ALT Summit 2017 Recap – Day 2: Monetizing Facts & Figures

I’M WEARING: ZARA SHORTS (OLD) – SIMILAR ROMPER | WHITE HIGH NECK TANK | OLIVE WIDE BELT | AQUAZZURA FLATS | HENRI BENDEL BAG

Don’t mind the grainy Insta shot capturing my weak adjustment to the time change! This is what I wore on Day 2, which I personally think I got the most information out of all three days honestly.

I attended classes that taught us how to strategically monetize our sites and take advantage of the different ways to do so. In addition, I was introduced to 5 Important Things About Surviving on the Internet that I think everyone should know!

What I Learned: Although I feel like I know and use most of these monetizing tips & tools taught it was a great refresher. On top of that I better understood the types of formulas that lead to smart monetizing techniques and what kind of content to strive for & stick with.


MONETIZING FORMULAS:

Audience x Engagement = Influence (what we monetize, our content’s value)

The trick is to find what garners you a BIG AUDIENCE & BIG ENGAGEMENT, because ultimately that is your ticket to monetizing the resulting influence you have on your readers, the brands that want to work with you, etc.

There are several types of ways you can monetize your content with:

  • Display Ads – Actually suggested you DON’T do it, doesn’t garner as much revenue as other types but still important to consider:
    • Pageviews (Audience) x Cost Per Impression “CPM” (Engagement) = $(Influence)
    • Easy to input, but slow to see results; most readers avoid clicking ads on a site
  • Sponsored Content – Effective & authentic
    • Pageviews (Audience) x 2 CPM (Engagement) = $$ (Influence)
    • More opportunities to post about it, on different platforms; double the engagement!
  • Affiliate Revenue – Clickable links embedded in content
    • Make commission off of actual clicks and purchases of items accessed through your links; Adds more value to the advertiser
    • Top Sites: RewardStyle, ShopStyleCollective, Rakuten
  • E-Commerce Products – Sell on your site
    • Tangible or digital products sold to your audience on your site
    • More time consuming, but worthwhile if you have a great product geared towards your readers’ interests!

5 THINGS ABOUT SURVIVING ON THE INTERNET:

Never For Money, Always For Love

Remember why you started your blog/business in the first place – because you’re passionate about what you wanted to share & put out there! This is the driving force behind the overall success of your blog.

Invest In Your Business

Use the money you make back into your blog’s upkeep – purchasing the right theme layout, paying for a self-hosting site, etc. all adds up but provides you with the quality you’re striving for. Tip: Make a business account for your site and use that money towards blog expenses.

Adapt/Change To Stay Relevant & Competitive

Follow what’s doing well out there – find bloggers/sites that resemble you/your aesthetic and see what they’re doing. Don’t copy! But definitely try a few things they’re doing that seem to be working, just add your own personal twist on it.

You’re Probably Counting Your Numbers (Following Stats) Wrong

It’s not only page views and CPM stats that matter. Don’t forget about the amount of followers you have on social media, how many views you get on Live/Snapchat/Insta-stories, how many repins you get on Pinterest. Every # counts!

Relationships Will Make Or Break

You’re most likely going to see success if you’re a fearless networker. Attend events, presentations, parties and TALK TO PEOPLE! Don’t be shy, have a glass of liquid courage and introduce yourself to someone new. They just might be the person you’ve needed to meet that will set you on the path to success!


Result: Getting a better understanding about how different types of monetization strategies and keeping these 5 tips in mind, I feel like my content decisions are going to focus more on what works (post wise) and what people want to see (reader demand). Hoping this formula will be the key to my own success! Fingers crossed!


 TOMORROW I’LL SHARE WHAT I LEARNED ON DAY 3: THE POWER OF PINTEREST & INSTAGRAM


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