Reginald Chan

Author: Reginald Chan

  • Build your knowledge base with Document360

    Build your knowledge base with Document360

    Document360 is a knowledge base creation platform useful for creating and publishing self-help service guides for your customers or employees. The cloud-based SaaS platform is also beneficial for gathering and storing institutional knowledge relevant to employees.

    Having a knowledge base enables you to improve your internal operations and support teams’ efficiency, enabling them time to focus on critical issues.

    Rated as the #1 knowledge management platform by the Gartner Digital Markets, Document360 integrates with third-party apps to help your teams collaborate efficiently while creating content for the database and even allow you to collect customer feedback.

    The best part about Document360 is that the process of knowledge database creation is simplified to allow both technical and non-technical users to interact with the documentation. Without further ado, let us dive deep into its capabilities.

    Features that make Document360 stand apart

    The knowledge base software facilitates the contribution and consumption of information that is important for your business. The main features of Document360 are:

    1. User management

    You can enable role-based user access for better management and data security. Allocate roles to all your users, such as Admin, Editor, Writer, or Reader. Maintain a hierarchy so that the accuracy of the content is not hampered.

    2. Feedback and commenting

    Document360 allows you to collect user feedback to improve your documentation. You can also gather peer comments before publishing the articles to ensure your content quality is as per reader preference.

    3. Team accounts

    Segregate teams based on the type of accounts allocated to the users. Under this section, you can view all activities and analytics of each team member.

    4. Document versioning

    You can manage all the documentation versions and choose to use the updated version or roll back to an older version. This feature is also helpful for auditing revisions made to the documentation.

    5. Private documentation

    Secure your confidential communication by selecting user accounts who can access specific articles of the knowledge base. Not every department needs to have the same level of authority to access a particular piece of content.

    6. Unlimited articles and multiple projects

    You can use Document360 to create multiple projects and publish unlimited articles under each category. It allows you to maintain all your documentation — internal and public in a single place. As mentioned earlier, you can leverage its role-based access for users to ensure confidentiality is never compromised.

    7. Superfast search

    Document360 also offers search functionality to make relevant documents from your knowledge base accessible in real-time for authorized users. The articles are matched with search keywords for relevance and are displayed in the list of suggestions to the user. 

    8. Bulk operations

    The knowledge base software comes with an in-built capability to perform the same function on several document pieces in a single click. This feature reduces your workload by eliminating the need for repetitive processes.

    For instance, if the copywriters in your team have drafted a few articles, they would send them to the editor for review. Instead of publishing their content pieces individually, the editor can do a “Bulk Publish” using Document360.

    9. SEO settings

    You can customize article metadata and add tags to each article in your Document360 knowledge base. These settings allow you to add keywords related to your products. You can include them in your article title and text to optimize it and increase its searchability on Google, Bing, and Yahoo!.

    10. Cloud deployment

    Making collaboration among teams easier, cloud deployment of Document360 allows you to preview and edit articles in real-time. The Markdown and WYSIWYG editors are two editing tool options available. The best part is they are dynamic and allow the writer to even preview how a specific article will look live.

    Integrations that make the creation of your knowledge database simpler

    Document360 seamlessly integrates with your existing tools and any third-party applications popular in the market. Your teams can collaborate among themselves and coordinate with users through these applications without any hassle.

    Document360 allows integrations in the following categories:

    i. Helpdesks like Zendesk and Freshdesk

    ii. Chatbots like Intercom and Drift

    iii. Analytics tools such as Google Analytics

    iv. Translation Services like Crowdin

    v. Commenting tools such as Disqus

    vi. CRO tools such as Hotjar and Freshmarketer

    vii. Team collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams

    Dynamic pricing for every business

    Document360 is priced based on your usage and the features offered. The pricing categories are:

    1. Startup — $49 for a month including one project, two team accounts, 5 GB storage for one knowledge base version.

    2. Business — $149 for a month including one project, five team accounts, 50 GB storage for two knowledge base versions.

    3. Enterprise — $299 for a month including one project, 15 team accounts, 150 GB storage for six knowledge base versions.

    4. Enterprise Plus — You can build a custom plan for your requirement and get unlimited team accounts with 300 GB storage for 12 knowledge base versions.

    Document360 also offers a 14-day free trial with full access to the platform to help you decide what works best for your business. Check out its pricing in detail here.

    Companies using Document360

    The user-friendly characteristics and scalability of Document360 have made it a preferred knowledge database building platform for most companies. Major brands using Document360 are Microsoft, Stackify, Harvard University, Warner Brothers, Monday.com, Customer.io, Mambu, Reggora, and many more.

    What is not right with Document360?

    It offers mostly all features you would need to build your knowledge base portal, but there are some cons too:

    1. It does not allow data to be imported from MS Word.

    2. Inserting audio files into your articles takes time.

    3. Speed may be an issue at times.

    4. Creating projects for each product becomes costly and time-consuming for companies with multiple products.

    5. Customer support could be improved for immediate assistance round the clock.

    Summing it up

    Document360 is a great product for businesses struggling with multiple products and their numerous user manuals. It allows you to streamline your product information and efficiently distribute it to your users — both employees and customers.

    Improve your team’s self-help abilities and equip them to answer routine customer queries through FAQs while maintaining all your documentation securely in a single place. The software allows you to publish content in different forms for both internal and external uses.

  • How to be a Great Online Learner?

    How to be a Great Online Learner?

    Studying online is a fantastic choice for so many reasons. Deciding to do so can open up a whole new world of opportunities for you and can advance your career in exciting ways. If you have made the decision to study online, then it is natural that you will want to make the most of this time.

    Finding ways to become the very best online learner that you can be is essential to your success as you embark upon this new challenge. The following advice can help you to become a great online learner. This advice will also help you to get the most from your chosen course and to keep your stress levels down as you move ahead with your studies.

    Choosing an Online Course

    Before you set out on becoming a great online learner, you will want to sign up for an online course. This is an action that more and more people are taking in order to embark upon degree-level education, but it can also involve non-degree related learning.

    For those looking to explore online bachelor’s degrees or online master’s degrees, Wilfred Laurier University is a reputable educational institution to choose. To ensure that you have the most success learning with them, they have even provided their top advice on how to succeed with online learning. It is important to select a course provider who has a strong reputation for quality of learning and one that has a proven track record of positive student outcomes and solid student support.

    There are several important points to investigate during this decision process, such as reading reviews from previous students, exploring the course material and modules, and understanding the assessment procedures for each course. Seeing the kind of support they can offer to you is incredibly important.

    Do not rush the process of choosing the best course for you, and try to get as much information and guidance as possible. Each potential institution will have an admissions department who is there to answer any questions that you may have.

    What Makes a Successful Online Learner?

    People who are successful at studying online share a number of common qualities.

    These people are generally:

    If you do not currently feel that you possess all of these skills or even a few of them, then do not be too concerned. These are certain qualities that you can develop over time by consciously working to do so.

    Read on to learn more how you can best embrace these skills and truly develop them for yourself.

    Motivation

    Being able to motivate yourself is an action that you will have to master in order to succeed in most areas of your life. If you do not have the desire to get stuck in and work towards your goals, then you are going to find it quite hard to succeed at them.

    You may have to really push yourself at first in order to become seriously motivated, but this is something that will get easier with time. Try to remind yourself of your goals and your reasons for wanting to reach them. Have a clear idea of what you want your life to look like and explain to yourself regularly how reaching these goals is going to help with this. Doing so will be an effective way to motivate yourself to keep going.

    Time Management

    Time management skills are absolutely essential for every successful student. This is true whether you are studying for an in-person course or for an online course. When you are studying online, you will have much more need to develop this skill as your study time will not be as structured as it would be in the classroom.

    Time management extends far beyond simply getting to your lessons on time. It involves giving an adequate amount of time and attention to your independent study and truly using this time effectively.

    You can work to develop your time management skills by setting yourself deadlines each day and striving to complete certain tasks within the allocated period.

    Distractions

    Distractions can be much more commonplace when you are studying online from home. It can be much easier to justify taking a break when you are not in a classroom environment, and this can be quite detrimental to your concentration and productivity.

    If you find that you are prone to becoming distracted, then you must work to overcome this issue.

    Creating a specific study area for yourself in the home that is free from distractions is a great first step. If you share your home with other people, make sure that everyone else respects your space and your boundaries. Make it clear that you are studying and that you do not wish to be disturbed or distracted.

    Self-Discipline

    Being able to be strict with yourself is a skill that can take some time to master. This is a quality that you must really work to develop, much in the same way as learning to overcome distractions.

    By setting small goals for yourself that you can work realistically work towards, you can begin to teach yourself about self-discipline. These goals can then become larger, and you will notice that your ability to stay on task develops as you move forwards.

    Effective Communication and Expression

    When you are an online learner, you will be communicating with your teachers and your fellow students in multiple ways. As well as talking to each other through video calls, you will also likely be sending a lot of written text communication, such as through instant messages and emails.

    When it comes to written messages and emails, it is easy to be misunderstood due to the absence of tone and body language. Being able to communicate clearly and concisely will be key to always getting your point across and avoiding misunderstandings.

    Having the ability to express your thoughts and ideas in a way that is widely understood is a skill that can take time, especially in the online sphere. Although it can take time, this is an important component of your professional and personal development.

    Once you have mastered this skill, you will be well on your way to becoming a great online learner!

    Succeeding at Online Learning

    Working to embrace the aforementioned concepts will give you a serious boost when it comes to your online studies.

    Although you may find it difficult to master these skills right away, you can continue to work towards them over time. Nobody will ever expect you to be the perfect student, and this is an unrealistic expectation to put on yourself, but you can strive to hone your skills and be the best you can be.

  • How To Bring Back A Lost Investment And Who Can Help You On That Path?

    How To Bring Back A Lost Investment And Who Can Help You On That Path?

    We all want to get ahead. Financial security is one of the goals of all adults who do not have it. Some of us ceaselessly worry about this one thing. Others actually take the steps to improve their situation. Investing is a very logical step on the way to financial freedom. But just because it’s logical does not mean it won’t be challenging. You now know this firsthand. Risk and investment are inseparable. To score big, you need to go big. However, because most of us lack the knowledge and experience to go this route alone, we entrust our hopes, dreams, and savings to those who we trust as above board professionals who will steer us the right way to a successful investment. The harsh reality many times for many of us, unfortunately, is a lost investment. 

    Why Did I Fail?

    Sometimes it is a simple as being too gullible. Are you quick to believe what is said to you or what you may read online or in magazines? Did you ignore that little voice in the back of your head saying a bad idea and now your freely given faith in people has left you feeling regret? Don’t feel ashamed. It has happened to many of us. We choose to believe that because we are honest, others will be as well. But we need to take better steps to safeguard our investments. Everything that sparkles like gold is not. Trust your intuition. The gut is never wrong.

    Could impatience have caused you to make rash decisions resulting in investment loss? Rushing to start big could have caused a bigger fall. All this to say that sometimes the fault lies with us, things we didn’t do, things we should have done or the very decisions we did make. For those times, we may need to graciously accept the loss and strive to do better next time. Not all losses can be recouped.  But some apparent losses, however, such as stock market dips, may not be loses at all. Allow for some time to truly evaluate the state of your investment.

    Other times, however, the blame is not on your shoulders because you scoured the internet, asked probing questions, did your due diligence and ended up partnering with a professional investor who still, ultimately, let you down and lost your funds. 

    Justice 

    You feel duped, angry. You want answers and retribution. In such situations your monies definitely have a shot at being recaptured. Unless you are a highly trained arbitration lawyer, you cannot fight this alone and require expert help. Experienced lawyers at Atlanta representation are ready to  help you get just that. If you believe that your investment was lost due to purposeful deceit, negligence or plain incompetence, then a lawyer is exactly what you need. 

    Victim of a ponzi or pyramid scheme? Failed mutual funds investment? Prey to a variable annuity fraud? Following a tried and trusted arbitration process, your triumph is the top priority with a dedicated lawyer. A claim will need to be filed. Be patient as your attorney allows for the accused party to respond. This is expected to occur within forty-five days. The legal counsel will then carry on with the discovery and hearing process. Thirty days thereafter, a decision will be handed down by a three-person panel. 

    Remember

    Although financial advisors are held accountable under the law for false counsel, some still choose to blatantly mislead you. They may trump up the feasibility of success in a particular venture, influencing you to wrongly and disastrously invest great amounts of cash in an apparent golden opportunity that shows no dividends.

    Some may shamelessly coax you to invest more than you intended or even have the ability to. Professional investment firms and individuals who claim to be professional investment advisors should not be allowed to escape blame and recompense. The heavy hand of the law will see to that. So don’t feel defeated. Never just lay down and accept an investment loss that is not only not your fault, but was perpetrated by someone who purported themselves to be professional. But also be aware that if your downfall is directly your doing, no lawyer will be able to save you from that loss. 

    Be very smart and extra careful with your investments. That is imperative.

  • 7 Hacks to Make Your Business Website More Visible Online

    7 Hacks to Make Your Business Website More Visible Online

    Owning a business today is all about marketing yourself online. Building a proper website and associating platforms like a blog and social media with your website is the easiest, fastest, and most effective way to building a client base. 

    How exactly is this done? 

    There are multiple steps you can take to ensure that your optimizing your online presence in a way that’ll make your content more visible to potential and existing clients. Here are just 7 ways you can be successful in this task. 

    1) Search Engine Optimization

    Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is the process of moving your content up the pages of Google and other search engine pages. There are multiple techniques you can implement with your online content so that when someone searches for a desires service, your business will be one of the first they see. 

    Some of these techniques include: 

    • Using researched keywords in your content 
    • Including backlinks on your website
    • Using internal links to up engagement 
    • Optimize your images using ALT text 
    • Research your top competition and utilize what works for them 

    Search Engine Optimization can be a tricky concept to grasp. Luckily, if you’re having difficulty you don’t have to do it alone. There are SEO agencies you can hire that will help take your business and its online presence to the next level. That way you’ll be assured your SEO implementation is being done properly. 

    2) Register Your Business On Google 

    Working in tandem with SEO, registering your business with Google will also make your business more visible. When people are in the vicinity of your establishment, Google will be able to recommend your services to them. For instance, a potential customer types, “restaurants near me.” If your restaurant happens to be in their area I’ll be a top result on Google! 

    Google Business also offers customers the chance to leave reviews for others to see. That way customers will know your company is legitimate and reliable. Since it includes your contact information and location readily available, customers are more likely to reach out in comparison to if they had to search for your business’s contact information. 

    The cherry on top of it all is that Google Business offers a deeper look into your businesses navigation and analytics. 

    3) Use Google Analytics 

    Speaking of analytics, Google also offers Analytics software that can track your entire online presence. Google Analytics tells you everything you need to know about how customers interact with your website and anything else you have connected to Google.

    It can track: 

    • How long users stay on your website 
    • How long it takes for them to sign up/make a purchase
    • People’s navigation patterns 
    • Which page garners the most engagement 
    • The demographic of your viewers 
    • What time of day garners the most clicks 

    Google Analytics is also the perfect tool for any third-party company you bring in to help with growth. They’ll be able to have a basis of where your company lies and will better be able to create a plan that’ll drive even more traffic to your online sources. 

    4) Set Up A Blog 

    Every company website should have a blog attached to its name. Blogs bring in viewers and potential clients that aren’t even intentionally searching for your services. This is the best way to expand your target audience outside of its simplified niche in a risk-free way. 

    While setting up a blog is a great first step, you now have to figure out effective ways to drive traffic to your blog. Of course, like for your website, SEO will be your blog’s best friend. Especially with techniques like linking back to other articles and keyword research. 

    The main thing to remember when creating content for your blog is to make sure that what your releasing is relevant to your consumers. One way to ensure this is by releasing evergreen content. These would be articles that will stay relevant for years to come. Google values this content and a higher standard and will promote it more often than the content it sees as unuseful to its users. 

    5) Set Up Social Media

    Social Media has been all the rage for years and will be all the rage for years to come. However, it’s important to stay up to date with all the changing tactics trends, and new apps that continuously get released. Social Media is an everchanging environment but if you can find a good pace for your company – can be an amazing way to attract prospective clients and build a community.

    Social Media like Instagram and Facebook even have their own ad system, which can get your message across to thousands of online users in a matter of minutes. Social Media is also a good place to link to all of your other platforms like a blog or website. This cross-promotion should also be done in reverse as well. Always link back to your social media on your blog and website.   

    6) Start a Newsletter 

    Newsletters are one of the sure ways you can get information out to subscribers and customers who you know value your content. These customers would have signed up either through a portal on your website or even through a link on social media. 

    Newsletter platforms like Mailchimp are easy to use and will be able to give you the analytics you need in order to optimize the day and time you send your email and what content garners better feedback or produces the most clicks on the links to your other platforms. 

    The newsletter can include content like upcoming events or even a brief overview of new blog posts! 

    7) Make Sure Your Platforms Are User Friendly

    Finally, it’s important to make sure that all of your online content is optimized to be as user-friendly as possible. This means making sure your website is compatible on multiple different devices and is straightforward when it comes to navigation. 

    When you’re writing your blogs make sure to space out your paragraphs so that users aren’t overwhelmed by large blocks of information. That can be daunting for someone who is casually browsing online. 

    Offering tech support is also important. This will make your company and its online presence more reliable and set a good image going forward.

  • 4 Ways Malware Can Still Hurt You in 2021

    4 Ways Malware Can Still Hurt You in 2021

    If your acquaintance with malware boils down to viruses and you think that antivirus is sufficient protection, you need to be updated on the topic. In 2021, there’s still a multitude of harmful programs that can do a lot of damage to your system. Here’s how. 

    Malware Problem 2021

    Types of Malware

    Malware is an umbrella term, a combination of “malicious” and “software”, that encompasses several potentially harmful software types. Experts specify from five to more than twenty of them, the most common being:

    • Viruses
    • Worms
    • Trojans
    • Spyware and adware
    • Ransomware
    • Rootkits
    • Keyloggers
    • Bots

    Long list, isn’t it? This is not comprehensive, however. There are even more types of harmful software – polymorphic and mobile malware, browser hijackers, and other, less common, variations.

    All of them are still thriving in 2021, despite the advancement of endpoint protection software, and every malware type can be damaging to your system in its own way. 

    Some are extremely hard to detect and remove, so it’s better to prevent contamination in the first place than to deal with the consequences of your carelessness.

    In this article, we’ve put together a list of the most common ways malware can do damage to your system in 2021. Read it attentively and take the necessary precautions!

    1. Stealing Sensitive Data

    The Internet is undoubtedly one of humanity’s greatest achievements ever. Sadly, it’s also one of the greatest threats to every individual’s privacy at the same time.

    Every time we use it, be it to pay for online purchases or to look for essay help from an essay writing help service, we put our personal data at risk. In the best-case scenario, we’re only risking our reputation. The worst output can be the leakage of important credentials like passport data or credit card numbers.

    There are plenty of ways how hackers can obtain this data, from using spyware and keyloggers to sophisticated social engineering tactics. The latter ones have been reported to be on the rise since the pandemic began, and the only way to defend against them is for you to be vigilant.

    2. Damaging Your Files

    Ransomware is another malware type that’s enjoying momentum in 2021. Its name speaks for itself: it’s designed to steal something and then make the victim pay a ransom.

    “Something” in this case is the files on your computer. Once it’s implemented into your system, ransomware starts encrypting all data on your computer, and the only way to get your files back is supposed to be paying a ransom to the intruders.

    While this scheme is usually used to attack those who are most likely to lose something truly valuable – like government officials, business executives, or celebrities, – everyone can fall victim to it.

    Surely, if you’re a student, you may only be risking losing your term paper, but it can be quite distressing, too. Just imagine having to write it all over again!

    To protect your data from ransomware, never forget about backups. You must have at least one on a reliable storage agent, but it’s better to have a few. There are your standard system backups, external devices, cloud storage – take advantage of them all.

    That said, it’s also essential to remember that some viruses can still make a perfect mess of your system unless you have sufficient protection. So, how long has it been since you’ve scanned your files?

    Keep Website Secure From Malware

    3. Hijacking Your Computer

    As if the risks of exposing or losing your data were not enough, there’s more that malware can do. It can literally hijack your computer so that you would lose control of it, partially or completely.

    First, there are rootkits that are commonly used for ad fraud as they can operate the way humans would, opening browsers and clicking on ads to gain profit for the attackers. These programs are particularly dangerous because they can gain full remote control of your system and thus remove the antivirus software which poses further risks to the system. 

    But there’s something even more threatening – bots. By themselves, bots are not malicious and are normally used to perform harmless routine operations. It is only when they are designed by criminals that they become truly dangerous.

    Criminals use bots to gain control of your computer and make the system run at their command. This allows them to create a network of remote computers called a botnet that’s powerful enough for a large-scale malicious attack. It can be a:

    • Ad-click fraud
    • Spam attack
    • DDoS attack

    What’s more, not only can your computer be hijacked, but your website can be, too, if you have one. Losing it – along with the domain name – is usually a significant problem, so it’s crucial to learn about the means to protect your data online in advance. While this information may seem difficult to digest, it’s still necessary if you care about your online safety and privacy. 

    4. Slowing Down Your System

    Every type of malware is harmful in its way, but there’s also something that they all have in common: slowing down your system.

    Surely, there are many other harmless programs that can do that too – antiviruses, for example. But all experts note that the sudden underperformance of your computer should always be a red flag. So, if you notice that your gear is not working as fast as it used to, the problem might be that it’s infected with malware.

    Conclusion

    There are many types of malicious programs that can still do damage to your system in 2021. And while some of the threats they pose can be easily eliminated by effective endpoint protection, others require more than that. 

    In these times of thriving social engineering tactics, it’s crucial to always be on alert. It also helps to learn about some technical aspects of cybersecurity, even if you’re far from being a tech geek. It may take time, but isn’t your data valuable enough, after all? Oftentimes, users lose data and assets because of their own carelessness, so don’t follow in their footsteps!

  • How to Turn Your Blog Into a Brand?

    How to Turn Your Blog Into a Brand?

    Do you know how many blogs there are on the internet?

    While the exact number is hard to determine, most stats point to about 500 million. That’s an insane number of blogging sites!

    With that number firmly lodged in your mind, you need to ask yourself, “How can I succeed when it’s such a crowded space?”

    The answer to that, my friend, lies in the power of branding.

    Branding has a few different meanings depending on who you ask and in what context. In the world of blogging, think of branding as giving your blog its own personality.

    Doing so helps differentiate your blog from the other half a billion other blogs out there.

    You’ll also help to increase your online recognition and authority – vital to your continued blogging success.

    If you want to level up your blog and stand out from the crowd, check out these five actionable tips below.  

    #1 Create a logo

    Think of your logo as your blog’s face. It’s unique to you, and just like meeting new people, you want to look your best when meeting face to face.

    Usually, it sits at the top of the page. But don’t forget, it’s also used elsewhere as well to help people identify your site.

    When people visit your blog for the first time, you want to make a great impression on them. A poorly designed or ugly logo will reflect badly on your blog. If you want to appear professional and trustworthy, you need a great-looking logo.

    Can you design the logo yourself? Unless you have years of experience as a graphic designer, it’s best to leave it to the professionals or use a dedicated service, and there are lots of options you can choose from:

    Hire a logo designer – you can hire a designer on freelance platforms like fiverr.com or look for an agency to help you create a logo

    Start a logo competition – logo design competitions let you submit your design brief to multiple designers simultaneously. At the end of the competition, you can view all their submissions and choose your favorite

    Design with a logo maker – logo makers are online logo design platforms many use AI to create logos based on your input. Of all logo design options logo makers are the cheapest option.

    #2 Develop your brand image

    Ever heard pop stars talk about their brand image?

    The music industry is super crowded. Bands and singers who want to get noticed and set themselves apart create a unique look that makes them stand out.

    But they also tailor that look so that it appeals to their target audience. Compare Taylor Swift to Metallica. They’re both hugely successful artists. But their branding is at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

    You can apply the same branding principles to your blog through:

    • The tone of voice – you may not realize it, but your blog has its own tone of voice. It’s just a reflection of how you write naturally, but it’s unique to you. Pay attention to the kind of tone your blog has. Is it professional, or is it laid back? Use a tone of voice that your audience responds to, and make sure you stick to it.
    • Color palette – Don’t use too many colors on our blog site. Instead, create your own brand color palette using 2-3 colors. Make sure it matches your tone of voice and is liked by your audience.
    • Font–style – People are reading your blog posts. Have you ever thought about the typography you’re using? Pick a font that matches your voice. Professional news websites use serif fonts like Times New Roman, whereas more casual blogs use sans-serif fonts like Calibri.
    • Imagery – If you’re not using images, you will not get the most out of your blog. Images help draw people in and keep them engaged. To help solidify your visual identity, stick to one type of image, whether it’s for your blog posts, your home page, even social media posts.


    #3 Be consistent with relevant content

    People are creatures of habit. Please don’t make them guess when your latest post will be.

    If they like to visit your blog post on Wednesday morning because they’re expecting a new post, don’t let them down! Create a blogging schedule and stick to it.

    You also need to create relevant content. In other words, content that your audience wants to read and find interesting. If you already know who your audience is, this isn’t a problem.

    But if you’re still trying to uncover who exactly is reading your blog, try using some of these methods:

    • Google Analytics – By connecting your website to Google Analytics, you can find out demographic information about your audience. Where they’re from, their age group, gender, and more. You can also see how people are arriving at your posts. Are they coming from social media? Search engines? Other blogs that are linking to you?
    • Use Comments – Allow readers to leave comments with their thoughts and own opinions. It’s a great way to find out more about your readers and increase your engagement levels.
    • Content Discovery Platforms – Content research platforms like Answer The Public you input topics, such as ‘woodworking’ to discover subtopics you can talk about in your blog posts


    #4 Build your social presence

    Facebook has nearly 3 billion monthly users. So does YouTube. Instagram has over 1 billion, and TikTok is catching up with close to 700 million monthly users.

    The point I’m trying to make is that you can gain lots of new audience members by growing your social media presence.

    Growing your own community takes time, and it can be pretty tiring. Many social media users expect high levels of engagement. Like constant new posts and increased engagement with the community.

    Using social media tools to set up automatic posting and alerts can do wonders for your efforts.

    Just don’t fall into the trap of trying to use every social media platform there is. Stick to the ones your audience is using. LinkedIn, for example, is excellent for B2B businesses, whereas Facebook is much more social orientated.


    #5 Leverage email marketing

    Another channel you can use to level up your branding is email marketing. This doesn’t mean you need to bombard people with sales emails trying to sell them stuff. In fact, that type of email marketing is a sure way to get people to unsubscribe and blacklist you.

    Instead, leverage your email marketing to help build your brand by engaging with people. Use it to keep them up to date with your blogging activities, ask for feedback, and send email-only tips and advice not available on your blog site.

    Just like your actual blogs, make sure your emails are relevant and sent consistently.

    If you have your logo and color pallet set up, incorporate them into your email design to help your branding even more.  

    Summary

    Turning your average blog into a brand loved by its audience won’t happen overnight. But with the actionable items on this page, you can start the transformation today. Keep working hard, posting consistent and relevant content, learning everything you can about your audience, and developing your blog into a killer brand that stands out from the 500 million over blogging sites!