The Content Fix

If you want to hire an agency or consultant to manage your Facebook Ads, ask them these questions first. In this episode, Carolyn Rowe from ROI Swift reveals the best questions you can ask to reveal the right agency for your business – and to make sure you're not going to regret your decision in the future.

You've heard it from me before, but I'm going to say it again. Without a strategy, content marketing is just an expensive hobby. In today's episode I'm tackling that topic with Justin Brown from Motion Agency, including: Why you shouldn't be afraid to get really specific about your audience. Why niching down can actually present you with more opportunities People know why they should be working with you The three stage approach to niching down Offer, audience Why what you enjoy doing is just as important as the data when it comes to making choices. The five profiles you can use in your content

In 2021, I've decided to focus more on creating opportunities by opening up my thinking to discover new ideas that embrace creativity and innovation. To achieve this, I'm rotating four strategy sessions - challenge, observe, network and experiment and I'm breaking it all down into a step by step process here.

Want to know the secret to escaping the corporate cubicle? You've just got to do it. But this is what you need to know to prepare because I'm talking all about the truth, the whole truth about what it's really like to start your own business with Heather Frechette-Crowley.

In today's episode I'm taking a step back in time to revisit my digital marketing predictions for 2020 and sharing my scorecard on what I got right and of course what I got wrong. At this time of year, and I'm no exception, everyone starts talking about trends. But in this episode, I'm going to go with few dare to, particularly after a year where no one could've prediction the many challenges that were going to be thrown at us, individually, in business, and on a massive global scale. Because it wasn't just one thing, although we all know what the biggie is. No, 2020 just seemed to be the year that kept challenging. So when I look back now I'm completing fascinated to see whether my predictions weathered the storm.

Are you trying to make connections on LinkedIn? It's a fantastic platform for connecting with potential customers, but this is why so many people get it wrong and how you can do it better. Find out why people are sending you those spammy sales pitches and the three great tactics you can use to get past no and create great connections.

When was the last time you made a decision about whether to read more, listen more or watch more by sniffing? And in the year of social distancing, there's a fair chance you're not doing it by touching either. We consume with our eyes. So it makes sense that visuals stop the scroll, grab attention and make you stand out. If you want to make a strong first impression with your marketing in 2021, get inspired by these five visual content trends.

Have you ever thought about being a TEDx speaker? For most of us, it's either a bucket list item or the idea leaves you in a cold sweat. Even if taking to the stage isn't your thing, Bosco Anthony's journey to the TEDx stage in Stanley Park Vancouver will inspire you to think about how to set your goals high and the importance of resilience when you reach for your dreams.

It's that time of year again, when start talking about the social media trends for 2021 you need to start planning for in your strategy. But if you think I'm talking TikTok or Reels, think again. We're going deeper into what gets audience attention, what keeps them talking with you and what gets them shouting your praises to their own communities.

Growing your business with paid social media can be the difference between scaling fast and sluggish sales. In this episode, Carolyn Rowe from ROI Swift lifts the lid on what you need to know to start paid promotion and how to make it an effective return on investment.

Paid media – when you use ads, influencers or even affiliates to get the word out there about your product or brand. It's a great way to speed up your results, but make sure you are doing it right to get the return on investment you deserve. In this episode I'll explain exactly what paid media is and why it is not as simple as handing over your credit card. And I'll share with you the key areas to focus on and how to start building your paid media strategy. Paid media focus areas: How paid media fits into a successful marketing strategy Why there is more to paid media than buying ads The pros and cons of paid media Why there is more to a successful ad campaign than just putting down a credit card Why all influencers are not alike, particularly when it comes to the zeros in their fee The key quality areas to develop for a successful referral program How much you should pay affiliates, and why the price varies so much between physical and digital products.

Earned media – the content you haven't paid for or published yourself – is one of the most valuable pieces of the marketing pie. Here's how to get your own slice of the action. In this episode I'll explain exactly what earned media is and why it is often overlooked in terms of importance. And I'll share with you the key areas to focus on and how to start building your earned media strategy.

Do you think owned media is still important? Your website, content, even your Facebook page. The answer might, but shouldn't, surprise you. In this episode, I'm exploring what owned media is and breaking down the key focus areas with actions to optimize them.

Do you know what it takes to create content that converts? To get yourself the best chance of delivering on the goals you set for your content marketing, make sure you tick the box for each of the three Rs. No need for suspense here – they are relevance, reach and response. In this episode, I'm digging into what goes into each of the Rs and what actions you can take to optimize them.

Have you ever wondered what it is that highly successful content marketers do differently? 2020 has been a year like no other so far for content marketing. As if the challenges of organic reach and increasing competition for eyeballs wasn't enough, you may have noticed that global pandemic has been messing with more than just our ability to get out and see our loved ones safely. But according to the 11th Annual B2B content marketing benchmarks, budgets and trends report even with all the challenges being thrown at us, over the last 12 months, 31% of content marketers said their organization has been extremely or very successful with content marketing, and 83% attribute that success to the value of the content they provide. No surprise to me there. But I wanted to dive a little deeper for you into what sets the top performers apart from the pack. In this episode, I'm breaking down the 10 habits of highly successful content marketers and how you can apply those learnings to your own business.

After ten years in our lives, people are still making fundamental errors when it comes to their Instagram strategy. Not everyone makes every mistake. But a lot of people are making, one, two or even more of these mistakes. So I picked the top ten that I see the most of for this episode. And along with the mistakes, I've got some quick fixes to get you back on track if you need it.

Do you know the rules for using social media? Your tactics may change but these fundamentals are timeless.

When is the right time to get started with Instagram Reels? Right now! Organic reach is at it's highest so here's how to get started. Okay it's only fair to start this episode off with some honest declarations. So far I'm just not that into Instagram Reels. If you've been following along for a while, you'd already I'm really not that into Tik Tok. So what's the deal here? Am I being a hypocrite? Am I selling out? Well I'm going to answer those questions at the end of this episode. It's not a long one so stick around for my justification. Because yes, I'm about to tell you that you should consider jumping into Instagram Reels. And I'm going to give you a run down of the three types of content you can create for Reels – even if your niche just doesn't naturally lend it self to this format.

If the word influencer makes you cringe, it's time to rewrite the script with authentic influencer marketing. It's emerging as the secret organic tactic to combat the pay to play culture of big business social media. In this episode, Neal Schaffer explains what it's all about. You don't even have to be a Chief Fractional CMO to make it work, although Neal is, and don't worry – I'm getting an explanation from him on what that's all about. Turns out I'm one too. In this episode, I challenge Neal to get me past my influencer bias and he steps up to it, because ultimately it's not what you call it, it's how and why you do it that matters.

Do you know how to find the right offer for your business. It needs to work for you, your business and your customer. Here's the process.

If I wasn't a corporate cubicle survivor, I'd be stuck in the same rut dealing with someone else expecting me to embrace their 1980s tactics. Two years after getting back into my own business, I'm taking a look at what worked (and what didn't) during the transition and sharing my 'escape plan' for you to swipe.

Last week I dug into the topic of creating physical products to supplement a digital product business. You can catch up on that episode if you missed it at jillianbowen.com/67 but today I'm going to dive a little further into print on demand on POD and talk about the common mistakes that occur when people get started with print on demand and how to avoid them when choosing print on demand suppliers for your products.

If you sell physical products you can use Facebook shops and even digital product businesses can add to their inventory for low to no investment.

Right at the heart of storytelling you'll find the secret to building a know, like and trust factor with your audience. Bosco Anthony is an international and Tedx Speaker, Digital Storyteller and Strategist who knows a thing or two about telling a good tale. He joins me on this episode to explore the power of story, including practical tips on how to become a better storyteller.

Every time I open Facebook or look in my email inbox, somebody is telling me how to achieve my dreams. I used to think that was the whole point. Have big dreams. Chase after them. Pick yourself up if you fail, brush yourself off and start again. But the more I see all these people making empty promises about how they are going to help me achieve my dreams, the more it got me thinking about why I haven't achieved all of my dreams yet. And I realised because my unfulfilled wants and needs are holding me back.

I developed threshold productivity to take the stress out of juggling multiple commitments as a solo business owner. It's not about getting more done - although that has been a happy side effect of the system. The focus is finding your threshold based on prioritising what needs to be done first. The outcome for me is less stress, less waking up in the middle of the night worried about deadlines, and a more balanced workload. In this episode, I'm outlining exactly how it works.

Misused words can drive you crazy. But these really simple tricks will help you get the word right and speed up the editing process.

Do you want to improve your Facebook engagement? You're not alone. That pesky algorithm is making it pretty hard these days to even be seen, let alone get the conversation flowing. In this episode, I'm sharing seven tactics you can use to improve your Facebook engagement even if your page or group has become a bit of a wasteland.

Here are some of the new features the big social media platforms are introducing to slow down the growth of TikTok, including: Why I'm not switching to the New Facebook just Why livestreaming on Facebook just got much more engaging The new custom audience option for anyone with a Facebook or Instagram shop How to save time engaging with your audience if you are a YouTube Creator The new Instagram feature users in Brazil have been using that TikTok users will love Why the way people view Instagram Stories may change dramatically if a feature in testing makes it to all users Audio tweets - yes really! Why it's going to be easier to purchase products via image search on Pinterest LinkedIn Stories roll out continues LinkedIn introduces a career opportunities hub

Keeping your social media audience engaged is increasingly challenging in line with the growing level of noise online. One way to get the conversation started and continuing is to ask questions that intrigue and excite your followers. In this episode, I'm sharing five basic question starters that, with a bit of imagination and research, can generate an endless supply of engagement starters.

When you're creating challenging podcast episodes, you rarely push on because you think they will ultimately become your most fulfilling. But a funny thing happens with hindsight. As you look back on the moments that could have derailed the journey, you realise just how much you gained in those difficult episodes. And sometimes it takes a reminder from someone who listens to nudge you towards that conclusion. In the latest episode, I'm answering a question shared by Sixteen Ramos, who asked me what the most challenging yet ultimately fulfilling episode was of The Content Fix to date. In the end, I couldn't choose just one, so I'm counting them down and sharing the lessons learned instead.

Have you ever wondered if it is worth starting a podcast? On the one year anniversary of my first 'solo' podcasting journey, I've got a few answers for you. One year of podcasting. 58 episodes. 20 hours of content. Over 400 hours production, from concept through promotion of each episode. Starting a podcast was a natural next step for me. I'd worked on one before. I had plenty to say, and plenty of people I wanted to interview. But doing it on my own was a clear case of biting off more than I could chew. But I chewed. And chewed. And I keep on chewing. I always knew it would be a lot of hard work. Now I'm sharing whether or not it was worth it.

Freedom is one of the biggest appeals when it comes to starting an online business. But if the set up time and costs aren't for you, here's how to buy an existing one instead. Jaryd Krause is the host of the podcast Buying Online Businesses and in this episode, he shares his years of experience by answering the important questions like why you would buy an online business, what sort of businesses you can buy, how much it costs, where to go and the important processes you need to know to avoid expensive mistakes. Buying an existing online business is unlikely to be a bargain, but if you want to hit the ground running as the boss of your own virtual enterprise from day one, it's an option well worth exploring.

There may be more than one episode worth of reasons why your website isn't converting, but fixing the problems is not as difficult as you imagine. In this episode, I'm sharing four more reasons why your bounce rate is so high, and instead of letting those problems fester, I've also got the simple, practical steps you can take to repair the damage and stop it from happening again in the future. And don't forget to check out the last episode, for the three main reasons why people leave your website.

You put a lot of effort into getting them there only to have people leave your website without converting. If you're having trouble getting visitors to stay, you might be making one of these (easy to fix) mistakes. I've come up with a manageable, maintainable list of things you can do to get people staying on your website and even more importantly, wanting more. In this episode, learn how to stop people leaving your website: Why first impressions count Three questions you can ask to get really clear on what you offer Why sometimes it's important to think small

Here's the deal – business is personal. When you do business you're dealing with people. Employees, suppliers, customers, clients. They are all… yes, people! In today's episode I'm catching up again with executive coach Todd Palmer about how to create deeper more personal connections and why this is one of the smartest things you can do to grow your business.

Is a podcast the missing piece in your content marketing strategy? There's plenty of information out there about HOW to start a podcast, but what about how to promote your new podcast. In this episode, find out how to incorporate a podcast into your content strategy and get it fully aligned with your business. Kelly Glover from The Talent Squad joins me to break down everything you need to know to get strategic with your podcast so each episode works as hard as you did creating it.

In this episode I'm trying to contain my excitement about the fact that Instagram has finally introduced more features that allow me to speed through my daily checklist front the comfort of my desktop computer. And I've got a secret little reveal at the end of this episode about one other thing you can do on the desktop Instagram that you can't do on mobile that not many people know about.

Are you wondering how to be marketing in a crisis? Marketing expert Maresa Friedman steps up to answers the tough questions. And that includes how to prioritize your budget and why understanding consumer intent is more important than ever.

Does the world need another podcast? If you're passionate about your topic and it interests the audience for your brand or business, then the answer is yes. Here are my top five reasons why you should start a podcast and why it helps build authority and find new leads for products and services. You can check out my five reason why you shouldn't start a podcast in the show notes at jillianbowen.com/50 and watch my free podcast training and download the podcast essentials freebie.

Do you feel like you're not growing as a leader? In this episode, executive coach Todd Palmer explains how to get unstuck and move forward by dealing with imposter syndrome and learning how to lean into uncomfortable business situations.

What if the difference between getting stuck behind mental roadblocks and thinking creatively could be solved by deleting one, little three-letter word? Here's how it's possible.

In this episode I'm taking you back to my focus foundation. The place where I secure my mindset so I can start, develop and continue on my path. And that starts with a personal goal. A strong personal goal is more about the emotional why or emotional payoff that comes from taking action rather than the action itself. Like freedom, happiness or pride. There's a strong correlation between self-motivation, personal goals and achievement. So this is much more than just personal. Find out how to set a personal goal aligned with your professional goals that helps you to keep believing in yourself and that fuels your desire to achieve: Setting your personal goal Digging deeper into WHY it's your personal goal Identifying the roadblocks between you and your personal goal Creating an action plan to work through the roadblocks one step at a time

There's a lot of conversation about what to do in the world right now. I don't claim to have the answers, but as we push forward, I wanted to share my plan - and it's all about pivoting. But I'm pausing first.

If you're using or planning to use a lead magnet to build you list, here's how to separate fact from fiction on the legal requirements.

Email deliverability may not sound as ominous as social media algorithms. But get it wrong and all that hard work you put into emails might never be seen. Did you know that what you send in a single email can affect the deliverability of everything else you send? But here's the kicker – a lot of the things you've been told not to do… well let's just say there is more fiction than fact in some of the recommended best practices. In this episode we're busting those myths with email deliverability expert Laura Atkins. Show notes at: https://www.jillianbowen.com/podcast/email-deliverability/

If you find it hard to fit easily into either an introvert or extrovert category, you probably find these personality labels frustrating. And you're not alone. It's estimated that two-thirds of the population don't identify fully with either. Which brings us to the other option. And it's probably one you've never even heard mentioned. The ambivert. An ambivert has both introvert and extrovert qualities, depending on the situation they are in. Find out more about how to know if you are an ambivert and how to use your personality type to your advantage to manage and overcome weaknesses and maximise your strengths.

Are you putting off hiring a VA because of the cost, the process or because you don't want to delegate? Here's why you must, even if you can't afford it. In this episode, we're talking about overcoming the mindset hurdles, the process of hiring a VA and the impact taking these steps can have on scaling your business.

Is your ideal customer avatar (ICA) watching the Real Housewives or Seinfeld? And it does it really matter? In this episode, Harvard lawyer turned online entrepreneur Bobby Klinck joins me to dig into the confusion about what really counts when it comes to audience profiling and the information your really need to apply it to your digital marketing. We also take a dive into connecting with your ICA in Facebook Groups including what works and what is so spammy it's going to get you kicked out!

If you're thinking about starting a virtual summit, here are the top tips from Marie Hunter, the founder of the Elevate Marketing Summit, to help get you going. Even if you're not thinking about virtual summits, the advice can be applied to just about any digital product so if you have a course or digital product, have a listen too!