The How To Start a Blog That Matters Bonus

You must purchase How To Start a Blog That Matters from my affiliate link by 11:59pm Pacific on Friday, February 3rd.

Then forward your Clickbank receipt to michellemacphearson AT me DOT com and I’ll hook you up with a free copy of 30 Minute Backlinks (it sells every day for $97).

Between “How to Start a Blog That Matters” and “30 Minute Backlinks“, you’ll have a 90 day blueprint to creating a site that inspires and excites your audience (by a guy who gets over 100,000 monthly visitors to his sites!) as well as a 1 year promotional strategy to continually build links in the most natural way Google is looking for.

No fine print.

Go make a difference to your audience.

Related posts:

1. How To Start Link Building “Will 30 Minute Backlinks work for my niche/skillset/site?” Yeah. Linkbuilding…
2. Building Links Too Fast = Blacklisting? With Social Media Daily, and now 30 Minute Backlinks, I’m…
3. 1000 Free Backlinks & How to Get Them This is day 3 of a juice fast and I’m…

Let me talk to you about “Author Rank” for a few…

It’s one of the ways the face of SEO has dramatically shifted in the last 12 months.

What Google had admitted to is that WHO you are matters in SEO. Google is actively monitoring how much the blog posts YOU produce are shared, tweeted, linked on Facebook Fan Pages, etc. Google knows that if the internet as a whole isn’t listening to you and isn’t sharing your sites, it’s probably not great work. And if it’s not great work, it probably doesn’t deserve to be ranked highly in Google and get all that free SEO traffic.

That’s the situation in a nutshell. This kind of outside engagement via social media – and who YOU and YOUR blog are (and Google’s interpretation of your popularity in the marketplace) that are gonna matter more and more in 2012.

I’m super excited about these changes because it means that big corporate brands or the people with the biggest link building budgets won’t necessarily be the automatic winners in the top 10 of the SERPs.

Who’s going to win are the folks doing work that matters – the folks creating something worth sharing.

It’s where I’ve focused my 2012 business plan and where I hope you will too. I sincerely believe that if you don’t, your sites will be left behind, an ancient (in internet years, anyway!) but useless relic.

This idea – really putting your reputation (which Google is looking at) on the line and making a difference in your niche – is a lot scarier than buying some PLR articles, installing WordPress and adding Adsense to the mix. It’s dangerous. You could fail. It might be embarrassing.

But it’s deeply inspiring too.

If the idea of creating a legacy with your business resonates with you, take a look at the movement behind this page.

Invigorating, isn’t it?

Related posts:

1. SPOT ON! 1 1/2 Days Later – Google Counter Moves “Today, we’re bringing Social Search to more users around the…
2. Google Analytics’ New Multi Channel Reports We found out that nearly two out of every three…
3. Getting Your Thumbnail in Google Search Results Google has made two moves in their search results pages…

Welcome to day 31 of the Internet Marketing Makeover!

Cheers! Hip hip hooray!

It seems like just yesterday you were starting off and yet…

It’s the end of a long road, isn’t it?!

No!

I mean, yes it’s the end of the Makeover, but it’s not the end of the road for you pushing your sites and your business to be exceptional. To rise above the rest and become the example others strive towards.

I’ve put a pretty exceptional amount of work into creating this resource for you too! And while I haven’t asked for a thing during the whole Makeover, today I’m going to.

Share this incredible resource with your Twitter friends and Facebook fans. If you have a mailing list, let them know about the Makeover. Bloggers, let your audience know what’s available for them in the Internet Marketing Makeover.

You’ve had 30 days with me and I’ve held nothing back. Now I ask this one thing of you. Let people know about the Makeover. This is the page to refer people to so they can signup and experience it for themselves.

So that you have easy access to all of the course material, here’s a complete Table of Contents you can bookmark and refer back to at any time:

[Most of the posts here are for everyone to read - but the rest of this post is for members only. The good news? Membership is free. Sign up here or log in here.]

Related posts:

1. Internet Marketing Makeover: Week 2 Recap Welcome to Day 15 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Today…
2. Internet Marketing Makeover Week 3 Recap Welcome to Day 22 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Today…
3. Internet Marketing Makeover Week 1 Recap Welcome to Day 8 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Today…

Welcome to day 30 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Tomorrow is your last day, OMG!

What I want you to consider today is systemization and how you’ll take what you’ve done in the Makeover and carry it forward through the coming months.

DAY 30 OBJECTIVE

Get organized so you can systemize!

DAY 30 ASSIGNMENT

In a web based business like yours, so much of your input – that is, what you’re taking in and then deciding to act on, or not, is via email. You get email from teachers like myself, you get email from service providers, you get email selling you stuff, etc. A lot of it isn’t actionable or useful (of course MY stuff is!) but some of it is.

Plus, you probably keep up with a couple of internet marketing blogs and will see posts rom time to time that have tips or tricks you want to implement.

And, of course, when you’re out and about, falling asleep at night or waiting for the barber, you get ideas for your business, strategies, etc.

All of this has to be captured in a trusted system so that you can put it into action (or review it later). If you’re not familiar with the importance of capture, read Getting Things Done – it’s the classic on the topic.

For the trusted system to be effective, it has to be available to you from just about anywhere – anywhere you might need to capture.

And you need the ability to delegate tasks – perhaps to your virtual assistant, perhaps to your spouse (they love that…)

I’ve tried just about every tool out there, and have been very pleased with Flow mainly because it works seamlessly with email – a capture tool I have available to me from just about anywhere – and because I can easily delegate a task by adding the “@” symbol followed by the name of the person I want to delegate to. It even allows me to delegate to folks who don’t have a Flow account (although all my team members have accounts now).

When I think of something I need to do, I email it to Flow.

When I think of something someone else needs to do, I delegate it to them in Flow.

When I get an email I want to act on, I forward it to Flow.

When I read a blog post I want to act on, I use Reeder’s “Mail Article” function to email the article to my Flow account and create a task for me – or whomever I delegate to.

Of course, there’s an iPhone app, but it also has a well-done HTML5 version for all mobile browsers – that means you too, Android folks.

With the “Activity Feed” I can see everything my team did at night while I was asleep. With live updating comments, everyone is ALWAYS on the same page. With recurring tasks, links are built and rankings maintained without input from me.

If you can’t tell, I really do like Flow. Something better might come around, but this is what I love right now and the above is why.

Whatever your trusted system is, you need one. Give Flow App a try if you don’t have something yet that works for you, they have a 14 day free trial, no credit card required.

Here are some of the tasks I put in my “trusted system” for myself or others to do that will probably be helpful to you:

These are just some of the things I put in my system. That way my brain NEVER has to work – except when I sit down to do that actual work. But it doesn’t have to work at remembering what the work is!

I know you know so much about internet marketing by now, and I want you to prosper, to make money, to build a business with it. The Internet Marketing Makeover is a start, but you’ve got to be carrying on what came from this in the months ahead. Whatever trusted system YOU choose, get one and start using it.

By the end of today’s Makeover, you have:

Related posts:

1. My Dumb Crazy $600 Risk (And My Software System Bonus) I filmed a video yesterday – it’s about a choice…
2. POOF! Gone At Midnight Tonight At Midnight tonight (Pacific Time), Trey is closing down The…
3. Internet Marketing Makeover: Earn More From The Same Number of Visitors Welcome to Day 16 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Having…

Welcome to Day 28 of the Internet Marketing Makeover – you’re sooooo close to the finish line!

We’ve talked about the effects of using social media in terms of both search engine optimization and in terms of becoming a market leader.

Today you’re going to be introduced to a new concept that is part social media optimization, part market leadership and part search engine optimization. Welcome to “Satellite Sites.”

[Most of the posts here are for everyone to read - but the rest of this post is for members only. The good news? Membership is free. Sign up here or log in here.]

Related posts:

1. Massive SEO & Social Media Changes Ahead! There are massive changes ahead in 2011 for both SEO…
2. What Matters? “With no video, no search optimization, no slide shows, and…
3. Unicorn Bones & The Social Media Fairy Tale Taking a break this morning from the interwebs, I cracked…

Welcome to Day 26 of the Internet Marketing Makeover!

We all surround ourselves by what we are comfortable with, and online, that might mean the blogs we regularly read, the Twitter friends and the Facebook fans we interact with.

But now that we’ve established a lead generation funnel for our sites, it’s time to break out of that comfort zone and bring new prospects, customers and friends into our sphere of influence.

[Most of the posts here are for everyone to read - but the rest of this post is for members only. The good news? Membership is free. Sign up here or log in here.]

Related posts:

1. When Things Fall Apart (Internet Marketing Style) Several weeks ago I wrote about the problems many customers…
2. Marketing vs. Publishing: Both Create Content, Drive Leads If you’re a marketer, think of yourself as a publisher….
3. It’s Not Me, It’s You: Three Pillars of Social Media Marketing “OMG if I use social media I can go to…

Giovanni Ghignone is the engaging voice behind the Virgin Active SA brand. With his role as social media manager, he is in charge of interaction between the Virgin Active community, as well as providing clarity, information and monitoring the brand. Gio does this exceptionally well, so Heavy Chef decided to have an in-depth conversation with Gio about being the face behind a brand name, and keeping a brand strong and active.

Hi Gio. When it comes to being a person behind a major brand, how does one integrate themselves into the brand,  and at other times separate themselves from the brand?

I’ve been part of Virgin Active for the past 12 years, so my integration is pretty solid. For those who are starting out, it’s imperative to be soaked up in the brand culture. Always spend a good amount of time watching, listening and learning how things are done and have those frank discussions where you question the processes currently in place. If they’re serving the customer well, then great, but if not, then try change them for the better. At Virgin Active our brand values of fun, value for money, innovation, challenging the norm and great customer service underpin all our efforts and we’ve actually summed them all up into one golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Your brand’s culture will build your moral compass and give you the instinctual decision making required for the role. In our case, the golden rule. This compass is imperative as you will be the voice of a brand and won’t always have time to pass comments through marketing, PR or customer service teams. You will need to know where to push brand boundaries and when to reign them in.

Separation of person and brand is something that we are still dealing with as I do have a personal life and with that comes it’s own personality. Because of the time spent with the business I’ve managed to align the values and ethos of the business with my own personal ones and thus negates any conflict of interest. If the business does anything that I feel divulges from those values, then we have the discussion internally and debate it thoroughly so that no matter the outcome, we are all on the same page and have a unified front.

Do you think having your name within the company name, such as Giovanni under Virgin Active SA on Twitter, can help or harm? Is it easier for people to feel a connection with a person than a brand? Or are there challenges to having your name attached to such a big brand name?

This decision was taken back when Frank Eliason was still running @ComcastCares and had his name behind the handle. I felt it gave the brand a real name and personality instead of a drone script reader behind the account. This does, of course, have it’s risks as whatever the person does in their personal capacity can be linked to the brand, and perhaps even supersede the brand identity, but the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to emotional connection with the brand. It does also limit the number of people servicing the twitter handle, but that can be dealt with when the team size increases by either signing off with a distinctive signature or creating specific twitter accounts for the different query types.

I would feel far more comfortable knowing the name of the person I’m dealing with than simply firing emails or tweets off into the great unknown as it creates accountability for the response and always allows customers to find you through other channels.

What do you think is the secret to keeping an online brand alive through social media? What is key to keeping conversations fresh and engaging within the community?

This boils down to knowing what they community is looking for. Whether it’s inclusion, knowledge, a place to vent, a place to meet other community members or simply look for deals. Finding the root attraction and keeping the focus on that is key. For us, we’ve started seeing trends away from the initial complaints to more of an advice seeking platform and so our next focus is providing content that is both proactive and reactive, thereby maintaining the connection, and adding more value to the community. Constant interaction is key. A community can sense neglect very quickly. Posting updates isn’t the only way to interact, so don’t feel pressured to have X number of posts per day, simply ensure that you interact and talk with your community through whichever channels they prefer and always keep it personal. I find that nothing quells anger and frustration like empathy and honesty from a real person.

Thanks Gio, you’ve been great! All the best from us. Heavy Chef readers, if you want to witness what great social media managing looks like, follow Gio on Twitter here.

Mike Saunders is the CEO of DigitLab, a well-known business that focuses on digital strategy, design and development, research and training. Mike also provides training, presentations, consulting, social media, social business and networking, email marketing, and is an avid blogger. Along with his array of offerings, Mike was also voted one of the top 20 people of follow o Twitter in South Africa. Heavy Chef caught p with him to learn about his success and specialty role as a keynote speaker.

Hi Mike. Can you tell us a bit about what you do, as the CEO of DigitLab?

As a CEO I would say that my primary role is to get the best out of people, to find out what they love and set that free in the work they do at DigitLab. If I can create an environment where people feel empowered, trusted and needed then I think I have done my job well.

Apart from that I spend most of my time traveling to meet new clients around the world, researching industry trends and trying to stay on top of the fast paced and incredibly exciting industry. Most of the team at DigitLab would probably tell you that my iPhone is permanently attached to my ear. So I guess I spend a lot of my time talking. I just hope someone is listening.

What does the role of a keynote speaker and a social media coach entail?

As a keynote speaker and social media coach I get to spread the word of how social media and the internet can be harnessed to help people and business. I love this part of the job because I constantly see the light bulb moments as people start to see the potential.

I spend much of my time researching the impact that these technologies have had on consumers, employees and business. My personal belief is that social media and the internet is only useful because it connects people, so we need to do our best to understand these people more. That opens doors to a multitude of new possibilities.

How would you sum up Generation Y in relation to technology and digital?

Generation Y are digital natives. They don’t know a world without the internet and digital technology. In general, they are pretty savvy on digital devices and using the internet. The main reason is because it is such an integral part of their world. Older generations are amazed at how technology has changed their lives but Generation Y take it for granted. They don’t know any different.

This has created a generation that multitasks constantly. It has been said that you will never actually be able to hold the entire attention of a Generation Y. They are constantly bombarded with messages from multiple sources demanding their attention. So this creates a great challenge in communicating to this generation. We need to speak through multiple levels and channels.

Most people believe that technology is the only way to speak to Generation Y but I would suggest that they need to be engaged on multiple fronts to catch their attention. They need events that are exciting in the physical experience and engaging in the digital. More than ever, digital, traditional and experiential marketing need to dove tail in order to create an experience that will actually grab the attention of a Generation Y.

As you are presenting the Web 2.0 conference, which I’m sure you are excited about – what would be your top tips when it comes to business reinvention in 2012?

I am excited about presenting at the conference. This Social Reinvention presentation is something that is close to my heart. I hope it inspires people to actively consider reinventing themselves and their businesses. The key to remember is that this is a social technology reinvention and not only a social media reinvention. The technology is what counts, social media is only one application of the concepts of social technology.
My top tips would be unlearn everything you think you know about business and social technology. Rethink social technology and your business. Approach social technology with a focus on how people use it. Approach your business with a focus on how people use it. Invent an offering that meets your clients and customers needs through the way they use social technology.

Who do you admire or see as a great example in your field that others can learn from?

I think there are many people we can learn from in this industry. I respect anyone who is willing to learn about this industry. Especially those who have a deep knowledge in specific area. Anton Koekemoer is a constant source of the application of more social media technology and SEO objectives. The SEO Cowboy is a wealth of SEO information. Quirk are doing a great job in educating our future industry professionals, and people like Fred Roed, Mike Stopforth and Angus Robinson are doing a good job of bringing credibility to this industry. I always enjoy the research that comes from Arthur Goldstuck and WorldWideWorx because it fits the South African context very well. Memeburn is doing a great job at reporting on the news in this space.

I must also say at this point that I have a deep respect for people in my industry. There are some very smart people doing some very cool things in the South African social media space.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Mike. We look forward to hearing the great things that will come out of the Web 2.0 Conference.

Welcome to Day 25 of the Internet Marketing Makeover!

Do you hate me yet?  :-)

I know it might be hard for your to believe after having made it though 24 days of this, but I really do want to make things easy on you. I want your business to run smoothly, I want you to have automation and systems in place and I want you to live the good life.

Today’s assignment is one that requires a little legwork up front from you (but you can always outsource it!), but will pay in dividends throughout the years you own your site.

[Most of the posts here are for everyone to read - but the rest of this post is for members only. The good news? Membership is free. Sign up here or log in here.]

Related posts:

1. Internet Marketing Makeover: All About You Welcome to Day 6 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! There…
2. Internet Marketing Makeover: 12 Resources For a Better Looking Website Welcome to Day 7 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! When…
3. Internet Marketing Makeover: Earn More From The Same Number of Visitors Welcome to Day 16 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Having…

It’s Day 23 of the Internet Marketing Makeover and I welcome you!

It’s the home stretch, the last hurrah, and we’re going to make it count – this week is all about link building!

Building backlinks is one of the favorite topics of readers of this blog – and for good reason! Without them, your SEO is SOL.

Today we’ll start getting your backlink-building process in order.

[Most of the posts here are for everyone to read - but the rest of this post is for members only. The good news? Membership is free. Sign up here or log in here.]

Related posts:

1. Internet Marketing Makeover: Week 4 Recap Welcome to day 29 of your Internet Marketing Makeover! It’s…
2. Internet Marketing Makeover: Generate Link Building Momentum Welcome to Day 24 of the Internet Marketing Makeover! Maintaining…
3. Methods of Marketing Online Ok, there are guru (and non-guru) products launched every week…