General Data Protection Regulation

something new is coming your way the biggest change to data regulation in the history of the EU comes into force in May 2018 and every business and organization needs to be prepared how personal data is used and stored has changed hugely in the last number of years the general data protection regulation gives people greater control over how their personal data is used and governs the way in which every business and organization must handle consumer and employee data not only is good data management important for your business reputation but there are sanctions including big fines for those who don’t comply the Data Protection Commissioner had put together a straightforward 12 step guide to help your business prepare for GDP our GDP our is coming our way get aware and get prepared at GDP are and you die

General Data Protection Regulation

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Blogging Tips for Beginners That Actually Work


You might have heard blogging tips like, “write about your passions” or “write about what you’re feeling.” Well, if these are the only two things you’re doing, your chance of creating a successful blog is slim. The truth is that even if people are interested in what you’re writing about, it’s impossible for them to visit your site if they can’t find you. And even if they do find you, traffic is meaningless unless you can actually get them to read your content.

So today, I’m going to cover some important blogging tips that have helped us consistently get traffic to our blog.

Stay tuned. [music] What’s up bloggers? Sam Oh here with Ahrefs, the SEO tool that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors and dominate your niche. Now, while there’s nothing wrong with blogging about your passions, creating a successful blog goes beyond just you. You should be a half-decent writer, understand the technical elements of blogging as well as social strategies that can help you take your blog from nothing to something.

So rather than giving you a popcorn bowl full of random blogging tips, let’s break these down into three buckets to help you get more traction. The first bucket is all about becoming a better writer. And the first tip that falls in this bucket is to focus on a specific part of your niche.

Now, you might label yourself as a food blogger. But by covering the topic of “food” as a whole, you may be spreading yourself too thin.

For example, even if you were able to publish two posts per day for an entire year on subtopics like grilling food, smoothies, vegetarian diets, slow cooker recipes, nutrition, and more, it’d be tough to compete with larger sites or those that are just focusing on one of those topics. So in my opinion, it’s better to focus on being a master of one than a jack of all trades. So focus on becoming the go-to place people go to find smoothie recipes. Become the go-to place where people go for grilling techniques. And after you’ve dominated that niche audience, you can try and expand to other subtopics to reach new audiences.

The second tip is to create content that’s worth referencing. Referencing requires attribution. And attribution in the world of blogging equals links. Links from other websites are important because search engines like Google use them to help decide which pages should rank high in the search engines.

Now, how do you create content that’s worth referencing?

I’ve got three nuggets of wisdom for you. The first way is to create content that’s unique and interesting to your industry. For example, we ran an experiment where we spent over $50,000 on podcast advertisements. And to the best of our knowledge, no one had written this kind of post. And this resulted in around 140 unique websites linking to this page in a short period of time.

Another way to get people to reference to your posts is to include statistics. Ahrefs’ blog has over 2,500 backlinks because of a stat. And this is one of the reasons why we continually publish data studies. They’re literally link magnets. Now, we have access to a ton of data because we integrated into our suite of SEO tools.

But you don’t need anything fancy like this to use this tip. For example, a good chunk of Backlinko’s links come from stats.

And they’re often referencing his own personal results like growing his organic traffic by 111%. And boosting conversions by 785%. And it also works outside of the marketing niche.

Nerdwallet has nearly 29,000 backlinks because of a mention of a stat. Naturally, as people blog, they want to provide supporting resources that backup their claims. Make sure yours is in the mix. Finally, include unique images that are worth “stealing.” Creating high quality images is hard.

Which means that it’s a point of leverage for those that are willing to put in the effort. Within our posts, we often add custom images whether they be graphs from our data studies, or illustrations that help better explain concepts. Not only do they create a better experience for readers, but they result in links. As you can see here, we’ve got around 820 links pointing at JPG images on our site. And then another 1,600 links to PNG images.

Alright, the next tip is to make your posts easy to read. In the words of our CMO, “Nobody likes to read.

They just want the information. If they could download it to their brain, they would.” And to do that, you need to ensure your posts are easy to read and use.

Here are a few tips on how to do that. Use short paragraphs instead of big walls of text. Short paragraphs help readers progress through your article in small and easy steps. Next, break up long sentences because they’re hard to follow.

Break up these sentences by finding places where you used words like “and,” “because,” and “that.

” Next, use multimedia in your posts. So whether that be videos, images or GIFs, they can often help illustrate your points clearer than words. Finally, write in a conversational tone. The easiest way to check this is to read your copy out loud. If it sounds like you’re talking to a friend, you’re on the right track.

But if it sounds like you’re competing in a national debate, try again. The next tip is to write click-worthy headlines that aren’t clickbait. The one thing that separates your website from a user is a click. Fail to get clicks and you fail to get traffic.

Now, since most people will find your web pages through search or social, you want to craft a headline that accurately represents your article without sounding boring.

For example, an article titled: “15 Best Headphones” gets the point across. But it’s boring. Something like “15 Best High-End Headphones For Under $100” is more click-worthy because a) it tells the reader that the headphones are of high quality, and b) high-end headphones are usually a lot more than $100. The next tip is to write introductions using the APP formula. The headline’s job is to get the reader to click through to the page.

Then, your intro needs to hook them in, so that they’ll read the rest of the post. So to do that, we use the APP formula, which stands for “align, present, and proof.” First, you need to align yourself with the reader’s problem. Then you present your post as the solution to that problem. And then you finish off with some proof as to why they should trust you.

Here’s an example from our blog. In the first sentence, we align ourselves with the reader by saying, “Looking to grow your YouTube channel and attract more views?” We then present our solution by saying that “the trick is to target topics with search demand.” Finally, we end it off with proof by showing them that we’ve grown our YouTube channel from 10,000 to over 200,000 monthly views in around a year.

Keep your intros short, on point, and focus on addressing why the reader is on that page in the first place.

The last writing tip I have for you is to create feedback loops. Your first draft should never be your last. At Ahrefs, we’re known to go through a pretty rigorous editing process. The writer generally starts with an outline. After that’s approved, they write their first “final draft.

” And no doubt, they should think it’s pretty good. Then someone else from our team will review their post, question any claims, suggest different formats, or whatever. Anything goes at this point. This usually ends up with a document that’s completely highlighted in yellow with suggestions. Then the writer makes any necessary changes and will have those reviewed one last time before publishing.

This feedback loop helps us to always put our best foot forward on every post we publish. Now, if you don’t have a team to work with, it’s worth connecting with other bloggers in your space who also want to become a better writer.

But don’t just reach out and say, “Hey, can you edit my posts? I’ll edit yours too.” This kind of process can come through relationships, which I’ll expand on later.

For now, let’s move on to the more technical aspects of blogging. The first tip is super-important and that’s to write about topics people are searching for, more commonly referred to as keyword research. 51% of all website traffic comes from organic search. And if you want a piece of that traffic, then you need to use keywords that people are actually searching for.

Fortunately, search engines like Google give you clues through features like Аutosuggest.

Just type in a topic you want to write about, and you’ll see a few other closely-related terms. There are other freemium tools out there like Answer the Public where you can find keywords phrased as questions. Now, the problem with these tools is that you can’t see keyword metrics, meaning you don’t actually know how much traffic you can get. To find this information, you’d have to use premium tools like Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer, where you can basically generate lists of keyword ideas, see important metrics like Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty, and decide whether they’re worth pursuing for your site. We have a full tutorial on doing keyword research, so I’ll link that up for you.

Another strategy worth doing is to cover your competitors’ best topics.

And by “best,” I’m referring to the pages that are sending them consistent traffic every month. To find your competitor’s popular pages, just enter their domain in a tool like Ahrefs’ Site Explorer. Then go to the Top Pages report, which shows you the pages that get the most monthly search traffic. So if I were in the prepping niche, then I would definitely consider going after these topics since they make up around 45% of the entire website’s organic traffic.

Plus they all seem pretty relevant to me. Which brings us to our final technical tip and that’s to do some basic on-page SEO. On-page SEO refers to the practice of optimising web pages to help them rank higher in search engines. So without overcomplicating things, you should include your primary keyword in your title and URL, and make sure you cover your main topic’s sub-points.

For example, if you’re talking about how to make the perfect cup of coffee, you should probably talk about things like finding the right roast, water temperature, grind, and brewing methods.

All of these would be relevant, if not crucial to truly cover the topic in full. We have a full step-by-step tutorial on doing on-page SEO for blogs, so I recommend watching that and mastering this process. And now we’re on to our final category, which is to get social. And I’m not talking about which social media networks you should use.

So the first tip is to connect with other bloggers you admire in your space.

Smart bloggers reach out to forge relationships with one another. They offer feedback, help, and often cross-promote each other’s content. And this is often why it seems like all of the big players in your industry are friends. They started early and they grew together. Now, not everyone is going to want to be friends.

But there’s a good chance that people in your industry want to connect. They just don’t know you exist. At least at this point. So to get started, think of 5-10 people you admire in your space. These might be people who run blogs and newsletters that you’re subscribed to or maybe people you follow on social.

Write their names down on a piece of paper and note something that you actually admire about their work. Now, go and email them with the purpose of just connecting. Don’t ask them to share your content, review it, link to you, or ask for any kind of favour. Just send a simple and genuine email like… “Hey [name], Just wanted to say that I really admire [whatever you do].

Thanks for [whatever you admire].

Cheers, [Your name]” I sent a similar email to the CMO at Ahrefs in 2017, and around a year later, we ended up working together and became good friends. Nothing was manufactured here, it just happened organically. The next social tip is to build an email list from day one. Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re trying to remember which site you were on that had that awesome recipe, or tutorial, or whatever it was? Well, if you had joined that email list, you’d know.

Without any kind of email opt-in forms, you’re preventing your readers from getting future content or product updates. Building an email list also acts as a good way to perpetually get traffic to new posts you publish.

And since subscribers are warmer visitors than cold traffic, some of them might share it on social, or even link to you if they have their own blog. So bottomline, start building a list from day one. Finally is to promote your content in online communities.

Now, this is a bit of a touchy subject because you don’t want to spam Facebook groups or Reddit with things that people are going to get angry about. Instead, spend your time integrating yourself into these communities. Become a recognisable name and face. And as you see a need, share content that can help solve other group members problems. If you nail it, you can get thousands of visitors.

If you don’t, it can get you banned from those communities. So share links sparingly, and spend most of your time just meeting like minded bloggers to build mutually beneficial relationships. Now, I’m wondering if you have any blogging tips that I’ve missed. Let me know in the comments and if you enjoyed this video, make sure to like, share and subscribe for more actionable marketing tutorials. And I’ve linked up a bunch of videos in the description that will expand on some of the tips that I’ve mentioned, so go and check them out.

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What is an Anxiety Disorder?


I can’t believe what my boss just said to me. She must think I’m doing a terrible job. I have to quit. All my friends are so happy when they go out. I don’t get it.

I can’t even imagine what they’re thinking of me. If I don’t get this internship I’ll never get a job. I don’t know what else I can do. I’m stuck. I hate airports.

Driving there, construction, traffic, parking, and then security. Everything about it just overwhelms me. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems.

While everyone experiences stress and anxiety at some point in life, some people become so overwhelmed they can’t manage their day-to-day or minute-to-minute lives. I know.

One of these voices is mine. There are several types of anxiety that can affect people in different ways. You might have heard of specific phobia, social phobia, panic disorder, or generalised anxiety disorder, or others. Some of these seem like they might be manageable, like a fear of heights. It’s not always convenient to avoid tall buildings, but you could do it.

Others, like panic disorder or social phobia, might be harder to manage, because they cause problems in unpredictable times, like when you’re in public. Each anxiety disorder is different, but basically they all have one thing in common. They cause excessive worry that affects thoughts, feelings, and physical symptoms. And that causes problems in person’s life for at least six months. For me, I struggled with generalized anxiety disorder.

I was worried about everything. Things I couldn’t control, like getting stuck in traffic and being late for an appointment, made me really angry.

I worried about what other people thought of me. Looking at my schedule each morning was the worst part of my day. It felt impossible to do everything I put on my list.

This really caused problems in my relationships. I yelled at people. I know I seemed demanding and rigid. At night I was exhausted and sad, and I’d cry because I was so upset. Most people with anxiety disorders also experience physical symptoms like shortness of breath, racing heart, sweating.

Some people even get headaches or high blood pressure. Stress and anxiety are very real physical problems, and eventually people avoid doing anything stressful so they don’t have these symptoms. The good news is that anxiety disorders are treatable. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, exposure therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT, are evidence-based treatments that can treat any type of anxiety disorder.

Relaxation techniques, controlled breathing, and meditation have also been shown to be effective in reducing the physical symptoms of anxiety.

There are lots of medications that are also helpful, including medications for depression and anxiety known as SSRIs and SNRIs. Social support, stress management, and self care techniques are also common parts of any treatment plan for an anxiety disorder. I was worried about so many things for so long. But I got help. I worked with a great counselor and took an SSRI.

I even started yoga. Now, when I begin to feel stress, I can look at the situation more carefully, slow down my breathing, and take care of any tasks that are reasonable. Treatment can really help people overcome their symptoms of anxiety. I know. I did.

(electronic chimes).

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Introduction To Marketing | Marketing 101


https://youtube.com/watch?v=8Sj2tbh-ozE

If you’ve ever wanted to know: What marketing is, how it works and how it applies to your business, then stick with me, because in this episode I’m going to be breaking down exactly what marketing is, how it all works and why it’s such an important, if not the most important, element to business success. Let’s get to it. Hey there my name is Adam Earhart, marketing strategist and welcome to The Marketing Show where we help you grow your business generate more leads, customers, and sales by making way better marketing, so if you’re interested in learning the latest and greatest marketing strategies, tools, tips, tricks and tactics, well, you may want to consider subscribing and hitting that notification bell.

Alright, let’s talk marketing, something I love to do. As I fell in love with marketing years ago, when I first got interested in figuring out why people buy and act the way they do and later how to influence and persuade essentially affect human behavior.

Because, whether you have a business or not Marketing happens pretty much every day. Any time you try to convince friends or family to see a certain movie or eat at this restaurant or not that or basically try to convince them to do anything, Marketing is happening. Also, marketing is really important to understand, because you are constantly being marketed to by everyone from everywhere. From something as simple as someone trying to sell you a pair of shoes to something a lot bigger, like buying a new house or moving across the country or even changing careers. All of this, requires and uses marketing.

So, with all that said, let’s dive into it. But first, let’s cover what marketing is not, so once we’ve got that clear, we can cover exactly what it is.

Now, I know when I first got involved with marketing my understanding was pretty limited. I didn’t really have a clear picture of exactly what marketing was so I also kind of fell prey to the notion that marketing was advertising. Well, in reality marketing isn’t advertising but advertising is marketing.

Let me explain. Basically, marketing is a major business function that’s made up of a bunch of other parts, one of which of course is advertising, but there’s also a ton others like: PR, market research, social media, content marketing, search engine marketing or search engine optimization, pricing and pricing psychology, copywriting and one of my personal favorites, direct response or direct response marketing and quite a few more.

So, saying that marketing is just advertising and kind of like saying that finance is just taxes or HR is just hiring people or legal is just not getting sued. Sure, these are all important but there just one piece of the entire puzzle. This is why if you’re just getting started in marketing can seem pretty overwhelming which is why my suggestion is to find an area that you find interesting, fascinating, like say social media or content marketing, start there really get some roots and branch out later.

Alright, so now that we’ve got that covered, what exactly is marketing? Well, as I’ve just covered, you know that marketing is made up of a bunch of different sub segments things like: content marketing, email marketing and social media, all the things we talked about.

But what exactly is the nature of marketing, which sounds like some kind of documentary “The Nature of Marketing” – on this week’s episode of The Nature of Marketing – Well, one of the first things you learn in any first-year marketing course is the four P´s of marketing: product, price, place and promotion. Product being the details around whatever product or service is being sold. Price being the price, kind of obvious, but there’s obviously a lot more that goes into it than just that.

Place is where the products being sold and promotion, we’re just kind of the fun stuff. This is essentially how you’re gonna sell more of the product and what you’re gonna do to get the word out about your service and while all of that is accurate and true and the four P´s do make up a part of marketing, well, I prefer a simpler easier to understand definition. Marketing in its most basic sense, is communicating value to your customers. It’s essentially answering the question of your customers “Why should I care?” Marketing helps people solve their problems by clearly defining and delivering solutions and really explaining the benefits of the solution so they can get better results.

Marketing is about connecting with people, understanding their pains and their problems and their frustrations, making them feel understood so that you can position your business as the solution to their problems and essentially just make them feel better and marketing is a really powerful force. As anyone that’s been in business for any length of time can tell you, it’s not always the best product or service that wins, in fact it rarely is, rather it’s the product or service with the best marketing. Like it or not, that’s just kind of how it works which is why having good marketing is just so important.

So my favorite definition of marketing is that it’s communicating value to your customers but there’s another side entirely that’s rarely talked about but still equally powerful and that’s creating value for your customers. You see, marketing can create value and your marketing in and of itself can be valuable.

An example could be a blog post that helps someone out, even before any money has changed hands or an advertisement someone sees that brightens their day and makes them laugh whether they choose to buy or not or the way that a product or service is delivered, the packaging let’s say which is so luxurious and over-the-top that it makes the customer feel special just for having purchased it. You see, economics assumes that people make buying decisions rationally, logically and with perfect information but this is rarely, pretty much never the case.

We as humans are emotional, often highly illogical and rarely have the full set of facts when making any decision, which explains why marketing is so important and so powerful. After all, if we made all of our purchasing decisions based solely on logic and utility and the value we would get from these products, well, the entire luxury goods market wouldn’t even exist but not all marketing is created equal. You see, when it comes to marketing like when it comes to pretty much anything, there’s good marketing and there’s bad marketing.

Bad marketing is all of the reasons that marketing gets such a bad reputation. It’s that hype, spammy, over-the-top sleazy salesy icky kind of marketing that we all know we’ve all seen and nobody likes.

It’s the stuff that looks cheap, makes people feel dirty, even just looking at it and promotes bad products or bad services that really helps nobody. It’s the fake countdown timers you sometimes see on websites the going-out-of-business sales that never end and the pushy promotion of useless products. That’s bad marketing.

Good marketing on the other hand, helps customers achieve their goals, makes them feel better about themselves and has the power to truly change the world. So my question to you is: What kind of marketer do you want to be? That that was a rhetorical question. If you say the bad guy, I got nothing for you but if you say the good kind and I know you did, then make sure to check out this video right here which I’ve got linked up on the page which is going to give you even more practical and effective marketing strategies to help take your business and your marketing to the next level and way beyond that. Alright, so thanks so much for watching, make sure to check out that video now and we’ll catch you next time on The Marketing Show

Read More: My 9 Favorite Free SEO Tools For 2021

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This is my Test Video

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=UpTjl6c8DBc

 

Howdy folks.

 

This is me making a short video. I’m just going to speak for a moment or two, so I can upload this video to youtube and subsequently import it as a blog post on the michaelkeogh.ie website.

 

Hopefully this is going to work well. It’s just an experiment, so no pressure on the outcome, just wanting to make sure that the systems work properly and everything goes according to plan.

 

That’s it happy days.

 

 

Read More: Hello world!

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