Hey Reader, Happy Saturday! There have been a lot of changes to the online landscape in recent months, thanks to Google and its (un)Helpful Content Update. That's why I've always been a big fan of diversifying my online presence - not just to supplement traffic and income but to build a true audience that is outside the influence of third parties. I'm talking about building your own community through an email list and/or membership. One of the best ways to do that in 2024 is through a writing...
6 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, One of the most crucial things you can do as a content creator - whether you're a blogger, YouTuber, TikToker, or Medium Writer - is to grow and nurture an email list. Why? Because your email list is pretty much the only marketing asset you truly own. Google traffic can dry up overnight. Pinterest traffic can drop off a cliff without explanation. Heck, even Medium could decide to shut down its platform or arbitrarily decide to ban Call-to-Actions in their articles. And you...
7 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader! It's been a hot minute since I dropped by your inbox. With the arrival of the new year, there have been a lot of unforeseen changes, adventures, challenges, and projects! One such adventure was a recent vacation to the Caribbean (and long overdue - my first time traveling abroad since pre-COVID.) Since my return, I have been hard at work behind the scenes, having recently created a brand new niche blog that I'm very excited about! I noticed that, while I still love ChatGPT for a...
8 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, A few weeks ago, ChatGPT launched custom GPTs - a beta feature for Plus users that's caused nearly as big a stir as the launch of ChatGPT itself just over a year ago. Why? Because it puts the power of AI technology in your hands - without needing to know how to code. Now, anyone can harness this technology to make a custom bot fine-tuned to a specific purpose. And that is a big deal for two reasons: You can now create your own bot that's better customized to your needs than the...
10 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, If you're a blogger and Amazon Associate, then you might have noticed the lovely little email Amazon sent out a couple of weeks back. And by lovely, I mean completely ill-timed and stress-inducing. I am talking about their notification that SiteStripe images will no longer work after December 31st. This means that if you've been using SiteStripe to include linked images of the Amazon products you've been promoting on your blog, those images will start looking like this on Jan 1st:...
11 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Last week, I hosted an exclusive interview inside the AEI membership with my friend and former teacher, Sinem Günel. We talked about all things Medium, and I swear, every time I get a chance to chat with Sinem, I learn a new golden nugget of wisdom! One of the things we talked about at length was how underutilized Medium is by most writers and bloggers. When you ask business experts about all the ways to grow your business - whether that's by creating more brand awareness,...
11 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, If you felt the ground shake with Google's helpful content update in September, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone; countless bloggers were impacted - myself included. However, I'm not stressed about it for two very important reasons: 1. I've been through many updates like this before, and I always bounce back. 2. SEO traffic isn't my only source of income. #2 is BIG and something that a lot of bloggers don't spend nearly enough time considering. When you put all your...
12 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader! I hope you're having a great weekend. It's that time in October when the trees are at their peak autumn beauty, and I am here for it! 🍁🍂 This email is a bit of a departure from the norm. In fact, it will be the only time I email you about this unless you want to hear more about it. You see, I'm super passionate about blogging, SEO, content creation, and, of course, AI tools. I get giddy every time I discover an awesome new way to use AI in my business, and I could talk about it...
12 months ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader! I hope you're having a stellar week. I'm getting ready to take a couple of days off for some family time. Here in Canada, it is Thanksgiving Weekend. (One of my favorite holidays! 🍂) But before I wade through the too-busy grocery stores in search for the perfect turkey, I wanted to tell you about an event I'm hosting next week. You see, I get lots of emails, comments, and requests about how to best use AI for content creation and blogging. Mostly, these people fall into one of two...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read