How to Radically Increase Audience Engagement in 2017

Are you looking for smarter ways to engage people in your online business?

Sean Jackson and Jessica Frick tackle this topic in the newest episode of The Digital Entrepreneur podcast. Among the many topics they discuss are:

• Trends in mobile, native advertising, online video, and direct mail you should be paying attention to
• How to turn daily distractions like email into something that improves your productivity
• The latest book you should be reading and a killer tool that will help you manage your online ads
• And of course, their question for the week -– if you are just starting out online, should you use WordPress or Medium?

I haven’t listened to the episode yet, but I have a solid hunch I know which way they will lean on that last question. 😉

Also, I can’t wait to hear how email can be used to improve productivity. Making email a productive activity sounds akin to making eating candy good for your health. But I shall listen with an open mind … and I suggest you do the same.

Episode page: 6 Business Insights that Could Radically Increase Your Online Engagement in 2017

Listen and subscribe to The Digital Entrepreneur:

• The Digital Entrepreneur on iTunes
• The Digital Entrepreneur on Stitcher

If you use another podcast app, just search for “digital entrepreneur” and you should find the show.

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Now here are this week’s resources to help you create, sell, and grow — curated by me and members of Digital Commerce Academy.

Do you want to submit a link for next week’s Digital Entrepreneur? Click here to suggest your link [Academy members only].

Create

How’d He Do It?

Do you know the story of the guy who revolutionized the premium WordPress theme market? I do … mainly because I hosted a case study with him about [Academy members only]. And because I work with him. Now you should learn it too, because Brian Gardner’s story is the quintessential digital entrepreneur story that began with an idea, an audience, and the creation of product that solved a real problem for real people.

The Story of StudioPress Founder Brian Gardner

Stop Thinking Small

What does your customer want? No, what does your customer really want? You may think it’s the lowest possible price for the value you’re looking to deliver … but that may not actually be true. And thinking that way may lead you to compromise on quality before your customer has even had a chance to show you what she really wants. As always, Seth says it best …

Maybe your customer isn’t trying to save money

What Can McDonald’s Teach You About Your Product Offering?

You might not think McDonald’s can teach you a whole lot about your digital product offering. But consider their decision to offer three different sized of Big Macs. Are you missing out on customers because you don’t have a good, better, best offering?

Good, Better, Best at McDonald’s

Sell

Ugh, It Happened Again

Another week or month has passed, and you’ve made zero progress on your writing goals. How do you move on from the frustration and get back to writing? Choose one of these 99 tips. [Submitted by Daniel Chohfi]

99 Ways to Get Inspired to Write

Another Payment Processing Option

PayPal and Stripe are two of the standard bearers when it comes to online payment processing. But guess who is throwing their hat in the ring? No surprise, it’s Amazon. Their new Pay with Amazon solution is intriguing.

Amazon Payments usage grows: should you adopt it?

Stop It, Seriously

Want to attract more attention while also engaging readers and building authority? Well then give people something compelling. Give people something new, something interesting. In other words … quit being so dadgum boring!

How to Quit Being So Damned Boring

Grow

Know What You’re Getting Into Before Making the Leap.

“Thinking about leaving your cubicle for the thrills of the startup world? So have 27 million other people like you. The good news is that there are more resources now than ever to help you find success when making this leap. The bad news is that just one small misstep and you can end up right back in your 9-to-5 gig.”

The 5 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Going From Employee To Self-Employed

A Few Simple Steps to Better Decisions

Nathan Barry was my guest for the very first Digital Commerce Academy case study [Academy members only]. His company ConvertKit has been on an impressive trajectory over the last 18 or so months. In this post, he outlines three mental frameworks he uses that help him make better decisions.

Mental Frameworks for Making Decisions

Read, Remember, Retain

One of the best activities you can regularly pursue to improve yourself and your business is to read. But for many of us, with our online habits and fractured attention spans, reading comprehension and retention isn’t the strength it may have once been. Learn some simple strategies for getting better in this key area.

Reading Comprehension Strategies: How to Retain More of Everything You Read

I hope you find these resources to be useful, and that at least one of them helps you take a meaningful step forward during the course of the next week.

Thanks for your attention, and have a great weekend.