The Blogger Genius Podcast Jillian Leslie

As the host of The Blogger Genius Podcast, I've had the unique opportunity to delve into the intricacies of building an online business. It's a journey filled with excitement and potential, but it's not without its challenges.
One of the most significant hurdles I've faced, and I know many of you can relate to, is managing stress and maintaining a healthy mindset amidst the chaos of entrepreneurship.
This is why I'm sharing my top 10 stress relief secrets, which I hope you find helpful in your own life.

Show Notes:
Book Your FREE 20-Minute Strategy Call MiloTreeCart: Digital Product Sales Software MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group All Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes
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The Reality of Online Business and Blogger Stress
In the digital world, stress levels are at an all-time high. We're all constantly grappling with Google algorithm updates, the pressure of competing with AI-generated content, and the overall uncertainties of the digital landscape. It's a lot to handle, and I've felt the weight of it myself. But through my experiences, I've developed these ten habits that have been my anchor in the stormy seas of online business and that's why I recorded this solo episode.

Here are my 10 tips to relieve stress as an online entrepreneur and blogger...

Tip 1: Setting Boundaries for Work-Life Balance
The first habit I can't emphasize enough is setting clear boundaries between work and personal time. Working from home blurs these lines, and without strict boundaries, burnout is inevitable. I've found that having specific work hours not only boosts my focus but also keeps my motivation levels high. It's about quality, not quantity.

Tip 2: Prioritizing Tasks with the Eisenhower Box
Next up is prioritizing tasks. The Eisenhower Box has been a game-changer for me. It's a simple yet effective method to differentiate between what's urgent and what's important. This approach has allowed me to concentrate on tasks that truly move the needle for my business, keeping the overwhelming to-do list at bay.

Tip 3: Embracing Simple Tech Tools for Productivity
In the realm of productivity, I'm all for using simple tech tools. The Pomodoro Technique, paired with straightforward tools like tomato-timer.com, has revolutionized my workflow. I also love Google Docs and Google Sheets even thought they're ugly! It's about finding tools that are easy to use, like MiloTreeCart, that get the job done so you will want to return to over and over again.

Tip 4: The Power of Connections
Another habit I hold dear is maintaining connections. Whether it's with family, friends, or business peers, nurturing relationships is vital. It's easy to feel isolated in this line of work, so building a network within your niche and leveraging the power of networking is crucial for support and growth.

Tip 5: The Importance of Continual Learning
I dedicate time each day to continual learning. Staying informed about online business trends and emerging technologies is non-negotiable. It's how I empower myself to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing digital environment.

Tip 6: Mindfulness and Gratitude
Mindfulness practices, such as expressing gratitude is central to my stress management strategy. Reflecting on blessings are not just good for my soul; they're essential for my mental clarity and well-being.

Before I go to bed. Each night, I make a list in my head of all the things I'm grateful for, and it puts everything in perspective for me. Taking this time to slow down and reflect, focusing on gratitude and how far I've come and all the blessings in my life does wonders for me, so I recommend you try that as well.

Tip 7: Get Moving
If you're not regularly moving your body, I recommend you start. It doesn't have to be intense, but what a diffe

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Summer Hammons from the crafting blog, Hammons Nest. In our conversation, we delve into the heart of building a successful online community and the nuances of running a paid membership.
Building a Thriving Crafting Community Summer’s journey from a brick-and-mortar store owner to an online community leader is nothing short of inspiring. She launched “The Creative Nest,” her crafting membership that quickly gained traction with its initial 170 members (and has now grown to 300). This remarkable start was a testament to the demand for a space where crafters could connect, learn, and grow together.
Show Notes: MiloTreeCart: Digital Product Software Book a FREE 20-minute strategy call MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program Hammons Nest Creative Nest Membership MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group All Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast: iTunes YouTube Spotify The Sisterhood of Crafters One of the most striking aspects of Summer community is the warm vibe it exudes. Members refer to each other as “sisters” and “besties,” creating a warm and supportive environment. This sense of camaraderie has even extended beyond the digital realm, with members exchanging Christmas cards and engaging in other heartfelt activities. It’s a clear indication of the profound connections that can be fostered online.
Content Delivery and Member Engagement Summer’s approach to content is both structured and engaging. She provides weekly live sessions, guest master classes, and themed craft tutorials that keep her members excited and involved. By offering a calendar of upcoming events and themes, she ensures that her members always have something to look forward to, which is crucial in maintaining engagement and preventing burnout.
The Luxury of Membership and the Value of Community During our conversation, Summer shares her initial concerns about providing enough value and the feedback from those who left the group. She’s come to realize that her membership is considered a luxury, making the creation of a strong community even more important. The return of former members highlights the lasting impact of the connections made within her group.
Understanding Member Needs Summer reflects on the revelation that some members feel overwhelmed by the content. It underscores the importance of recognizing the unique needs and expectations of her audience. Tailoring the experience to the members’ pace is a delicate balance that Summer navigates with care.
Fostering a Family-Like Atmosphere Creating a community that genuinely cares about each other involves more than just shared interests; it requires a family-like atmosphere. Summer and I discuss the power of conversational interactions and the significance of making personal connections. From video calls to Christmas cards, these personal touches make members feel seen and heard, which is the cornerstone of a strong community.
Creating Urgency and Excitement To keep the membership vibrant, Summer employs strategies like offering special bonuses and hosting virtual workshops. These tactics create a sense of urgency and excitement, drawing in new members and keeping the existing ones engaged. The role of VIP members as advocates for the community is also crucial, as they receive exclusive perks and help spread the word about the value of the membership.
Embracing Technology and Authenticity A common misconception is that expensive online tools are necessary for success. Summer emphasizes the need to start simple and be adaptable. Our discussion highlights the value of authenticity and genuine connections over polished content. Embracing imperfection and being relatable resonates more with audiences and fosters a more authentic community.
Conclusion My conversation with Summer Hammons was a deep dive into the essence of community building and con

Today I delve into the world of Pinterest marketing. I'm Jillian Leslie, the host of The Blogger Genius Podcast and co-founder of MiloTreeCart, and today I'm excited to share the insights from my recent conversation with Kayla Watkins, a Pinterest marketing expert who specializes in helping bloggers amplify their organic traffic and monetize their content.

The Ever-Evolving World of Pinterest
In the digital age, staying ahead of the curve is crucial, and for niche bloggers, the recent Google updates have been a game-changer. As someone who's passionate about helping fellow bloggers diversify their income streams, I've seen many turn to selling digital products as a viable option. In fact, I offer a free 20-minute digital product strategy call to help develop a digital product strategy and share best practices for monetization success.

During my chat with Kayla, we explore the current trends in Pinterest marketing and how to make the most of this visual platform. Kayla's expertise in crafting effective Pinterest strategies to increase pageviews is invaluable, especially for bloggers in the food, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle categories.

Show Notes:
MiloTreeCart Book a FREE 20-minute strategy call with me MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program Personality Quiz: What Digital Product Should I Create? Kayla Watkins MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group All Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes Tailwind Canva
Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast:
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The Art of Pinterest Optimization
Pinterest is more than just a collection of beautiful images; it's a search engine marketing tool that requires a keen understanding of keyword research, content optimization, and pinning strategy. Kayla emphasizes the importance of finding the right keywords so you can create fresh pins to pin to your relevant boards, and updating existing blog content to stay relevant and maximize engagement.

She also shares her approach to content scheduling and distribution, recommending tools like Tailwind to schedule pins and Canva for designing eye-catching Pinterest pins. Kayla's advice on pin design, Pinterest boards, pin titles and descriptions is clear: keep them concise, informative, and keyword-rich to resonate with Pinterest users.

The Long Game: Building Sustainable Traffic from Pinterest
One of the most striking points Kayla makes is the long-term nature of Pinterest traffic. Unlike the instant gratification of platforms like Instagram, Pinterest rewards patience and persistence. It's about trial and error, refining strategies over time, and understanding that significant results may take months to materialize.

Kayla also touched on the future of Pinterest, predicting a continued focus on e-commerce. She encourages businesses to align their strategies with user behavior on the platform and to consider Pinterest ads to amplify viral content and evergreen posts.

Leveraging Pinterest for Long-Term Stability
Pinterest stands out as a social media platform that drives traffic to blogs or websites, offering a level of stability and control that's hard to find elsewhere. Kayla contrasted this with the fleeting nature of success on other social media platforms, highlighting Pinterest's role as a reliable partner in a business's long-term strategy as long as you understand the Pinterest algorithm.

Repurposing Blog Content for Maximum Impact and Pageviews
During our conversation, Kayla shares a personal success story about repurposing her Instagram content on Threads, the new social media platform by Instagram. By translating her most saved Instagram posts to fit the Threads format, she's seen a significant increase in engagement and email subscribers. This strategy has proven to be a game-changer, allowing her to insert her expertise into relevant conversations and grow her community.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps

I'm Jillian Leslie, the host of The Blogger Genius Podcast and the founder of MiloTree. In my latest episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredibly talented Madison Wetherill, a food blogger, web designer, and podcaster at Grace + Vine Studios.
Today, we're talking about the essential traffic strategies food bloggers (and other niche bloggers) need to know to compete in today's market.

Show Notes:
MiloTreeCart Book a FREE 20-minute strategy call with me MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program Personality Quiz: What Digital Product Should I Create? Joyfully Mad Kitchen Grace + Vine Studios MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group All Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes Ahrefs Airtable Canva ChatGPT
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The Power of Niche Specialization and Personal Branding
One of the key takeaways from our discussion is the significance of finding your niche. Madison emphasizes that by niching down, food bloggers can establish themselves as experts and cultivate a dedicated audience. Personal branding goes hand in hand with this, as it's crucial to connect with your audience on a personal level. By showcasing your human side and creating relatable content, you forge a stronger bond with your readers.

Adapting to Industry Changes and Optimizing for E-E-A-T
We delve into the concerns that come with shifts in ad networks, Google algorithms, and the advent of AI technology. Madison's advice? Focus on building personal connections and optimize your website for E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). This not only helps in establishing credibility but also in gaining the trust of your audience.

The Art of Crafting an Engaging About Page
Your "About page" is more than just a biography; it's a strategic tool to convey authority and trustworthiness. Madison highlights the importance of including a personal photo and linking to a well-crafted about page. This balance showcases your expertise while also addressing your audience's needs and interests.

Monetization Strategies: Beyond Traditional Ads
The conversation also covers monetization strategies for food bloggers. We discuss the potential of diversifying income streams through digital products like paid meal plans, newsletters, and ebooks. The goal is to provide specific and valuable content that solves your audience's problems, thereby building a community of loyal supporters.

Essential Tools for Food Bloggers
Madison shares her favorite tools, which include Ahrefs for SEO and keyword research, Airtable for project management, and the Kadence framework for website customization. I also chimed in with the mention of ChatGPT and Canva as indispensable tools for bloggers.

Building a Community and Offering Value
Our discussion highlightsthe shift from relying solely on ad revenue to creating valuable digital products and nurturing a strong community. The key is to connect with your audience, address their problems, and build trust through personalized and niche-specific content.

Remember, food blogging is now more than just recipes—it's about the stories, the expertise, and the connections we make.

Other Related Blogger Genius Podcast episodes You’ll Enjoy:
Master Google Updates: Essential Survival Guide for Niche Bloggers! How to Make Money Blogging in 2024 (New Trends) Advanced Coaching Tips for Food Bloggers
MiloTreeCart, the Best Tool for Non-Techies to Sell Digital Products
I also want to introduce you to the MiloTreeCart, a tool designed for non-techies to sell digital products easily. It comes with features like fill-in-the-blank

Hello, fellow niche bloggers and digital marketing enthusiasts! Today I'm excited to share with you some invaluable insights from my latest Blogger Genius Podcast episode.

We're diving deep into the recent Google updates and their impact on popular niche bloggers, like lifestyle bloggers, beauty bloggers, fitness bloggers, weight loss bloggers, interior design bloggers, personal finance blogs, and more.

Think of this as your survival guide to the new Google updates and an exploration into the latest trends in the world of digital marketing.

Show Notes:
MiloTreeCart Book a FREE 20-minute strategy call with me MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program Personality Quiz: What Digital Product Should I Create? MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Steve Wiideman Become a Blogger Genius Facebook Group All Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes
Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast:
iTunes YouTube Spotify
Adapting to Google Algorithm Updates
As many of you know, Google's algorithm updates can significantly affect our traffic and income, especially for those of us who rely on ads and affiliate marketing to monetize our niche blogs. In fact, even popular niches, like food blogging, have taken big hits and lost tons of traffic. But bottom line, there's a silver lining! 

I've been working with bloggers to pivot towards selling digital products, like digital downloads, workshops, memberships, online courses, coaching, etc., offering free 20-minute strategy calls to brainstorm and navigate this new income avenue. It's all about adapting and diversifying our monetization methods and traffic sources.

SEO Expertise with SEO, Steve Weidman
To give us a deeper understanding, I brought in SEO guru Steve Wiideman. Steve's expertise shed light on the necessity for bloggers to stay agile with Google's changing search algorithms and user behaviors. He stressed the importance of unique and helpful content, even in the age of AI-generated material.

Beyond Traditional Web Search
Steve urges us to look beyond the confines of traditional web search. Platforms like Google Discover, TikTok, and short-form media content are becoming increasingly important. It's about broadening our digital marketing horizons and embracing the platforms where our audiences spend their time.

The Art of Keyword Research
We also discuss the evolving role of keyword research in driving traffic and building brand awareness. Understanding user intent is crucial for creating content that truly resonates and provides value. For those hit by a drop in Google traffic, Steve recommended analyzing top-performing pages, studying competitors, and optimizing content for a variety of platforms and search engines. For new bloggers and experienced bloggers, it's no longer all about Google.

Personalization and Marketing Channels
The commoditization of content means we need to get personal. So even if you're in one of the most profitable blogging niches, like home improvement, personal development, fashion, mental health,  real estate, or travel etc. this is no longer enough to make a lot of money. It's a good idea to start using "I" and "me," and sharing your personal experiences to make our content more relatable. It will show your expertise and how well you know your specific niche. Steve also highlighted the need to stay on top of industry trends and utilize different marketing channels to remain competitive.

Maximizing Marketing Vehicles
In the latter part of our conversation, Steve emphasizes setting goals for increasing the utilization of various marketing vehicles. He suggests seeking expertise in platforms like LinkedIn and using AI to boost visibility and authority.

The Rise of Generative AI
Generative AI is revolutionizing how we interact and communicate. It's moving from providing solutions to taking actions, such as scheduling and content creation. This evolution opens up exciting opp

Today I want to talk about how to look up from your own blog with fresh eyes to see the changing landscape and new trends. And then I want to share the best ways to pivot I recommend you start implementing now to grow your blog income.

The Changing World of Blogging
Is Blogging Dead?
The first question I get asked is “Is blogging dead?” And I’m going to say no, it’s not dead but the blogging world is changing.

Drop in Google Traffic
As you know I talk to professional bloggers all the time, in all different niches, and recently I talked to four who all lost between 70-90% of their site traffic during these March Google updates. 

Now we all know that when Google pushes out updates we shouldn’t change anything for about a month to see where the dust settles, but I don’t think any of these bloggers have seen such big swings before. So to be honest they were all a bit shell-shocked. 

Show Notes:
MiloTreeCart Book a FREE 20-minute strategy call with me MiloTreeCart Affiliate Program Catch My Party Anca from The Butter Table MiloTree Pop-Up App Join My Blogger Genius Email List Become a Blogger Genius Facebook GroupAll Blogger Genius Podcast Episodes
Subscribe to the Blogger Genius Podcast:
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Google's Influence and SEO
Shifts in Search Results
So the first trend I expect to see is a decrease in overall traffic from Google for publishers or bloggers who are creating valuable content using best practices. Will we all be losing 70-90% of our traffic, my gut says no. In my experience, when Google makes changes they typically don’t reverse course.

For example, when we launched Catch My Party, a lot of our users were Etsy sellers so we used their API and imported their products to our site, each product got a separate page. We did this for ease. We weren’t monetizing it. Google wasn’t seeing these pages as duplicate content so if people were searching for these products they could end up on our site. We were making really good affiliate income, the Etsy sellers were happy because of all the exposure they were getting, it was growing our traffic, and then one day it all went away. Google de-indexed those pages and that traffic and income were gone.

My point is that Google changes usually move in one direction. And what is Google facing right now? Existential threats. Remember, all they care about is people coming to Google in need information and end up finding it and having a good experience.

Recently though, the overall feel is the search experience has been deteriorating so Google has been making changes. Showing more results from Reddit and Quora. This is because they want answers from “real people.” Google has found that sites have been gaming SEO to make money with affiliate marketing, for example, and Google has been cracking down. 

The Introduction of AI in Search
Plus how is google going to implement AI in search. They are calling this the Google Search Generative Experience or SGE. Google is working on what this is going to look like, but one thing Google has said is their SGE will quickly provide users with the answers they need and not necessarily direct users to other sites or content. 

If their AI, Gemini, can give you better results on their GSE page than sending you off to a site they don’t control, you better believe they will do that. In fact, I think it’s already happening in the travel space.

Plus for successful bloggers monetizing with display ads, as 3rd party cookies get phased out,  advertisers not being able to track visitors, there will probably be downward pressure on ad revenue.

Adapting to New Realities
I was on a call with a food blogger this past week and I started painting this new picture for her and she couldn’t believe what I was saying. She’s an old school blogger. She doesn’t really use AI in her and feels like her readers could definitely tell the diffe