Pinterest is one of my top website referrals.

With nearly 1 million monthly viewers, 30,000+ followers, and 100,000+ website visits from Pinterest each year, you might be surprised that I don’t put any effort into the platform.

You might also be surprised to learn that my Pinterest strategy doesn’t even involve Pinterest.

So how do I reap the benefits of Pinterest without putting in the work? Better yet, how can you reap the benefits of Pinterest without putting in the work?

Here’s my secret.

It’s a Wednesday evening and you’re scrolling through Pinterest looking for inspiration, when all of the sudden a pretty blog post graphic catches your eye.

The title of the post is catchy and addresses a topic you’re interested in, so you click through to read it. You consume the entire thing, soaking up the content, and find yourself reading more and more posts on that blog. 

After an hour or so, you bookmark that site in order to remember it and return back to it later.

Isn’t that the experience every blogger hopes for with new readers? 

But while everyone can spot a great blog post, not everyone can identify (let alone implement) the characteristics that make a blog post great.

So what is it that makes some blog posts more engaging and fun to read than others? Is there some sort of secret formula for writing great blog posts, regardless of what industry you’re in?

Yes, there is! And I’m spilling the beans about it in this post.

People are always shocked to learn the reason Elle & Company grew exponentially in my first year of business.

It wasn’t through Instagram (although social media is a fantastic marketing tool).

It wasn’t through networking with the right people (although word of mouth and recommendations from trusted sources is helpful).

And it definitely wasn’t through some sort of big break (although that would have definitely been nice).

It was through blogging.

"I fall behind on my blog posts all the time, I'd love to learn how to streamline blogging and keep on top of it!"

"How to write more content. I hate writing and I'm not good at it, so I avoid it even though I KNOW content is what will help me succeed."

"More on the practicalities of blogging. Choosing images for posts."

I recently conducted my annual reader survey. These were some of the responses I received to the question “What would you like to learn more about from Elle & Company?” 

I was surprised to learn that many of you want to learn about my blogging process and how I am able to consistently blog. Many of you recognize the importance of blogging, but identified it as a struggle (which I totally empathize with). 

Blogging isn’t quite so difficult if you have a clear-cut process. So today I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my blogging process. 

Content creation is at the heart of Elle & Company. 

Between blog posts, weekly newsletters, Ellechats, social media posts, and Library additions, I spend a lot of time pumping out new content each week.

But here’s the thing about new content: it has a shelf life.

Newsletters get buried in inboxes. Blog posts get buried in archives. Social media posts quickly fade away from the feeds of your followers. Webinars end. 

The content you create (along with the time and energy you put into them) quickly gets buried under your newer content.

But don’t be fooled; you didn’t labor in vain! 

Enter, the art of repurposing content.

In order for people to buy from you, they have to trust you.

And one of the best ways to build trust among potential customers is through blogging. 

Blogging allows you to share your expertise, highlight testimonials and success stories, give insight into your process, answer commonly asked questions, and more. 

But one of the biggest blogging hangups for business owners - especially those who run product-based businesses - is figuring out what to write about and coming up with high-quality blog post ideas.

Can you relate? 

If so, I’ve got you covered. 

People are always shocked when I tell them the primary reason my business grew quickly.

It wasn’t pouring all of my time and effort into curating a visually pleasing Instagram feed.
It wasn’t going to conferences and networking with the big shots.
And it definitely wasn’t through some big break.

“How else did you grow your business?” they ask me. 

Few people want to believe that apart from blogging, my business would’ve failed soon after it started.

And they definitely don’t want to give it a go and make it work for their own businesses.

Maybe it’s because they don’t know how to use their blog.
Maybe they just don’t want to spend the time writing and growing their blog. 

But I think the real problem lies with not being aware of the countless benefits that blogging can have for a business.

Content creation is at the heart of Elle & Company. 

Between blog posts, weekly newsletters, Ellechats, and Library additions, I spend a large majority of my work week not only creating content, but keeping up with the tasks that come along with it (like editing, scheduling, and promoting). 

In the past, I’ve used several different methods to organize my content and keep up with these tasks. I’ve tried mapping it out in Google Calendar. I’ve set up Trello boards. I’ve created Asana tasks.

But I couldn’t seem to find an all-in-one system that allowed me to visually organize my upcoming content and keep up with all the tasks involved. 

That is, until a month or two ago when Asana upped their game and began offering boards that look and function almost exactly like Trello boards. 

What’s free, easy, and can make you money in your sleep?

Affiliate marketing.

I know, it sounds kind of complicated and possibly even a little boring.

For some of you, it might conjure up images of salesy Instagram posts or sponsored blog articles.

For others, affiliate marketing may have lost its luster because you don’t know how to utilize your links.

And for the rest of you, you’re probably wondering what in the world affiliate marketing is in the first place.

So you started a mailing list. 

You heard about the benefits, chose a platform, and you have a general idea of what you’re going to send out to your subscribers. You even placed your opt-ins in prominent places.

The trouble is…. no one is subscribing. 

If this sounds all too familiar, I have one question for you: Why should someone sign up for your list? 

Because the truth is that you could have the best newsletter content and the most prominent opt-ins and still have trouble gaining subscribers. 

Website visitors often need a little more coaxing to sign up for your list. And that’s where content upgrades come in.

Does the length of your blog posts really matter?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Bloggers, especially those in the content marketing realm, have differing views on the subject. 

Some will tell you that length doesn’t matter as long as you’re providing valuable content. Others will tell you that your post has to be at least 3000+ words in length. 

But if you’re asking me, I will tell you time and time again that when it comes to blog posts, length does matter.

And I have 5 reasons (and some insightful research) to prove it.

Blogging consistently is a challenge for most creative business owners. 

It’s difficult to find the time to sit down and write content-rich posts, especially with countless projects and administrative tasks to take care of. But sometimes it’s even more difficult to come up with things to write about.

So a year and a half ago I came up with 50 no-fluff, content-rich blog post ideas and shared them on the blog.

That post has received the most shares, comments, and pageviews out of hundreds of Elle & Company articles. 

I’ve continued to learn about blogging and content marketing in the 16 months since writing that post, so I thought it was about time for an update. 

I’ve added and refined that list to bring you 50 more no-fluff, content-rich blog post ideas.

Go ahead and bookmark this post or pin it - you’ll want to come back to it later.

But I’m warning you... After looking over this list, you’ll never be able to use the, “I don’t have anything to write about,” excuse ever again!

When it comes to site traffic, some people might tell you that you don’t need to worry about the numbers. 

That’s a lie. 

If you’re running a business, you can’t disregard the numbers. Especially when it comes to your site traffic.

I’m tackling that lie (and a few other lies that come along with it) by telling you the truth about site traffic and why it has a large impact on the success of your business. 

Adobe Illustrator is my go-to software for anything and everything design-related. It's the one program I truly couldn't work without.

And while it's easy to assume that the program's primary focus is illustration based on the name, there is so much more to this design software. 

With tools for type, color, photo cropping, image tracing, drawing, and much more, it has innumerable benefits for bloggers and business owners, alike.

To get your creative gears turning, here's a look at 40 ways Adobe Illustrator can take your blog and/or business to the next level.

First impressions are crucial, especially in business.

Potential customers and clients make judgments about your business within the first few seconds of coming into contact with it, whether it’s through your website, your social media accounts, or a simple blog post graphic.

And those initial thoughts - whether they’re spot on or far off from what you want them to be - are within your control. You have the opportunity to make a killer first impression through high-quality, branded visuals.

If your blog is a large part of your business or you’re hoping to drive more traffic back to your site through your blog, you have to have eye-catching blog graphics to not only generate a positive first impression, but to encourage readers to share your posts on sites like Pinterest and be seen by an even wider audience.

So how do you create eye-catching blog post graphics? And better yet, how can you set them apart so they’ll stand out from the rest and be recognized time and time again?

There’s one goal every business has in common: to make a profit. 

After all, money keeps your business afloat, pays the bills, and allows you to take home a paycheck.

But when you’re planning and strategizing ways to achieve that goal, there’s one variable that isn’t always easy to determine: your audience.

Identifying and understanding your ideal audience may seem to be a guessing game at first...

Who would benefit from my product/service?
How do I reach them?
How do I position my product to spark interest and encourage them to buy?

...but it shouldn’t be. Actually, there are plenty of ways to take the guesswork out of getting to know your ideal customer and make more accurate, data-driven characterizations.

It’s 9:00pm on Tuesday night. 

You’ve committed to posting 3 times a week on your blog and your next post is due tomorrow morning, but inevitably, you’ve waited until the last minute. You’re tired, uninspired, and frustrated. With no idea what to write about, you sit and stare blankly at your computer, hoping that some bought of creativity will magically appear and help you crank out 1200 words of helpful, engaging content in time. 

Can you relate?

Is your headline the first thing you consider when you sit down to write a post?

Probably not, but creating a catchy blog post title is one of the most important aspects of each blog post. It's the gateway to your content; it convinces people to click or scroll right past your latest post'. 

In fact, studies show that 8 out of 10 people will read your headline but only 2 out of 10 will read your entire post. 

Here are a few pointers for drawing in potential readers and a couple "templates" to help you create a catchy headline for your upcoming posts. 

Blogging is a polarizing topic; it’s either one of those things business owners get really excited about or dread with a burning passion. 

Those with negative opinions of blogging usually dread it for the following reasons:

• They don’t have the time
• They don’t feel confident in their writing abilities
• They don’t know what to blog about
• Or they underestimate the amount of beneficial content they can share

Do you fall into the dread category? If you do, I bet you can relate to one (or all) of the reasons above. And if you don’t, you might reach a place someday where your excitement about blogging begins to fizzle and the dread starts to creep in.

Explaining the benefits of blogging can be motivation in and of themselves to overlook those reasons and get started, but today I’d rather tackle the dread head-on and provide some practical, helpful ways you can make blogging work for you.

The benefits of using social media for business are obvious. 

Social media platforms allow you to reach your target audience in the places where they hang out the most. They help you network with others in your industry (and stay up to date/keep an eye on what they’re up to). They give your audience the opportunity to follow along with you and it give you the opportunity to engage and communicate with them. 

And, oh yeah, social media accounts are free. 

But despite all of these excellent benefits, there’s one glaring issue with using social media for business. 

I remember all too well the days of working a 9-5 office job, sitting in my cubicle and dreaming of working from home. I longed for the days when I could run an online business from the privacy of my own apartment, ditch my long commute, work in stretchy-pants, and not have to pack a lunch. 

The grass is always greener, isn’t it? While I’m extremely grateful that my work-from-home dreams came to fruition, I’m able to see a fuller, less-glorified picture of what running an online business looks like in actuality. There are numerous benefits, but there’s one aspect that’s been difficult for a people-person like myself - the lack of human interaction.

Sure, I receive tweets, blog comments, and Instagram feedback, but it isn’t quite the same as one-on-one, in-person conversation. 

As a reader, you might experience this same problem from the other side as well. While I know reading this is awesome (am I right?), it’s not quite the same as sitting down to coffee with me and having a 2-sided conversation. In-person connections will always be a thousand times better than anything you can experience online. 

And for an online business, this poses a problem. People want to support a business they can personally connect with.

Think about it: Why do people buy handmade clothes and jewelry from Etsy, drink craft beer, and shop local? They want to support a cause they can get behind instead of supporting a big, generic corporation. They want to put their money towards something they can relate with. Consumers are more interested in buying an experience than a product. 

So how can you connect with your readers in a more personal way and provide an experience (while also adding a little more human interaction to your workweek)?

I’m all about organizing and creating systems to make business easier. So when we started getting everything ready for the launch of The Collaborative a couple months ago, I knew we needed to find a system for keeping up with submissions, due dates, to-do’s, etc. 

We tried creating and sharing access to a Google calendar, but it didn’t help us keep up with contributors or cut back on the amount of emails that were necessary to communicate with everyone on board. Evernote was another option, but it wasn’t as simple or intuitive as we hoped it would be.

And then we heard about Trello, a collaboration tool specifically geared toward organizing projects. After doing a little bit of research to figure out how to utilize it best, we set up a free account and were amazed at how such a simple tool could have such a huge impact on the organization of our blog. 

Those of you who blog regularly understand all of the moving parts and details involved with each post, especially if other people partner with you to create content. So today we’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how we use Trello to keep up with blog post ideas, create editorial calendars, and stay on top of all of our to-do’s for both the Elle & Company blog and The Collaborative. 

I’ve never met a blogger who wasn’t at least a little interested in their blog traffic, especially those who blog for business.

A higher number of visitors has the potential to open doors down the road, whether it’s a sponsorship opportunity, collaboration, job offer, book deal, client booking - the possibilities are endless. 

But it isn’t always easy to find an audience and appeal to them. I remember the struggle all too well, so today I’m sharing 12 strategies that have proven to be effective for growing Elle & Company’s following. My hope is that they’ll make a large impact on growing yours, too.

Building a loyal audience is a popular topic these days. As bloggers, we all desire to have a following that’s interested in what we have to say and engages with our content. And as a business owner, I know that the more engaged my audience is and the more they interact with my blog and business, the more likely they are to book my services, subscribe to the Library, or purchase a seat to my e-courses down the road. 

We all know that growing a loyal audience is essential, but the hangup isn’t in the why; it’s in the how. So today I’m sharing 15 easy ways that I’ve found helpful for growing your blog tribe.

Jake and I were shocked by the response to the latest Elle & Company newsletter. 

It had been a week or two since we sent out our last newsletter because of a fast-paced move and 2 weeks without internet, and we also skipped a couple weekday blog posts in the mix, too. While I was stressed about falling out of our routine and breaking my one and a half year streak of blogging 5 days a week, I was stunned to see the impact that inconsistent blogging had on our site analytics. 

So, we shared about it in Monday’s newsletter. 

If you've been following along with the Elle & Company newsletter, you've probably noticed the large role that website statistics have played in our business.

Although numbers aren't everything, analytics help us set and track goals for this blog by seeing which sites our traffic comes from, which posts receive the greatest amount of interaction, and how long visitors are staying on our site.

While Squarespace provides a great overview of site statistics through their metrics, Google Analytics provides a more in-depth look. Thankfully, Squarespace easily syncs up with Google Analytics, and today Jake's walking you through the set up. 

If you’ve been following Elle & Company for any length of time, this won’t be the first time you’ve heard me talk about high quality content. I use that term often around here for one primary reason: it has the potential to revolutionize your blog and business.

I’m living proof of this. A year ago I was struggling to find my niche and my voice on the Elle & Company blog. It wasn’t until I had a few revolutionary breakthroughs and started to focus on high quality content that things began to pick up. 

In the past couple weeks, several people have reached out to me with the same question I received from Leslie a couple days ago:

Hi Lauren, You may have addressed this in a post already, but is it your priority to increase the traffic on your site versus building your email list? If you've talked about this before... please point me to it. Love your work and wisdom! - Leslie

First, thank you Leslie! This is a great question, especially since many successful business owners and bloggers are stressing both the importance of increasing web traffic and building an email list. And while both of them are extremely important, you're correct in noticing that for Elle & Company, we put more time and effort into growing our blog audience. Here's 3 reasons why. 

If you ask 100 people about SEO, you might get 100 different answers. And frankly, it all depends on what you're trying to accomplish through your blog or website. We can relate to the uphill battle of trying to get your content in front of countless people through search engines, so today Jake and I are partnering together to share how you can create content that will rank higher in search engine results. 

Although I've been blogging for over 3 years now, I've learned the most about blogging over the past 6 months. I've never poured this amount of time and energy into a project, and I spend at least 3 hours each day preparing content for this space. It's been trying, rewarding, and exciting seeing this blog grow over the past several months, and I love sharing what we've learned with other creatives and entrepreneurs. Blogging has become fundamental to our business, and Jake and I can't stress the importance of it enough.

Today I'm sharing 25 of the biggest things we've learned since we took a more serious approach to blogging last November. I hope that these insights might help you with your own blog and save you all of the trial and error that we've had to go through!