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Posts Tagged ‘tips’

5 Tips for Fresh Content - When Writing Gets Difficult

Monday, February 1st, 2010
Fresh out of ideas?

Fresh out of ideas?

Providing insightful and consistent content on your website is one of the best ways to keep your readers interested and those visitor numbers up! It plays a vital role in that all important SEO.

If you have a slight case of writer’s block , though, and sometimes struggle to think of ideas for your blog, have a read below for some tips on how to generate fresh content.

1. Have a change of environment.

If you’re working non-stop behind your computer for hours on end, take a break and go for a walk. Often one of the best ways to overcome writer’s block is just getting away from your environment for a short while. Its’ wondrous what half an hour of fresh air can do for the brain! You may even see something along the way that inspires you.

2. Do some research.

Read other people’s articles around your subject area and see if these evoke any potential ideas for blog posts or articles for your own site. Maybe a combination of all the articles you read will inspire you, or even provoke you to talk about the key points mentioned but taking it on a different slant, with your own personal opinions.

3. Talk to peers.

Do you have friends in the same field? Prod them for advice on what’s hot at the moment or ask if they have some thoughts on interesting areas within your subject. You could even blog about an interesting conversation you had. For example, if you write about football and have a friend who holds a season ticket, start a debate with him on who should go up in the league - be sure to get his side of the arguement and blog about it. Your readers will be delighted to get involved in the discussion which may encourage them to leave comments and therefore heighten the debate (and interest) even more!

4. Re-use an old post

Don’t be afraid to unleash it once again from the depths of your blog or website. You may think everyone has already read it but think again! There are millions and millions of internet users out there so don’t think you’ll be boring your readers with a recycled post; in fact, if it was a popular one, who’s to say it can’t start an attention grabbing discussion once again?

5. Write honestly

The number of times people try to write content that they think their visitor wants to read instead of writing just for writing, is incredible. The only way to generate those high visitor numbers and reader loyalty is to write from the heart. Imagine talking to yourself…and then add some punctuation marks! Once you’ve finished the post, if you think it sounds too impersonal, go back and modify it. This applies especially to review sites - if readers don’t think you are being honest behind a product review, how are they to trust your opinions?

Remember that writer’s block happens to the best of us and can be extremely frustrating when it occurs. Some of the greatest authors of all time have experienced the same thing, and more than once. But they got through it, and so will you. It may take perhaps a stroll through the park, an unexpected lunch date or even conversations with friends, (don’t forget that different writers are inspired by different stimuli) but you’ll soon see that the creativeness and ability you already possess  for fresh content are not hard to restore!

Affiliate Resolutions 2010 : Making the Most Out of Your Affiliate Program

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Happy New Year, Publishers!

New Year's Resolutions 2010

Start the new year in style with ideas for Resolutions!

If you haven’t quite got round to making your new year’s resolutions yet, no need to worry because here in the Shopzilla UK Publisher Team we’ve come up with some great ideas which pave the way for a fantastic 2010!

1. Adapt your shopping content to your site.

Keeping shopping content on your website relevant to its focus is a sure-fire way to retain audience interest and perhaps generate even more clicks. Your readers won’t want to see adverts for games consoles if your site is about home and garden furniture so try to keep that in mind when integrating shopping content.

2. More dialogue with the UK Publisher Team.

Don’t be afraid to give us a shout if you’re in need of help. We’re here to be of assistance and we appreciate the feedback as much as we’re sure you’d appreciate the help. You can reach out to Diana, Emma or Yohan in the UK Publisher Team and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

3. Update your Payment Information.

You would be surprised at the number of Publishers who do not update their payment information. Remember to include your PayPal address once you’ve activated your account; you may need to give the activation a little time to process after which you will see an Add Payment Info button. If you move, change your email or PayPal account please let us know!

4. Get the most out of Placement IDs.

This feature is great if you have more than one asset on your website. You can track which ad performs better and know what appeals to your audience the most. Use the View Reports tool in your Publisher account to measure and evaluate traffic. If you’re unsure on how to create Placement IDs, please check our blog posts.

5. Try out Shopzilla’s Dynamic Assets.

We introduced our dynamic content early last year. The ads automatically re-generate themselves always showing the most up-to-date  Shopzilla products within the asset. Even better news for our Publishers - when you integrate one of these assets, let us know and we’ll add £5 to your Publisher account!

6. Stay in the loop of what’s happening in the Affiliate world.

Check out forums such as the A4U Forum for extra hints and tips and great blogs. Affiliate StuffAffiliate Marketing Blog and Fish and Clicks are to name but a few.

7. Reapply!

If you have previously applied for our FTP Data Feeds or even a Publisher account but were rejected and your site has since changed, please feel free to reapply! It can often happen that we reconsider an application when a Publisher has further developed his/her website.

8. Don’t overpopulate!

As much as it may sound like the best way to gain clicks, overcrowding your website with too many ads often just makes it illegible and unattractive to potential visitors. Remember it is the visitors you should be wanting to keep interested, and if the content-ad ratio doesn’t synchronise, you may loose some of those crucial readers. How many ads are too many? Have a look at our blog post for tips.

9. Stay informed by the Publisher Team.

We have many options for you to choose from - follow us on Twitter at @Shopzillauk, subscribe to our RSS feed or read our regular blog updates. We give you the latest info on what’s happening in the affiliate and Shopzilla Publisher world.

10. Keep up-to-date with Affiliate Events.

It’s always good to have a rough idea of dates for the various affiliate events of the year. They offer great opportunities for procuring contacts, gleaning advice and networking by getting your name/site out there. The A4Uexpo conferences are always a highlight (note to self: 18-19th May 2010 in Munich) and give you a chance to get in on those best-practice  exchanges!

So, there you are. Some of our handy hints to get you well on your way to affiliate success!

If you have any other suggestions which you may feel would be helpful to others, please feel free to contact us. Otherwise, take a look at Search Engine Land’s post on The Big List: 2010 Marketing Predictions & Resolutions for some excellent tips and information. Get an insight into what other affiliates are planning for 2010…Happy reading!

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