Call Us! 612-516-5388

Website Marketing Solutions - SEO & Web Development | WebpagesThatSell

For Web Design and SEO needs, WebpagesThatSell will help you. Contact us now!

Latest News

3 Easy Steps to Creating Your First Product

By

For coaches in nearly any field, product creation is the best way to:

  • Reach a wider audience
  • Grow your brand
  • Earn more profits

So why aren’t more coaches adopting the product creation strategy? Like you, they’re stuck in the process, unsure of the steps to take to create a great product.

As a website designer, I had a similar problem.  I knew what the steps were – but I was really stuck in the minutiae of getting it off the ground.  Last year I made it a goal for myself to get my membership site (http://www.wptsacademy.com) off the ground and add some products to it.  You the the thing about goals?  When you make them you really want to accomplish it or you kind of feel like crap.

So I did it.  And it was AWESOME.  OK the part of actually putting the product together and getting it ready wasn’t – but having it done and then people purchasing it – THAT WAS COOL.  Finally I had gotten some of my expertise out of my head and onto a consumable format that my audience was interested in and they purchased it!  VERY COOL.

If you are struggling with product creation, I would like to help you as well.  Let’s get you feeling that awesome feeling as well!

Step 1: Identify a Need

As a coach or service provider, you have great insight into the wants and needs of your ideal client. You chat with her on Facebook, answer her email questions, respond to the comments she leaves on your blog, and even work with her one-on-one.

What is it she needs the most help with right now? This is the product you should be creating, because you already know you have a built-in audience.

Step 2: Gather Your Documentation

If you’ve been coaching for more than a few weeks, chances are you already have all of the answers required—all you have to do it organize it. Some places to look for content you can repurpose include:

  • Your blog
  • Your emails (and autoresponder)
  • Your client calls
  • Your social media accounts
  • Your YouTube channel
  • Your personal checklists and worksheets

All of these things (and many more) can be edited and organized into a comprehensive product that solves a serious issue and you can do it in less time than you might think. After all, you already have the bulk of the work done!

Step 3: Create the Solution

Now that you have your content, it’s time to put it together in a way that will make sense to your audience. Will you…

  • Write a Kindle book? This is a great option for solving a very focused, single problem. Even better, Kindle books offer a fabulous opportunity to reach a wider audience.
  • Create a membership site? For a comprehensive, step-by-step course, you can’t beat the flexibility of a membership site.
  • Offer a group coaching program? Add personal time with you to your membership site and you’ve got an instant group coaching program. Not only that but you’ve dramatically upped the value (and cost) as well.

Your choice will depend largely on the scope of the solution. Is it a simple answer that can be explained in a few pages or is it a complex issue that requires several weeks of work?

Creating a product doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. Sure, you can design a massive, all-inclusive course if you like, but when you’re just getting started, that’s a daunting prospect. Instead, work with what you already have and you’ll have your first product up and selling in no time.

If you are looking for a resource that will help guide you in this process – I highly recommend my coach and mentor, Kelly McCausy.  She has really pushed me this year to get my products online and out into the world.  Because of her I increased my email list and made money through selling my classes and guides – she is awesome.  

 

Mailing List Management: You’re Asking the Wrong Question

By

Mailing List Management: Web Pages That Sell

Here’s the question that’s on everyone’s mind when they start thinking about mailing lists:

“Which service should I use?”

You’ve probably wondered yourself, and maybe even spent a few hours (or days, or weeks) researching your options.

Stop!

This is not the question you should be asking (yet). And it’s exactly why so many entrepreneurs get stuck in the planning stage of list building.

The First Step In List Building

Before you need to think about tools, you must ask yourself this:

“How can I best serve my market?”

Whether you’re coaching business owners, new moms, bloggers, or youth pastors, they have a need that only you can fulfill. And when you discover what that need is, you’ll have two valuable pieces of information:

  1. What incentive will be a true no-brainer for your ideal client to opt-in to your list?
  2. How can you use your mailing list to provide the best value for those who join your list?

Don’t over-think these questions, though. Your opt-in incentive can be as simple as a resource guide or a short how-to video that answers a common question. You don’t have to go overboard with dozens of downloads and a 100-page eBook. Rather than providing value, these massive downloads are more likely to overwhelm your reader than encourage her to learn more.

And when it comes to providing value to your list members, keep three things in mind:

  1. Regular communication is a must (consider an autoresponder series if you’re not good with scheduling email updates)
  2. Marketing is second to information—too much selling will cause your opt-out rates to soar.
  3. It’s your responsibility as a thought leader in your market to distill and provide the information, tools and products your audience needs.

“What is my list-building goal?”

How will you be using your list? Will you:

  • Send a weekly or monthly newsletter?
  • Create an autoresponder series that delivers content on a pre-determined schedule?
  • Use affiliate links as an income generator?
  • Promote your own services and products?

The answers to these questions will help you determine not only the right tool for your list-building needs, but will also determine the path for your ongoing mailing list content, promotions, and growth.

Get Seen, Get Traffic: Three Ways to Borrow Someone Else’s Audience

By

Get Seen Get Traffic, Rebecca Metz, Web Pages That SellAsk nearly anyone who runs an online business what their biggest struggle is, and chances are they’ll say “more traffic.”

You need traffic to build an email list.

You need traffic to make sales.

You need traffic to fill your coaching programs.

So the big question is, where do you get all that traffic?

Sure, you could buy ads, but if you aren’t careful, you might just fill your list with less-than-ideal audience members and that will do nothing for your sales. You could focus your time and energy on search engine optimization but unless you have years to build your business (and who does?) then SEO should not be your top choice.

Good thing you have other options.

Be a Guest

Everyone needs content. It’s the one thing that remains consistent among all content creators—there is never enough. That’s where you can help.

By guest posting on other coaches’ blogs, you can “borrow” some of their traffic.

You can’t simply regurgitate old content and send it out in a dozen directions though. To get the best results, you’ll want to:

  • Create custom content designed with your host’s unique audience in mind.
  • Provide stellar value with actionable ideas and strategies not found everywhere else.
  • Inject your personality so those new to you will instantly connect with you.
  • Offer a compelling reason to click through to your website or blog for more information.

Partner Up

No list? Here’s a quick way to “borrow” someone else’s list to kickstart your own: Schedule a free event with a partner.

Here’s how it works.

  1. You (as the one with the small list) create a compelling, free training which leads naturally to a low-cost, no-brainer product.
  2. Install an affiliate tracking system such as aMember, Infusionsoft or 1Shopping Cart.
  3. Offer your best affiliates a higher percentage of profits in exchange for co-hosting your webinar and bringing their traffic along for the ride.

This is a win/win for both of you, as you gain the traffic while your affiliate gets a bigger payday. Just be sure you have a good funnel in place so that your new list members can benefit from all that you have to offer.

Get Interviewed

Want to really show off your expert status and bring traffic back to your site, too? The easiest way is to get on the interview circuit. Just like authors with new books and actors with new movies, coaches and service providers can get in front of new audiences simply by answering questions about what they know.

Of course, you’re probably not going to appear on the Today Show or Oprah (although that’s not impossible), but there are still plenty of opportunities out there for coaches and consultants in every niche.

Look for interview and speaking opportunities on:

  • Podcasts
  • Other blogs
  • YouTube
  • Periscope and Blab
  • Local events
  • Industry conferences
  • Telesummits

Start by reaching out to your colleagues and to podcast and blog hosts you most admire. Get the word out with your friends and your list that you’re looking for opportunities.

Even if you don’t yet have a list of your own, it’s easy (and fun) to kickstart your audience growth simply by making yourself available for these and other opportunities. Each guest post, podcast interview and webinar is another chance to get in front of a whole new market, so take advantage of it!

Once you start getting more traffic to your list, be sure to start tracking your traffic with Google Analytics!  If you would like to know more – be sure to check out the guide, Google Analytics Explained for only $27!

 

Is Your Site GDPR Compliant?

By

 

Is Your Site GDPR Compliant

It is quite possible that you have been receiving several emails regarding the upcoming GDRP requirement for websites.  You may be asking yourself what it means to your business and what do you need to do to comply with it.  This email is intended to share with you what I know about it and what I understand to be the requirements for your business.  I am also including resources for you to learn more and to take the necessary actions AND also provide you the option for me to help you with this new requirement.

 

Before I begin I must share this disclaimer.  I am not a legal expert, and this information does not provide legal advice. I care about you and your business and that is why I have put this together. If you need

legal counsel, talk to a lawyer. I strongly advise you to research GDPR on your own and consult with a certified legal professional in regards to your decision to make your site GDPR compliant.

I also HIGHLY recommend that you have a conversation with your lawyer.  The material that I am providing to you was not created or written by a lawyer. It is a conglomeration of advice and info I’ve collected from various sources and pieced together to what I believe is sufficient for my business.  This is not legal advice, and should you use this information, you acknowledge that you are using it at your own risk.

 
Who This Information is For:
Bloggers and solopreneurs  that do not target European Union customers 
 
This advice is not applicable to you if you have employees, target customers in the European Union and work with sensitive data.
 

What is GDPR?
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation.  It is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information of individuals within the European Union (EU).  The reason that the GDPR affects your US based business is because your website can be accessed from around the world including those people from the EU.  Here is a great article that I found that describes what it is and what you need really well: https://blogaid.net/tips-tuesday-gdpr-guide/.

 
What Needs to Happen on Your Website?
 
1. Update your Privacy Policy
Your website should have a privacy policy.  If you don’t currently have one, now is a great time to do so.  If you do have one, you will need to update it to make it GDRP compliant.  This privacy policy states how data is collected, legal cause for collection, how to request, amend or delete data, and who handles the data.  You should also list (and link to their policies) and third-party processors that you use (i.e. Mailchimp, PayPal, Infusionsoft, LeadPages, etc) and who to contact if they have questions.
 
2. Update or create a Cookie Policy
To refresh your memory, a Cookie is a piece of information that allows tools like Google and Facebook to track who visits your site.  Great for marketing – but we need to be really clear and transparent to visitors that we are using it – and give them an option to opt out.
 
You might be seeing all these notification notices coming up on the bottom of websites.  That is what this is. For all you WordPress users you have the ability to add a plugin that will make this happen easily.  There are several plugins out there.  The one that has been recommended to me that makes the most sense is this one: https://wordpress.org/plugins/cookie-notice/.  
 
3. Confirm consent from current EU and UK subscribers
If you have any subscribers on your list from the EU and the UK, you must get them to RE CONSENT to receiving your eNewsletter messages.  If they don’t re consent, you must take them off your list.
 
4. Update opt in forms for compliant language
You probably already have clear language that lets your subscribers know what they are getting when they sign up to be on your list or sign up to get your free opt-in.  Review and check this to make sure you are super clear about what you are collecting, why you are collecting it and what you are going to do with it.
 
5. Update all subscribers a to your policy updates
You may have already received these notices.  This is one you should send as well after your privacy policy has been updated.

Can You Take Care This Yourself?
Here are some resources that I have found helpful to guide you through this:

 
Rebecca, Can You Take Care of This for Me?
Short answer, Yes.  
 

Disclaimer: I need to make the disclaimer again that I am not a legal expert, and the service that I am providing is not legal advice. I put this together because I am concerned about you and your business and don’t want you to get fined because of GDPR. If you need concrete legal counsel, talk to a lawyer. I strongly advise you to research GDPR on your own and consult with a certified legal professional in regards to your decision to comply or defy GDPR.

I also HIGHLY recommend that you have a conversation with your lawyer.  The service that I am offering was not created or written by a lawyer. It is a conglomeration of advice and info I’ve collected from various sources and pieced together to what I believe is sufficient for my business.  This is not legal advice, and should you use this information, you acknowledge that you are using it at your own risk.

 
The Details
I will put together for you is what I have created for myself.  I will do the following for you and get it installed by end of the day, Thursday, May 25th if paid for and information required send to me by 3 PM Wednesday, May 24th.  If you order it after – I will still get it up and going as soon as possible.
 
  • An updated Privacy Policy based off a template added to your website with a website link to it
  • DFactory Cookie PlugIn installed with Cookie notification language based off a template
  • Verbiage sent to you that you can send to any EU and UK Subscribers in your list
  • Verbiage sent to you that you can send to all of your subscribers informing them about the updated Privacy Policy
  • Verbiage for your opt-in forms added to opt-in forms
I will need information from you and will send you a form for you to complete.  Once that information is sent I will give you a time frame of when this will be completed.
 
The cost for this service is $197.  Click here to get started.

What to Look for in a Website Hosting Provider

By

As a website designer and developer, I frequently get asked for my website hosting provider recommendations. I am always on the lookout for hosting companies to use myself and to recommend to my clients. Therefore I have created a checklist of what I think is important and will provide the best experience.  

There are several factors that I look for in a hosting company and I have compiled my factor list as well as a list of reputable hosting providers for you to choose from.  The providers that I have listed have either been recommended to me by colleagues that I respect or I have personally used them myself.  

Factors That I look For in a Website Hosting Provider

Cost/Value
Being mindful of our monthly and yearly costs is essential to running our business.  Too easily we can get into the trap of signing up for too many services.  Because there are so many website hosting providers available, there is a lot of competition so you can usually get some good pricing and even digital coupons! A low price is great, but if your hosting company is not up to snuff you could be paying in low speed and have a low SEO score because of it.  On the other hand, you may get sticker shock on some of the prices that providers are charging – so it is important to know what is included in that price and if it will save you a headache, time and money in the future.

Customer Service
In my opinion, the most important aspect of working with a hosting provider is their customer service.  If my or my client’s website is down, I want to be able to connect with someone immediately.  I don’t want to wait until the next business day or have a company point the finger at another provider.  I also want the customer service person to go the extra mile and help solve my problem, whether or not it is theirs to solve.  For example – a hosting company isn’t responsible for the WordPress installation or the plugins that have been added, but I sure appreciate it when they help me with it anyway – or at least point me in the right direction. 

Ability to Talk to a Human that Speaks English 
If I have the ability to physically call someone and talk to them AND they speak fluent English and can understand me – that is a huge stress reducer.  I love being able to use the chat feature and that works for some issues – but I want to know that I can talk to someone as well.  

Bandwidth/Storage
Keeping your website light is important, but having an abundance of space makes your site run faster with few problems.  In addition, if you are running a campaign and hoping to get a lot of website visitors, you want to know your website can handle it.

Uptime
If your hosting provider goes down – your site goes down as well.  And your email.  That is a real drag.  Sometimes it happens and those are punches we have to roll with.  By going with a reputable hosting prover and checking their uptime status is important and can save you a big headache should this happen.

SSL Certificate Cost and Installation
SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and it is a certificate that shows the world that your site is protected and they can visit and peruse your site with confidence.  How you can identify that a site that has an SSL certificate installed is by whether or not there is an HTTP or an HTTPS in front of the www.  HTTPS indicates that the site has an SSL Certificate installed.  Traditionally this used to only be important for financial and e-commerce sites.  Now Google is requiring all sites to hold an SSL certificate or they will be penalized with their SEO score.  So it is important to have one now and I recommend all sites get the SSL certificate installed.  Some hosting providers offer this automatically and will install it for you as well.  Some upcharge for this service.  An average price for the yearly certificate and installation is about $150.  So if your provider includes it, it is a nice benefit.

Regular Web Site Back Ups
As a website owner, you are responsible for backing up your website on a regular basis.  If something happens to your website and you don’t have a backup – sorry to say, but all your work, all your blog posts all your SEO effort – everything – goes right down the toilet.  So please back up your site on a regular basis.  That being said your hosting company should also have your back.  Most hosting companies will do daily backups of the site to their servers.  This is a real plus.  They may charge you a fee to restore it for you and they won’t keep it forever – but at least it is available. 

Ability to Add Additional Databases
If you install WordPress you will need to install a database.  This is where all the content (blog posts, page content, images, etc) are collected.  In essence, the database runs the site.  For many website owners, one database is plenty.  However – if you ever want to create additional subdomains, add domains, add sites, add a membership site, a course site, etc you will need to be able to add additional databases.  Only having one database allowed on your server severely limits growth and the ability to add additional functionality to your site.  Most hosting providers allow you to have unlimited databases.  Go with one of those.

The inclusion of eMail services
Getting an email address at your domain name adds professionalism to your communication and reinforces your brand.  It also makes it easy for others to refer you.  Most hosting providers offer email addresses and space to store your email messages as part of the package or at a nominal upcharge.

Security features
Because WordPress is such a popular platform for websites, it is also the most “hacked”.  To avoid unwanted malware to be added to your site without your knowledge, it is important to have ongoing malware scanning, regular updates of WordPress, plugins and themes, regular database and full backups of your site and easy restoration should everything go bad.  Some hosting providers offer this service as part of their packages or as an upcharge.  This can be somewhat costly, so the incorporation of this can be a great value.

Move in Service
Moving from one website hosting provider to another is a huge pain in the neck. Your site will typically be down for several days and that can also mean an issue with your email being down as well.  So many things can go wrong and your SEO can take a hit as well.  There are also a lot of variables on what is transferred as well.  When hosting providers offer this as part of their service or a nominal charge, it makes everything so much easier.  Note, it is still a pain, but much less so.

Extra Software
This is fun when you get some bonus tools and software just for using a hosting provider.  For example, some providers offer Microsoft 365 for low or no cost.  When a desktop version can cost over $400 – this can be a nice added bonus.

My Website Hosting Provider Recommendation List

This is the hosting provider that I currently use. I found it when I did a Google search on hosting provider reviews and several review sites ranked this one very high. I have found the cost to be of very good value, I can find someone to talk to for help through phone and online chat when I need help and the uptime has been great.  I take care of my own website security, so I don’t need that and not even sure if they offer it.  Overall I have been very satisfied with InMotion hosting. I do however find myself always looking for something better and worry that maybe I don’t have enough space for high volume visits.  I wonder if my SEO would be better if I went with a different provider – but not enough to really do anything about it. I am happy to recommend them.
This company is owned by my colleague Kelly McCausy.  She is awesome and the people that work for her are as well.  I became an affiliate for Moms Web Hosting and have added several of my client’s websites to Moms Web Hosting. The cost of the service is really affordable, you get a free SSL certificate and they will install it for you.   Email and move in service is included.  There is no phone support – but Scott, the primary customer service agent, is “Johnny-on-the-Spot” helpful when you put in a ticket.  I always get a weird feeling when I put in a ticket and worry I won’t hear back for days – but usually, I hear back immediately.  As far as storage and bandwidth- if you are just starting out the smaller one is probably good enough, but I would consider going with the larger packages for more volume.
 
 
GoDaddy has always been my standby hosting referral.  They have been around for a long time and their customer service ROCKS. I always get a native English speaker who is super duper helpful.  I probably call GoDaddy an average of 3 times a week on behalf of different clients and each time I get rock solid service.  They offer a variety of packages that include different benefits and SSL certificates at an upcharge. Variations of the packages include email and a license to Microsoft 365.  They offer a (in my opinion) watered down version of website security, so I don’t usually recommend that. Uptime, bandwidth/storage is all within acceptable ranges. Overall a solid company to do business with.  
 
 
This is a company that I have not used or suggested to my clients in the past.  However many of my fellow web developers have recommended them and I keep looking at them as my next move.  Their price point is much higher – but in my opinion, a good value.  What makes them appealing to me is that their servers facilitate very high-speed sites, 24 hours 7 days a week customer service, automated SSL certificates and I believe that the security solutions are incorporated.   
 
 
 This is another company that I have not used myself or recommended until now, but know that they come highly recommend.  Therefore, it is on my watch list. Like WP Engine, the price point is higher – but allows for high volume visits, incorporate website security, and awesome customer service available at all times.  
 

Note of Caution:

Please do not “piggyback” off of another person’s hosting company.  Have your own website hosting provider.
 
Some hosting providers offer unlimited websites.  As a friendly gesture the person who build your website, friend or family member may offer this as an option.   The perceived benefit is that it is free to low cost and someone else is handling the details.  As attractive as this sounds  – this is not advised.  If there is a malware security breach on one site, it could affect all of the other sites on that server.  You as a business owner should always have control over your own site.  If the relationship goes south -now you have an awkward situation and could potentially lose your website. 
 

Grow Your Community with an Online Quiz

By

Grow Your Community with an Online QuizOnline quizzes have been around for a decade or more, but recently they’ve gone far beyond the ‘What Disney character are you?’ type of online quiz that has no real purpose. Quizzes are now one of the most popular types of online marketing content for engaging with your target customer. If you’re on social media, you’ve undoubtedly taken a quiz at some time or another. Websites like Buzzfeed have solidified their reputation and become massively popular through their quiz content

Why Are Quizzes So Hot Right Now?

Quizzes are enormously popular. Qzzr, a network for quizzes, recently reported a 330% month-on-month growth rate. OkDork reported that 8 of the 10 world’s most shared articles in the first months of 2017 were quizzes. Buzzfeed’s popular “What City Should You Actually Live In” quiz has been taken by over 20 million people. What accounts for the wild popularity of online quizzes in recent years? Here are some of the reasons quizzes are so effective as content.

Quizzes Encourage Engagement

Why are Quizzes So Hot

Quizzes are addictive. They have a way of hooking people. When a quiz comes across your Facebook feed with an interesting title, you can’t help stopping whatever you’re doing and taking the quiz.

The reason quizzes are so engaging is that people get actively involved when they take one. People passively watch videos, read text-based content, and look at images. But you have to think a little to complete a quiz, so the quiz taker is interacting with your content.

Quizzes Use Gamification

Quizzes use the concept of gamification, which means adding game elements to a task to make it game-like and fun. If you gamify a work task, for example, it makes you feel like you’re playing a game, even if the task is the most mundane work you must do. The game elements create motivation. We all perform better when we’re having fun. This is another reason for the allure and natural engagement of quizzes.

Quizzes Are Personalized

A quiz answers a very basic human desire – the desire to express yourself and be heard. Everyone wants to give their opinions. This gives a quiz an inherently personal aspect. Since people naturally enjoy giving their opinions, they’re more likely to take online quizzes than interact with other types of content.

Some quizzes are not informational but geared toward personality types. These are the ones you see that say something like “What Type of Sandwich Are You,” “Which Country Do You Belong In,” or “How Good Are Your Bargain Hunting Skills.” The quiz not only asks you about yourself, but also evaluates your personality and tells you about yourself. This appeals very highly to the nature of social media and the information-seeking side of the internet in general.

Easy to Share

Online quizzes are shared like crazy and often go viral. This is because of the engagement, personalization, and gamification mentioned above, but also because they’re perfectly designed for social media content. A good quiz is quick and easy to take. You get results within a minute of starting. Most quizzes give you the option of sharing your results on social media, and this is irresistible. When your friends see your quiz results, they naturally want to take the quiz themselves.

Shared quizzes on social media are also conversation starters. Your friends will compare their results and discuss with each other, which means more engagement with the content.

Excellent for Lead Capture

Like other forms of online content, quizzes are great for capturing leads and bringing people into your sales funnel. You can get your quiz takers to sign up for your email newsletter or follow you on social media easily once the quiz is done. Quiz platforms offer the option of forcing quiz takers to sign up in order to see their results. Another option is to offer a free incentive for taking the quiz. All of these tactics can be used to bring people on to your list of leads.

Data Gathering

You can fashion your quizzes in such a way that they become a tool for gathering data about your target market. Create a quiz that asks questions about the person’s opinions, but which also tell you how they shop, what they like in a product, what they’re looking for, what brands they love, and so on.

Quizzes are one of the most popular types of online marketing content for engaging with your customer.

Click To Tweet

The Essential Elements of the Ideal Online Quiz

The Essential Elements of the Ideal Online QuizMultiple Outcomes

For a quiz to work, there needs to be multiple outcomes. If everyone who takes it gets the same result, it’s not a personalized experience anymore, and it’s certainly not very interesting. Once people start sharing it, they’ll realize it’s not a very well made quiz. In addition, one person may take the quiz multiple times and get different results.

Personalization

Your quiz needs to feel personal to the quiz-taker. They should feel that it’s designed for them (You can create quizzes that feel this way by knowing your target market well). The quiz needs to be about the person taking it, and the result needs to feel accurate.

Visuals

Visuals add to the fun, game-like element of a quiz. A good visual also helps it attract people’s attention when it appears in their social media feed. It gives a sense of what they can expect from the quiz and can also be used for branding (for example, all your quizzes should use the same visual format).

A Clear Goal

Your online quizzes need to lead somewhere or else they’re a wasted effort. The purpose might be as a lead magnet to get new leads for your business. The goal could simply to be raising awareness of your brand. Your quiz puts you on your target market’s radar so that they start looking at other content. Whatever it is, you need a goal since it’s the starting point that decides who you target, what questions you ask, and how you build your quizzes.

Share-ability

Quizzes MUST be sharable. If the quiz is entertaining, highly targeted, and achieves its goal, it will certainly be shared by those who take it. This is how a quiz goes viral.

Relevance

The topic of your quiz must be relevant to those who take it. You must know your audience and choose a topic that is interesting or entertaining for them.

Set Up & Launch Your Quiz

Setting up your online quiz is easy using a quiz platform or plugin. Once you set it up, you should test it to make sure it works and delivers the results the way it should. Then, once you launch it, monitor and measure results to make sure it’s working the way it should be.

Here are two quiz platforms that I have personally used on my client’s sites and that I highly recommend.

Thrive Quiz Builder

This is a tool that’s also designed for businesses to use. Thrive Quiz Builder is a WordPress plugin so it’s easy to add to a WordPress blog or site. It’s designed to make designing, sharing, and embedding your quizzes easy and offers an array of templates to choose from.

Simple Quiz Engine

Simple Quiz Engine is also a WordPress plug in that makes it easy to add a quiz to your WordPress web site or blog. With each purchase, you also get a quiz checklist that walks you through the entire setup process from start to finish – no prior quiz building experience necessary.

Both of these platforms integrate easily with many auto responder /enewsletter tools such as aWeber and Mailchimp.

When You Use Your Quiz as a Lead Magnet

For lead capture, you’ll need to outline and write a sequence of emails to follow the quiz.

The first follow-up email should offer the results of the quiz if that’s how your quiz is designed and thank the person for subscribing and remind them of the benefits that they’re going to get through their subscription. For example, thank them and tell them they’ll get a weekly news roundup and occasional exclusive promotions. This confirms to the person that they’ve signed up for the right list and reaffirms the reasons they signed up.

You can use your subscribers to further narrow your target market. At first, you identified the target market for your quiz and your offer. If done successfully, you’ve gotten people from this market to sign up for your list. With different quiz outcomes, the right quiz platform will let you then segment your sign-ups based on their resulting outcome. Now, you can send them relevant, informational content and offers, and use this to further narrow and understand who they are.

List management software allows you to track things like open rate and click-through rate. Your offers help you to further qualify prospects. If you offer a free information product, those who download the product are those who are most interested in your content and offers. You can offer small ticket items to see who buys, and then you know that these are your potential buyers.

Where to Publish Online Quizzes

There are a number of places where you can publish your quizzes. Quizzes can also be embedded on your website or blog. Since quizzes work so well on social media, you should definitely publish your quizzes on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever else you have a social media presence.

Here are some other ways to get traffic to your quiz:

Promote on Social Media.

When you post on social media, your content gets shared, liked, and commented upon, and then quickly disappears as new content comes along. All major social media platforms offer a way to ‘boost’ your post. These are paid methods which are reasonably priced, and pushing your quiz back into people’s newsfeed can really amplify its engagement.

Promote Your Quizzes Elsewhere.

In addition to sharing your quizzes, you can also create content about your quizzes. For example, write a blog post sharing the answers to your latest quiz. You can tell your readers that the average score on your English grammar quiz was 70%. This makes your readers want to take the quiz themselves to see how they fare against others.

Promote Your Quiz Offline.

On offline promotional material, mention your quizzes and give people a URL where they can find them. An even better idea is to offer a QR code that people can simply scan and then take the quiz on their smartphone.

Easy to Set Up, Fun to Share and Great for Growing Your Community

Online quizzes can make a big difference in your marketing efforts. They are easy to set up, create a fun and interactive way for your web site visitors to engage with you and give you the information you need to offer your audience what they are looking for!

Do you want to see how easy it is to build a quiz? Let me show you! I am hosting a “peak over my shoulder” demo that I invite you to attend – check it out here: www.webpagesthatsell.com/quiz

 

Peek Over My Shoulder as I Build an Online Quiz