Site School: Smarten Up Your Blog

Two Years Later: How My London Site is Doing Today (LOMM 2-Year Case Study Update)

Welcome back to class, site scholars!
In today's episode, we're taking a look at my London site – London On My Mind, https://londonmymind.com – and how it's performing at the two-year mark. In addition to sharing some site stats, I also dig into what I've learned and what my main areas of focus will be in the coming year.
After listening, I'd love to hear what you think – will I be able to focus on the areas I've suggested? Will I get distracted by other priorities or sites? You can always join me in the Site School Facebook Group to sound off!
Also, I'd really love it if you're able to leave a rating and review on whichever podcast player you're using. Help grow the reach of this podcast and make the internet a better place!
That's it for now, see you next week – class dismissed!

Hit Send Already! What to Email Your List This Month

Welcome to class, scholars! This week is a brand new type of episode, focused on what to send your email list this month – that would be February 2023 if you're scrolling through the back catalog.
In this week's episode, I share four main ideas and several more thought-starters to give you plenty of inspiration to write weekly emails to your newsletter list. Yes, 2023 is the year you're going to start sending weekly emails – it's time!
This episode is specific to February 2023, but can also provide you general inspiration for other months (though I plan to release a podcast episode like this every single month) and for future Februarys (2024, 2025, you get the idea).
Want extra credit? Don't forget to leave a rating and review on your podcast player so more smarty pants site owners find this podcast. 
That's it for this week – class dismissed.

Acing Affiliates (& Products, too!) with Amanda Williams

Welcome back, scholars!
Ready to up your affiliate marketing strategy in 2023? This one's for you. I recorded this interview with Amanda Williams from the travel blogs A Dangerous Business and Cleveland Traveler back in 2021, but the advice is as good as ever. In our chat, we discuss affiliate marketing strategies, how to choose affiliates, what to look out for, and more.
We also talk about products – yes, real, live, physical products – and how to brainstorm ideas to come up with products you can sell through your site. 
In this episode, we also mention a few items I said I'd link, so here they are:
Recommended affiliate platforms like ShareASale and CJ
Affilimate, a handy software for tracking all your affiliate sales (I've tried this since our chat but didn't find it worth the investment)
Printful, a great service for drop-shipping physical products
Candace Rose Rardon, the artist we mention whose work is inspiring – even if you're not able to commission her for your site
Amanda's affiliate course, Affiliate Marketing for Travel Bloggers
That's enough homework, right? Class dismissed!

Here’s Your Strategy for Site Success in 2023

Welcome back to class, Site Scholars! 
Piggy-backing off last week's episode about SEO resolutions, here's an episode focused on the lessons I learned in 2022, how I'm applying them to all my sites going forward, and a complete, comprehensive, I-swear-this-will-work strategy for YOUR site(s) in 2023.
If you prefer to read instead of listen, you can find a written version of this episode over on Site School. 
I also mention a guide to creating eBooks partway through the episode. Here's the link to that resource.
Lastly, I mention my BOSS spreadsheet – literally the key to my success running each and every one of my sites, and something that has helped many other bloggers take control of their sites to make smarter, strategic decisions. Want your own BOSS? Check it out on Teachable.
Happy New Year, scholars – and that's it for this time, class dismissed!

SEO Resolutions for 2023

Happy New Year, Site School listeners! Here's a podcast to kick your year off on the right foot – it's focused on the six areas of SEO that you should focus on in 2023.
Naturally, it includes EEAT and Page Experience scores, but you might be surprised to learn a few of the other areas I think are essential for your focus in the next 12 months.
This episode is available in written format on the Site School blog. And you can connect with me and other site owners in the Site School Facebook community.
Please consider leaving a rating and review if you've enjoyed this podcast; it helps me reach new listeners and help more site owners grow and earn from their sites this year. That's it – class dismissed!

Setting Goals You Can Control & Accomplish for 2023

Welcome to class, Site School podcast listeners! As we cross into the new year, here's a new version of my strategy for setting goals.
Instead of setting traffic or income goals, this episode covers how to identify actions you can actually control that will help you reach the next level on your site. Setting goals around those actions will help you grow and earn more from your site – and that sounds like a great way to start the new year!
Please don't forget to leave a rating and review – until next episode, class dismissed!

Eat Like Bourdain 18-Month Case Study Update

Welcome to class, Site School listeners! In today's episode, I'm providing a peek beneath the hood of my Eat Like Bourdain site (https://eatlikebourdain.com). I started this site about 18 months ago, and it's been a different kind of adventure.
In this episode, I'll compare the traffic, email subscribers, and total earnings for my site at the 12- and 18-month marks, plus dive deep into my strategic takeaways and goals going forward. In particular, I spend time talking about how using internal linking as an SEO content strategy can be a powerful way to grow.
You can read this recap and review all the numbers over on the Site School blog.
I also reference EEAT, which you can learn more about in Episode 6 (EEAT: The Future is Now) and Episode 4 (Expertise, Authority, and Trust: The Future of SEO). 
Lastly, I talk about my Bourdain podcast idea, and how I hope to get creatively un-stuck from that soon – and will be sure to put together a podcast episode update when I have more to share.
Class dismissed!

Getting Ready for the December Traffic Bump (8 To-Dos)

Welcome to class, Site School listeners! Today, we're timely: this episode (released originally in mid December 2022) is all about preparing for the December Traffic Bump.
Not sure what that is? It's the last week of December when everyone wakes up and starts searching for new information and ideas – it usually results in a boost in traffic during the last week of the year leading into January, which is often one of the biggest traffic months for many bloggers and site owners.
In this post, I cover 8 to-dos that you should try and squeeze in before December 26th... or take notes on to ensure you're ready for next year's December Traffic Bump.
If you want extra context on these tips, check out my full written guide to preparing for the December Traffic Bump on the Site School blog.
See you next week; class dismissed!

EEAT: The Future is Now [Shorty]

Welcome back to class, Site School listeners!
Here's an update to my recent episode (#4) all about Google's E-A-T – now E-E-A-T – and what you need to do, to adjust your SEO strategy. (Spoilers: Nothing!)
This is a shorty episode so nothing to take notes on or click here, but I'll be back soon with another full-length episode. Class dismissed!

Space Tourism Guide: 5-Year Case Study Update

 
Welcome back to class, Site School listeners! In this episode, I'm giving a case study update on my second blog – that is, the second-oldest blog I run – Space Tourism Guide.
STG turned five years old last month, and is definitely in a different stage of its life as a creative project and mature website. 
In this case study update, I cover:
the growth (and losses) I've seen in the last year on this site
strategic takeaways I have at this milestone
my plans for the coming year, including some helpful tips if some of my areas of focus sound like a good idea for your site too
Here are some of the links from today's episode:
Space Tourism Guide, if you want to check out the site
A written version of this episode, my 5-year case study update on Site School
Publish Press Revisions, the podcast I recommend for managing updates on your site.
Please don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Site School podcast on whichever podcast app you're listening on – this helps us reach new site owners and bloggers who need to smarten up their blogs too.
That's it for now – Class dismissed!