5 Tried and Tested Tools To Help You Create Your Own Logo Online

Starting a new blog or business can be really exciting for any aspiring entrepreneur. 

Along with purchasing a domain and hosting for your new site, it's also important to create your own logo online...something that represents your blog and business.

Logos are very significant for branding, and they provide a visual association for your blog.

That's why, in today's post, you will discover my top 5 tried and tested tools to help you create your own logo online. 

Not only that, but you'll also learn 3 tips to help you create a successful logo your first time around.

Here's what you can expect...

What To Expect

Video Walkthough

1) LogoMakr

2) LogoJoy

3) LogoPony

4) Hatchful by Shopify

5) Canva

BONUS: Tailor Brands

3 Things To Consider When Creating A Logo

Final Thoughts

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7 Practical Ways To Save Money Online As A Blogger

Do you ever wish there was a way you could save money on blogging tools?

…And to invest in the tools you actually need for your blogging business?

By now I bet you feel like you have to get every tool under the sun because all the “gurus” are recommending them.

Each one feels like another expense to add to your ever-growing list, right?

That’s why I want to share with you some practical ways you can save on blogging tools and still build a successful business.

I’ve listed these tips with the goal to help you make smarter choices with your blogging tools and to help you focus on the ones YOU need the most.  Continue reading

Best Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals For Bloggers And Internet Marketers 2016

Whether you’re a beginner blogger or more advanced in your online journey, there’s some really great Black Friday/Cyber Money deals out there to help take your online business to the next level.

From Friday 25th November to 28th November, you can expect to find some of the best deals on products for your business.

So let’s get started…

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6 Easy Ways To Make Your Website Content More Social!

In this day and age social media has become a major part of our lives. According to brandwatch.com there are 2.3 billion active social media users, and internet users have an average of 5.54 social media accounts. That’s a lot people you could potentially reach with your blog and business using different social media platforms. So, if you haven’t already, now is the time to make your website content more social and help your business grow online.

Some of the top social media accounts include:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest 
• Google +
• Youtube
• …to name a few

Why is this important for your website and your business?

Social media is a great way to market your content and/or services, and build useful relationships.  We live in a world that is driven by social media, therefore you definitely don’t want to avoid the opportunities that social media can bring to your business. Below are some of the reasons why social media is so important:

For Traffic:

You can share your blog on your social media accounts to increase the traffic coming into your site. One of my top traffic sources is Pinterest, and being more active on that account has had a positive impact.

As a Marketing Tool:

Using social media can be a good way to create instant updates with your followers, and create buzz around your brand.

Networking:

You can interact with like minded individuals and network with other people in your field/niche. You can share ideas and/or maybe even work together.

To Help You Build An Online Presence:

Having a successful blog takes time to build authority, but having active social media accounts with many followers can increase your credibility and lets people see you are someone who knows what they’re talking about.

To Increase Your Learning:

You can learn a lot with the information you come across via social media. Being active on social media means you’re likely to stay up-to-date about things happening within your niche.

So now that you’ve understood why social media is important, it’s time to know how to actually make your site more social. If you’re not sure how to do this, don’t worry as I’m about to share with you 6 easy ways to make your website content more social and easier for your readers to share your content.

1) Create Quality Content

First and foremost, you need to create quality content if you ever what it to get shared. Give your readers an article that’s worth sharing. Don’t forget to also make it relevant and readable.

Also, it’s important to keep your site content updated regularly and provide your readers with helpful information. That’s what I always aim to do with every post I create.

2) Use Social Sharing Plugins 

Using social plugins makes sharing your content much easier for your readers. I’ve seen many websites online that don’t make use of social plugins, and it puts me off sharing because there’s no easy method to do so.

Most people visiting your site won’t have the time to copy your website link and manually input into their social media, therefore you need an easily accessible plugin to make your content more shareable.

I personally like to use the Simple Share Buttons Adder plugin, but there are many to choose from such as:

• Sumome
• Shareaholic
• ShareThis
• AddThis

I usually like to place the social sharing buttons at the bottom of my post, and you’ll see the same buttons below this post.

3) Use ‘Click to Tweet’ Plugin

This TweetThis plugin allows you to create text that you would like your readers to share on twitter. This plugin is free to download and can easily be installed onto your website. It’s a really good plugin to have because it very easily encourages sharing within you content. Below is an example:

How To Make Your Website Content More Sociable

Tweet This

You can also use the Click to tweet   plugin for the same purpose. Whichever plugin you choose will depend on personal choice.

4) Invite Readers To Connect With You

One thing I highly encourage is letting your readers connect with you via social media. The best way to do this is to link your social media accounts to your theme and have them appear on your site. If someone really likes your blog/website then they’ll be more likely to follow you on social media as well.

As you can see from the screenshots below, I have links to my Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Youtube channels around my site as I like to make it easy for people to be able to follow and interact with me on social media.

5) Social Media Widgets

You can add widgets to your site that will further allow users to connect with you on social media, and show users your latest social media posts. It’s also a really good way to show your readers what to expect when they join you on your social media platforms. Some examples include adding a Pinterest board to showcase your latest pins, or a twitter widget to display your latest tweets.

6) Encourage Your Readers To Share and Comment

To get more shares and comments you can kindly ask your readers to do so. Encourage your readers to engage and interact with you further and always try to respond when you can. I usually just leave a little message asking readers to comment by sharing their experiences of a product/program, or any questions they might have.
On that note, I hope you found my article on 6 ways to make your website content more social useful. If so, please feel free to share, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment in the section below.

Have you implemented any of these methods onto your blog/website? Do you have a favourite tip? Is there an important tip that I left out? Feel free to share your experiences and comments below.

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Struggling To Make Money Online? Here Are 7 Reasons Why

Struggling to make money online?

I feel this is an important topic to delve into, because so many of us ask ourselves, “why am I not making money online?”. So I want to share 7 of the main reasons why you may be struggling to make money online. I haven’t written these to put you down, I have written them to make you aware of what you may be doing wrong, and what you need to improve about your mindset in order to really succeed in the online world.

Reason #1: You Assume That Making Money Online Is Easy

Although there are some sites that you can genuinely earn money from, that require little work, those sites will not earn you a liveable amount. They’re mostly side incomes, something you can do in your spare time to earn a little extra money, to cover a monthly subscription, such as a phone bill.

In order to really make money from an online business, you need to understand and realise that making money requires hard work. Yes, many people are making passive income, however, it took a lot of work and dedication to get there.

Reason #2: You Don’t Really Know How To Convert Traffic To Buyers

Now, I can totally identify with this one. When I first started my Make Money Online journey, I thought the most important thing I needed to do was get traffic to my site, and that my visitors will automatically become buyers. Needless to say, I got it wrong. I spent a lot of time and money on the wrong kind of traffic. I spent ages earning credits manually with traffic exchange sites, and spent hundreds on sites that promised “unlimited traffic”. Yes, I got the traffic, but unfortunately, this was not the traffic I needed if I was going to get people to buy my products.

Things began to change when I joined Wealthy Affiliate. It’s was at this point that I realised that I needed targeted traffic in order to improve my chance of sales, and they teach you how to work towards getting quality visitors who are more likely to buy your products.

Reason #3: You Don’t Realise How Much Time Is Required

Making money online can take some time

Now, if your goal is to earn passive income with your business, then you’ll need a lot of time to get there. Although I am able to make money online, I am still working towards my passive income goals. However, I am not letting the time I have pass me by. I use as much time as I can working on ways to improve my business, and how to improve my earnings. When I first started my Make Money Online journey, I didn’t realise the time and effort that would be involved. So I can totally understand if you also don’t know. However, this is why I want to help you know and understand the truths about making money online, and starting an online business.

Reason #4: You’re Jumping From One Opportunity To The Next

There’s a term used online for this behaviour, it’s called “Shiny Object Syndrome”. That was me at the beginning of my journey. I was jumping from one shiny opportunity to the next, hoping to find the next big thing that would earn me lots of money. In the end, I wasn’t getting anywhere. I wasn’t allowing myself to really progress with  an opportunity to see if I could get real results from it.

With Wealthy Affiliate, I have found the right program for me. They don’t make “shiny” promises, they deliver quality and give you the tools you need to work for yourself. Don’t rely on “get rich quick” schemes to make you money. The money you make depends on you.

I understand that sometimes you want to test the waters with a few programs to see how you get on, and that’s absolutely fine. Just try not to do too many at once. Stick to one, or a few programs and work hard at those first, in order to see what works for you. That’s one of the reasons I created this site. I want to be able to show you the best, and legitimate opportunities for making money online.

Reason #5: You Don’t Really Want To Spend Any Money

Now if you’re just looking for ways to make a little extra money, through surveys, paid to click (PTC), and get paid to sites (GPT) etc, then yes, you shouldn’t need to spend any money. The money you make isn’t going to be much, therefore, it isn’t worth any financial investment, in my opinion.

However, if you’re serious about building a business online, and making money through that, then yes, you will need to invest money. Now, if you’re familiar with my site you’ll see that I recommend Wealthy Affiliate as a way to get started online for $0, and it genuinely is free to join. But if you want to see your business grow and make the most of it,  you’ll need to make some financial investments. These investments include:

• Having a professional website
• Domain Name
• Web Hosting
• Advertising
• Tools and Resources
• …to name a few.

Luckily, Wealthy Affiliate is one of the few very affordable training programs online. For less than $50/month you can get training, tools, resources, high-quality web hosting, and an active community of fellow online business entrepreneurs.  You can check out my review below to see what Wealthy Affiliate has to offer, and you can sign up for a free membership, test it out for 7 days or so, just to see if it’s the right program for you.

FURTHER READING: Wealthy Affiliate Review

Reason #6: You’re Not Fully Committed or Willing To Learn

Some people who join the Make Money Online world are just not committed. You need to realise that making money online can be a long process, especially in the beginning, therefore, you need to be willing to stay committed and work hard. If you can do that, then you’ll start seeing the fruits of your labour.

Furthermore, you need to be willing to learn. You need to learn how you’ll maximise your earning potential, and learn how to get better at your online business. If you try out Wealthy Affiliate’s free membership you’ll get to see all the learning materials they offer, and be able to try out some of the training for yourself. From here you’ll get an idea of whether or not you’re willing to learn and be committed towards your business.

Even making money online through surveys, GPT, PTC sites etc, requires commitment, if you only do it every now and again, you won’t see your money grow.

Reason #7: You Don’t Like To Work

If you’re constantly looking for the easy route, then you won’t be very successful online. Yes, there are ways to make money online with little work, as I mentioned before you can do so through survey sites etc. But to make consistent money online through an online business you need to be willing to work. If you truly want to make money online successfully, then you’ll need to start changing your mindset.

Final Words:

Hopefully this list has helped you point out areas you may need to change/improve in order to successfully make money online.

Ultimately, people who fail online do so because of their lack of commitment.

So, if you’re someone who has the idea to do something legit, gradually and long-term, then you have a higher chance of succeeding online.

If You’d Like To Build An Online Business And Succeed In Making Money Online, Find Out How To Get Started Below

I’d Like To Know How To Get Started Online Today

Have you had trouble making money online in the past? Have you learnt anything from this list? What do you feel you may need to change about your mindset in order to successfully make money online? Please feel free to respond/comment in the section below. Also, Don’t forget to share this with others you know who may be struggling to make money online.

6 Simple Ways To Find The Best Make Money Online Program For You!

Finding The Best Make Money Online Program For You

There are lots of “Make Money Online” programs available these days, which makes it hard to know which one is the best for you. So in this post I want to share with you some of the questions you should ask yourself when choosing a program, and before making any financial investment to the program. I will also tell you my #1 recommended program to help you make money online.

#1: Does The Program Allow You To “Try Before You Buy?”

This is me basically saying, is there a free membership/free trial?. When deciding whether or not to go for a paid program, you need to be able to tell if it is going to be worth your money or not. So the first thing you’ll want to do is find out if the program lets you test out its features as a free trial, or whether you can join as a free member, with the choice to upgrade when you want to. This is useful because it means you get to test out the program, which will allow you to make an informed decision before potentially paying for the program. Also, it’s helpful to note that most free trial offers don’t require any payment details.

If you are unable to do a free trial, find out if the program offers a refund policy. Some refund policies can be 14, 30 or 60 days, so it’s important to find out what the exact policy is. If you’re not too sure, take a look at reviews online to what others might say about the program, and whether the refund process is simple or not.

#2: Is The Program Suitable For Your Expertise?

If you’re a newbie, or an expert in the world of making money online, then you need to join a program that fits you needs. As an expert, you won’t want a program that covers only the basics of making money online, and likewise, as a newbie you won’t want a program that’s full of technical jargon. By choosing the wrong program for your expertise, you may feel that you’ve wasted your money.

This is one of the advantages of being able to “try before you buy” because it allows you to see what level of training and information the program offers.

#3: Are You Willing To Take Action?

Most of the programs you see will only teach you the methods you need to Make Money Online. In order to make it work, you need to be willing to take action and actually implement what they teach. If you spend too much time procrastinating, then you’ll be losing money on the program, rather than making money from what the program teaches.

If you’re not ready to make use of the information you are given, then no matter which “Make Money Online” program you join, it will not be worth your money.

#4: Does The Program Offer Quality Training?

In order to succeed in making money online, you need to have the right training. Just like with any job, you need to have lessons/training that will allow you to be able to carry out that job effectively. Therefore, a Make Money Online program should be able to teach you, using quality training methods and materials, in order to help you really make money online.

That’s another reason why I feel it’s good to join a program that allows you to “try before you buy”, so you can get a feel for the training that is being offered.

#5: How Will You Actually Be Making Money Online?

You need to find out from the program what you’ll actually be doing in order to make money online. If the program’s only method of being able to make money is by promoting that program, then I personally would not recommend joining…unless you truly believe the program is worth sharing with others, and you feel that people will benefit from joining it. However, it helps if a program offers you other ways you can make money online, cause I believe that the more alternative income streams you have to make money online, the more successful you will be.

#6: Are There Any Upsells?

Overall, there’s nothing wrong with a program offering upsells in order to get you to purchase other products or services. However, the problem comes when the program is bombarding you with multiple overpriced upsells. If that’s the case, then you may want to avoid that kind of program, as it seems they’re more interested in your money rather than helping you. However, if you’re able to look past the upsells and you feel you can still benefit from what the main program has to offer, then I’d say do what you feel is right for you.

My #1 Recommended Program & Why

My personal #1 recommended program is Wealthy Affiliate (check out my in-depth review here). As a hands-on member, I recommend it because it is a genuine program that is geared to help you make money online. I have gained so much from being a part of the program and want others to benefit from it too. Below is a table that compares what Wealthy Affiliate has to offer against the questions that were asked above:

FURTHER READING: Wealthy Affiliate Review

Final Words

When looking for information, it can take a lot of time to get the training and resources you need to make money online, and you’ll likely end up jumping from one site to another this way. Therefore, having access to a Make Money Online program like Wealthy Affiliate, means you get most of the training and tools you need under one roof, and can make the overall process less overwhelming.

Whatever program you choose, always be aware that there is no 100% guaranteed success. What might work for me may not work for you, and vise versa. You need to work hard and be committed to get the results you want. I would still recommend you give Wealthy Affiliate a try, as it’s free to join and you can test it out for yourself, and you can choose to upgrade or remain a free member depending on your experience with them.

To sign up for a totally free account at Wealthy Affiliate, click the link below

I’d Like To Join Wealthy Affiliate For Free, Today!

If you have any questions then please feel free to ask them in the comments section below, as well as share any other tips you may have on this topic. 

9 Essential Tips on Starting A Successful Business Online

I made a number of mistakes when starting my online business, and sadly I know there are many others who have done the same. That’s why I want to share with you my 9 tips on starting your own successful business online. I want to share with you what I’ve learnt over the years from my mistakes, in hopes that it will help you avoid them earlier on in your online business venture.

Tip #1: Have a Plan

Have A Plan

One of the most important tips to starting a successful online business is to have a plan. You need to know what direction you want your business to take, and how you will get there. It’s ok to change your mind at some points if you feel you want to tweak your original plan. But if you just sit back waiting to see what happens, you won’t be successful. So decide what your business will be about, and how you plan to make an income from it.

Tip #2: Choose A Topic/Niche You Care About

The best way to start an online business is to focus on something you are passionate about, and that you know a lot about too. If you focus on a topic that you have no interest in, you’re less likely to be motivated through the hard times. Whereas if you’re passionate about your topic, you’ll want to continue to share your knowledge with others, and promote products around that area of interest. I’m not saying that your business has to be based on your #1 passion (cause it could be that business model is saturated), but let it at least be something you care about. If you enjoy your topic then the creativity will flow.

Tip #3: Spend More Time Doing, Instead Of Just Thinking

It’s so easy to come up with all these ideas of what you want to do, and think of how you’re going to do it. But it becomes a whole different thing when you actually start DOING it. You need to start acting on your ideas. For example,  if you’re thinking about emailing potential suppliers about a product…don’t think, just do it.  I mean, you can obviously plan what you’re going to say, and the questions you’ll ask, but you’re not going to get any answers if you don’t hit that send button.

Tip #4: Get The Right Training 

Get The Right Training

Having the right training is important because you get to learn tried and tested methods that will help you business grow. You’ll also come across new tips/methods that will further make your business a successful one. My #1 recommended training program is Wealthy Affiliate. This is because they have all the things you need, under one roof, and they provide bite-sized lessons to help you get things done step by step. They don’t give false promises, and they offer a free membership which gives you the opportunity to “try before you buy” (if you choose to upgrade). This means you can get a feel for the training material, allowing you to decide whether it’s for you, without having to invest any actual money. They don’t bombard you with upsells, nor do they claim that they have all the “secrets to success” in a 69 page eBook. If you’d like to know more you can check out my review (below), or sign up free today with the link (below).

FURTHER READING: Wealthy Affiliate Review

or

LINK: Sign Up FREE Today For Wealthy Affiliate Training Program

Tip #5: Build A Support Network

Build A Support Network

Having some kind of support network is highly important to having success in business. You need to surround yourself with likeminded people, whether thats offline or online, it’s necessary to do so. You need guidance from more experienced entreprenurs, as well as a way to stop you from feeling alone in the online world. You also need people in your life who are going to motivate you to keep going. That’s why I enjoy being a part of the Wealthy Affiliate community, cause there is a great support network available to me. I have somewhere I can share my worries, and the people there will pick me up and encourage me to keep going. I also inspired by their stories, which further motivates me. Sometimes getting in to business online can be difficult when you’re not seeing results early, but having a support network makes you realise that you need to persevere…and the hard work will soon pay off.

Tip #6: Have The Right Expectation

Building a business isn’t easy, and it’s not quick. It may not sound like what you were hoping for, but it’s the truth. Building a business requires hard work, especially when you’re just starting out. If you’re expecting to make money doing nothing, or only work 4 hours a week…then this is not for you. If possible, I would encourage you to speak to other entrepreneurs, ask them how much work it took them, and how long. This may help you decide whether building a business is really for you.

Side note: If you’re a full-time worker and genuinely can only work about 4 hours a week on your business, then that’s totally understandable. My reference to the “4 hour work week” is purely to illustrate the misconception many people have about starting a business online.

Tip #7: Brainstorm Ideas

Brainstorm Ideas

You need to have a brainstorm of ideas of content and products for your business. This is so you can tackle a gap in the market, and improve your chance of being successful. The best way to do this is through keyword research. You can do a basic brainstorm of ideas, or use keyword tools.  I personally use Jaaxy or  Wealthy Affiliate Keyword Tool (you’ll need to create a free account to use this) to brainstorm ideas. You can also use KeywordTool.io. These tools can all be accessed for free, and also have upgrade options for more features.  Quality content is what brings readers/visitors to your site. If you provide value, you’re able to make money through advertising or Affiliate Marketing. You want to provide value for your visitors and write in your own words. Keyword tools are very useful because they help you come up with different content ideas. You don’t want to run out of content after only a few articles. So get brainstorming, and come start coming up with awesome content!

Tip #8: There’s No Magic Button To Success

No Magic Button To Success

Before you can really be successful with your business, you need to realise that there is NO magic button to success…there NO magic formula. What you need are the right tools and resources to help you work smarter. Don’t believe all the hype of products written my “internet gurus” showing you “the secrets to success” in a costly ebook. Save your money from that and invest in real resources and training.

Tip #9: Take Action

Take Action!

I know I say this throughout my site a lot, but it is so true. You need to take action in order to get anywhere. Don’t be the person who talks, talks and talks about starting a business, but never does anything to get it going. It’s easy to get worried about making mistakes with your business…but not starting at all will be your biggest failure. With the right training and resources, you will be off to a good start, and you’ll have the chance to learn a lot along the way.

So, I invite you to take action today by signing up for the Wealthy Affiliate Training Program. Here you will learn the ways to starting your own business online.

To sign up free today, click the link below.

I’m Ready To Take Action And Learn How To Start A Successful Business Online

What would you add to this list of tips? Are there any tips that stand out most to you? Which of these tips, if any, will you take on board after reading this? I’d really like to read your responses and answer any questions you may have in the comments below.