Testing The Timelessness Of Your Twitter Shares

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Testing The Timelessness Of Your Twitter Shares

I hate to see Twitter used improperly. As it’s my favorite social media platform, and the place I spend most of my networking and content curation time, it really grinds my gears to see the prolific promotion of out of date information and ideas.

Evergreen Erodes Over Time!

The idea that content can be timeless is great. But we’re too quick to tie a bow on what we consider evergreen, ever valuable content.

Here’s the deal. Evergreen trees are living things. Yes, they live long and fruitful lives. But they don’t live forever.

Same goes for your content! It isn’t immortal. Your content is going to eventually lose life and luster.

It ain’t evergreen forever!

I Thought This Article Was About Twitter?!?!

It is, it is. I promise. But it’s also about how you share content with Twitter.

The fast pace and short shelf life of a tweet often causes sloppy sharing, and that really bugs me. It seems to me that when you’re trying to make the most impact in the shortest time frame, you should take the time to share smartly. To me that’s just common sense.

When you’re attempting to showcase expertise and knowledge, it’s imperative that every link you share actually brings value when it’s clicked and read.

So, you might ask, how do I ensure that my shares are smart and savvy and seriously showcase my value to my audience?

READ Before You Share. EVERY TIME!

When it comes to ensuring you’re not sharing sadly out of date information, there’s one single, simple, golden rule. READ before you retweet!

No matter how trusted the author or site, you’ve still got to vet the content for viability and value before you spread it around.

Firehose? Face Feed Fallout!

My Twitter feed is a fast, frenzied, frenetic place. And I love it!

What I don’t love so much? Seeing your smug mug taking over a full screen of my feed that spans minutes, sometimes even seconds.

Spread that shizz out, tweeps!

When you scatter-shoot your shares this type of “hey, see how often I’m tweeting” fashion you make it hard for your audience to deduce which of the shares is worthy of the click. You create confusion and frustration. Do you generally choose to do business with someone who leaves you confused and frustrated?

I’d bet the answer is a big, fat NO!

Tweet For Twitter!

That might sound a little simple and you might want to call me Captain Obvious, but hear me out.

How often do you see a tweet that’s 140 full characters of hashtag frenzy, plus a shortened link.

#every #word #has #a #hashtag

What the heck is the article about? You can’t read the title in the link, as it’s been shortened to allow for more hashtag hurrah!

If you want your tweets to target your audience in a timely fashion, you need to ensure you take the time to craft that tweet.

I dare say that crafting a terrific tweet, a tweet that draws clicks and prompts retweets, is an art form. It takes skill, testing, trial and tribulation.

So, Can Tweets Really Be Timeless?

Yes and no. I know, the only worse answer is “it depends.”

One of the best things about Twitter is its speed. That speed means it’s often a-okay-hunky-dory to share an article or an idea more than once. In a smart fashion, of course.

But when you’re using Twitter as a means to promote the content you’ve created, which is one of the main reasons many of us interact on Twitter, you have to factor in the timelessness of your content before you can calculate the timelessness of your tweet.

Content care (content audits, rewrites, reposts, etc.) goes hand in hand with creating a great Twitter strategy.

If you want to fill your Twitter feed with timely and timeless content that creates trust and respect for your expertise, you’ve got to create a content strategy that keeps that content timely, valuable and viable.

So?!?! Was this article about Twitter or content marketing?

Both. They go hand in hand!

ENOUGH! There Is NO Single Best Time For Social Media!

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ENOUGH! There Is NO Single Best Time For Social Media!

Why is it that so many awesome things are endangered or facing extinction – the black rhino, the Iberian lynx, the Tasmanian devil, numerous native tree and plant species – but we’re flipping bombarded with craptastic social media marketing advice?

I’ve had it. Enough already! To quote Popeye …

That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more.

What’s got me on this tear?

The publish and promotion of social media articles and infographics “sharing” the best time to post for maximum reach, reaction, engagement and more.

There are SOOOOOO many reasons these articles and infographics grind my gears, but I don’t really have the time to write a novel and don’t think you’re game to read tens of thousands of words on the subject. So, I’m sharing just a few!

Let’s Talk About Time Zones!

So, let’s think about this. Let’s say we’re told that 9:23 AM is the BEST time to post to Twitter (I’m just making this up, of course).

But is the 9:23 AM Eastern? Central? Mountain? Pacific? And that’s only spanning the time zones that cover the continental United States. What about daylight-saving time?

You get my drift, right. I’ve never seen an article or infographic detail the differences in “best time” social media sharing based on audiences that span multiple time zones. Most people running a digital business find themselves with a following that spans countries, if not the globe.

9:23 AM for me, in my EST space, is 6:23 AM for my family and friends in California (PST). While many of them are early risers like me, there’s no guarantee that they’re sitting ready and waiting to see what I’ve posted as the sun rises on their day.

Wow, That’s A Wide Window …

The most recent “best time” share, the one that prompted this article, shared lots of best time information for the big social media platforms. It detailed the “best” times to post to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin and even Google+.

Then, and this is what I found ludicrous and laughable, the author turned his back on those “best” times and touted a smart posting window that stretched from 9 AM to 7 PM. What?

[clickToTweet tweet=”The ‘best time’ to post to #socialmedia channels spans ten hours? #captainobvious” quote=”The ‘best time’ to post to social media channels spans ten hours? Well thanks for the info, Captain Obvious.” theme=”style3″]

A ten hour window is pretty wide. You wouldn’t accept that from a service provider. Imagine if you were getting cable TV installed and you were told the installer would arrive between 9 AM and 7 PM. No bueno.

It’s not one bit different when you’re lead to believe you’re going to get the golden goose and finally know the absolute bestest single time to post a scintillating social share for your audience. Even less bueno!

Let’s Look At Lifespan!

The lifespan of a single social media post depends on so many factors. The platform. The size of your audience. The speed and breadth of that audience’s feeds. The time of day your audience is active. The popularity of any hashtags used. The addition of a visual prompt. The value or vibe of the post itself.

The lifespan of a tweet is different than the lifespan of a photo shared to Instagram. The likelihood of you seeing a specific Facebook post is different than the likelihood of you seeing a specific Google+ or Linkedin post.

And, digging a little deeper, you can’t easily compare the lifespan of one tweet, post or share with another. Did they have the same hashtag? A photo? Was it a conversation starter like a question or a link out to your content?

The Scariest, But Most Honest Answer To Social Media Timing Questions …

It Depends!

That response might sound wishy-washy and passive aggressive in other applications, but when it comes to the “best” time to post social media shares in order to “best” impact reach and engagement, it is the BEST answer.

Because the best time for my audience might not be the best time for your audience. Even within my own circle of influence, the best time for my audience in June might be vastly different from the best time in January.

It’s all about putting in the time and effort to craft the kinds of social media shares and posts that suit the needs of those you’re trying to reach. Then you gotta monitor your most important metrics to see what works and what doesn’t. And you’ve gotta do that over and over and over again.

Social media marketing isn’t a set it and forget it kind of endeavor. The practice, the strategies, the tactics evolve over time. As do the “best” times to reach your audience.

I can get on board with a one-size-fits-all scarf. It make sense. But there’s nothing sensible about a one-size (or time) fits-all solution for social media marketing.

Marketing: There’s Really Nothing Magical About It!

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Marketing: There's Really Nothing Magical About It!

For some marketers, there’s a need to make social media and digital marketing almost anything except what it really is.

Buzz words like easy, simple, cheap, delicious, killer, awesome, and I could go on AND on, are filling our feeds. It’s apparently easy to be epic. It’s simple to succeed in marketing, business, AND life. Working for yourself is delicious and delightful.

Sadly, these simplistic simperings don’t factor in the reality of what it actually takes to create, build and maintain a successful business.

Recently I came across an article discussing the magical nature of social media marketing and I realized I just couldn’t take it a second longer. This marketing myth must be addressed, dressed down and put on a time out.

Magic & Marketing Don’t Mix!

There’s no magic wand being waved over marketing campaigns.

The “magic” you’re seeking actually happens when you put your muscle and your mind behind the project, task or campaign.

That’s right! The main ingredient in any success recipe is hard work. Synonyms for hard work include hustle, sweat equity and perseverance.

Smoke & Mirrors Rarely Reveal Success

When you get right down to it, many of the “magical” musts touted by marketers are simply tricks. It’s tempting to fall for the idea of the time-saving trick, I know. But trickery has a way of turning around on you and biting you in the butt.

Think about Loki, the Nordic god, the trickster. He often found himself in a lot of hot water, or some thunder from Thor, after engaging in his patented trickery.

Loki isn’t someone I’d look up to as a business mentor. In modern times his tactics and tricks would be described as sketchy or shady. You rarely see sketchy or shady preceding success in a description about a business!

Testament To Time & Tireless Effort

There’s a reason we look up to people who have paid their dues “in the trenches.” We value that effort, that focus, that drive. Tricks and tantalizing tactics aren’t based on drive or effort. In fact, they look to negate the necessity of hard work and hustle.

Crafting quality content, maintaining relationships that matter with clients and peers, creating new relationships and delivering quality customer service … they all take time. Time and effort.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Easy and #entrepreneur rarely go together. #smallbiz #realyourealbiz” quote=”Easy and entrepreneur rarely go together. “]

Passion without perseverance and some sweat brings little reward.

The easy button, the magical “minutes a day” schemes, they’re silly dreams that too often turn into nightmares for those that decide to rely on them.

Learn To Love What You Own

In closing I leave you with this New Pornographers cover of the Destroyers “Hey Snow White.”

[clickToTweet tweet=”Own your efforts and your ethics. Stop looking for the free, easy or quick fix. #realyourealbiz” quote=”Own your efforts and your ethics. Stop looking for the free, easy or quick fix.”]

Prince Charming isn’t waiting in the wings to bestow a magical kiss that will make all your dreams come true. There’s no fairy godmother who’ll change your pumpkin into a carriage that will carry you to business success.

Own your effort, your sacrifice, your blood, sweat and tears. And love that ownership!

You create your own magic through the relationships you maintain, through the effort you expend and with the mind you use to master your craft.

Better Blogging: Stop Second Guessing And Share!

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Better Blogging: Stop Second Guessing And Share!

So, why do you blog? You’ve been told over and over again that content is KING and that blogging is the best way to reap any rewards from this king’s reign.

Is that the only reason you sit down at the keyboard?

I’m guessing not. I’m guessing you’re trying to connect with your audience as much as you’re trying to create content for publishing and sharing.

I could be wrong, but that’s my gut feeling and I’m sticking to it!

Audience & Authenticity

Some of my readers might say I trust my gut a bit too much and sometimes share thoughts in a way that borders on shameless. They’re entitled to their opinion, just as I’m entitled to mine.

But those few opinions aren’t going to stop me from sharing what I believe to be of value to my true audience. Those few opinions aren’t going to change my blogging style, nor will they cause me to squelch my unique voice or message.

I could certainly comb my feeds, plug phrases into popularity searches and do my darnedest to dabble on topics that have already been well discussed, in a bid to boost any budding popularity I’m attempting to possess.

But where’s the value in that?

I often, leading up to my final publish, wonder if I’ve finally pushed the envelope that tiny bit too far. Wonder if this is the post that’s going to cause a reader to lose his/her cool and really let loose on me.

I have moments of worry, concern, even fear before I finally let an article fly. I might change a sentence or two. Tone down a line or two. But I’ve never shelved an article fearing that it was too much.

They Love Me … They Love Me Not

Sure. You have to consider your audience before and after the publish.

You must be prepared for discussion and the possibility of dissenting opinions. These discussions can grow heated. You might face anger and misunderstanding.

Someone will almost certainly feel that you’re calling them out personally, even though that was never your intention. LOL. To this day there’s a certain social media marketer who’s certain a specific article is about her. Funnily enough, she never crossed my mind as I was writing it. Perception is often a funny thing.

But you can’t please everyone. And if you try, you’ll find yourself wandering down a path that leaves your unique voice, your brand message, pretty much your whole business identity, falling behind, feeling forlorn, abandoned and alone.

Yes, you’re publishing in order to be read. And, of course, you also hope those who read will help spread the word with a little (okay, a LOT) of social sharing.

But deep down you’re publishing to provide value to your target audience, hoping to connect, engage, and eventually make a sale.

With whom do you really want to work?

Stop Second Guessing … Share

I know that I want to to work with clients who share some of the same thoughts, ideas, and opinions that I happen to share. And that’s why I don’t shy away from sharing those ideas in my articles.

The point of my blogging isn’t the social shares, though they are quite nice and I suppose seeing decent sharing numbers provides me with a little social proof, which might mean something to certain members of my ideal audience.

That ideal audience is the real reason for the publish though. I’m looking to connect, via my blogging efforts, with like minded individuals with whom I can collaborate on future projects.

If being the real you alienates a handful of readers, you have to consider a hard fact. Those readers weren’t your ideal audience after all!

If you’re prevaricating and pandering trying to appeal to an audience, neither party benefits. It’s a lose-lose endeavor.

Are You Second Guessing? Rather Than Sharing?

What’s holding you back from digging deep and sharing the real you with your readers?

Social Sharing: Reduce Rants When You Actually Read!

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Social Sharing: Reduce Rants When You Actually Read!

I just got an email, from a “sad” marketer, sharing their sorrow after the accusations and not-so-nice comments they received upon sharing an article that didn’t actually convey their opinions and beliefs.

My initial thought? That happens.

Then, as I continued to read the tale of woe, I realized the “sad” marketer hadn’t actually read the article. She chose to share it based on the title and the image, then unplugged for the weekend. She came back to a shit storm in her comments.

My second thought? Sounds like she got what she deserved!

When You Share By Rote, You Get Rants!

There’s a reason that click bait has become a buzzword. Titles tempt us. They also, far too often, fail to deliver on the idea once you get past the title and into the meat of the read.

To suss this out, though, one must ACTUALLY read the article.

I think we need to coin a new buzzword, or buzz activity might be a more correct moniker … share bait. It’s the title and feature image that screams, SHARE ME.

When social sharing becomes a compulsion to share for the sake of sharing, rather than the careful selection of suitable reads for your peers and prospects, you’ve got a problem!

Can You Back Up The Share?

Consider this. Some of those who see what you share in your feed are going to take action. They might give you a favorite  or like (also not a smart thing to do without ACTUALLY reading that “favorite” content), they might share it too, and they might comment!

Here’s where things can get sticky. If you get called out for the share and you haven’t actually read the article, you’ll get egg (or something worse) on your face my friend.

Being prepared to back up what you share on social media is a topic that should be discussed more openly and often. It goes along with the trust and transparency that have long been lauded as crucial to the social experience.

How long do you think your audience will trust you if you fail to vet and verify the value of the information you’re sharing?

Unsure Share? Don’t Unplug!

The scenario I shared detailing the woes of the “sad” marketer was only made more untenable when she shared a dodgy read and then unplugged for the weekend.

If you read and can relate, before you share, you’ll probably not have any issue. But you might still share a “hot button” article that gets your following a little hot under the collar.

If you’ve taken the time to read and can smartly formulate a response that allows you and your readers to agree to disagree on the specific issue. No read, no real way to get away without admitting you screwed up!

You can’t wander away and leave a potentially hot topic on your social space. You wouldn’t leave candles burning and then leave the house for a three day weekend. You’d worry about fire. Why would you leave a shared article to ignite on your unmonitored social platforms?

Read, Relate & Reap Benefits … Not Rants

Don’t bust out the tired, but tempting, excuse that you’re just TOO BUSY to take the time to read what you share.

It takes minutes to read an article. There’s no measuring the amount of time it will take you to regain the trust of an audience you alienate with a stupid share.

Ever faced the fire after a poorly perceived share? How did you handle the blowback?

Web Design Wonderful: Make It Legible, Please!

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Web Design Wonderful: Make It Legible, Please!

Last week it was my absolute pleasure to share my smarts (and some of my snarks) with the savvy band of social smarties that make up the #BizHeroes crew. I had a BLAST taking part in the Twitter chat, which takes place once a week (you should TOTALLY check it out).

While many find keeping up with the fast and furious sharing of ideas during a these chats on Twitter a little daunting, I find them fabulous. The fast, dare I say frantic, nature means people have to put their thoughts out there, and they do. I get so many article ideas from these chats, even when I’m not the “special guest.”

Web Design Wonderful: My New Wednesday Article Series

My Twitter chat topic was to be:

Website Wonderful? Starts With Well-Planned!

Of course, before we even launched the chat the topic was tweaked a bit and we focused on both planning and what makes a website “good.” Of course “good design” is a subjective term and what’s beautiful to one set of eyes might be a visual marketing monstrosity in the eyes of another.

While I’m not a fan of blanket statements, and I do not believe in one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to web design, I think there are some almost universally appreciated (note I didn’t say accepted, there’s a difference) design DOs that can and should be applied in almost any web design project.

Let’s Laud Legible!

You know I love to visit dictionary.com when I get feisty!

[lej-uh-buh l]
adjective

1. capable of being read or deciphered, especially with ease, as writing or printing; easily readable.

2. capable of being discerned or distinguished.

Stop Making Me Squint!

My eyesight is still good enough that I don’t require reading glasses, until … I come to a website that’s got tons of copy, possibly even GREAT copy, but it’s so ding-danged small I’m forced to squint.

Don’t force your site visitors to grab a set of binoculars or a magnifying glass in order to see what your site says!

Bump up that type size. 10 and 12 pixels won’t cut it anymore. I’m considering bumping mine up another notch, honestly, and I’m already embracing 17 px!

[clickToTweet tweet=”Stop making me squint! #webdesign that’s wonderful? It’s legible!” quote=”Stop making me squint! Web design that’s wonderful? It’s legible!” theme=”style4″]

 

Get In Line!

Go ahead and add some space between the lines, too, party peeps. Give your content a little room to breathe. It’s one of the first things I check when I’m asked to audit a site, and it’s often the most overlooked little bit of customization that can really rock your visitor experience.

My line spacing is pretty aggressive, at 1.8. Most of the time it’s left at the default, which is anything from 1.1 to 1.3, depending on the theme used or the custom CSS set up by the developer.

I say bump it up a notch. Crowded content can make your site appear cluttered and hard to scan.

Use Your Headers!

Speaking of scanning, a lot of your site visitors will skim quickly, dipping their toe into the pool of your site experience, before settling in for a good swim.

If you’ve been reading this article, and not scanning or skimming, you’ll note that I shared two definitions for legible. The second definition had to do with being able to discern.

When a site visitor is scanning your copy or one of your article, you want to help them discern that the topic is valuable and meets their needs. One great way to do so is to make use of your headers. Sized properly, and with a little color for pop, a carefully crafted set of headers within your longer body copy allow those with less time to decide if your full read is worthy of a few extra minutes.

The longer you can keep them on your site, the more likely that visitor is to take some sort of action, be it adding your site to their RSS feed, signing on for regular updates, or possibly taking you up on your latest offer.

Your Turn!

Of course, there’s another side to legibility, and that has to do with typeface (font) selection. But we’ll leave that for a future Wednesday!

It seems such a small thing, but a couple quick fixes to enhance legibility can really enhance the experience of your site visitors. Bumping up the font size and line spacing, and carefully crafting a few headers doesn’t require mad coding and development skills either. It’s web design DIY that could add to ROI.

It’s all about the experience. Can you afford not to make the small changes that make or break the experience of your site visitors?

Social Sharing: I’d LOVE To Share Your Content, But …

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Social Sharing: I'd LOVE To Share Your Content, But ...

You just don’t make it easy for me to do so!

It’s something I come across every day, no exaggeration. I comb through my RSS feeds, my Twitter lists, my Google+ circles, looking for some really interesting content to share. I like to share items that haven’t been shared a million times before, unique perspectives from authors with smaller followings like mine.

It never fails. I’ll come across a gem, a jewel in the crown of my content curating efforts, something I’m excited about sharing. And I end up with my head in my hands.

Social Sharing Drives Content Marketing

So, with that in mind, why do you make it so hard for your readers to effectively share your carefully crafted content?

[clickToTweet tweet=”You worked hard to craft that killer #content. So make it EASY to SHARE! #SMM” quote=”You worked hard to craft that killer content. So make it EASY to SHARE!” theme=”style4″]

 

Notice that I use the word “effectively.” Of course I have various Google Chrome extensions that allow me to share more easily. But that’s all about me. Don’t you want your content shared well.

I get it, any shares at all seem great. But if you take a little time make social sharing easier for your readers, you also make social sharing more effective when it comes to showcasing your brand.

Social Sharing Buttons Require Set-up!

You can’t just load your latest social sharing plug-in of choice and consider it done. You have to take the time to set up those sharing buttons properly, so that the sharing experience is easy and provides value on both sides of the share.

What’s entailed in smart social media sharing? I’m so glad you asked. I’ve compiled a short and simple list of to-dos and absolutely do nots.

  1. Do NOT make me search for your Twitter handle! Make sure your social sharing buttons allow you to set them up so that your Twitter handle is automatically part of the tweet when the social sharing button is clicked. That mention matters!
  2. Do NOT auto-populate a shared tweet, or any other kind of social media share, with a glut of hashtags and keywords and no real description of the content being shared. Make those characters count, even when they’re limited!
  3. DO add an appropriately sized and well-designed image to that article so that it’s ready for sharing via Pinterest boards. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve so wanted share a great read on one of my boards, but can’t because there’s no image to pin!
  4.  Naked links need not expect sharing! DO add some context to the social share. Good sharing plug-ins allow you to add descriptions catered to the specific platform on which you intend to share the rocking read.
  5. Do NOT make me “edit down” for Twitter sharing. You know you get 140 characters or less. Don’t make me edit out 50+ characters! I’m just not going to do it, no matter how good the read.
  6. DO let me share where I’d like to share. Facebook might be your FAVORITE, and Twitter might be a contender. But I might want to share to Google+, Linkedin, Pinterest. Too much streamlining of your social sharing options isn’t smart!

My Weapon Of Choice?

My snark and sass, of course. Oh, wait a minute. We’re talking about smart social sharing.

I’ve tried A LOT of social sharing plug-ins and tools. Let me say that again …

A LOT!

Some worked better than others, but none really did everything I wanted them to do, until …

I went ahead and followed my gut and the recommendations of my peers and ponied up the dough for Social Warfare. It works, it works well and it’s so well designed and developed.

Don’t believe me? Here’s what a few other folks have to say!

Is This Social Sharing Plug-in Better Than Chocolate?

How Social Warfare Will Skyrocket Your Shares!

In A Nutshell? Make It Easy To Share AND We Will!

You worked hard to craft that killer content. But hitting publish isn’t the end goal. You want that killer content read and your get more reads when you get more shares.

Simple enough, right?

 

Better Blogging: Give Your Inner Critic A Squeeze!

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Better Blogging: Give Your Inner Critic A Squeeze!

I read and share a lot of articles about writing, blogging and content marketing.

One school of better blogging thought centers on simply writing without worrying about what you’re actually producing and, ultimately, publishing. It’s the “just do it” mantra for content marketing.

We’re told to ignore that little voice inside, our inner critic, and just blog away.

As you can probably guess, given my penchant for the devil’s advocate point of view, that just doesn’t sit well with me.

Just Write Doesn’t Mean Just Publish

As previously stated, a lot of blogging advice centers around just sitting down and writing. This is great for those that have a hard time getting words on the screen or page.

It is true that the only way to make writing easier is to get into the habit of writing.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Writing is only part of publishing and #contentmarketing. #blogging” quote=”That being said, writing is only part of publishing and content marketing.” theme=”style4″]

Sitting down to write isn’t enough to create a read that will really resonate. Getting into the habit of writing isn’t going to help you if you settle into poor writing habits.

Balanced Blogging Requires Quality & Quantity

We’re told that consistency is key when it comes to blogging that builds an audience.

Unfortunately, too many bloggers tie consistency to frequency alone. Consistency, in blogging, must also be tied to the publishing of quality content. The kind of content that doesn’t make readers cringe.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Consistency in #blogging is about quality as much as quantity/frequency.” quote=”Consistency in blogging is about quality as much as quantity/frequency.” theme=”style4″]

On the road to quality content and the best blogging, there are many steps between writing and publishing. Steps that can’t be ignored.

It’s during these “middle” steps that our inner critic can do us all kinds of good. Our inner critic deserves a HUGE high five when he/she notices:

  1. Poor grammar and/or spelling
  2. Incomplete thoughts
  3. Facts and figures that aren’t backed up with attributions and sources
  4. Poor word choice
  5. Improper sentence structure
  6. Ideas that don’t ignite

Read Aloud And Listen To Your Inner Critic!

When I ran the Social Solutions Collective, I spent a lot of time proofing and editing articles before they were ready for publish.

Sometimes, when you’re editing by eye, you just know that something’s a little bit off, but can’t quite suss out exactly what’s wrong. When your eye fails you, let your voice and ears tackle the task.

Reading your article aloud is one of the best ways to ensure it’s error free. When you sound out your contractions, you’ll catch many of those “its vs. it’s” mistakes, as well as many more.

Reading aloud also helps you see if you’ve failed to prove your point.

Is there really any point in publishing an article that doesn’t actually prove the point you’re trying to make?

Don’t Diminish Your Content With Duds!

Duds happen. To everyone! You never know when that great idea will make the slow slide into seriously less than stellar content.

When we interviewed Mike Allton on Ready, Set … Podcast, he told us about his “dud” folder. That’s not what he calls it, but he does have an Evernote folder where he stores the blogging beginnings that just didn’t pass muster.

Sometimes, when you sit down to write, all you’re going to produce is schlock. And that’s A-OK … as long as you don’t publish it.

Hold onto the duds for a little while. You might be able to turn it into something worthy and worthwhile. Or you may decide to delete it after a few re-reads, when you realize you’re never going to be able to turn it into quality content.

Just don’t publish it. Don’t publish for the sake of publishing. Consider the quality, every time.

Celebrate Your Inner Critic!

Your inner critic often gets an undeserved bad rap.

Sure, he/she needs to get slapped down if his/her voice keeps you from EVER moving forward with your ideas. But, your inner critic often has your back. Listen to that niggling voice when it asks whether or not that blog post is worthy. Take the time to further investigate before you decide to ignore it. It just might keep you from publishing a real dud!