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Why Everyone Needs a Website, Including You

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Hosting

The post Why Everyone Needs a Website, Including You appeared first on HostGator Blog . Back in the day, a business card was an indicator of being in business. It told the world what you were about and where you were heading. Today, the same can be said for your website. If you run a business , do freelance work, or even work as an employee, a website has become indispensable. With endless social media profiles and other forms of digital representation the question arises, “Do I even need a website?” The answer is a resounding yes . Having your own website gives you a medium that you control 100%. Beyond that, we offer even more reasons below. Keep reading to learn why everyone needs a website. 1. Set Yourself Up for Future Success Your website gives you a vehicle to showcase your expertise, build a personal brand , and offer a way to showcase your creativity. Your site will continually evolve with you as you progress throughout your personal and working life. By having a personal website you extend your opportunities for growth and success. For example, by creating a blog that’s filled with captivating and compelling content around your area of expertise you’ll not only be able to network with other’s in your niche but also establish your authority in time.   2. Stand Out From The Field You can even think of your website as a digital resume. Instead of just listing places you’ve worked and skills you’ve acquired, you can actually show off those skills in real time. If you’re looking to give yourself a leg up on your competition, then your website can be the perfect way to showcase your skills. For example, a standard resume is kind of boring. You can use your website to the same effect, but you can also make your past work experience more engaging by including photos, testimonials, additional text, and even video.   3. Control Over Your Image Having complete control over how you present yourself is important. Today, whether you’re applying for a new job, pitching a potential project, or simply introducing yourself to someone, the chances are high that they’ll Google you first. Even though your social media profiles may come up, this won’t give people a curated version of yourself, but instead, an aggregation of the pictures and words you thought were worth sharing with the world at that moment in time. Your website gives you a chance to showcase yourself in digital form. It’s near impossible to have this same level of control by relying on other platforms, or not having a website at all.   How to Get Started Building Your Site So, you’re convinced you need to build your own site. That’s good, creating your very first website is a closer reality than you think. With the new GATOR builder , you can have a site online in as little a couple of clicks. Of course, you’ll want to spend time thinking about the overall goals of your website, what you want it to look like, and it’s purpose for existing. But, by using a website builder you can create your site without having any existing development experience. Just select your theme, drag and drop certain elements until you’re satisfied, then publish your site online. Hopefully, you have a better understanding of the importance of having your own website, even if you aren’t planning on monetizing it directly. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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HostGator Announces 2019 Technology Scholarship Winners

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Hosting

The post HostGator Announces 2019 Technology Scholarship Winners appeared first on HostGator Blog . HostGator is pleased to announce the winners of our 2019 Technology Scholarship competition . Supporting education has always been a foundation of HostGator, particularly since HostGator was founded in a college dorm room back in 2002 . More than 300 applicants answered the essay question – “In what industry or area do you see technology making the largest impact in the next 10 years?” Our business relies on technology and the creative minds of tech-savvy individuals who have ideas for websites. That’s why we’re so proud of these three winners and their innovative ideas for the future of technology. HostGator staff selected the top candidates based on the originality, quality, and innovation of the ideas in their essays. Three winners were selected to receive a $1,500 scholarship. HostGator is pleased to announce the following winners: Sara Guerry, Radford University, studying social work Nathan Schams, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, studying finance Anita Whittner, Nassau Community College, studying psychology Enjoy reading their essays, and drop us a comment at the bottom of the page to let us know what you think about the impact of technology over the next 10 years. Sara Guerry, Radford University In the next 10 years, technology is going to make the biggest impact in the field of mental health. It already is. And we will see the results of that impact in the coming years; both in positive and challenging ways. I’ve been really curious about the development and success of app-based app based therapy such as TalkSpace. In this time of Millennials and Generation Z, people are not connecting as much face-to-face as we used to, but our fears and anxieties are still present. TalkSpace allows clients to reach a therapist any time in a way that works for them – text, video, or phone. Life is always on the go and not many people have time to dedicate to sitting in an office talking about their problems for an hour. Additionally, services like TalkSpace are affordable. With the rising costs of medicine and the uncertainty of insurance and policies governing our health, mental health is the first thing to be cut out of most budgets. These types of applications allow anyone to afford mental care and seek help in an ongoing manner. We also live our lives more externally now. There is still a stigma around mental health and seeking help. But now there’s also a stigma around wearing the same thing twice or tripping on the sidewalk or any other number of things that can be photographed, videoed, snapped, and put on the internet for time immemorial. The perceived shame of being ‘caught’ going to a therapist or talking to one in person can be a major barrier to seeking help. When siloed into our own heads and seeing the posts of our friends on social media, it’s easy to get perceptions misconstrued. Social media is media of choice and permanency on a very minute level. Everything we post is archived. And, for that reason, there’s a lot of stress involved with marketing oneself just-so 24/7. One thing that excites me, however, is technology’s opportunity to shift the paradigm. Just as many people see technology as driving a wedge between us as people, it also stands to be the magnet that brings us all back together. Right now, at this moment, I can talk to someone on the other side of the world via a free app. High-speed trains are connecting cities at greater and greater distances, bringing cultures together. What’s on the horizon next? How can technology reprogram us to being more social in person? How can it help us gain greater appreciation for those around us? What is the potential for finding our way back to each other? Where technology started this challenge, it can also rise to the occasion and redefine the results. In bringing ourselves back to the physical world through technology, we can center our minds on our environment, on each other, on ourselves. Our mental health can be more focused on our well being. This is why technology is going to have the greatest impact on us in the next 10 years.   Nathan Schams, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse In the short time that I have been alive, I have seen the dramatic effects technology has on the world. It is easy to see how technology has inserted itself into our modern culture. From our phones to our cars, technology leads the way. However, there is one industry that technology has left almost untouched, and I believe that is the construction industry. We have seen how things like self-driving cars and iPhones have changed everything from how we take notes to the way we farm, yet we have not seen near enough of this technology implemented into the methods of building our infrastructure. I believe that in the next ten years especially, the construction industry will evolve into something even more phenomenal than it currently is. Of course, some may say “well Nathan, construction companies have already adopted technologies like Global Positioning Systems and have even gotten complex systems of sensors to control the Los Angeles stoplights to decrease emissions.” However, this is only the tip of the iceberg for construction companies. Could you imagine a world where road construction lasted only weeks not months, and cost less than a quarter of what it currently does? This does not have to be just some crazy dream; in the next ten years, self-driving construction equipment could be working day and night to set up and take down construction barrels, reroute traffic, tear up old road, and pave the new. Just the self-driving capability of construction equipment alone would save $50,000 per year in labor and would also be able to more than double the speed of the actual road work meaning less traffic jams and delays, less injured construction workers, and much less road work.   Along with self-driving capabilities, there have been many advancements in the realm of artificial intelligence in the last decade, all of which could be applied to the construction industry. Take for example the surveying of a road and the ground on which it lays. For an actual person to survey a road, it could take days and be inaccurate whereas by using AI with the help of certain sensors, we would be able to design an exact model of the current road and use the terrain and topographical maps to plan out what the most efficient way to level the road will be and how to prevent cracks and crevasses from forming. Having roads lasting longer, and people riding smoother, the price of doing road work would decrease significantly making it just as profitable as today: it would just be much more cost effective for our great states. With AI helping build, our highways, interstates, county, and residential streets would be much more straight, flat, and more durable than they had ever been before. This is just a small sampling of technologies that could make an immense, lasting impact on the construction industry, and it is obvious that construction will be greatly impacted by technology in the next ten years.   Anita Whittner, Nassau Community College I believe technological advancements will have an impact on every aspect of our lives, and I expect the greatest impact will be in the food service/concessions/hospitality industry. In the next ten years, the hospitality industry will begin to modernize. There will no longer be keys at hotel rooms, and they will begin to use touch ID. At check-in, each member of the room will register a fingerprint, and to get into their room, they put that finger onto the scanner. This will eliminate the risk of stolen, lost, and missing keys, and the hassle of trying to fix them. Of course, a key will still be able to open the door, maids will need to enter and exit, and will be offered to anyone who is uncomfortable with the policy. Another way the hospitality industry will be able to accommodate its guests is through apps on mobile devices that will allow you to check in, check out, and even order room service without having to wait on lines or call anyone. Just like hotels will use apps on smartphones for check-in, out, and room service, the concessions industry will use similar technology to promote online ordering. McDonald’s, Starbucks, and many other chain foods currently have their own apps to order from. With growing technology, McDonald’s has decided to utilize self-order kiosks. These kiosks will take over most cashiers. According to businessinsider.com, McDonald’s has decided to put 1000 in their stores every quarter until 2020. In the next 10 years, I see this growing substantially, spreading outside of fast food to stadiums and arenas. In stadiums and arenas, they have even more ways to deliver meals. At certain venues, you can order food through an app, and the food is run to you, called “in-seat” ordering. This allows guests to order while in their seats and the food be brought to them, making their experience more enjoyable. Another way that the concessions industry will change in 10 years from now is due to facial recognition technology. Large companies are trying to take advantage of this technology, especially stadiums and concert arenas. The facial recognition technology work as so: when you give the venue your credit card information once, you will never have to use it in the venue again. You will simply look at the back of the register where there will be a scanner and it will link your face to your card, making purchases faster and simpler. This would eliminate time spent giving change, and waiting for the chip to process on credit and debit cards.   I see the concessions/hospitality industry changing the most in the next 10 years, as it has the most room for improvement. At my job, I see the company constantly changing. As we reduce the need for cashiers, we have implemented a stand called the “grab-n-go”, where concertgoers can just walk into a small area filled with refrigerators, take whatever they like out, pay, and leave, eliminating the need for cooks, food runners, and cashiers. This type of innovation is what leads me to believe in the next 10 years, this industry will modernize, and begin to take advantage of many future technological advances.      What Are Your Thoughts? Do you agree that technology will have a huge impact in the areas of mental health, construction, and food service & hospitality? If you were answering the essay, what industry do you see technology making the largest impact in the next 10 years? Drop your answer in the comments below!   Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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3 Best Monetization Methods for Bloggers

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Hosting

The post 3 Best Monetization Methods for Bloggers appeared first on HostGator Blog . Blog monetization is something that many site owners, content creators, and bloggers will spend a lot of time on. However, only a few will actually master the art of generating enough traffic to their site in order to make some serious money with it. At the same time, before even thinking about site monetization, you must know who your target audience is, how to create the best content possible, and have an ultimate call to action in place. These focus points will vary heavily based on the type of content you are creating, and the audience you are going after—but the monetization methods and the process still work the same. Below I will highlight some of the best ways to make money with content on your website or blog. 1. Lead Generation and Online Webinars Being in the “make money online” industry, I see a ton of bloggers and experts selling their own products and services. This usually happens after a blogger or authority figure has already established themselves within a space. Not only can you make money with a blog, you can also change your life with one in the process. No matter when you are going to start the monetization process, lead generation is something you should always be working on—but it ultimately comes down to the quality of content you are offering, and the perceived value by the end user. Here’s an effective and simple way to get started. First, you need to have a mailing list . Most of us already have one of these in place. If you don’t already, set one up today . Second, have an offer to give away in exchange for a user submitting their email and joining your list. This can be as simple as a free PDF or access to a private section of your site. Third, have an autoresponder and solid call to action in place. This simple three-step process works wonders. For those who are looking for the best results possible and wanting to sell higher ticket priced items, I recommend using each of the three methods above, but also adding a webinar into the mix. Not only are webinars easy to set up and work wonders for lead generation and sales, it can also blow your conversions and ROI through the roof. Even more exciting is what companies like ClickMeeting are doing with their integrations for Facebook and YouTube live streaming . With users already active and familiar with these social and video platforms, it simply leads to increased engagement, leads, and conversions for anyone using webinars to grow their brand or business. This is especially true for anyone looking to market and sell coaching or live training sessions . While many websites and blogs are selling access to pre-recorded videos and text content in a member area, the opportunity to sell live training sessions is also possible.   2. Affiliate Marketing with Focused Offers Having been in the industry and making money for well over twenty years now, affiliate marketing is where I got my start , and it’s still one of the best and most effective ways to make money online. The concept is simple: Refer traffic to another website, and earn a commission on any leads or sales that are generated. Affiliate marketing works so well, because there is no inventory to hold, and nearly every website and brand has some form of commission based marketing in effect. In fact, HostGator also has an affiliate program of their own, in which they pay out millions of dollars to their site partners every year. There are also affiliate networks like Shareasale, Commission Junction, and Rakuten Linkshare that make it free and easy to join their platform and then gain access to hundreds of individual affiliate programs. However, just promoting affiliate marketing offers on your site isn’t enough to find success. You need to choose the right offers, and have content that makes the user want to take action. A perfect example of this can be seen on any of the review or coupon sites you might come across in the search results. When someone is searching for a coupon or review online, they are already in buying mode. Most of these pages will provide audiences with testimonials, offers, and where to buy the individual product or service they are looking for. They are also limiting distractions, and have only one call to action in mind. If you want to find success with affiliate marketing, keep all of these winning methods in mind.   3. Google Adsense and Native Advertising Google Adsense? Yes… I’m actually recommending Google Adsense as a way to monetize the content on your site. When it comes to making money with Google Adsense, you either understand it or you don’t. The reason why Google Adsense is one of the most used and recommended methods for making money online is that it’s dead simple to use, and Google does all of the work for you. All you, as the site owner, have to do is join their program, and then place a line of code on their site. If it’s so easy, you might ask, then why is it so hard to make money with? This all comes down to how Google Adsense is being used. As someone that has been able to make six figures with their Google Adsense account, I will tell you that it’s all about being able to blend Adsense ads into your site and content, so they don’t look like ads. By this, I mean don’t place banner ads in your sidebar or at the top of the page. Instead, have your ads actually shown within the content on your site. This is how you grab the attention of the audience, and put Google’s ad targeting to work. You can learn more about the best banner locations and sizes here . Whether you are using Google Adsense or not, I would also recommend looking at native advertising and content recommendations. Site owners all around the world are making some great money by running ads through platforms like RevContent, OutBrain and many others. The key takeaway here is to understand your audience and the end call to action. If you have a website or blog that is pushing a high value CPA offer, or your own product, Google Adsense and contextual advertising likely isn’t a good fit—as it will pull users away from your site for a fraction of the potential commission and earnings you could be getting from your target offer.   Going from Blog to Business to Brand Starting a blog is easy. Making money with a blog and becoming an authority isn’t. However, if you are willing to put in the time, work, and effort, this is quite possible. For more on this process, be sure to read this article where I will walk you through the process. No matter what niche market you are in, or the monetization method you choose, always focus on the final call to action and getting real users to your site. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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Best WordPress Themes for Blogging

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Hosting

The post Best WordPress Themes for Blogging appeared first on HostGator Blog . If you want your WordPress blog to succeed you’re going to need a great theme. Of course, choosing a solid theme is important, but you also need a place to host it, too. For the ultimate WordPress hosting experience, we recommend WordPress managed hosting . Even if you write incredibly captivating content, and spend hours perfectly crafting and formatting each post, your readers won’t stick around if your site is designed poorly. The look and feel of your site have a greater influence than you think. If your site is distracting, crowded, or uses a low-quality font your users won’t stick around to actually read what you’ve written. This is where your WordPress theme comes in. 10 Best WordPress Themes for Blogging Your WordPress theme should flawlessly highlight your words in a way that makes readers want to spend hours on your site. Luckily, you don’t have to spend time looking for the  best WordPress theme  for your new blog . Below you’ll find 12 of the best WordPress themes for blogging.   1. Smart Passive Income Pro Theme If you’ve been blogging for any time at all, then you’re probably familiar with Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income .  Well, this blog theme is modeled after his website. It’s designed to provide an easy reading experience while offering you plenty of ways to monetize your website. The homepage is equipped with three different preset layouts and templates , along with eight different a reas for widgets . If you’re a blogger who’s looking to monetize your content or sell products and services then this theme is a great choice. Plus, it’s built on top of the trusted Genesis framework and is fully responsive for all desktops and mobile devices.   2. Typology Typology is an incredible minimalist design theme for bloggers. It features rich and eye-catching colors, contrasted with white space and clear typography. The obvious focus of this theme is stunning typography. It also offers some cool features like showing the time it’ll take to read each post, along with stunning quotes, and various typeset theme options. You’ll also find five different homepage customization options, which include the ability to add background images, highlight your most recent blog posts in slider format, or include the popular parallax scrolling effect.   3. Divi Divi from Elegant Themes  is one of those rare themes that can basically do anything. It’s equipped with nearly endless possibilities. The built-in drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create your own layouts, pages, and templates. It’s equipped with over 46 different content models that you can plugin into different pages or even blog posts. For example, you’ll be able to add things like a portfolio element, pricing table, email forms, audio players, and a lot more. Plus, it has a cool duplicator feature that enables you to set up an element and push that out across every page on your site. Talk about a time-saving feature!  If you want ultimate freedom when building out your site, then Divi might be the blog theme for you.   4. Magnus Photoblog Theme If you’re a blogger who relies on photography to help get your message across then Magnus is the perfect theme for you. The theme is heavily image-focused, which means you better have some high-quality photography to back up your words. The home page acts as a portfolio page for your images and headlines. Plus, it’s equipped with a cool hover effect to make your site seem cutting-edge. Once you click through to one of your blog posts the image will be highlighted at the top of the page, full-screen, with your text appearing underneath in a stunning and readable font. If you’re looking for a blog theme that places a focus on your images, as well as text, then Magnus is worth a test drive.   5. Hemingway If you don’t want to spend any money on your theme just yet, then Hemingway can be a great choice. This free theme for WordPress is simple and offers plenty of whitespace. Since it’s a free theme you won’t find a ton of customization options or features, but it will be incredibly easy to get your blog online. It’s equipped with a 2-column layout, a large custom header image, and even the fancy parallax scrolling feature. When creating blog posts using this theme you’ll also be able to choose between 4 different blog post formats. For bloggers on a budget, this simple design is one of the best free responsive WordPress themes to check out.   6. Authority Authority is a theme that’s modeled after Matthew Woodward’s six-figure blog. It’s a clean theme that highlights your blogroll on the homepage, along with a sidebar where you can showcase an opt-in box, welcome message, most popular posts, and more. If you’re a blogger who’s looking to monetize their site, then this theme will make it easy. It’s built to help make creating affiliate content and review content easier. Plus, it’s Google AdSense ready, so you don’t have to deal with adding any custom code to your site. This theme for WordPress is feature packed and perfect for site owners who want to turn their blogs into an online brand .   7. Hero Theme Hero is a minimalist and responsive theme that’s focused on design. One thing is for sure, this theme looks good. The home page has a parallax banner that you use to tell visitors what your blog is about. Beyond that, you’ll be able to highlight your recent projects or blog posts. The blog page is quite simple but provides a clean and easy reading experience. This theme is simple, but if you want a theme without all the frills, that lets you get down to writing, then check out this theme.   8. Modern Studio Pro Theme Modern Studio Pro is an elegantly designed theme built on top of the Genesis framework. You can opt for a classic blog layout with the sidebar on the right, or have your posts take up the entire screen. The focus of this theme is soft and readable typography, along with plenty of whitespace. If you’re tired of cluttered websites, then this theme might be perfect for you. You can easily customize this theme through the built-in theme customizer, and get your blog up and running very quickly. There aren’t a ton of additional features for this theme, but it truly does shine in its simplicity.   9. Eleven40 Pro Theme This theme is a StudioPress classic. It’s been around for quite some time, but its fully responsive design has withstood the test of time. The core focus of this theme is on highlighting your words. You can choose between multiple different sidebar arrangements, along with a customizable field that’s directly below the header. Since this theme is so simple it looks good on any screen size and always manages to place the readers focus on your content. If you want a simple, yet flexible theme, the give eleven40 Pro a try.   10. Candor Theme Candor is designed for bloggers who intend to build a business around their writing. The homepage is clean and elegant, and you have the option of integrating an email sign up box above the fold. It doesn’t have a ton of different customization options, but it does offer you four different layouts to choose from that will give your site a unique feel. Overall, this responsive design theme is easy to use on both computers and mobile devices and offers your visitors a solid reading experience, while still giving off some creative flair.   Which WordPress Blogging Theme Will You Choose? Having the right WordPress theme for your blog is extremely important and will set the standard for what users can expect to see on your site . The best theme for your blog is completely personal but remember, this is how users will recognize your brand and interact with your site. Hopefully, the themes above will point you in the right direction and you’re getting help you get closer to finding the perfect WordPress theme for your blog. Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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How to Set Up an Email Drip Campaign for Your New Small Business

Posted on September 19, 2018 by Hosting

The post How to Set Up an Email Drip Campaign for Your New Small Business appeared first on HostGator Blog . The early days of running a small business are typically the hardest. Getting your name out there so you can start earning your first customers is a big hurdle when starting from scratch. And all the work you do to raise awareness of your business goes to waste if the people who hear about you once promptly forget. One of the most important things you can do for your new business right now is to start building an email list. An email list is one of the most powerful marketing tools a small business can have. Email marketing is nearly 40 times more effective than social media channels at turning leads into customers and delivers a much higher ROI than many other marketing tactics. Someone that takes the step of subscribing to your email list is showing an active interest in your business — that’s meaningful. But for email marketing to really pay off, once you’ve gotten someone to sign up, you have to work to keep them. Setting up an email drip campaign is a good strategy to do that. What Is an Email Drip Campaign? An email drip campaign is a series of automated emails sent at set intervals after they’re triggered by a specific action. Most frequently, that action is someone signing up for an email list. B ut you can also set up drip campaigns triggered by someone downloading a piece of content, signing up for a free trial, or making a purchase — to name a few examples.   Why Your Small Business Should Use Email Drip Campaigns You’re busy running a new small business. To add a new marketing tactic to your to-do list, you need to be sure it’s worth your time. There are three main reasons for a small business to consider using email drip campaigns.     1. They’re easy. Any good email marketing software makes it easy to set up a drip campaign. Because the emails are automated, once you write and design the emails in your drip campaign once, your software takes care of sending them out to your subscribers at the right time moving forward.     2. They build a relationship with your customers. When you’re browsing your inbox and trying to decide which emails are worth opening, what’s the main deciding factor? For a lot of people — 64%, to be precise — it’s recognizing who the sender is. For many consumers, all the work marketers put into crafting the perfect email subject line ultimately matters less than whether or not they remember who you are when your email lands in their inbox. Setting up a drip campaign for your new subscribers ensures that they hear from you a number of times within the first few weeks after they sign up.  Instead of being a business whose website they landed on once and then forgot about, you become a business they’ve interacted with enough to now see as familiar. That makes a big difference in how they’ll view all the future emails you send.     3. They’re effective. Drip campaigns get results. Various studies have found that open rates for drip campaigns are 80% higher than single send emails and they generate 50% more sales-ready leads. Drip campaigns nurture your leads. They’re your opportunity take someone from a mild interest in your business to a strong understanding of what you do and why it matters.   How to Create Successful Drip Campaigns Before you start setting up email drip campaigns for your business, take a little time to learn some basic best practices.   1. Clarify your goals. Every email drip campaign should have both an overarching goal, as well as specific goals for every email included. Before you start on your emails, sit down and figure out what you want your drip campaign to achieve. Then figure out what you want each email to achieve on the path to that overall goal. Your overall goal in a drip campaign will often be to get your subscribers to make a purchase, but you don’t want every email to make a hard sell. You wouldn’t want to be friends with someone who asked for a favor every single time you saw them, so don’t be that guy in your  emails. Some good (non-purchase) goals to have for specific emails in your drip campaign include:      Education (less about driving action than building a relationship)      A click through to a piece of content      A download of a piece of content      Getting a response with feedback Choose a mix of goals to focus on for your individual emails that all support your overall goal of gaining new customers.   2. Make sure your emails provide unique value. Your email subscribers are extremely valuable. Your emails should reflect that. Don’t just send them the same content and offers that every visitor to your website gets, find ways to provide them with unique value. That could mean creating exclusive content for your drip campaigns that only subscribers get or providing a special discount code or a free gift with purchase for subscribers only. Think of ways you can use your drip campaign to give your subscribers the VIP treatment.   3. Segment your lists. Getting a new email subscriber is a big deal. The last thing you want is to lose them soon after they’ve signed up. If a visitor to your website signs up for your emails because of an interest in content about dogs and your first few emails are all about cats, then they’re not getting what they expected and are more likely to unsubscribe. Receiving irrelevant content is the third biggest reason for unsubscribes. But if you own a pet supplies store that sells items for both cats and dogs, what can you do? Email marketing software like Constant Contact makes it possible to create a number of different email lists so you can better target your emails to the people interested in them. You can either let people select which topics they’re interested in when they sign up, or make sure they’re put on the right list based on how they signed up. For example, the person who signed up by downloading a guide on dog training would go on your Dog People email list, rather than the Cat People one. Make sure the drip campaign you create is relevant for the specific list people join. And just as importantly, make sure that the way you describe and promote your email list to future subscribers accurately communicates what they’ll get. When your subscribers know what they’re signing up for, they’ll be happier with what they get out of it.   4. Use a consistent design. The emails in your drip campaign are all part of a series. You can signal their connection to each other visually by making sure they all have a consistent design. Make sure the style of your emails fits in with the style of your website. Include your logo and go with a similar color scheme. Many people are visual learners and will more easily be able to associate your different emails with each other and your overall brand if they’re all linked with a familiar style.  In most email marketing software programs, you can create templates you can use when creating each email to keep them within the same general style and structure.   5. Include CTAs. We already covered the importance of making sure every email you write has a clear goal. Anytime the goal of your email is for the recipient to take an action, explicitly ask them to take that action. In each email, include a CTA to help your subscribers know the next step you’d like them to take. Even if the goal of a particular email is to raise brand awareness, you can add in a CTA like “Contact us if you have any questions” to provide an option that encourages further engagement. But make sure each email is focused on only one CTA — you don’t want to confuse your list or muddy your focus.   6. Make sure your emails look good on mobile. People frequently use smartphones to check their email. About half of all email opens now occur on mobile devices. For the emails in your drip campaign to achieve their goal, they need to work at least as well on mobile devices as they do on desktop. Design your drip campaign with mobile in mind. Test out the emails on your own mobile devices to make sure they look good and the links are easy to click on. If you have employees or friends that own different types of mobile devices than you, ask them to check how it looks on theirs as well. Your emails need to provide a good experience on mobile or you’re alienating a lot of your audience and could lose subscribers over it.   7. Pay attention to your analytics. Because it’s automated, a drip campaign is in theory something you can create once and then leave on autopilot. But if you care about the results you get, you need to commit to tracking the analytics that show how people interact with your drip campaign so you can make it better over time. Your email marketing software will provide analytics on the number of opens, clicks, and unsubscribes you get with each email. Analyze what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. Test out different approaches in your drip emails. Try out different CTAs, wording, and images. Or see if shaking up the order you send them out in makes a difference. The more data you gain, the stronger you’ll be able to make your drip campaign.   Engage Your Small Business Customers with Email Drip Campaigns When your small business is new, getting those first followers and customers is hard. An email drip campaign will help you develop a relationship with the leads you gain in your early marketing efforts, so you can begin converting them into your first customers. For more tips on email marketing for your small business, check out these  email marketing best practices . Are you a HostGator customer? Learn how you can save on email marketing from Constant Contact! Find the post on the HostGator Blog Continue reading →

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