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One Time Stories and Trigger Anchor Text
The storytelling in blogging series continues with the one-time stories you need to tell and the trigger anchor text to use in order to turn visitors into fans.
As I laid out in the first of this series, Why Storytelling in Blogging Matters, you know that stories sell. They sell products, services, the words you type, and they help you sell yourself. But what stories will help a reader invest in you? What stories do you need to tell in order to turn readers into fans? And what engaging, curious, or emotional trigger anchor text can you use to get them to find out more?
The Storytelling in Blogging Series: Trigger Anchor Text
We’re still early on in the storytelling in blogging series. These are the bare-bones basics we’ll be covering:
- #1 – Telling the Right Story
- #2 – The One-Time Stories You Need to Tell and How to Use Them to Turn Visitors into Fans Using Trigger Anchor Text – this article
- Why You Should Never Start Your Writing with an Emotion (and How to Write Instead)
- Visual Storytelling (Using Images, Fonts, and Videos)
- How to Use Bucket Brigades in Storytelling for Posts and Sales Pages
- How to Use Storytelling Off-Site
There are affiliate links in this article which means at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy.
The One-Time Stories You Need to Tell
Why do you blog? What is your origin story? Why do you spend 4 hours on an article that’s read in 4 minutes or 3 hours prepping, testing, photographing, and writing up a meal which will be made in just 20 minutes?
In Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why, he posits that finding the answer to this question is the reason people want to hear from you. Why do you blog?! Why do you blog about your topic, specifically?
ACTION: Take a few minutes and write 3 reasons you choose to do what you do. Next, list 3 ways in which you help readers. Finally, craft 4-7 sentences which detail why you blog.
If you want to work ahead, brainstorm a few trigger anchor text phrases which would really pique a reader’s curiosity about your story. What would make them click through?
If you truly want to help people, it shows in your writing. You write from a “we” position, not from a “me” place. They need your story, your help, your support. Telling them why you do what you do will help them decide whether to invest in you.
But that’s not the only story they need to hear.
Your “Nope, That’s Not Me” Story
If we are honest with ourselves, we try to be all things to all people. But we can’t be all thing to everyone and sometimes, it’s admitting that which helps us gain clarity.
When you started your blog, what consumed your thoughts? Was it how you were going to help people or what problems you could solve for them?
Sure.
But your focus quickly became:
- Hosting and Theme
- Branding and Social Media Profiles
- WordPress and Plugins
- HTML and CSS (and other techie stuff you didn’t want to learn)
As you now know, dear seasoned blogger, one can have the fanciest theme, the “best” email provider, and the perfect logo and never make a dime or see a single pageview other than from their mom. #sadtrombone
I don’t normally work with brand new bloggers because I believe the value of a blog is in the content. If one doesn’t have content, does one really have a platform, let alone one they can turn into a business?!
I know what I am NOT to people and in telling them that, I give them a plan. I also deliver the message that I’m not in this just to amass as many clients as I can or that I’ll work with anyone who has a pulse. I tell them my “nope, not me” story and solidify my place with them.
ACTION: It’s your turn to identify what you’re not. Spend a couple of minutes narrowing your focus by detailing what you’re not so that you can attract your ideal reader. Your goal is to get 2-3 sentences detailing your “nope, not me” story.
Where Do These Stories Go?
An about page may be your first thought to where to put your one-time stories and you’re right! Make sure both of these stories end up on that page. But don’t stop there!
The About Me page shouldn’t be the only place your readers see your stories.
In nearly every post, you can position yourself to engage the reader with these two stories. You can (and should) use powerful anchor text to link to your about page.
Pro Tip: People often ask me what to do when a post goes viral but their bounce is off the charts high (meaning, the reader only reads that post and nothing else). I tell them, among other things, that they need to add powerful anchor text to their viral.
As a reminder, anchor text is the text which is underlined and, when clicked, opens the linked article or page. Our goal is to make anchor text relevant to the destination’s topic (SEO-friendly) while piquing a reader’s interest enough to get them to click through. Read more about anchor text best practices.
Before we move on, I want to be clear – we will deviate from traditional anchor text usage for SEO. Your goal isn’t to rank your about page. The purpose with engaging anchor text is to get a first-time reader to click TO your about page.
And we develop trigger phrases because they will:
- get a new reader to click through because their curiosity is piqued or emotions are charged and
- remind an existing reader of why you do what you do (and why you do it for them).
Engaging Anchor Text Example (Trigger Phrases)
Let’s use a client’s site which is a blog about helping obese people start a running regimen. On the about page are the why and ‘nope, not me’ stories. Let’s set them up so we’re all on the same page…
The author’s “why” story is that she was:
- morbidly obese according to her doctor,
- couldn’t chase after her kids or climb a single flight of stairs without stopping,
- taking various medications for complications due to her weight,
- was embarrassed by her appearance,
- didn’t want her kids to grow up with her as an example, and
- knew death was knocking on her door.
On this page, she states that she knows of so many others like her who are too embarrassed to seek help or cannot afford to hire a fitness trainer.
Her “nope, not me” story on this page is that she:
- is not perfect (a statement that says the reader doesn’t have to be either),
- gave up searching for a magic solution, pill, or program, and
- that she is not a fitness guru, a nutritionist, or a medical professional.
Remember: her trigger anchor text should be designed to lead people to read more about WHY she is writing for them, WHY she wants to help them, and WHY they should invest in her. Her job is to get the reader to click through.
Some trigger anchor text for her could be (underline for anchor text example):
- Each night, I would go to sleep knowing that being obese wasn’t setting a good example for my children.
- It’s hard to get out of bed at 6 am for a run, but it’s harder knowing that my weight is going to kill me.
- I would buy every diet pill or supplement and it would crush me each time when I realized it was no magic weight loss solution.
More Examples of Trigger Phrases for Anchor Text
People are inherently curious about other people, so we need to use that to our advantage.
Your trigger phrase could be something about you and the reason you started your website or business but ultimately, your trigger anchor text should be rooted in curiosity, emotion, or problems.
Some examples are:
- The day I decided that my logical brain was going to take a back seat to my creative brain.
- When I get stressed, I always remind myself of the time I had to pack up the house-the entire house in 32 hours and get to the airport or my marriage was lost forever.
- When my husband introduced the kids and me to his girlfriend…
- And when I left college I realized I could not boil noodles, make breakfast, or surprise anyone with a baked good I didn’t buy at the grocery store, I knew it was time for a change.
- … the day a camel ride changed my life.
- … that day I locked myself in the bathroom to get away from my entire family because my medication made me want to hurt them.
Trigger phrases allow you to organically link to your about me page seamlessly. They are designed to get a new reader to learn more about YOU and your “why.” They also remind an existing reader why you write for them.
Take Action
It’s your turn. Add the sentences you’ve written detailing your “why” and “nope, not me” stories to your about page (and topic pages). Review your most popular articles and brainstorm a few ways you could use anchor text to engage the reader to click. Update the articles and incorporate at least one link back to these stories in every article you write.
Still to come in the storytelling in blogging series, we’re going to tackle storytelling in posts by detailing structure, copywriting tips, and so much more. Be sure to sign up for the once-weekly NDC newsletter to stay informed.
If you have questions about this series or want to brainstorm your origin story and trigger text, pop into the Elevate Everyone group on Facebook.
A Blogging Toolkit and Resources List from a Full-Time Blogger
I’m sharing my blogging toolkit and resources I can’t live without. Each week, I’m asked what I use on ND Consulting and other sites I own and now I’m dishing all!
Blogging Toolkit and Resources
Every blog, blogger, and audience is different and there are many amazing tools which support each. I’m sharing my blogging toolkit and resources I cannot live without.
There are affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy.
Hosting, Domain, and Blogging Platform
Pro Tip: it doesn’t matter if it’s WordPress or Square Space, just get a self-hosted if you have an income strategy. If not, write on Blogger (powered by Google) or WordPress.com (limitations).
What I use:
- WordPress.org (self-hosted)
- EasyDNS or All Niche PLR for domain registration (website name)
- Infinus Technologies – the support is amazing (I host 2 sites here, both with less than 100k monthly page views each)
- WP Engine – it’s premium hosting and it’s worry-free; I’ve never had a site down, ever.
- Servously – they have multiple packages based on size (and their support is VERY good)
Themes and Builders
Pro Tip: I love themes (they make everything so easy but don’t discount builders. I’ve been a fan from the early days of website builders because they allow for A LOT of customization.
- Genesis Framework (highly, highly recommend – it’s a base for themes)
- StudioPress and R316D themes (take the quiz to help choose the best theme for you)
- Visual Composer (an ah-may-zing builder to create awesome landing pages)
- Divi Builder (Elegant Themes) – My clients RAVE about it! Note, you would get it in place of Visual Composer and one caveat: Divi works on shortcodes which means when / if you decide to change, you’ll have quite a bit of work to do.
Blogging Tools (Writing, Editing, SEO, etc.)
Pro Tip: don’t ONLY write in WordPress or Blogger, even if you back up. You’ll find there to be a lot of distractions and it’s nice to have a backup off-site.
- Microsoft OneNote (I can always access, it automatically backs up, and I always have a copy in case of blog-mageddon). Before I found OneNote, I used Evernote, Trello, and Google Drive.
- Grammarly (commas – I just use too many or not enough in compound sentences)
- For keyword research, I use KW Finder, SERPStat, Keyword Tools.io, etc.
- Yuzo Related Posts plugin, Custom Sidebars, Easy Affiliate Links, CoSchedule, and a few more are installed on almost every site I own.
Social Media Management
Pro Tip: don’t try to do it all. Pick one, build a strategy, execute, and when you start to see growth, add another network.
- Social Warfare
- eCamm Live I go Live with this, allowing me to disclose right on the screen! It was so inexpensive and I’ve made so much affiliate income from it.
- Facebook (native scheduler)
- CoSchedule – The amount of love I have for this thing…
- Tailwind for Pinterest (and live-pinning)
- Tweetdeck – Do not attempt a Twitter party without it #youvebeenwarned
Newsletters
Pro Tip: THERE IS NO BEST EMAIL SERVICE PROVIDER (ESP) no matter what their sales copy (or another blogger) says. I have used so, so many ESPs, and I like them for different reasons. Additionally, the ESP you choose will greatly depend on where you are in your blogging and monetization journey.
- MailChimp – used for Tip Emails because it’s easy.
- MailerLite – used for challenges and the “Font Lovers Guides and Deals”
- ConvertKit – Ask me – seriously, email me – about whether it’s worth the price for you. I like it but it’s more robust than many people need.
- Ninja Popups / Optin Monster – exit-intent and highly customizable tools
Images, Videos, Graphics, Tools, and Editors
Pro Tip: Just use something enough that the learning curve is worth it. I now love Photoshop but still use the pro plan of PicMonkey DAILY (because I haven’t figured out how to do everything in Photoshop). #newb
- Nikon D3300 dSLR camera (mostly for other blogs, as I use stock or mockups for NDC)
- Lighting kit from Amazon (I get more use from the box lights than anything else). My next investment will be a ring light.
- Photoshop (I use the Creative Cloud Suite and I big, squishy heart love it)
- PicMonkey
- Zoom – I use this for all of my client calls (they have a free trial)
- Deposit Photos
- Creative Market (psst they have free goods here)
- Screencast-O-Matic – I use this at least twice weekly for clients and to record training for my free Facebook group (Elevate Everyone – Join)
- iMovie and Filmora – I use iMovie, I’ve purchased Filmora (and have yet to use it).
Fonts
Pro Tip: have a system to make sure you are clear (and will always be clear) on the licensing. After 10 years of this, I’ve stopped buying or downloading anything personal-use only. You can get my three, free font and graphics guides in the Resource Library or sign up to my Freebie Fri-Yay emails.
- The Hungry JPEG
- Font Bundles
- Dafont (careful with usage with this one, but it’s great if you search by 100% free); I found a great font and was able to buy a commercial license for $8 by emailing the author!!!!
Product Sales (Mine)
- Gumroad (Pitching Perfection, Identity, Find Your Sell, and Content for Growth are all on here); I used to use Easy Digital Downloads but users didn’t like the interface
- Amazon
- Merch (you can sell your own t-shirt designs on Amazon and it’s a nice supplemental income for me)
- RedBubble
- Etsy (check out my newest shop for amazing office printables and more)
Product Sales (Others)
Pro Tip: Don’t sign up and promote “ALL.THE.THINGS!” Get my ‘how to introduce an affiliate’ guide in the Resource Library to learn how to select and onboard your partners. That way, you’ll actually make money.
Get access to the library:
Get Free Access to Our Resource Library!
My primary affiliate partners in my blogging toolkit and resources vault for ND Consulting are:
- ShareASale (themes, hosting, and editing partners)
- Amazon (books)
- SEO: Dominate
- Affiliate Marketing: ethical training with Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers
- Genius Blogger’s Toolkit (new for me and I’ll evaluate each one on its merit before promoting – it’s A LOT of work for me to go through each resource)
- Font / Graphics through a few partners
- PLR (purchased content)
Browser and Tools
Pro Tip: Use whatever doesn’t make you all stabby. Safari makes me stabby and I honestly couldn’t live without some of my Chrome extensions.
- Chrome
- Extensions I love (yes, I wrote an article about why I love them and how they make me more productive)
Analytics Tools
Pro Tip: If you don’t have Google Analytics because you can’t figure out how to add it to your site, pay someone to do it. It’s the industry standard.
- Google Analytics + the Page Analytics Chrome Extension
- Pinterest (native) and Tailwind (MUCH better than Pinterest’s analytics)
- Facebook (native + ads manager detail)
- MailChimp, MailerLite, and ConvertKit native analytics
Backend, Security, Site Storage, and Speed
Kind of like your political preference, no one REALLY needs to know your backend. 🙂 I use all of the following (and I bet a few more), but because I pay people to do this for me, I really can’t tell you anything about them.
What I do know that’s currently in use (and protecting my sites) as part of my blogging toolkit and resources set up are:
- UpDraft
- WP Cerber (not Cerberus like the Hell Hound)
- WordFence
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- CloudFare
- Keeper (Password Manager) – I love this because it’s in my Chrome extensions.
Finances
I use a few to manage my businesses, some free and some are investments to help make accounting and tax time easier.
- PayPal to Invoice
- Wave Apps to do my bookkeeping (they have a free version)
- Quickbooks (not for NDC)
- Freshbooks (not for NDC)
Equipment / Hardware / Cloud Storage
Other than my camera, my biggest blogging tool is by far my laptop. I can take it anywhere, use my phone for Internet access, and bang out a few affiliate shares or even a post while I wait on my daughter.
- Apple, MacBook Pro (Retina Screen, SSD, crap load of memory)
- I have a Levalier microphone I use when I’m recording training videos.
- 2TB portable hard drive (I also back up via Dropbox)
Continuing Education
I am constantly learning and even build it into my weekly schedule. Some of my favorite resources:
- Blogger courses (I recommended a fave affiliate marketing course above, but take at least one a month)
- Udemy
- CreativeLive
- Conferences / Videos
- Still working my way through the 2018 Ultimate Blogger’s Toolkit
Legal
I strongly advise you not to work with brands or even other bloggers without contracts. Developing your own or hiring an attorney can be tricky. This is one of the most important parts of your blogging toolkit and resources. I use:
- LawTrades
- Businessese
Over to You
Which of these tools do you use? Can you suggest something in the comments you love? These are the blogging toolkit and resources I love, but I’d be grateful if you gave any insight into tools you use daily.
You Can Increase Affiliate Income With Custom Sidebars
In this training, you’ll learn how you can increase affiliate income with custom sidebars. Also, you’ll eliminate clunky affiliate link management with a free tool!
Custom Sidebars and Affiliate Selection Training Video
Affiliate income isn’t passive (in the beginning) but if you want to make money blogging, it’s can be a strong income stream. If you’re on the weekly tips list, you’ll know that my clients have had HUGE increases to their affiliate income streams when we go beyond just linking.
Psst: Do you want case studies and tips to grow your affiliate income? Sign up for weekly tips:
Get Free Access to Our Resource Library!
I created a training video which goes into a bit more detail than this article does. You’ll learn how to use free tools to increase impressions (and potentially click-throughs) to your affiliate partners.
Increase Affiliate Income with Custom Sidebars
What are the ways we can increase our affiliate income with custom sidebars? Here are a few types of sidebars I recommend:
- Category-Based – Each category has a sidebar for strategic partners.
- Promotion Based – Affiliate promotion ad and links to all related articles with that affiliate.
- Your Own Products – Amazon, Etsy, RedBubble, Gumroad / DPD, etc.
Step 1: Determine Audience Devices
If you don’t have at least 50% of your traffic source from desktop users, your time might be better spent maximizing your inline affiliate content. How do you know what devices your readers are using?
To find out, just log in to Google analytics, scroll down on their new Home page, and check out the “Sessions by Device” graph located just below traffic acquisition. I like to look at a rolling 90-day trend and to do so, just drop down the menu which says, “Last 7 days.”
Step 2: Determine Your Sidebar Partners
When creating custom sidebars, you can design anything your heart desires. To maximize affiliate income, however, you’re going to want to stick to your core affiliate partners. These are those partners who have resonated with your audience already and for which you’ve tested their products or services.
Next, you’re going to determine what type of sidebar you’ll use. Above, I mentioned a few I use:
- Category-Based
- Promotion-Based
- Your Own Products
Step 3: Install Your Free Resources
- Custom Sidebars
- Easy Affiliate Links (if you don’t already have a link manager)
Step 4: Gather Your Goodies
You’ll need both the shortlinks to your affiliate partners (the Easy Affiliate Links) and the code for your images. If you don’t dream in HTML, just open up a new article, import your media, create a link on the image using your Easy Affiliate Links, and copy that code to be used in your sidebar later.
Step 5: Create the Sidebar and Assign It
If you’re using the free custom sidebar resource I noted above, drag and drop the elements to create your sidebar. When creating the actual sidebar, you can control the image views (you can assign it to individual posts or you can have it be assigned to all posts within a category).
Save your sidebar. Note: you might have to clear your cache in order to see the new sidebars if you’re assigning it to existing material.
Step 6: Easily Update
The reason I push using an affiliate link manager like Easy Affiliate Links is because it’s a super-duper quick update for all links. Additionally, you may easily update the HTML code by altering it in the sidebar quickly.
Summary
If you skipped the video, I strongly urge you to watch it because it goes into more detail on how to increase affiliate earnings with custom sidebars. Let me know – is this a tactic you’ve used only for content or have you branched out and created your own affiliate sidebars?
Health Concerns for Bloggers: Things That Can Kill You Early
Here are the major health concerns for bloggers to be aware of while building a business online. Included are ways to overcome and avoid them – ‘cuz who wants to die early?!
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