Tech and Trends:- Any time you can find a video that demonstrates how to do what’s being described in a post title idea, use the video to help you write the post.
Do not write down verbatim what is said in the video – just put the instructions in your own words and embed the video in your post.
Here’s an example: http://www.balloondecorationideas.com/stuff-balloon/
I found a video that described how to do something that was of interest to my balloon decoration niche. I watched the video and wrote the instructions down in my own words. I then used the instructions I created as the post content, embedded the video, and linked to related products on Amazon with my affiliate link.
To embed a video in your post:
- Bring the video up in YouTube.com
- Click the Share button underneath the video
- Click the Embed option
- Select the right size for your blog
- Copy the provided code
- Paste the code into your WordPress post editor in the position in which you want the video to show
Product Templates
Sometimes the content needed for a post is a selection of products that can be purchased on Amazon.
Here’s an example: http://www.balloondecorationideas.com/moon-party-supplies/
See how I have six products lined up in two rows of three products each? I had to code all of that by hand to show up the way I wanted. That’s a pain and very time consuming.
Today, I use SquidCrafter to do the same thing and it’s MUCH faster. SquidCrafter was a tool that a friend of mine developed after reading one of my products. It’s a desktop app that grabs the data you need from Amazon to create the images and links you want to put in any piece of content and generates the code so you don’t have to write it out. (Diazepam) The demo video in the link above will tell you everything you need to know about how effective this application can be for Amazon associates.
Following is an Amazon product layout created with SquidCrafter. All I did was choose the six products I wanted from Amazon, select a template from the provided set and click the button to copy the code needed to paste into my post.Even if you’re an HTML expert, this is a time saver. It works in WordPress, Blogger, and various web 2.0 sites. You might have to adjust the sizes in the templates but you can customize the templates that come with the application so you’ll have one ready for any site on which you want to use this feature.
There are even single product templates for those posts where you’re only going to talk about one product, want to hotlink to Amazon’s images, and include your affiliate link. It’s all about being efficient so you can focus on the content side of the equation.
Photos are GOLD
Hobby topics are usually very visual so the more photos you can gather to use on your site and in promoting your site the better.
Keep a camera with you at all times. Even if you personally aren’t an expert in the niche, you can find opportunities for great photos all over the place.
If you have ANY family, friends, or neighbours who are involved in the chosen hobby USE them! See if you can pay them a few bucks to write content, see if they’ll let you use their pictures, and take pictures at their events or showings.
If there are any shows in the area regarding your hobby like craft fairs, birthday parties if you’re in the birthday niche, or photo contests, attend and take pictures.
If you’re at the mall and you see an item you know is needed for your hobby, take a picture of the item for use on your site.
