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WordPress Plugins

Bloom Plugin Review: The Best Email Opt-In Plugin for WordPress?

Bloom Plugin Review

Email is one of the most effective ways of turning casual visitors into loyal readers and potential customers. Sure, getting likes, shares, and retweets is great, but all website owners should know that growing an email list is one of the most essential tasks for growing a business. Simms Jenkins, a proponent of email marketing interviewed by Forbes Magazine, notes that although social media allows for great customer engagement, it does not always drive sales.

And he is right.

Email is the number one activity people do on their phones. It is an activity that is permission-based. People have given you the okay to send them information via email and they want what you have to offer.

Building an email list comes with many challenges. Here to help ease those difficulties is Bloom, an email opt-in plugin for WordPress. Developed by Elegant Themes, Bloom will help you target readers of your website and turn them into loyal customers. By including this feature rich and easy to use plugin with your already existing email service provider, your email list will surely grow as you turn website visitors into email subscribers.

To find out if this is the best email opt-in form plugin for WordPress, keep reading for our hands on Bloom plugin review.

What Opt-in Form Types Does the Bloom Plugin have to Offer

After downloading and activating the Bloom plugin, you will have the chance to customize your email opt-in forms to fit the needs of your website.

Display Types

Bloom Plugin For WordPress Display Types

There are 6 different opt-in display types to choose from. Each website, page, and post may require different types and with 6 to choose from you will be able to customize easily:

Automatic Opt-In Pop-Up

This automatic pop-up that can be triggered by a time delay, when a person reaches the bottom of a post, when they comment, or even when they make a purchase.

Automatic Opt-In Fly-Ins

This unique feature, different than the normal pop-up one, slides up and onto the screen and is a great way to catch the attention of your readers.  It is also triggered by the same user interactions as the pop-ups.

Below Content Opt-In Forms

Place this form below your site’s post or page content to gain the attention of your readers without upsetting their reading experience.

Inline Opt-In Forms

Choosing a specific location on your website for your customized opt-in form is made possible using this inline opt-in feature.

Require Opt-In to Unlock Content

Offering premium content to your readers is an excellent marketing technique.  By having an email subscribing requirement special content can be made accessible to those readers willing to follow more loyally.

Widget Area Opt-In Forms

This form can go anywhere a widget can. Think sidebars and footers and don’t stop there.

Pop-Up and Fly-In Triggers

Based on user interaction, Bloom allows you to customize you opt-in forms even further by adding triggers to each one you utilize on your website.

Display Settings Bloom Plugin

 

  • Timed Delay – This triggers the pop-up or fly-in to appear after your reader has been on a page for a specific amount of time.
  • Bottom of Post – When your reader gets to the bottom of a page or post, Bloom will trigger a reminder opt-in form.
  • After Scrolling – This opt-in form is triggered when your reader scrolls a certain percentage of the way down your page.
  • After Commenting – Appearing after a comment is made is a sure-fire way to know your reader is engaged in your content and probably wants more.
  • After Purchasing – This is a way to offer more of your product and promotion information after the checkout process has completed.
  • After Inactivity – This is a way to recapture your reader’s attention after too much inactivity.

Email Marketing Integrations

One of the best features Bloom has is the ability to integrate with your already existing email service provider. Bloom easily integrates with twelve of the most popular email marketing systems in use today including Aweber, MailChimp, and MailPoet, to name a few.  You can even integrate Bloom with multiple email service providers on one website. When someone subscribes using the opt-in form you created for your website, they are simply added to your email list and can start receiving emails from you right away.

Bloom Plugin Marketing Integrations

Design Choices

With over 100 pre-made design templates to choose from you are in complete control of designing a unique opt-in form for your needs. Try changing the title, description, image, background colors, text colors, border, orientation, and even more!

Choose Opt-In Form Template

 

A/B Split Testing

In order to decide which opt-in form works best for your website you can create multiple versions of the same opt-in form to display to different visitors. Making changes to each opt-in form will allow you to compare and assess which form seems to be the most effective.

A/B Split Testing Bloom Plugin

Statistics Dashboard

This display will tell you information about how fast your email list is growing and which opt-in form is doing the most work for you. The statistics include your highest performing pages, a historical graph about your email list growth, and overall list growth stats.

Dashboard Statistics Bloom Plugin

Other Key Features of the Bloom Plugin:

  • Opt-in form orientation choices including the bottom, left, or right.
  • Customizable borders and edges with endless color combinations.
  • Image orientation options including to the left, right, above, or below your form’s content.
  • Display settings to control when and where your opt-in form will appear.
  • Easy to use dashboard for simple and extensive customization.
  • Unlimited account tracking.
  • Conversion and email list statistics.
  • Ability to import and export Bloom plugin to multiple sites after original activation.
  • Mobile ready opt-in form option with high resolution imaging.

Bloom Pricing Options

The Bloom plugin is included with the Elegant Themes Developer and Lifetime Access packages, which start at just $89. Packages include access to all of their premium WordPress themes (87+ themes), plugins, and technical support all for one low price.

Bloom Review Conclusion

Bloom, the newest email opt-in plugin for WordPress, is user friendly and will be a sure success in helping you to collect emails for your website. With its endless design options, split testing options to assess your site’s best results, and even its mobile readiness for readers on the go, Bloom is sure to become one of the most popular email opt-in plugins there is.

When it comes to the question of which is the best email opt-in form plugin for WordPress – Bloom vs OptinMonster – its a tough call that only you can decide. However, when it comes to value for money, Bloom looks like a great deal.

Click here to find out more about Bloom today

Which features are you looking for from an email sign-up form plugin? What email opt-in form plugin are you using on your website now? Have you used the new Bloom plugin for WordPress yet? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!

Categories
Blogging

Successful Link Building Strategies for More Website Visitors

Link Building

If want to get more visitors to your website you will need to increase its visibility in the search engines. The higher your website content is ranked in search engines like Google, the more visitors it will receive.

But how do you push your website up the search engine results pages (SERPS)?

Well, one proven way is to increase the number of links from other websites that point to yours. Search engines like Google measure and evaluate these links and use them to gauge the popularity of the website they are pointing to.

In simple terms, more links signal a higher quality of website. If the site linking to your content is also determined as being high quality or an authority on the topic it covers, those links can help rank your site even more.

So now that we know why you want other websites to link to yours, let’s take a look at how you can go about getting those all important backlinks.

How to Build Links for Your Website

Link building is the process of encouraging other websites to link to yours. There are many ways to build links to your website including some that are expressly forbidden or at least actively discouraged by search engines, including Google.

In this article, though, we are only going to focus on legitimate forms of links building; while avoiding those which could get you in trouble now or further down the line.

Tried and Tested Link Building Strategies

Let’s take a look at some of the top strategies used in link building so that you too can link your way to a higher search engine result.

Good Content

1.  Create Good Content

The idea that “content is king”, though seemingly old and overused, is never going to disappear. Creating valuable, informative, and entertaining content is a way to not only attract new readers on a daily basis but also links back from related websites.

By creating new and updated content regularly, your content does not have a chance to stale and visitors are more likely to come across it.  The possibility they may later link to your website via their own content then increases. It is earning these additional links that will increase your ranking potential. Additionally, by creating high quality and relevant content, you will establish yourself as an authority more quickly and search engines will catch on to that.

Here are some great ways to create fresh content on your website in order to generate incoming links:

  • Create shareable infographics that others will want to link to on their websites.
  • Create a guide or an e-book. Nothing beats the expertise and hard work that goes into such content. People love to share this information as it is usually thoroughly researched and highly reliable.
  • Post a video tutorial that has the potential to solve a problem your readers have. The solution you provide can become the go-to answer for others and they will likely share this with their own readers leading them directly to you.

Networking

2.  Networking with Related Websites

By networking with those in your website’s niche you may be able to earn links from other sites that have your keywords in their articles or are already established as a highly reliable website.

Here’s some tips for networking with other websites in your category:

  • Make friends with professionals in your niche.
  • Join forums and start discussions. Check out linking abilities to create a streamline to your web content.
  • Comment on niche related blog posts. Include a link to your website, add something valuable to the conversation, and get people interested in checking your website out.
  • Join a Question & Answer Forum to build authority and drop links if appropriate.
  • Create badges or banners loyal visitors can include on their sites that link back to your content.
  • Consider linking out to popular and authoritative websites in your content in hopes of them returning the favor.

Google Search Results

3.  Social Media and Other Forms of Promotion

Promoting your website via social media platforms may encourage visitors to link to your website in their own content. It can also boost traffic to your site due to the increased exposure and easy access, something Google will surely pick up on and reward you for.

Some social media promotion tips include:

4.  Internal Linking

Although not as influential as links directed your way via external websites, internal linking is still vital to increasing your ranking status. Internal linking not only aids in website navigation, sets the hierarchy for your website’s content, and solidifies you as an authority, it strengthens the overall SEO of your website. Internal links create a clear path for spiders crawling and indexing your site and this carries over into ranking statuses.

Tips for effective internal linking include:

  • Choose you target keywords wisely and use those when internally linking.
  • Try to link from often visited pages to get people digging deeper into your website.
  • Create content that is worth linking to. Avoid linking to your sitemap and contact page where there is little value to be had content-wise.
  • Make the link relevant and worth with it to the reader to stop and move to another subject.

Final Thoughts

The truth is, the content you create on your website has very little value if it goes unseen. The same rings true for SERPs; your content will have no prominence in search engine results unless it is linked to by relevant and established websites.

The key to link building is to cast your net wide and provide opportunities for yourself to get linked back to in many ways. Whether by other websites, through internal linking of your own, or by providing links via self-promotion, the more you get your name out there the better chances you will have of increasing your web traffic and achieving the goals of your site.

What link building strategies have worked best for you? Is there one not mentioned that you feel is a better choice? We would love to hear about it in the comments below.

Categories
Blogging

Business Blogging: 3 Strategies to Make Your Company Blog Work for You

Guide to Business Blogging

Having a company blog is simple, inexpensive, and undeniably a must. In fact, it is estimated that “each month 329 million people read blogs.”

That’s a lot of people.

As one of the most valuable tools for promoting an online business presence, business blogging can truly make a difference in how successful your company becomes.

Business Blogging Will:

  • Allow you to frequently interact with your regulars as well as potential new customers
  • Personalize your company brand informally and in a way such that you control how your company is portrayed
  • Help you develop authority on your business’ products or services and enable you to showcase that expertise
  • Offer widespread visibility of your company through means other than your business website
  • Draw in leads that could equal potential sales – after all, someone reading your company blog is already interested and is now more likely to purchase your products or services
  • Create trust and loyalty among established customers
  • Integrate your business well with all types of social media broadening your company’s audience base
  • Influence SEO rankings
  • Drive traffic from your business blog to your business website where purchases are ultimately made

Business Blogging How-To: The 3 Main Strategies

Write Great Content

1.  Write Great Content

  • When you write a blog post make the content valuable, consistent, and frequent for those already loyal to your business website and those drawn to your blog for the first time that could possibly hop on over to your business site.
  • Promote your products and services but don’t stop there! Engage the readers with tips and advice, provide newsworthy information related to your business, launch new product releases, and even answer customer questions.
  • Don’t forget to create catchy titles and subtitles that will grab the casual reader’s attention and draw them in to read more.

Seducing the reader through great content writing can encourage them to check out your business website where they can purchase what your company blog is boasting. Remember, every time you post to your company blog Google catalogs this and directs potential buyers to your site via search engine results. What you do after that is up to you. Intrigue, grab a lead, and sell!

Social Media Optimization

2. Maximize Your Social Media Reach

  • Simply put, your blog content is shareable. Not only via share icons the readers use that are located directly on the post itself, but through your own social media accounts where you can share your company’s blog posts.
  • Create share icons in a clear spot so readers can share information they love. This spreads your business blogging efforts and reaches more potential customers.
  • Popular social networks to consider are: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+.
  • Keep your blog name and social networking names consistent so readers can find you anywhere (the same goes for any images that represent your company).
  • Rather than always linking your blog posts to your social media networks, try using eye-catching images, posing questions to readers, or even posting multiple times a day. The key is to engage readers to visit your blog and see what your company is all about!

Never underestimate the power of social media. Users are increasing at an alarming rate and there seems to be no end in sight. One of the greatest ways to drive traffic to your company blog and ultimately your business website is through the active use of social media networks.

SEO

3. Take Advantage of SEO Practices

After installing the plugin you will notice a number of extra fields at the end of your post to fill in to better your SEO score:
Yoast SEO Plugin
1.  SEO Title – This is the title of your blog post and will be filled in automatically for you.
2.  Keyword – Use words representing what your blog post is about (for help getting the best keywords use this free tool to determine which keywords are popular and which are not – Google Keyword Planner).
3.  Meta description – This is the snippet preview of your post that will show up on a Google search. Use your keywords and make it intriguing to the potential reader searching for something to click on when search results show. 
4.  The goal – Make all the reds turn to green under Focus Keyword, and make you Meta description compelling!

  • Not a WordPress user? Don’t want to use an SEO plugin? That’s ok! Decide what your strongest keywords will be and place them in your post title, throughout the post itself (but don’t get crazy ok? let it be natural), in the meta description at the end of your post, in any images used throughout the post (in the image name itself, the title, the alt tag, and description fields), and even in your permalink (*Note – this is the URL of your post: go to Settings>Permalinks>Post Link; this will match your URL name to your blog post title which should include those keywords!)

Taking either of these two methods, or a combination of both, will definitely make your blog post more SEO friendly and rank it high in search results. No, I am not an expert. I am actually far from it.  But as you can see, you don’t need to be an expert to gain the benefits of simple SEO practices!

Conclusion

Each company has varying goals and definitions of what it means to be successful. Yet, the one thing that all companies have in common is sales. Sales of some sort. Why not start a company blog and use business blogging to expand those sales? It really is fairly simple, inexpensive, and most of all valuable to the success of your company.

Have you ever used any of these strategies?  Can you recommend one not mentioned that may help others maximize their marketing efforts?  Leave a comment below, we would love to hear from you!