However, even though content itself is very important, it can’t grow your business without the help of a monetization strategy.

Most of us know this, but we often forget. Or we get lazy. Or we just figure we can get back to it later.

So with that in mind…

Here is your reminder to monetize your content. It really is THE most important thing. That’s why it’s often easier for online business owners to hire someone to write the content and then they take over the important job of monetizing it. Whether you hire a writer, use PLR or have guest authors, the more help you can get with content creation, the more you can focus on content monetization.

But how do you monetize your content? Monetization doesn’t simply mean the littering of affiliate links and ads on your content. It can be much more strategic than that and each piece of content should have its own targeted monetization plan.

Some monetization plans might include:

* Using high-value content as a free gift when people opt-in to your mailing list. Mailing list subscribers are more likely to become customers than a one-time visitor to your website, so get those visitors on your list.

* Including ads that are relevant to your page’s content. The more relevant the ads, the higher the click throughs. You can do with this with ad networks like Google Adwords and Chitika.

* Adding promotions for your products, services and freebies that are most relevant to each content piece. Or if you don’t have a product, including a relevant affiliate link.

* Selling advertising space on your website or in your newsletter. You’ve worked hard on your content, grown your traffic and your list…you can lease that audience to advertisers.

* Inviting someone who comments on your post to sign up for your mailing list. Someone who has just made a comment on your website is a highly engaged audience member. Give them a relevant offer once they leave a comment.

* Licensing your content, so others can publish it. Whether you give free publishing rights to content that includes a promotion for your business or you sell the private label rights, licensing has its perks.

* Offering your content as a bonus to someone else’s information Product . Of course, you need to include a product or opt-in offer inside that content bonus too.

* Guest authoring on high traffic blogs, ensuring your guest posts include information on how and why to get on your mailing list.

Those are just a few ideas to get the ideas flowing. The more you think about monetization, the easier it will become to come up with topics, get your content written and then get it out there.

We Can Help

Oh and by the way, if you’ve had enough of trying to keep up with your content creation AND monetization month-after-month, let us take the creation off your to do list. We have room for you in our monthly savings program. Just take a peek here and get the details.

But one thing we really hope from our content is that it helps us directly increase our sales. While all strategically created content can help us grow our businesses, there are certain types of content that lend themselves best to actually selling products and that’s what we want to talk about today.

Here are 5 ideas for you…

1. Product Reviews or Profiles

A website visitor who is already in the consumer mindset is much more likely to become a customer than someone who simply searching for information on a particular topic. That is the main reason product focused content is always a safe bet when it comes to monetization.

Consumers flock to the Internet looking for information about their next purchase. They want to know the features of a certain product, they need opinions on whether the product works as advertised and more. When they find your review of a specific  product, you bring yourself that much closer to clinching a sale.

2. Product Comparisons

Going even further with the product-based content idea, consumers already readily compare their purchase options. Whether they want to compare different cell phones or laundry detergent, one of the first stops for this type of information is the Internet.

Helping your visitors make a decision between specific products is also a great way to drive consumers to your website and detailed product comparisons can help them do just that.

3. How to Guides

Teaching someone how to do something can be a great way to generate some sales, especially when your visitor needs to make some purchases to complete the project.

For example, if you’re showing someone how to do a home repair project and you happen to sell a kit that makes it really easy, a how to guide showing them how to fix the problem can help pre-sell that product for you.

4. What to Guides

If you sell information products and want people to pay you for the “how to” information, you don’t need to give away the whole farm. The best way to sell your “how to” product is to give them “what to” information instead.

What this basically means is that you show your reader what they need to do to solve a particular problem, but not necessarily the details of how to do it. After all, it’s your information product that will give them that detailed how-to help.

For example, if you sell a guide on dog grooming, you might create some content that shows them the important things to remember when clipping a dogs nails (avoiding the quick, how frequently to clip, etc.), but you don’t show them exactly how to properly clip  the nails. And of course, with this type of content, you can also recommend the tools to get the job done as well.

5. Content with Ads

If you aren’t selling a product, but are displaying advertising instead, putting a focus on certain content topics can also help.

For example, if you’re displaying Google Adsense ads, you know that certain ads pay more than others. Product-related content like product reviews and comparisons can help you display higher paying ads. You can also do some research and choose topics that have a higher pay-per-click rate.

Content IS a business builder, but you’ve got to plan it right. By mixing up your content strategy, you can establish your expertise, build relationships AND sell plenty of products too.

Here’s a quick checklist that might come in handy.

It’s an excerpt from one the checklists at DIYplr.com and we thought it might come in handy for you as well.

o Use attention-getting, benefit-driven headlines: What is the one thing your prospect really wants from your product? Highlight that in your big, bold headline.

o Subheadlines: Break up your copy further by using bolded subheadlines to show separate sub-sections of your sales page. It makes it easier to read and can grab the attention of someone who is scanning and about to leave your page.

o Bullet points: Bullet points are also your copy’s best friend. Bullet points are easy to scan and read. Use bullet points to tap into the pain your prospect may be facing, illustrate benefits and more.

o Write directly to your audience: When writing copy for a sales page, email or anyone else, imagine your ideal prospect on the other side of the screen. Say “you” and focus on your reader more than yourself.

We all know Internet users have a short attention span, so it stands to reason, if you’re talking about yourself…they will just tune out. But if you’re talking to them and about them, they’re more apt to listen.

o Know and continue to learn about your target: Even though we think we have a good understanding of our target market, there is always so much more to learn. Keep studying them, asking them question and tracking subjects and products of interest to them to grow your knowledge.

o Include enough information to make a purchase decision: Sometimes we might worry about copy being too long, but it’s not length that’s important. It’s about providing enough information on your sales page that fully illustrates the benefits of the product, answers many of the frequently asked questions and even overcomes many of your prospect’s objections. Don’t be wordy as that’s not necessary…be useful and complete.

o Be casual: Obviously, there may be some markets where a casual approach is inappropriate, but you’ll generally find that if you write how you speak, you can connect with your audience effectively. Avoid jargon in most cases and speak in plain old simple English.

o Use short, non-complex sentences, short paragraphs: Just as you want to avoid jargon, you want to keep your sentences simple and break up your paragraphs as well. Short chunks of text are easier to read, scan and grab the attention of your visitor.

o Transitions: Keep your visitor reading through your sales page by including transitions between paragraphs and sections of your page.

Some examples of transitions:

• And most importantly…
• As you may already know…
• As you may have noticed…
• Aside from that, one thing’s for sure…
• Bottom line is…
• Here’s exactly why…
• I’ll let you in on a little secret…
• I’m sure you’ll understand…
• In fact…
• Just imagine…
• Let me ask you this…
• Let me explain…
• The next step is…
• Today, more than ever…
• To prove it, here’s…
• You’re gonna love this…

o Power Words: Power words are part of an emotionally-charged language that is used to influence your reader. People react and buy with emotion, and these are words that help elicit emotion. They are often action words and create a mental picture for your reader.

Power words can be used everywhere in your copy. Here are a few examples:

• action-oriented
• advanced
• all-in-one
• amazing
• breakthrough
• complete
• easy to understand
• free
• important
• improved
• latest
• limited
• low-cost
• no strings attached
• on demand
• proven
• responsive
• save
• time-tested
• transform

o Style Matters: Use selective bolding, italicization, etc to make text stand out. Strategically place images and wrap text so that they not only look aesthetically pleasing, but also draw the eye in and make it easier to read the text.

Extras

o Images: Use images to illustrate products. If they are virtual products, create virtual cover images or use other images that illustrate the benefits of the product. Images can create visual appeal, draw the eye in at key points of your copy and more.

o Video: Whether it’s a slide show presentation, demonstration or you talking to the camera, video is everywhere. It can demonstrate things text can’t and can also create a more personal connection with your visitor who can see you as a flesh and blood person. If you’re using it with sales copy, test different lengths, but you’ll likely do well with a short introductory video that gets your visitor interested in learning more about the product.

o Audio: Audio can also provide an introduction and create familiarity with your audience. Try a short introductory audio recording that invites your reader to learn more about your product.

You might be a great writer too, but is it really enough to build a business around?

Maybe. Maybe not if you don’t have additional skills to go with that writing talent. See, making a living publishing your own content isn’t quite the same as writing stories for class or articles for the school newspaper. I wish it was, but it just doesn’t work that way.

If you want to make a real go of this, here are 4 thing you need to know to make content work for you…

• Your Target Audience: Of course, every good writer has to understand their audience. But when it comes to earning from your content, it needs to be in a way that goes beyond telling stories or sharing information. You need to understand them as a consumer of goods, not just consumers of information. We actually have a free target market guide here (link goes directly to download page) that might help.

• Copywriting: Whether you are selling something or simply trying to engage an online audience (with an incredibly short attention span), being able to write persuasively is important. Learning the basics of copywriting and applying them directly to your content and sales pages will go along way to capturing your audience and getting them to take action.

• Pretty Writing: I don’t mean pretty in that you have lovely fonts and fancy graphics, but rather that your writing is organized in a way that is easy to read online. You know the usual advice of short sentences, short paragraphs and bullet points? Well, it works. It makes your writing easy to scan and a pleasure to read.

• How to Make a Content Marketing Plan: I’ve said it many times before, your content should always have purpose and you need to have a plan for it. It’s much easier to get to where you want to go if you know how to get there.

These are all things we cover in our Better Content Marketing Course. In fact, we take you through 19 important lessons to make content work for you. And in case you didn’t know yet, next week is the last time we are accepting registrations for 2011, so if you want in, come on in.

Full Details: Contentrix Better Content Marketing

And bring this coupon code along…

Coupon Code: contentrix2011
Discount: $30 off lifetime membership
Expiry: Wednesday, September, 28, 2011

That’ll save you an additional $30 on the lifetime option.

Whether you join us or not, it’s up to you. Take the time to learn the skills you need and your writing talents will take you far.

She told me that she had been approaching things from the point of view that if she gave tons at first, she’d be in a better position to sell them something later. I think it’s advice that is given a lot online and I also believe that advice can definitely work. After all, giving can create a stronger bond between subscriber and publisher, plus it fosters an environment of sharing and spreading the word about what you have to offer.

Well, I think you can have the best of both worlds in a way that is manageable and very profitable…

You see, the give, give, give approach means you sacrifice a lot of profit early on in the hopes of a bigger payout later on. It also relies on VOLUME to make it work because you’re focusing less on converting your prospects and more on getting a lot of them, so you can sell at a later time. And of course, that’s all fine and dandy, but we ‘ve already talked about the extra work and stress that can come with that volume.

If you’re a small publisher who doesn’t have huge subscriber numbers and followers, you have to work with what you’ve got and that’s why I always focus on conversion in my teachings. You don’t need a lot of traffic or a huge list to do really well for yourself, but you have to be willing to sell stuff. And seriously, it’s not that hard to combine tremendous value with selling. Plus, when you provide value and sell/recommend at the same time, you will attract the targeted audience that you want. Someone who wants your great information…but who is also willing to consider your product offers readily.

Consider These Scenarios:

Scenario #1: Jane is a natural soap maker who embarks on a campaign to get 5000 Facebook fans, so she gives out free incentives for becoming a fan and for referring friends. She is also building a mailing list at her site that is growing a little more slowly than she’d hoped, but that’s okay because she’s growing her Facebook following. She is getting lots of likes and comments on the tips and content she shares, but sales are coming in slowly as she isn’t quite sure how to convert these fans into customers.

Scenario #2: Jane, still a natural soap maker, decides to focus on building her own mailing list because she feels that having this asset of her very own is important. She offers a free gift on subscription, but decides not to sell anything at this time, because she wants to build a rapport with her readers. She gives out more free gifts and about 3 months down the line, she sends a promotion for a product she is very passionate about. She gets a couple of sales, a lot of opt-outs and a few complaints from subscribers telling her she promised free information and that she shouldn’t be selling to her list.

Scenario #3: Jane, still making natural soaps, has decided to really focus on her marketing and building her mailing list on her own website. She knows that email has really good conversions and it doesn’t cost much to build and market to a list, so like in scenario 2, she wants to build this asset. She also has decided to give out a free report with sign up, but has carefully put in a hard-to-resist offer in that report and makes sure to follow up with her subscribers. As her subscriber numbers grow, she is able to see sales coming in and continues to follow up to sell other products to those subscribers.

It’s a simplified view, certainly. But as you can imagine, all three scenarios could eat up about the same amount of time…but without a good sized mailing list of her own and a conversion plan in place, Jane struggles to make things work. If you present yourself as a business owner who has good information to share, but also has products to sell, you are more likely to attract your target customer. When you focus only on the free and growing your following, you attract a much wider audience, many of whom will have no interest in buying what you have to sell.

And really, what’s more important? Fame or a successful business that gives you what you need to live a fulfilling life outside of a computer screen? I guess that’s a decision we all have to make for ourselves.

If You’d Rather Focus on Results Than Volume,
Your Last Chance for 2011 is Here

As you may know, we have a 19-week Contentrix Better Content Marketing course that takes you through just about every aspect of marketing with the written word…and then some. Well, as we did last year, we’re getting ready to shut the doors on class until 2012. We always like to take time to regroup, update and renew before accepting new students in the new year.

The cool thing about this course is that it’s very practical and you get specific stuff to work on your business. Plus, you can ask questions anytime you want during the course. That’s not something you see very often with an “information product”. We want to go beyond being an information product and to really give you the tools you need to succeed, even if you aren’t an Internet rock star.

Anyway, registration will close on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, so if you want to join me, now’s the perfect time. Plus, you can use the following coupon code to save an extra $30 on the lifetime option. Or if you’re on a very strict budget, you can choose the affordable weekly option.

Full Details: Contentrix Better Content Marketing

And bring this coupon code along…

Coupon Code: contentrix2011
Discount: $30 off lifetime membership
Expiry: Wednesday, September, 28, 2011

It’d be a great pleasure to work with you!