Posts tagged creativity
101 Of The Best Sites Online Right Now (Part 1)

Haven't you always wanted to have 101 really amazing websites all in one place?

Welcome to 101 Of The Best Sites Online Right Now.

This five part series will reveal the digital marketing, blogging and social media experts that can completely transform the way you create for your website. Whether you've been blogging for a few years or a few months, or you've not got a website yet, it doesn't matter. I've spent my time picking websites that I know  will be of benefit to you.

So let's get on with it, shall we?

This series will go through websites in five groups, with twenty or twenty-one sites in each so you've got time to look through and bookmark each one. These are websites that have all helped me someway in my journey which is why I'm including them for you. Please feel free to share this first chapter with friends who might find these websites useful too. 

So, for numbers one to twenty, let's welcome the first group!

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14 Blog Posts You Need To Read In April

This month, I've come across more new websites and content than I ever thought possible.

Some I've found have made me ask: how have I not found this before?

And some of my favourite bloggers have been creating some of their best content yet. Luckily for you, I've rounded it all up for you right here. This month, you'll find the best podcasts to listen to, social media tips and a bit of inspiration as always.

So get comfy and get ready to add some great content to your reading list.

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Two Amazing Pinterest Boards I've Made Just For You

There are around 70 million users on Pinterest.

That's a huge figure. And it's no wonder. This purely visual site not only gives us inspiration; but for some, it's a huge driver of traffic. Today, I'm not here to talk to you about how to promote your blog on this platform, or what to do to completely organise all your pins. Instead, I'm sharing two boards that I've been putting together recently, and that I'll continue adding to on a regular basis.

They're exactly what you need and I know you'll love what's on there as much as I do. 

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How Can I Create Something Of Value?

Generating value is misunderstood. But it's one of the most important things in this creative world. 

Over the past few years, the internet has completely changed. Before, people were able to stuff their content with keywords, sum a topic up in 300-500 words, publish it and get streams of traffic.

But today, it doesn't work that way. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Now we need to write content that creates value for our readers. That provides them with something, and that makes them take action. Content they can learn from, be inspired from and ultimately, content they want to go back to.

This sounds great, I know.

The problem is, how do we do it?

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What To Do When You Think About Giving Up

50% of us suffer burnout at some point in our lives (source). 

Probably more than once. No matter how much we love our job or appreciate our lives, we’ll always have ‘those days. The days when we feel we’re not achieving anything. The days when we ask ourselves why we’re doing this. They just happen. Sure, most of the time we’ll bounce back from these situations. We’ll come up with an idea for a new creative adventure, or a solution to improve something we’re not fully satisfied with.

But what happens when you feel like you've lost purpose and meaning?

What happens when you just want to give up completely?

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Quality Or Quantity: Which Is Better?

A recent study analysed the quality and quantity matter with parents and children (source).

It found that it doesn't matter how much time parents spend with their children. What's more important is how they spend their time with them. So if you spend five hours with a child when you're stressed or tired, this could affect their development. But if you spend two hours with a child when you're happy and in a positive environment, the better off the child will be. What does that tell us?

Simply, that quality is more important than quantity.

But is this debate that straight forward? 

As beginner bloggers, we can be made to think that we have to publish content every day. There are plenty of people who do this, because they have big dreams for their blog and want to interact with their community on a regular basis. You can see why it’s an attractive thing to do. But I don't know if that necessarily means it's the right thing to do. 

So today I wanted to go through the pros and cons between quality and quantity, to see which one really is the best to aim for. 

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4 Big Mistakes You Could Be Making With Your Blog

Running a blog is hard work.

So it’s no wonder that a lot of people who start blogs quit within the first three month (source).

After blogging for eighteen months, I can see why this is true. There is a lot more to blogging than simply, well, blogging. This is something I learnt on my own, through my own journey. I've learnt that there are some quite simple things we can do to help our blogs be more professional. Most of us aren't even aware of them.

I came across articles which included almost 20 mistakes you could be making with your blog. But I didn't want to give you an endless list. I wanted to pick out the key things that you could be missing out on. The things you can start working on today. My hope is that by identifying these mistakes, you can then work on them and improve them.

This will be key to your success in the long-run.

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Why Doubting Yourself Is A Good Thing

My mum has always told me that there’s no such word as “can’t”. I'll be playing the piano. There'll be a certain point on a piece of music that I just can't get past. I’ll say, “I can’t do this.” And she’ll say, “There’s no such word as can’t.” But then a feeling appears. One that can prevent a lot of our goals and dreams from happening: self-doubt.

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Five Tips For Content Originality

Do you ever find it difficult to come up with ideas? Are there ever times when you want to write a blog post, but you don’t know where to start? We’ve all been there. Publishing original content on a regular basis is challenging. But it’s something that goes a long way with readers. As a blogger, I pride myself on creating original content for my readers to enjoy. But I also know how difficult the process can be, and I’m sure you do too. Your reason for having your blog is unique. But whatever it is, why not do it right? Today, I’m breaking down some really useful tips for creating original content.

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Why Should You Promote Old Blog Posts?

Being Boss is my favourite podcast. Recently, Kathleen and Emily spoke about how we should write about what we know. Then we should share that knowledge with our community. This is something I plan to start doing more of with this online space, but to clue you up a bit more, here’s a brief introduction.

I’ve worked in the Digital Marketing industry for five years. The backlog of skills I’ve gained in this time is something I’m proud of. So soon on A Branch of Holly, you’ll start to see more posts around the topic of digital marketing. I know this content will be quite specific, and I apologise if I put some readers off. But I also know how beneficial the topics I’m going to write about will be to you all.

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How To Refresh Your Creative Process

Do you ever sit down to plan your editorial calendar with no idea where to start? Or when you sit down to write a blog post and no words come to mind? It could be the dreaded writer’s block, but it could also be a sign of something else.

If you ever feel lost with your blog, it could be time to refresh your creative process. You could be blogging about too many topics or stuck with how to create content. Or maybe you need to completely change your perspective for your blog. I have been in all of these positions and I still don’t think I’ve found my blog’s true purpose.

These things take time. But you don’t have to put up with it. So today, I’m going to share a few helpful tips that I’ve picked up along the way.

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14 Posts You Need To Read This Month Feb

Let me just start off by saying, I have saved a lot of blog posts this month. Many of these I've tweeted about throughout this month, because they've just been too good to save for this one piece of content. But today, I've collected them all in one place for you. Some of them you'll probably have already read, but some you won't. So make a brew, get some biscuits, sit back and get ready to immerse yourself in the written word for a while.

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Seven Realities Of Being A Blogger

When you tell someone that you’re a blogger, what would they say? I can think of a few answers. It’s true that quite a lot of people don’t really ‘get it’. It’s also true that, at the moment, there’s seems to be a bit of a general stereotype surrounding bloggers, which those of who us are bloggers know isn’t true. Yet some perceptives will never change. When I started blogging I didn’t really know what to expect. But after nearly a year and a half in the industry, it’s safe to say that some things you hear just aren’t true. Today, I’m going to let you in on some realities – and you’ll probably be able to relate to each of them too.

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14 Posts You Need To Read This Month Jan

2015 has started with a huge bang. Seriously. I started the year with a Bloglovin clear out and I'm so glad I did. The bloggers and businesses I follow have brought some amazing ideas to the table this month, from personal to skills and everything in between. 

You'll notice on Twitter that I share a lot of content that I enjoy reading or that inspires me. But I love putting it all together for you in one place where you can just take your time to read through all the great ideas that are out there.

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Five Tips For Making The Best To-Do List Ever

You know that highly organised person who is incredibly productive all the time? The one that you envy a little but also admire? They have the ability to manage their time effectively, complete tasks to the highest standard and actually get everything done. But it's not just a matter of luck or hard work. This person has the one weapon that we all probably use on a daily basis. We're just not using it efficiently enough.

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Five Reasons Why Blogging Creates Happiness

Starting this blog has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Losing yourself in such a creative place is so rewarding and fulfilling. The people you interact with and the content you create on a regular basis are two of the things I love most about blogging.  Your blog is however you want it to be. There are many different tutorials advising you on how to start and grow your blog. But ultimately, the way you manage, grow and create is uniquely down to you.

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