It’s ProBlogger Training Event week! All systems go here for a fantastic weekend of learning and networking. Your next roundup will come to you straight from the (sunny I hope) Gold Coast, where we’ll be hanging out for two days of presentations, workshops and gatherings. There’s still tickets if you’d like to join us (or virtual tickets if you can’t physically be there).
This week’s roundup is packed full of the best of the web – why Rand Fishkin thinks you should expand your blog topics, how to give a great presentation (I’m excited for mine on Friday! I can’t wait to share my content-creating tips and tools), the pros and cons of removing comments sections, and more. But first up – how to get the most out of a conference! #timely
Use This Step by Step Guide to Feeling Confident and Connected at a Conference | Copyblogger
Awesome tips for getting out of your comfort zone! My favourite ones are collated here.
How I’m Promoting My Webinar Series with Facebook Ads | Jon Loomer
And I know plenty of you are holding webinars and similar things – these tips on Facebook ads are super helpful!
Right in the Feels (or how to create content that gets shared) | Hannah Smith
This is a great visual description of what works and what doesn’t (and why), but if you’re not up to clicking “next” 250 times, there is a transcript under the slideshow (though it made my eyes water trying to read it!)
Why it’s a Bad Idea to Only Create Content For Your Specific Target Audience | Moz
Everything I knew is wrong.
NPR Website to Get Rid of Comments | NPR
NPR recently removed the comment section on their website in favour of conversations taking place solely on social media. They’re not the first to do so, even when the advice is there to keep people on the only platform you have control over.
Ultimately they decided the comments they received didn’t accurately reflect their listener base, and it wasn’t worth the expense or the fighting that occurred. They do go into the pros and cons of the decision quite deeply, which I found interesting.
One of their users, Mary, urged the organisers to weigh up whether comments were worth it or not, and I had visions of ridiculous comment sections on news sites all across the world, the battlecry “never read the comments!” ringing in my ears:
“Remove the comments section from your articles. The rude, hateful, racist, judgmental comments far outweigh those who may want to engage in some intelligent sideline conversation about the actual subject of the article. I am appalled at the amount of ‘free hate’ that is found on a website that represents honest and unbiased reporting such as NPR. What are you really gaining from all of these rabid comments other than proof that a sad slice of humanity that preys on the weak while spreading their hate?”
A round of applause for Mary!
mmmm nachos…
What the Million Most-Shared Articles on Social Media Have in Common | Edgar
- Facebook. 2. Big publishers AND smaller niche publishers (that’s you!) 3. Algorithm. 4. Tone.
Super-interesting research.
A Look at Tomorrow for Digital Marketers | Builtvisible
It’s never been more important or more difficult to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to marketing online. It’s also a bit confronting when it’s just you and a blog. But while we wonder where we’re going to fit in, someone get me an IPA, and hand me a drink while I’m waiting for my push notification?
Classic Story Plots Used by the Best Presenters | Visme
The Hero’s Journey is timeless, and more importantly – effective. You can use the template for almost anything and you know how much I love a template!
Hat tip to August’s Super8 roundup for those two!
Sprinkle of Glitter “Quits” YouTube Channel Saying She Wants to Make More Mature Content | BBC
What happens when a blogger evolves? What happens when they hold back what they really want to say for fear of offending others? What happens when they start being more authentic? It’s a position plenty of bloggers find themselves in at one point or another, and the decisions around how you deal with that are often far from easy.
Facebook is Testing a New Feature to Encourage Conversations | Mashable
Perhaps you can use them to talk to your friends about your blog’s evolution.
What’s caught your eye this week?
How can I increase my facebook fan page?
Hi. I was wondering if it is easy to gain website traffic with out actually having a consistent stream of blog posts. Blogging/website promotion is something that I just started to research and right now I’m debating whether I should start a blog or if I should launch a website and promote a bit to gain traffic. I would much rather launch a website and promote it, however I’m concerned that the lack of new content on a regular basis would not yield as much traffic. Any thoughts or opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks
Hi Stacey, great roundup as always. Tomorrow for digital marketers is a particularly insightful post will all the changes that are happening.