Steal my 6-step process
Growing an email list is damn hard.
It requires a lot of:
– focus
– efforts
– and patience.
But I’ve always gotten great results using SEO.
The best part? You don’t need to interact with others, and you don’t need to rack your brain browsing through feeds.
All you have to do is to write an article once and forget about it. And watch free traffic come in for years.
And here’s the good news: This still works today.
I recently launched a brand new website, and it’s getting 300 visitors a day like clockwork.
Let’s see how you can benefit from it.
1. Build your website on strong foundations
Too many creators are stuck in shiny object syndrome.
They fall for every new tool out there (don’t ask me why I know).
If you want to succeed in SEO and get long-term traffic, don’t mess things up. Because SEO is a marathon.
You’re planting seeds today for a harvest years down the line. You want to set your website’s roots in soil that’s been tested and trusted, not in the latest flashy sandpit.
That’s why I’m a die-hard WordPress fan.
It has been around since the dawn of the internet time. It powers about 40% of all websites for a reason.
First, it’s backed by a colossal community of developers. These are folks who eat, sleep, and breathe WordPress.
What it means for you:
– Plugins
– Themes
– And solutions for every problem under the sun
Second, this platform is built like a rock. I’ve seen folks build their whole online empire on a “trendy” platform, only to find out that the platform folds, or worse, crashes and burns. Imagine waking up one day to find your website in shambles. WordPress gives you the peace of mind that your site is going to weather the storm.
I’ve been using WordPress since 2012, when I created my first niche site. So if you’re serious about SEO and building an empire that lasts, use WordPress.
Old but gold.
The types of websites that Google loves
Websites that rank on Google’s first page have one thing in common.
They’re blazing fast.
If you want to rank highly, then you need a fast website.
But what makes 90% of WordPress sites so damn slow? The theme they use.
There are a million WordPress themes out there. And it’s easy to get sucked into designs that look like a million bucks.
But remember, if that theme is coded like a tangled ball of Christmas lights, your site speed is doomed. The right theme impacts not just aesthetics but also speed.
Instead, look for themes that are SEO-optimized and speed-tested.
Not all that glitters is gold. Just because a theme has 3D sliders, parallax effects, and a buffet of color options doesn’t mean it’s the best for speed. You want a theme that loads fast, is compatible with essential plugins, and gets regular updates.
Before you hit that ‘Buy’ button for any theme, take a moment to do a speed test. Websites like GTmetrix can simulate how a theme will perform in real-world conditions. Make sure it scores well on speed factors before you commit.
There are three themes you can pick:
– Astra
– OceanWP
– or GeneratePress (affiliate link)
I prefer GeneratePress because it’s the cheapest. (Sorry for being greedy)
Speed bloody matters.
Force Google to pay attention to your new website
Google hates jacks of all trades.
Instead, it rewards deep expertise.
If you want to catapult your website to Google’s first page, you need to stop dabbling in everything. Instead, hone in on a niche and dominate it.
As an example, I wrote over 30 articles in note-taking alone. This allowed me to prove my note-taking expertise to Google. Thus, it rewarded me with higher rankings. Then, I started to branch out to email marketing and other topics in my sub-niche.
So when you start off with a brand new website, write as many articles as possible in one of your sub-niches.
The secrets to find good keywords
SEO = keywords.
But it’s not just about slapping a few trendy words into your content and calling it a day. Finding the right keywords is like mining for gold. You’re looking for those nuggets that match not only your expertise but also what people search for.
The mistake many make is going after the broad, high-competition keywords right off the bat. You’re not going to outrank Amazon on ‘best laptops,’ so why bother? Instead, look for long-tail keywords, the low-hanging fruit that’s easier to snatch.
There are a gazillion of keyword tools out there. Choose the one you like; they’re more or less the same.
Search terms like “best laptops for digital artists” will give you a fighting chance in the rankings.
Call to Action: Spend an afternoon searching for keywords. Identify 10 long-tail keywords that align with your expertise and start crafting content around them next week.
Precision beats power.
Let’s put a high-ranking article under the microscope
Reality: Most blog posts are hard to read.
The reason? Their authors never sit down to create a compelling outline and stuff keywords like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Thus, you read through the piece and feel lost. Result? You click away.
This sends horrible signals to Google.
If you want to rank, your article needs to be as clear as water and keep your reader hooked.
A well-structured outline serves a two-fold purpose.
First, it keeps the reader engaged. They can follow your thought process and build on the knowledge you’re imparting.
Second, it pleases Google’s algorithm. The longer people stay on your page, the more Google thinks you’re onto something valuable. So, make sure your content flows logically.
Use:
– images
– subheaders
– bullet points
– and short paragraphs to break up the text.
Before you start writing your article, spend a solid 15 minutes mapping out a comprehensive outline. Make sure each section naturally leads to the next, creating a seamless reading experience.
Don’t let poor structure rob you of your rankings.
How to convert traffic to email subscribers
Traffic without conversion is a highway to nowhere.
Instead, you want to turn your visitors into subscribers.
Forget about annoying pop-ups.
The trick is to offer something of immediate value that’s directly related to what they’ve just read. In my note-taking articles, I offer a free note-taking course. Result: 7% of readers sign up for it.
This does two things: First, it turns a one-time visitor into a recurring audience member.
Second, it provides you with a way to monetize your expertise by funneling them into an automated sequence where you can upsell your premium courses.
I’m doing this all the time.
My note-taking articles offer a way to opt-in to my note-taking course. My email marketing articles offer a way to opt-in to my email marketing course. And guess what my AI writing articles offer? You get the idea.
Add a simple opt-in form in the middle and at the end of your articles. Make it impossible to miss and directly related to the article’s topic. Test it out for a week and see your subscription rates skyrocket.
Convert free traffic into buying customers.
Want to rank your website on Google’s first page?