your photos on a cell phone or camera? If it’s a camera what type and what accessories, lenses, tripods etc do you have?
I shoot on my camera but my iPhone training really helped me with composition. It’s like learning to drive on an automatic then switching to a manual car. I now use a Nikon D800 which is perfect for landscapes. The amount of detail in the shots blows my mind.
I have four pro lenses. Two are mine and two are Nikon loaners. I’ll soon be purchasing them though as it’s time to give the loan gear back. They are the Nikon 14-24 f2.8 wide angle, Nikon 24-70 f2.8, Nikon 70-200 f2.8 and my favourite portrait lens the 85mm prime f1.4.
In time I will probably invest in something with a longer focal length and perhaps a full frame macro lens. I use Lee filters, Neutral density and graduated neutral density.
Tripod is usually a Manfrotto but I also have an Optex for travel. Sturdy but not bulky. Can’t live without my remote, I use it whenever I’m on the tripod.
How do you physically upload photos from your camera to Instagram? For people who don’t have any proper photographic equipment yet but want to take their photography more seriously and share it on Instagram what would you recommend to them?
There’s a couple of ways. Firstly some Nikons now come with a wireless utility that allows you to upload images wirelessly from your camera to your phone. No wifi required. When I use the D800 I simply plug the SD card into my iPad with a camera connection kit and edit/ upload from there. If you don’t have an iPad or a wireless utility then the best way is to edit on your desktop and simply email the photo to your mobile device.
Please share your best photography tip:
But I have so many!! The best is to shoot lots. Honestly, you will learn so much from playing with settings, trusting your eye and just being out there doing it.
Have you got any more Instagram tips or tricks?
Interact! Consider Instagram a Social Media site first and foremost. Be genuine, don’t be desperate.
What about tips for navigating the world of social media which is still quite new to a lot of people?
Talk to people! I come across scared operators very very often. People who have been running their small business for years and all of a sudden they can’t get a single booking off a print campaign.
My advice is to reach out. Talk to people that understand social. Your Regional Tourism Organisation might be a good start. Your sister, cousin, friend might love social media. Be careful what you post and maintain respect and integrity for yourself and / or your brand.
You’ve had incredible life and career changes over the last few years because of Instagram. What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
Not few years, 2 years, this month. My dream is to have a sustainable life working in photography and social media doing what I love.
I know you’re setting up a blog right now. What’s the aim with that?
To give people more information on what I do. People that want to know the ins and outs of my shoots and my travel. It’s a long way off though I’m afraid, just too busy!
Finally where can people find out more about you Lauren? Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Honestly, I’m an open book. Almost since day one I’ve listed my email address on my profile. People reach out to me daily with questions and to ask advice on any number of things.
Otherwise, follow me in Instagram to see what I see. I’m still pretty good at keeping up with questions on my accounts. Sometimes it’s hard but I still try to give back more than I receive. That’s what’s gotten me to where I am.
Thank you so much Lauren for your time and generosity sharing your blogging success story and your Instagram tips and tricks. I am most definitely following you on Instagram and looking forward to seeing where this journey takes you.

Have you got any more Instagram tips and tricks to share? Or maybe you have another great blogging success story to tell us?

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Author: Annabel Candy

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Problogger Event Virtual Tickets: 3 Reasons You Should Get One

Successful Blogging

Thinking of getting a Problogger Event Virtual Ticket? That’s a smart move. The Problogger event is taking place on Friday and Saturday so I’m spewing and seriously regretting that I will not be there. I went to the first three Problogger events in Melbourne and this is the first year in the history of Problogger events that I won’t be attending in person.
But sadly there are only so many places I can go to and things I can do. This month is nuts with the launch of my new business, family visiting from the UK and the kids on school holidays. Then next month I am off an an exciting travel assignment to Zimbabwe.
More alarmingly I’m competing in one of those horrid muddy obstacle races as part of my 52 Exercises quest on the Saturday so there’s no way I can go to the Problogger 2013 Event too.

The good news is that virtual tickets are for sale so if, like me, you can’t be at the Problogger Event in person, I highly recommend you buy one and get in on the act. Virtual tickets for the Problogger Event  is one of a handful of products I promote and am an affiliate for because I know that if you’re serious about blog marketing you will get massive value when you attend the Problogger event virtually.

Better still you can listen to the sessions live, ask questions live and join the tweet stream so you’ll feel like you’re actually at the Problogger Event and will be able to benefit from many of the networking opportunities because of that.
If you’re an active virtual attendee that will help you get noticed and create connections just as if you were there in person.

What you get with a Problogger Event Virtual Ticket

The Problogger Event virtual ticket gives you 30 hours of teaching about building a profitable blog which you can listen to either live or after the event. Even if you’re at the event you still need to listen to some sessions after the event because most are run at the same time as other sessions.
Getting a virtual ticket means you won’t miss anything and can listen to the sessions in your own time or even when you’re out and about. You can read the full details on Problogger Event Virtual Tickets here.
If you’re not convinced yet here are three reasons you should buy a Problogger Event Virtual Ticket:

1. Hot Tips on the Essential Blogging Topics

There are sessions on just about every aspect of blogging led by bloggers who are at the top of their game. These are just a few of the topics covered in the sessions:

• Monetisation. Where to Start?
• Launch Your Freelance Writing Career
• Facebook Marketing Success
• Create Your First Ebook
• Launch Your Speaking Career
• Selling Stuff (with Shayne Tilley who is genius)
• Affiliate Marketing (with Problogger Mr. Darren Rowse himself)
• Video: Create, Edit, Publish on a Shoe-String
• Growing Your Social Media Networks
• Google Analytics for Bloggers
• Creating Your Own Products

2. Networking
I already mentioned that, even if you’re not at the Problogger event, listening to the events live and joining in the tweet stream will make you and the other participants feel like you are.
This is a great change to get noticed by hundreds of bloggers including some of the biggest names in the industry and that’s a huge opportunity because the connections you make during your blogging career are everything.
3. Unlimited Inspiration and Motivation

The speakers are first class. You probably know and love Mr. Problogger Darren Rowse as much as I do but you also don’t want to miss what Valerie Khoo, Amy Porterfield, Shayne Tilley, Lorraine Murphy, Caz Makepeace, Kelly Exeter and Nicole Avery (amongst many others) have to say.
Blogging can be a lonely business. If you’re like me and you work from home, don’t get out as much as you should and are surrounded by people who don’t quite understand what a blog is, let alone what a blogger does you’ll love this event.
Listening to people who not only get blogging but love it is priceless and you’ll get that experience with a virtual ticket. The content in the Problogger Event sessions will keep you motivated for the rest of the year.
Find out more about the Problogger Event Virtual Tickets here. I’ll be following along on Friday and catching up with the Saturday sessions after the event since I’m doing my muddy obstacle race that day. 

Even though I won’t be at the Problogger Event in person there’s no way I’m going to miss out on that buzz, those tips and the inspiration.
There are probably thousands of people like me who wish they could attend the Problogger Event in person and the smart ones will be getting a virtual ticket so they don’t miss out.
Do you wish you could be at the Problogger Event 2013, are you going to be there or are you getting a virtual ticket?

Author: Annabel Candy

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How Online Reviews and Social Media Took My Travel Business From Blah to Boom

Successful Blogging

I love a blogging success story where a small business goes head to head with bigger businesses and wins, don’t you? So I got excited when I heard tour operator Sean Blocksidge talk at the recent Social Media Tourism Symposium.
Sean started the Margaret River Discovery Company and his tours are now fully booked thanks to the power of online reviews and social media. That glowing online reputation has made his business a success but it wasn’t an easy start for Sean. I’ll let him tell the story about how he started his travel business, his approach to online travel marketing online and how glowing online reviews from his clients made his business into the raving success it is today.
Hi Sean, thank you for agreeing to share your online marketing success story with us.  Can you just introduce yourselves for those who don’t know you. 
I set up the Margaret River Discovery Company five years ago because I love the area and wanted to provide specialist tours to showcase the area. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or check out my blog and website. If you’re coming to the Margaret River I’d love to show you around and when I’m not giving tours you can find me mountain biking in the local area.

Sean Blocksidge with a monster Marron he hand caught in the waterhole. It wasn’t Marron season so Sean put that one back for another day.

Can you tell us a bit more about your business and how you got started? 
I set up my tour business the Margaret River Discovery Company in 2008. The start of the Global Financial crisis. What a disaster. By the end of the first year I had lost nearly $100,ooo and was five days from going out of business. I’d committed to do my last few tours and close the doors it was that bad. And then suddenly my life changed overnight.
I know you credit great reviews for taking your business from blah to boom. Can you tell us a bit about that?
Somewhere along the way I’d received several positive reviews on TripAdvisor . I won’t say I didn’t know about TripAdvisor but I certainly didn’t understand the power of it. Those few five reviews appeared just before the start of the visitor season and the algorithms that sit behind it spun me up into the top position of #1 thing to do in Margaret River.
The next day my phone and email went nuts and I’ve been fully booked almost every day since. That was five years ago.
That’s a brilliant story. Do you really  think those five star reviews are what’s made your tours so popular?
Absolutely. The Margaret River Discovery Company has since gone on to be the #1 thing to do in Australia for two consecutive years. Outranking the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb and the National Gallery! It has held its #1 position in Margaret River every single day for the past five years.
Amazing. And are there any other successes that have come to you from that?
I was fortunate enough to win the best Tour Guide in Western Australia a few years ago and the 40 under 40 business award as a result of my success operating the tours.
How  has social media changed your business? 
It has allowed me to establish an online presence to an audience I may have never reached and connects me daily with my tribe (my resellers and previous guests). At no cost!

Tips for Getting Online Reviews

How do you get those reviews on TripAdvisor?
I never ask people to write reviews but I do share the story of how those few reviews completely changed my life. I think people only write on TripAdvisor to either have a whinge or share a special experience and I work on ensuring everyone has a very special Margaret River experience and they leave the region with the revelation of why Margaret River is the most consistent wine producing region in Australia.
How important do you think social media is for online marketing and travel marketing?
I always say I started my business at the worst time because of the GFC but also the best time – the start of a social media revolution. Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, TripAdvisor , Instagram all those things became really powerful in the past five years and started to influence the way people make travel decisions and share their holiday experiences.
These days I spend nothing on marketing and advertising. I put my efforts into making sure my guest have a great experience so they’ll leave great reviews, along with social media and word of mouth. The result is the tours are booked weeks, sometimes months, in advance.
Do you do anything to encourage people to leave online reviews about you?
I never ask anyone to write a review (but I do think it is okay to do so). I just share my story of how TripAdvisor changed my life and make sure people have an amazing experience that they also want to share and talk about.

Sean’s photos are all stunning but this handome fellow really caught my eye

Social Media Tips

What benefits have you found from using social media?
I’ve wasted tens of thousands on advertising. These days I don’t spend any money on advertising. I rely entirely on word of mouth, social media and my tribe of followers.
Which social media channels do you use and how?
I use Facebook, Twitter, my own blog, Instagram and TripAdvisor.
Facebook is my most effective tool. I post a photo of the day. Every day. Highly visual with great reach and interaction. This is my tribe!
Twitter – I’m a very lazy user. But I love twitter for the immediacy of information. I auto link this as an update to FaceBook. I use this to connect with the wine or travel industry. I use Hootsuite to monitor my feeds. Mostly what I love about Twitter is how it connects me to my heroes. It’s also very useful in emergencies but the best example of the power of Twitter was the New York Times picking up my wildflower image.
WordPress Blog- I post a picture of day and other news updates such as a Gourmet Escape government media release.
Instagram – I’m very new to this but it takes 10 seconds to post a picture and it’s free! Tourism Australia have reposted a few pics and I’ve doubled my fans each time.
TripAdvisor – As previously mentioned I LOVE TripAdvisor but it’s mainly my clients who do the posting there by leaving reviews for me.
What’s your social media strategy?
I use them daily. For me it’s about being consistent . They are all about building my brand. I’ll often hear people say “I don’t have the time”. Make the time! I spend literally 15 minutes a day on social media.
I’ll walk you through it. One minute take the photo. Two minutes to import, process and export it. Total of three minutes. One minute to upload to Facebook where it autolinks to Twitter (zero minutes). A few seconds to re-post in Instagram. I’ll occasionally do a post to my blog. So we are up to about five minutes total.
I’ll spend another three minutes going back several hours later and clicking like on the comments. Maybe add a comment.
Eight minutes and I’m done.
That leaves seven minutes for watching mountain biking videos on YouTube. Seriously!
I know you’re a big mountain biker and love how you fit all that in so fast leaving more time for the fun stuff. Why do you think your social media strategy is a success?
I do it because I enjoy it. I don’t do it for the narcissistic appeal of how many clicks I get. I do it because I love sharing the Margaret River story. I also make sure I follow interesting people and it’s those people that really motivate me to want to look at my social media feeds.
I have to manage my time very carefully. I literally manage the minutes in my day. Hootsuite is a real godsend. Every day I need to be socially, culturally and politically aware of latest news.
I wake in the morning and check the ipad and I’m pretty much up to speed for the day.
I tag (#seeaustralia) and re-post onto major portal sites like Tourism Australia and they have the biggest audience. If they re-post that’s a giant ad for the Margaret River to millions.
My advice if you don’t have time for creating content would be to link up with a local photographer and develop a relationship to re-post their imagery. Win win.
Have you got any more social media tips?
1. Be consistent and regular in your use. Will you update hourly, daily, weekly? Whatever you choose, be consistent but do vary the times of day you use it.
2. Align it to your brand and make no exceptions. For example, you won’t find any political posts on my social media channels.
3. Cross referencing your social media channels is important. For example, links to your photos from your blog, tweets about your blog or photos.
4. Always think win win and work with other people, brands or companies who you can help and who will boost you.
5. Know what you want to achieve from your social media use. Have a strategy and be clear about this from the start. That will help you select the right channel, and guide how you use it.. For example, do you want to use it to build your brand and brand awareness, or do you want to be an ‘expert’ in your area.
6. Be very competent in your choice of channels before you create a company footprint. Use it as a personal user first. Follow other businesses and watch and learn how they conduct themselves in certain scenarios like negative feedback.
7. Follow great examples. For example the Western Australia restaurant Morries (check in for chicken wings/muffin updates!), Mountain Bike companies who are VERY good at this stuff and Go Pro who are the best. Follow good examples like those.
8. Include information about Facebook in your emails. Not just a link to you Facebook page but a call to action like “get a feel for the region before your holiday.”
9. Use exclamation marks! It seems to work for me.
10. Always remember your website is still the main platform. The rules and playing field for social media is always changing but you always have total control of your website.
Those are great tips. Do you have any specific tips for travel and tourism businesses?
I always say to people in the Australian tourism industry is that we could and should be connecting our Australian message with a much larger global audience. Our collective job is to encourage other tourism businesses to engage more with social media. Don’t be paralyzed. Use it. And let’s showcase and position Australian tourism as the best in the world.
Thank you so much Sean for kindly sharing your social media tips with us. You’re a legend! 
If you like these tips please check out Sean on Facebook, Twitter or on his own blog and website and say g’day. His photos are spectacular so if you’re not hankering to visit the Margaret River already you soon will be.
Would You Like a Five Star Online Reputation Too?
Because online reviews are so powerful I’ve developed a new service called Reputation Marketing to help businesses get great online reviews, manage their reviews and market their business using those five star reviews.
Reputation Marketing is going to be a game changer for anyone in the travel and tourism industry but it will also be a brilliant way for those in the health and well-being industry, construction industries and legal or financial industries to gain a competitive advantage and get more clients.
To find out more about reputation marketing or to get help with your digital marketing strategy just get in touch. I look forward to helping you take your business to the next level.

Photo credits: MRDCo

Author: Annabel Candy

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Blogging Your Way Round the World with Natalie SissonHow to Sell Out and

Will You Make this Blogging Mistake?

The road to blogging success is strewn with abandoned blogs. Most bloggers quit blogging after three months yet the benefits of blogging are rarely seen for the first six to twelve months of blogging.
So why do most bloggers quit too early? And what can be done to motivate or inspire bloggers to keep blogging long term until they see the rewards?
I’m motivated to keep blogging by my readers feedback and comments, by personal job satisfaction (yes, I really do love blogging) and by increased business and writing opportunities which come to me through blogging.
I’m inspired by all bloggers who don’t quit and stick with it to keep improving their writing, business and creativity.
What motivates or inspires you to keep blogging?

Photo credit: Flattop341

Author: Annabel Candy

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Hey! There’s Something I Want to Tell You

2012 has been an exciting year for me on the blogging front. First Successful Blogging was listed in the Top 10 Blogs About Blogging by a panel of influential judges then I exceeded my goal to earn $10,000 from advertising at my travel blog Get In the Hot Spot.
But it hasn’t been plain sailing. These are my three biggest blogging fails of 2012:
1. My blogs crashed. Repeatedly. 
As traffic grew my blogs got slower and slower. It was time for us to switch to a dedicated server. But the new servers made things worse and crashed repeatedly. Despite constant contact with the blog hosts they never remained stable.
In the last 14 years we have never had a problem like this before with a client or our own sites and, for a web designer it was devastating. It lost us heaps of traffic too.
Finally, and reluctantly, because it involved yet more time and expense, we’ve fixed the situation by moving to a new host, WP Engine which is dedicated to hosting WordPress sites.
2. I made promises I never kept.
At the beginning of 2012 I wanted to do a more free live webinars. I held a few webinars organised by other people but none of my own. I love blogging but I also love personal contact with people. I get that from private one-on-one consultations but I also want to do more free webinars so I can help more people and give and get that live feedback and personal connection we all need.
I never delivered on my promise because it was a lot to organise and I was worried no one would turn up.
So if I want to make those free webinars happen I need to find an easy solution (a Google+ Hang Out might work) and take the pressure off by knowing that it doesn’t matter if it’s just me and one other blogger online. That’s all we need to get started.
3. I got distracted.
At the beginning of this year I got invited on my first overseas press trip and travel invitations continued to arrive throughout the year. I fitted in as many trips as I could without driving my husband to despair and neglecting my kids too much. But I learned that’s not the core of my business and, while I love travel, and press trips can be fun, they are not that important to me either personally or professionally.
So going forward I want to focus on my core business of web design, keep helping the other small business owners, writers and creatives that I most want to help and stay true to my own goals. Hopefully I’ll still have some time for travel (and even a few press trips) but I want to be clearer on my personal boundaries and stay more tightly focused on the clients I want to help most.

Thank You Dear Reader

All of the above is just a preamble to the main thing I want to say to you: THANK YOU.

• Thank you for reading Successful Blogging and sticking with me through all my mistakes.
• Thank you for all your comments which have motivated me to write more.
• Thank you for continuing to tell your friends about Successful Blogging by word of mouth and on Twitter and Facebook.
• Thank you to all of you who have bought my ebook, workbook or audio book Successful Blogging in 12 Simple Steps.
• Thank you for daring to put yourself out there on your own blog and for sharing your own dreams, hopes and failures.
• Thank you for the HUGE part you have played in my passion for blogging.
• Thank you for thinking about me when you or someone you know needs help with WordPress blog design.
• Thank you for enriching my world with your presence, ideas and creativity.
• Thank you for joining me on this amazing journey we call blogging.
• Thank you for being part of this community and helping us all to keep trying, keep failing and keep getting better.

What’s the Plan in 2013?

First of all I am going to have a rest. My kids are on holiday now until the end of January. The temperature is soaring and the beach is calling. So I am going to honor myself, my family and you by turning off my computer and enjoying that time.
14 years ago the Mucho Man and I set up our own web design agency to fulfil our dream of working from home, living in a place we love and spending more time with the people we love.
January is the time for me to make the most of that. To rest and recharge so that I can come back here and back to you with renewed drive next year.
So that’s the only promise I’m making right now because I know that’s one I can easily keep.
I’ll be back with more blog posts in February. I’m looking forward to it. I will still be checking emails and working with new and existing clients. I will still be writing (but not publishing any blog posts), I will still hop onto Twitter, read your blogs and have fun with Instagram.
Wherever you are and whatever you’re planning I wish you joy, happiness and success now and in the new year. If you are looking for blogging tips and inspiration right now start here. I’ve added it to make it easy for you to find the most popular and useful blogging tips.
Finally, once more, because this is all I wanted to tell you,
Thank you,
Annabel

Author: Annabel Candy

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What Happens if you Stop Blogging?

Worried your blog traffic will dive if you stop posting?
After blogging for a while many bloggers start to feel like a slave to their blog. I admire people who post daily because I know writing and publishing posts can become an eternal slog, even if you only post a few times a week or less.
For new bloggers who are wondering how often to update their blog I recommend setting a regular blog publishing schedule (once a week is ideal) and sticking to it to get in the habit, but for those who’ve been blogging a year or longer a break could be what’s needed to prevent blogger burnout.
I had a busy year in 2012: my blogs grew, I started selling sponsored blogs posts on my travel blog and went on numerous international and national media trips. The trips were great but they meant I had to write and publish more blog posts with less time available. Just choosing from the hundreds of photos I take, even during a short trip, and editing them can take days.
So I had a month long blogging break in January because I could. My three kids are on school holidays for six weeks over the Australian summer. For the last three years I’ve kept posting on a reduced level during that time but this year I decided to stop publishing posts completely to see how it would affect to my blog traffic and business income.
Blog traffic is always slower in December anyway because of the holiday periods but here are the results of my little experiment (or lazy work ethic if you prefer) with statistics from Google Analytics:
Successful Blogging.com
How often I published a new blog post in Oct, Nov and Dec 2102: Once a week.
How long I stopped publishing for: 6 weeks (from Dec 26 – Feb 1)
Unique visits in Oct, Nov and Dec 2102: 8,111
Unique visits in January 2013: 9,765
Results: Over 1,500 more unique visitors in January even though I didn’t publish any new posts or promote my blog in any way.
Get In the Hot Spot.com
Over on my travel blog Get In the Hot Spot I didn’t stop publishing completely but I did reduce from 11 to 8 posts per month and promoted those posts less to save time.
How often I published a new blog post in Oct, Nov and Dec 2012: 11 (average per month, included 3 guest posts)
Number of blog posts published in January 2013: 8
Unique visits in Oct, Nov and Dec 2102: 10,841
Unique visits in January 2013: 12,668
Results: Almost 2,000 more unique visitors in January even though I published less than usual.
Overall Results: So I ended up with slightly higher traffic on both blogs in January with reduced posting and no posting at all. New people kept subscribing too and there were less unsubscribes because the newsletter wasn’t going out.
What about  income?
My income was largely unaffected. On Successful Blogging.com my ebook and blog consultations continued to sell, web design enquiries kept coming and affiliate income came in as usual too.
On Get In the Hot Spot my income went down because I didn’t get any requests for sponsored blog posts. That could be a seasonal thing with so many people on holiday in Australia in January but it did allowed me to post less often than usual too so I could have a much needed break.
Warning: Stopping Blogging Doesn’t Mean Stopping Writing
I did keep writing new blog posts though, working with an editor for the first time to improve my writing and create new posts that I’ll start publishing soon. It’s good to have a stock of strong posts up my sleeve so when I get busy later in the year (and I know it will happen) I can still publish a post with minimal effort.
So if you need to stop blogging or want to take a blogging break go for it because you probably won’t see a big dive in traffic. Just make sure you come back to it again because your regular readers will still be there, waiting to dive back into your new content.
It was good for me to have a break and now it’s great to be back. I’m looking forward to helping you more and watching our blogs continue to grow and evolve in 2013.
What have you been up to, on or off your blog? 

Author: Annabel Candy

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5 Reasons Most Web Designers Suck and How to Find a Good Web Designer

Successful Blogging

Web design isn’t rocket science but it’s still hard to find a good web designer. In fact I’m sometimes embarrassed to tell people I’m a web designer because there are so many bad web designers around.
Anyone with a computer can start designing websites and, because most business owners are also new to Internet marketing, people don’t know how to find a good web designer.
Like second hand car dealers and real estate agents, web designers have a seedy reputation so people are wary of them and tend to choose friends (or friends of friends) to design their website because they think that’s the safest option.
With his BSc in Computer Science and my MA in Design for Interactive Media, my husband Rich and I are qualified web designers, but we’ve found clients don’t care that much about qualifications. They care more about working with people they know personally or who are part of their local network.
So, in the 15 years we’ve been running our web design business Mucho, we’ve heard countless web design disaster stories from business owners who entrusted their web or blog design to the wrong web designer. Often a friend, or a friend of a friend, who meant well but just didn’t have the skills and experience to do a good job.
So here are the five most common problems with web designers and how to find a good web designer:

1. Loves the idea of being a web designer, working from home and making easy money

Solution: Find someone who listens and really cares about you and your business, not just theirs.
Look for a web designer who spends time finding out exactly what you need and gives you a detailed proposal with a fixed costing.
Cheap template sites are the quickest solution for new web designers but they may not be the best option for your site design. Expect to spend an hour talking to or emailing your web designer who should want to know about every aspect of your business including your short and long-term goals.

2. Can’t complete or update your website

Solution: Look for a web designer who is confident and makes things sound easy, not difficult. They many need time to work out the best solution but if they leave you feeling confused it’s probably because they are too.
Experienced web designers will cost more, usually charging $100-250 per hour, but it’s worth spending more for someone who can do the job on time, on budget and to meet your expectations.

3. New to the trade and doesn’t use WordPress

Solution: Look for a web designer who understands user-friendly design and the latest developments in Internet marketing and social media. The more experience they have the better they can advise you on the best solution for your website.
A lot of web designers are techies who use software they love like Joomla or Drupla but these days WordPress is probably the best solution for your blog design or even a static website. Not least because it will be easy for you to update and easier to find another web designer who can take over if the first messes up.

4. Loves tinkering around on the computer

Solution: Look for a web designer who can create a simple solution which will stand the test of time. There are new options available every day like Flash-enabled sites, bandwidth hungry slide shows and splash screens that crash computers.
Your web designer may enjoy playing around with them but those things won’t impress your clients, plus you’ll be spending money on things you don’t need, which are hard to maintain and which could slow your site down. Being able to find and read the information fast is what counts for your clients and blog readers so choose a web designer who sets up classic, user-friendly websites that will stand the test of time.

5. Is a one-man or woman business

Solution: Some web designers are charming sales people or graphic designers who sub the work out to techies in India or the Philippines. Their rates are usually cheaper but it’s unlikely you’ll end up with a good website and future updates could be problematic because the original coder may not be around any more and, because the site will probably have been coded badly anyway, you’ll have to start again from scratch.
Other web designers are techies who can code your site but don’t understand how to win business online, interface design, online legibility, social media or search engine optimisation.
You need a web design team working on your site with at least two people including a project manager, a coder and a graphic designer who between them know and understand the principles of good web design and how to get blog traffic.
Always talk to your web designer on the phone and communicate by email to see how easy it is to get in touch with them and how responsive they are. Your web designer probably won’t be a friend or even a friend of a friend but they should still be easy to get hold of, friendly and trustworthy.
There are a lot of bad web designers around so make it your mission to find a good one who can design a blog or website that will do you and your business justice.

Need help with blog or website design?

I own and run Mucho website design with my husband and WordPress wrangler Rich Candy who’s pictured here. So if you need help with blog or web design we will design a site to suit your needs and budget. The Gutsy Traveler and Seana Smith are just two examples of our work.
We’ve been helping small business owners set up effective websites for 15 years. We’re proud of our blog designs and the long term relationships we’ve built with our clients so we think you’re going to love working with us too.
Email me now to find out more about blog design and blog updates or get instant feedback on your blog design by booking a private consultation today.

Author: Annabel Candy

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