Anne Moss, a blogger who went from casual blogging to building a niche site empire, discusses hiring writers, choosing a niche, KW research, and what makes 'good' SEO content. They also analyze the impact of header bidding in the internet advertising industry, determine writer pay for niche sites, and emphasize the importance of tracking metrics for a new website.
Header bidding revolutionized online advertising, significantly increasing ad rates and revenue for websites.
Creating a content plan and mapping out topics and subtopics is crucial for scaling and managing a successful niche site empire.
Deep dives
Evolution of Internet Advertising and Header Bidding
The speaker discusses how the internet landscape changed around six years ago with the rise of header bidding in online advertising. Prior to header bidding, websites would generate low CPM rates, but with the introduction of header bidding, ad rates increased significantly. The speaker shares their personal experience of how header bidding transformed their website's revenue, allowing them to monetize their existing content more effectively and expand their online publishing operations.
Challenges and Opportunities in Scaling Content Sites
The speaker shares their experience of launching multiple content sites and scaling their operations. They highlight the importance of having a clear vision for the site and mapping out the topics and subtopics to be covered. They also emphasize the need to balance informational content with money-generating posts. The speaker explains the need to analyze potential revenue from each post and determine the appropriate payment for writers based on that potential. They also discuss the challenges of managing a growing team and the importance of continuously training and guiding them.
The Significance of Having a Content Plan
The speaker emphasizes the importance of creating a content plan before starting a new site or expanding existing ones. They suggest outlining the overall topics and subtopics to be covered and deciding on the types of posts to be included. Having a content plan helps ensure the site stays focused and avoids getting too specific in certain areas. The speaker also introduces the Content Plan Spreadsheet, a tool they developed to assist in creating and organizing a content plan. The spreadsheet allows users to input their site's subtopics, categories, and post types while providing various reports to assess the content plan's structure and progress.
Launching a New Site and Hiring Writers
The speaker discusses the process of launching new sites and hiring writers. They suggest deciding the type of site (informational, affiliate-focused, etc.) and planning the scope of topics and content types to be covered. The speaker shares the challenges they faced and the need to outsource writing as the site grows to avoid burnout. They also advise calculating potential revenue and considering it when determining writer compensation. The speaker explains the importance of tracking average revenue and average traffic per post to assess the site's performance and make informed decisions.