From Panic to Profit: Turning Google Changes into Blogging Opportunities

Dec 18, 2024

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Download my free guide here to discover the 6 powerful triggers that turn your product into a must-have and make people want to buy it. 🚀

In this week's episode of The Blogger Genius Podcast, I sat down with seasoned bloggers and hosts of the The Smart Influencer Podcast, Christina Hitchcock and Corinne Schmidt, to discuss effective monetization strategies for bloggers and creators who have been impacted by Google algorithm changes.

Understanding the Impact of Google Algorithm Changes

Christina Hitchcock's Experience

Christina Hitchcock shared her observations on the recent shifts in Google's algorithms. While she hasn't been directly targeted, she has noticed a decline in traffic as her previously high-ranking content has slipped down the search results. Christina views these changes as an opportunity to pivot and explore new avenues in blogging, emphasizing the importance of adaptability.

Corinne Schmidt's Perspective

Corinne Schmidt echoed Christina's sentiments, noting a 25% drop in traffic year-over-year despite her strong keywords remaining intact. As a single mom relying on blogging for income, Corinne expressed the stress of these changes but also highlighted the excitement of exploring new creative avenues. She believes the current environment has leveled the playing field, encouraging bloggers to return to creativity and experimentation.

Show Notes:

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Actionable Monetization Strategies

Growing and Engaging Your Email List Both Christina and Corinne emphasized the importance of email marketing as a powerful tool for monetization.

Christina's Approach

Doubling Email List: Christina has doubled her email list in the past year, reaching just under 75,000 subscribers.

Segmentation: She segments her audience based on their interests—recipes or printables—and sends tailored emails accordingly.

Consistent Engagement: Christina emails her list every day, alternating between recipe and printable content, which helps build relationships and drive sales.

Corinne's Strategy

Printable Opt-Ins: Corinne uses printable opt-ins to grow her email list.

Collaborations: She engages in collaborations with other bloggers to share content and drive traffic, participating in themed collaborations and bundles to reach new audiences.

Leveraging Purchasing Triggers

Use these six purchasing triggers to develop products that resonate with your audience:

Making Money
Saving Money
Saving Time
Promoting Happiness
Alleviating Pain
Raising Social Status

By evaluating products against these triggers, bloggers can enhance their marketing and sales efforts. Jillian suggests using tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm product ideas that align with these categories.

Exploring New Traffic Sources Corinne shared her success with push notifications, which allow users to subscribe to updates from her site. Despite her initial skepticism, she found that push notifications significantly increased site visits. This demonstrates the value of exploring different traffic sources to drive engagement.
Utilizing Content Syndication Christina discussed her experience with MSN's partner program, which requires consistent publishing to gain approval. Syndicating content through MSN not only drives traffic but also generates ad revenue. Christina highlighted the benefits of using tools that simplify content formatting, such as slideshow galleries.
Testing and Iteration Both Christina and Corinne stressed the importance of testing various strategies to find what works best. They shared their experiences of trying different approaches, from push notifications to content syndication, and how some methods may not yield immediate results but can pay off over time.
Building Relationships with Subscribers The speakers emphasized the importance of building relationships with subscribers by providing value through free content and then offering relevant products. Christina mentioned that once someone opts in for a freebie, they are more likely to consider purchasing additional products.
Long-term Strategy I encouraged bloggers to think beyond immediate sales and consider long-term strategies, such as creating membership programs or subscription services. By addressing ongoing problems faced by their audience, bloggers can develop sustainable income streams.
Overcoming Self-Doubt The speakers acknowledged that many bloggers struggle with self-doubt regarding the value of their offerings. They encouraged listeners to recognize the worth of their content and to be confident in charging for it. By reframing their mindset, bloggers can better position themselves in the market.

Conclusion

Embrace experimentation and not take failures personally. Monetizing your expertise doesn't have to be overwhelming; instead, it can be a journey of learning and adaptation. The key takeaway is to start small, test ideas, and leverage community support to find success in the ever-evolving blogging landscape.

Connect with Christina and Corinne through their podcast, The Smart Influencer Podcast, where they share insights and lessons learned from their blogging journeys.

For those interested in the six purchasing triggers discussed in the episode, Jillian offers a free resource available at milotree.com/triggers, encouraging everyone to take the first step toward growing their audience and monetizing their expertise.

This episode serves as a reminder that while the blogging landscape may be changing, there are always new opportunities to explore and strategies to implement for success.

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