As of today, there are over 31 million YouTube channels and the platform is the second largest search engine in the world just behind Google.

And every day, thousands of more channels go live.

So, how do you stand out in this crowded and competitive environment? 

Great content? 

Well, of course, that’s part of the formula but you’ll also need a great channel name, YouTube thumbnail, and more.

Since your goal is to get viewers to return to your channel, watch more content, and ultimately subscribe, you will need a YouTube channel name that is memorable and easy to remember. 

But with so many names already taken, picking a channel name can be tiring. 

Fortunately, a YouTube name generator can transform this mundane task into a fun exercise and lay the foundations for future success.

In this post, we’ll review the best YouTube channel name generators in the market and share tips on how you can go above and beyond to ensure a successful YouTube career. 

The Best YouTube Name Generators To Try For Free

Although there are no defined rules for naming a channel, following some basic guidelines will help you pick a catchy name. 

Often, the best channel names are short and/or make use of personal names.

That doesn’t mean you can’t use an alias or unique title though. Regardless of which approach you take, just make sure to enter only a few words in a name generator tool to avoid long titles. 

Also, remember a creative YouTube name alone won’t guarantee success since it appears in different places on YouTube such as your channel page and the search results page.

This means that you’ll need an attractive YouTube thumbnail with the correct dimensions and cover art to accompany your name. 

No need to stress though. 

Even if you can’t design to save your life, tools like Pixelied can help you create cover art in a few easy steps (more on that later).

But first, let’s review some popular YouTube channel name generators. 

1. SpinXo

SpinXo is one of the most popular YouTube name generators out there.  

What makes this tool great is that it is easy to use and it can suggest some incredibly personal names. 

The tool has multiple input options. 

When you go to the website, make sure to select “YouTube name” on the menu (the default is a username generator).

You will then be asked to provide basic information relating to your topic, niche, and other details you want the tool to consider.  

Let’s say you are interested in technology and specifically android.

Here’s how you might input the information:

Here’s are the results after clicking spin:

Note: The tool will only return 30 results at a time. If you want more suggestions, simply spin again.

SpinXo is a short YouTube name generator which means suggestions will only be two to three words (the ideal length of YouTube channel names).

But where SpinXo really shines is showing you the availability of names across platforms.

To access this feature, just click on a name you like and you’ll be taken to this screen:

Visit SpinXo.

2. Weshare

Perhaps the most unusual recommendation on this list is Weshare. 

Despite the website being a service to help you create and manage online lessons and attract more students, it also has a free name generator tool.

To access it, click on “resources & tools” on the menu bar and select YouTube name generator.

All you have to do is enter words that describe your channel instead of keywords. 

For example, let’s pretend you want to create a living gaming channel:

Here is the results page:

If you like a suggestion, click on the relevant card and you’ll see the platforms (including YouTube) the name is available on.  

Visit Weshare.

3. Kparser

Kparser is a comprehensive and specialized tool focusing on keyword suggestions.

However, it also has a name generator tool that provides suggestions that help you rank better on YouTube’s search results page rather than creative YouTube names.

When you first visit the website, make sure to click the “YouTube” option on the top menu.

This will take you to the site’s youtube channel name generator tool. 

To use it, simply enter the keywords you are interested in and hit “start”. The tool will return a list of phrases people are searching for based on your keywords. 

For example, let’s say I’m interested in the following keywords: “training”, “dogs”, and “tips”.

Here’s what’s Kparser’s results page shows:

Since the tool provides search terms people are looking up, most of the names won’t be very interesting. 

However, it can give you an idea of what to focus on when naming your channel.

Advanced options include being able to filter for searches in a specific country or language. Also, you can tell Kparser to include or exclude certain words from its suggestions.  

Although the service is free to use, upgrading to the pro plan will also give you access to search volume and CPC data for each suggestion.  

Visit Kparser.

4. Business Name Generator

As the name suggests, Business Name Generator was designed to help people find names for, well, their business rather than YouTube. 

However, it’s still a powerful tool that should not be overlooked. 

The site has a clean UI and also features a domain availability function in case you want to know if you can also register your potential channel name as a standalone website. 

Enter as many relevant keywords and hit generate. 

What’s great about this tool is that you won’t have to browse through endless results. 

For example, let’s say I’m interested in starting a channel that provides tips to beginners on how to repair cars. I might pick, “cars”, “repair”, and “beginners” as my keywords.

Here’s the result I get:

You can filter suggestions based on your stated preferences such as industry, how long a name is, and where you want a keyword to be in the name. 

Visit Business Name Generator.

5. NameBoy

NameBoy is one of the oldest players in this industry. 

Made in 1999, the site was originally made to help people brainstorm names for their website. 

However, like many other services, it has expanded into other areas over recent years. 

When you first visit the site, make sure to click the “all generator tools” option the top right and select YouTube.

Nameboy is unique in that it limits your keyword inputs to one or two words at most. 

While this does limit its ability, it ensures that the suggestions it provides are short instead of lengthy and unusable channel names.

For example, let’s say you’re interested in starting a channel about home gardening.

Here are the results:

NameBoy provides results as potential domain names.

If you’re not interested in creating a website, you can ignore the extensions and focus on the titles suggested. 

Visit NameBoy.

6. BizNameWiz

At first glance, BizNameWiz looks quite similar to Business Name Generator. 

Notice the similar interface and features on the landing page? 

Being a sister site of Business Name Generator, most of the process is the same.

Input your keywords and the tool will return suggestions which you can filter further to your liking.

One difference though is that the website has naming and branding guides you can go through to help you come up with a name.

7. Social Video Plaza

Unlike other YouTube name generators in the market, Social Video Plaza is the pet project of Dutch entrepreneur Dexxter Clark.

Dexter made the site to help others get started on YouTube after learning from his experiences editing TV content, managing SEO for his event company, and his own YouTube channels.

You can find his YouTube channel name generator tool near the bottom. 

Although it’s not a comprehensive tool, it’s a fun YouTube name generator tool to play around with. 

Simply input one or a few keywords into search and select the type of channel you are looking to create (eg; a gaming channel, travel channel, or personal vlogging).

For example, let’s say I’m interested in creating a travel channel based around biking. 

Here are the results:

If you’re not happy with any suggestions, simply hit generate again and the tool will provide more suggestions. 

Pretty nifty, right? 

Visit Social Video Plaza. 

8. The BrandBoy

The BrandBoy is dedicated to providing advice to small business owners. 

Most of the website is content-based and covers a wide spectrum of topics; from potential business ideas, how to successfully grow a business, and how to use social media to your advantage.

But that’s not all.

You’ll also find a range of name generator services covering everything from Instagram usernames to a YouTube name generator to save you time.

There’s no need to input any keywords here. 

To get YouTube channel name suggestions, simply press “click to get a new!” and the tool will spit out a random title. 

For example, here’s a potentially catchy YouTube name:

Although this does take away your control over what names are suggested, it can be a great source of inspiration. 

Visit The BrandBoy.

9. Wix Name Generator

Although Wix Name Generator does not focus on YouTube, the tool is still worth checking out.

To use Wix, brainstorm a few common words in the niche you plan on starting a channel.

Let’s say you are interested in creating a channel that teaches English.

When you type something like “learn English” and hit generate, you’ll be taken to a new screen where you’ll be asked to enter industry information (in this case it’s education). 

Although you can skip this step, it’s advisable to input as much relevant information as possible to get the best suggestions. 

Here are the results:

The industry filter has a large range of options, so try to be as accurate as possible.

Visit Wix Name Generator. 

10. NameBounce

NameBounce is a company focused solely on helping people craft memorable business names. 

As the company has grown, it has rolled out new tools to help you come up with usernames across multiple platforms, including YouTube. 

However, finding the site’s YouTube name generator is a bit confusing. 

For some odd reason, you’ll have to scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to see all name generators available. 

Select YouTube and you should be taken to this page: 

The tool works like most others. 

Enter your desired keyword and wait for the results. 

For example, let’s say you are interested in starting a channel about cooking breakfast. 

Here’s what NameBounce suggests:

You can customize your results based on how a channel should start or end and the maximum length of the name or syllables it contains. 

Visit NameBounce. 

11. Screen Name Generator

Looking for a catchy YouTube name?

Look no further than Screen Name Generator.

The site has various name generator tools that can help you come up with fantasy names, place names, and usernames, including for YouTube.

Note: There’s no place to input any information in this tool.

Screen Name Generator will automatically provide name suggestions (most of them will be words related to video).

Don’t like the suggested name?

Just click the “see another” option and the tool will suggest a new name.

While there is no guarantee that this will give you a useable name, it’s to fun experiment and good practice to get accustomed with wordplay.

Visit Screen Name Generator.

12. Name Generator

Relatively simple and straightforward, Name Generator is another fun YouTube channel name generator.

The tool allows you to enter two keywords that you would like in your channel name at the start (prefix) and end (suffix). 

You should now see a screen where you can enter your keywords. 

Let’s pretend I’m interested in creating a channel about travel in Asia. Here’s how I can use the tool to get catchy YouTube names.

You’ll have to click “generate YouTube names” manually each time you want a new suggestion.

However, the tool automatically compiles a list of suggestions it has generated and you even can select favorites in case you want to create a collection of potential names. 

Visit Name Generator.

Additional Resources

After playing around with name generators, you should have an idea of the direction your channel will take.

But before you go ahead and create, there’s one more thing you need to do.

Create YouTube cover art and YouTube thumbnails to accompany your channel name. 

Remember that YouTube is full of competition and to stand out, you’ll need crisp, clean, and optimized artwork to go along with a great name and content. 

Fortunately, Pixelied makes this process easy and stress-free with the help of ready-made YouTube thumbnail templates, channel art templates and outros. Before going through the process of how you can create compelling banners, it is important to first have some inspiration and banner ideas when looking to create one.

Pixelied 

To create a YouTube channel art, head over to the easy drag n drop editor. 

Pick a design from the left sidebar in order to make changes. 

Pixelied allows you to add/remove text, add illustrations and icons, curved text, and insert images from its large database in just a few clicks. 

When you’re happy with the changes you’ve made, simply click “download” on the top right. 

You’ll be asked to select a format (JPG, PNG, SVG, or WEBP) and that’s all there is to it.

Your new ready-to-use design will download to your desired directory. 

No sign-up is required!

The same process can be used to create stunning YT profile pictures.

Visit Pixelied.

NameChk

NameChk is a free username and domain search tool.

These days, it’s quite common for large YouTube channels to become standalone brands. This means that they create websites and register for a domain name that matches their YouTube channel name.  

Although you can do this after you have built a following, this is rather risky. 

If the domain is already taken, you’ll have to hope the owner sells you the rights or otherwise you will have to change your channel name which can confuse your subscribers. 

Enter NameChk.

It allows you to quickly check which domain extension your desired name is available for.

Ideally, the earlier you do this process the better as it means avoiding headaches down the line.

How To Change A Channel Name?

Despite taking all the necessary precautions, sometimes having to change a channel name is unavoidable.

So, what’s the process like?

First, you’ll have to head over to YouTube studio and select the “customization” option.

You should see a channel customization screen now.

Here select the “basic info” option and click on the pencil logo to edit your channel name.

Once ready, hit publish and your new channel name will appear on YouTube.

Happy Creating!

Now that you know how to use tools to your advantage, it’s time to finally get going!

With a perfect channel name, it’s time to create some videos with the correct video dimensions to populate your channel.

And don’t forget to create compelling YouTube thumbnails and cover art to complete your YouTube channel so that it reaches the maximum number of people possible.

Ready to begin your journey?

Start here.

The post 12 Top Free YouTube Name Generators in 2021 appeared first on Pixelied Blog.

Besides its groovy beat and catchy-lyrics, the band was alluding to how the growth of video content had disrupted the world of audio content.

Fast forward a few decades and podcasts have “saved the radio star”.

Today, at least 32% of Americans tune in to podcasts at least once per month.

It’s no surprise then that the industry has become incredibly competitive with content creators wrestling for market share in their respective niche.

And like any other business, a creative podcast name is part of the equation. 

Unfortunately, picking a name can be a cumbersome and confusing process. 

Your podcast title has to not only be creative and memorable but also reveal what your content is about.

You have two choices here. 

Either select a name manually or use a podcast title generator. 

In this post, we’ll review some popular podcast name generators, how to use them to your advantage, and how you can determine the worth of your podcast name.

Let’s dive in!

7 Free Podcast Name Generators To Try In 2021

Before you start using podcast name generators, it’s important to know what they are and how they help. 

Basically, these tools save you time and energy by doing away with brainstorming work. 

Regardless of which tool you use, remember that the words you use should relate to the content and/or the emotion it provides. 

Remember that a creative podcast name alone cannot guarantee success.

You also need to create captivating podcast cover art templates to capture a listener’s attention on crowded podcast platforms such as Spotify (more on how to create covers later in the post).

1. Kopywrite Kourse

As the name suggests, Kopywrite Kourse is a training agency that helps copywriters improve their chops.

But that’s not all they do.

They also have a nifty free podcast name generator tool.

To use it, all you need to do is enter the following information into a search bar: your topic, your name, and/or city and the tool will generate a list of suggestions for you.

Here’s a view of the input field:

And here’s a list of suggestions provided by the website: 

Pro-Tip: You have some control over the suggestions by selecting specific words to be placed in the front or end of your name. 

Visit Kopywrite Kourse

2. NameBoy

If you have ever made a website, you must be familiar with the concept of domain names.

Although NameBoy initially specialized in checking the availability of domain names, they have diversified and created several other title generators, including one for podcasts.

When visiting their website, click on “all generator tools” and select “podcast”.

Visit NameBoy

3. Business Name Generator

As its name implies, Business Name Generator was made to help businesses come up with a name, however, the service also offers a podcast name generator service.

Type in relevant keywords in your niche and wait for the algorithm to work its magic.

You can also search for a theme or idea rather than keywords.

The tool syncs with GoDaddy, so if you’re keen on registering a website under your podcast name, it can help you quickly determine domain availability.

Visit Business Name Generator

4. BizNameWiz

Focused solely on creative podcast name suggestions, BizNameWhiz was created by branding experts.

It works like most other title generators out there. 

Enter some words related to the theme of your podcast and wait for suggestions generated by the website. 

But this tool is not about just providing name suggestions. 

The site also features specialists who share useful tips and strategies about how to name your podcast in order to attract a large audience. 

Visit BizNameWiz

5. Portent Podcast Name Generator

Portent is a digital marketing agency based in Seattle.

As part of its offerings, the agency provides a free title generator tool. Although it was created to provide ideas for your content calendar, it can still be used to name your podcast.

Just enter words you think are important and the tool will generate the best podcast names for you.

What’s especially great about Portent is that besides names, it also offers marketing strategies you can apply to market your podcast.

Visit Portent

6. Crowdspring Name Generator

Crowdspring’s podcast title generator is a paid service that helps you pick a name and more.

Using their service ensures that a team of professionals will help you select a name that attracts the most potential listeners possible.

Moreover, the site can also help you with logos, illustrations, and design of your podcast which play a key role in determining your success.

Visit Crowdspring

7. SquadHelp

Unlike other podcast name generators, SquadHelp is a paid tool.

The website has ‘gamified’ the process of name selection by letting you create contests where strangers can submit name suggestions for a range of businesses, including podcasts. 

But why would strangers help you out? 

For a chance to win the cash prize you have set for the winning entry (this is mandatory). But if you are not a fan of contests, there’s another option.

You can simply window shop for a podcast name in the “names for sale” section.

Don’t overlook this option as you’ll often discover hidden gems here since names are provided by humans instead of emotionless robots. 

Visit SquadHelp

Additional Resources

While podcast titles are important, a great name alone does not guarantee success.

To make a lasting first impression, your logo and podcast cover art also have an impact on your appeal. If either element is not strong, your podcast will never achieve its full potential despite how great your content is.

Pixelied

Pixelied is a free online graphic design tool that makes it incredibly easy to create optimized cover art for a range of social media platforms, including podcasts.

So, how can you use it to your advantage?

First, head over to the Podcast cover art templates page.

You should now see a range of pre-made podcast cover art templates you can play around with.

Once you pick a template, you will be taken straight to the software’s editing tool or you can head straight to the editor using this link.

Here, you can flex your creative muscles.

Want to add some illustrations?

Browse through a large library of web-optimized sketches and experiment with the design.

Or perhaps you’d like to add a hero image, icons, curved text, or change the color scheme? Again, Pixelied’s editing tool makes all these steps easy.

Once you’re happy with your design, simply click the download button.

Your new design is now ready to use!

What’s great about Pixelied is that there is no need to sign-up or register to use the editor, which means you can focus all your attention on the design.

NameChk

Shortform for “name check”, this website does exactly what its name hints: check if a name is available on over 98 different social networks as well as if a domain is available for your desired name.

The site is straightforward and easy to use.

Type your desired podcast name and wait for the platform to do its job.

For example, let’s say I want to name my podcast “All About Cars”.

Here’s a look at the results:

The results are color-coded (green means the name is available for that domain).

Frequently Asked Questions About Podcasts

While free podcast name generators can be helpful, they don’t always work as planned. 

Often, you’ll run into problems such as your desired name being unavailable, confusion about how to trademark your name, how to change your podcast name, and more.

To come up with the best podcast names, you’ll need to put in some manual work.

To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions that podcasters bring up when starting out. 

1. How Do I Know If The Name I Chose Is Good?

Coming up with a creative podcast name is already tricky. 

But what’s worse is doubting your decision after the fact. Fortunately, there are metrics that can help you determine how good your podcast name is. 

First, ask yourself if your name contains any alliterations, puns, or rhyming elements? 

Why?

Because these literary devices make a name catchier and memorable. 

For example, a name such as “Finance Freak” is more likely to stick in people’s head than “Finance Strategy Podcast”.

Here’s a great example of this trick in action:

Next, look at the length of your name.

The best podcast names are short and simple (no more than three to five words). Also, while you can use words like “the” or “podcast” in your name, try to avoid it. 

Even though it can help listeners connect your name to a podcast, it can pose a problem down the line if you want to branch out beyond podcasts with your brand name.

Last but not least, ask yourself if the name of your podcast conveys the message or theme you want?

A podcast name should reveal what your podcast is about. 

Here are some great examples of creative podcast names that tell you exactly what to expect.

2. Should You Use Your Real Name When Podcasting Or A Pseudonym?

When it comes to the internet, many people prefer to keep their identity hidden.

Whether it be a name for a forum, blog, or even podcast, pseudonyms are common online. But is it a good idea to use them?

There’s no right answer here. 

It depends on what you want to achieve.

If you’re looking to build credibility in your niche, you should absolutely use your real name. 

Why? 

It helps you earn the trust of your listeners.

By putting yourself out there, you’re letting people know what you’re all about.]

Here’s a great example of a podcast name where you have no question who the host is:

However, if you want to keep your offline life private, use a pseudonym to protect yourself. Just make sure that you use this name everywhere though and don’t leave any breadcrumbs behind.

Of course, you don’t have to follow either extreme. 

For example, if you want to be personal but still maintain some level of privacy, an easy trick is to simply use your first name in your podcast title. 

3. Should You Name Your Blog And Podcast The Same?

Again, ask yourself if you are trying to build a brand or want people to recognize you easily.

If you’re eyeing a podcast empire, you should absolutely name your podcast and blog the same name.

This makes it easy to recognize you on all the different platforms you are on from your podcast, related social media profiles, and even a standalone website.

For example, Crime Junkie features prominently on Spotify.

A quick Google search and you’ll find a standalone with the same name.

The only time you should not use the same podcast and blog name is if you want to maintain anonymity. 

If you’re podcasting is covering sensitive issues or something you don’t want to be tied to your name, make sure not to leave any breadcrumbs behind.

4. What To Do If Your Podcast Name Is Taken?

If your desired name is already taken (the best podcast names usually are), you have two options.

First, you can attempt to contact the person who owns the rights to that name and attempt to buy it off them. While there are no guarantees, this can work especially if the person isn’t using the name actively.

Otherwise, it’s back to the drawing board.

Look at words in your desired name and consider what synonyms you can use in their place.

For example, you can easily swap “expert” for “guru” and still maintain the same impact. However, don’t fall prey to the temptation of giving your podcast the same name by altering the spelling or any other clever play on words.

Not only will this create confusion but it can also lead to legal hassles.

If none of these options suit you, your last course of action can always be to try another run at a free podcast name generator.

5. How To Come Up With A Unique Podcast Name?

Without a structured approach, picking a great podcast name is next to impossible. 

Here are five easy steps you can follow to ensure a great name: 

Step 1: Create a keyword list

Before you decide to give your podcast a name, you should have a clear idea of the type of content it will offer, including the tone and personality. 

Use this to list some words or phrases that describe your podcast. 

To narrow down your options further, put yourself in the shoes of your ideal listener. What terms might interest or appeal to them? 

Last but not least, look at podcast names of your potential competitors.

An easy way to do this is to browse for a podcast using categories on a platform like TuneIn:

When spying on competitors, notice if they are using phrases or words you have listed?

If so, ask yourself how you can differentiate and stand out.  you are different and can stand out.

Step 2: Pick a style

Podcast names fit into the following styles: descriptive, creative, and named after the host.

Do your listed words from the previous step match your chosen style?

Usually, descriptive podcast names are always a safe bet because they let listeners know exactly what your content is about and are easy to search for. 

Step 3: Test your name

Before you go finalize your selection, be sure to get a second opinion.

Ask your friends or colleagues what they think about your podcast name? Do they think the name fits well with the type of podcast you’re going for?

To really know which names are a good fit, follow up a few days later to see if they remember the name.

Another option is to conduct a survey asking people the feeling(s) they associate with certain names, what they think a podcast might be about based on a name, or what name intrigues them to investigate further.

Google Forms provides an easy and free way to create a survey in seconds. You can also check out some Google Forms alternatives if you are looking for more advanced features that’d fit your needs better.

If you’re not sure where to conduct a survey, consider online communities.

Forums are full of friendly, helpful people who are ready to help you given you follow the community rules.

Last but not least, you can also run paid ads on Google or Facebook to gauge the popularity of different names.

Test different names and see which deliver the most interaction. Again, if you’re not sure how to run a paid ad, you can hire someone for a one-off project on platforms like UpWork or Fiverr.

Step 4: Check availability and finalize 

Now that you have a name for your podcast (ideally you should have a top 3), it’s time to check if it is available.

Use a search engine like Google or platform like iTunes, Spotify, or TuneIn to see if a name is available.

If a name is taken, don’t give up hope (see above for options about what you can do).

But if your name is available, you’re nearly there! The last step is to check a trademark database to make sure the name has not already been claimed by someone else.

6. How Do I Trademark My Podcast Name?

Most podcasters aren’t legal experts.

Just picking a name for your podcast does not mean you own the legal rights to use it. To claim ownership,  you need to register for a trademark which identifies you as the source of a good or service.

Fortunately, it’s a relatively simple process. 

To start, register your name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

You’ll have to set up an account on USPTO’s website and file a trademark application form after paying a small fee.

Once filed, you can track the progress of your application on the website until you receive an approval or rejection. Consider hiring a legal attorney to help you in this process.

Wrapping It All Up

We get it.

Naming your podcast can be a tricky and scary process.

However, if you follow the structured approach described above and use tools such as podcast name generators and Pixelied to your advantage, you can rest assured that your name and covert art is appealing as can be.

So now that you know what to do, click here to get started.

The post 7 Top Free Podcast Name Generators in 2021 appeared first on Pixelied Blog.

A unique theme? A regular schedule that allows listeners to tune in? Forming a connection or authentic bond with your listeners?

If you picked any of those, you wouldn’t be wrong. 

But of course, things are never that simple. 

What many podcasters fail to realize is that great content is not enough. 

The podcasting industry is growing rapidly. As of this year, there are 850,000 active podcasts and 30 million episodes online. 

How do you get noticed in such a challenging environment? 

Eye-catching podcast cover art. 

Because unless you’re an authority figure in your industry, your podcast is going to blend in with thousands of others on discovery platforms like Apple iTunes and Spotify. 

In this post, we’ll show you how to create professional cover art, share best design practices, and show you examples of effective artwork. 

Let’s begin!

What is a Podcast Cover Art?

It’s the image or logo that shows up beside your name on podcasting platforms. 

If you already listen to podcasts, this might be a familiar sight.

Not sure what it is?

Well, it’s a brief snapshot of all the latest podcasts available on a third-party platform. 

While it might not be inherently obvious, hard work and planning does go behind the design of each image to influence what users click on.  

Why Do You Need A Podcast Cover Art?

Great artwork is important for several reasons.  

First, visually appealing cover art draws eyeballs and sets you apart from the competition.

And like on other platforms, good design means more traffic.  

With hundreds, if not thousands of podcasts available in every genre, you want listeners to notice your content. Otherwise, once a potential subscriber goes to a competitor, there is a risk of losing them for good. 

Second, cover art can help you reinforce the theme of your podcast.

But that’s not all.

On platforms like Apple iTunes, artwork quality has a direct influence on whether your podcast appears in the much-coveted “new and noteworthy” section.

Apple itself curates this list. 

Featuring on this section means you’ll be the first thing millions of potential listeners see when they open Apple’s podcast homepage. 

Certainly not a bad crowd to be in. 

So how do you end up on this coveted list? 

One of the requirements is to have attractive, original artwork. Apple will not hurt its reputation by exposing users to low-quality artwork and potentially bad podcasts. 

What Size Should Podcast Cover Art Be?

The recommended podcast cover art size is 3000 by 3000 pixels, which is the maximum permissible size while 1400 by 1400 pixels is the minimum. 

But despite these size requirements, most people will likely see a scaled-down version of your cover art.

For example, if someone clicks on your podcast using iTunes on desktop, your cover art will be sized down to 276 pixels by 276 pixels.

So, make sure your artwork scales down for smalls screen sizes. 

If you’re not sure whether your artwork will look good on the small screen, try this simple trick. 

Export your cover art image at 55 pixels by 55 pixels to see what it looks like. Are all elements, including logos, text, and images, still clearly visible and not cluttered? 

If not, make changes until your artwork is crisp and clear.

This is absolutely essential.

Since most people discover podcasts on third-party platforms, you don’t want to drive potential subscribers away before they even get the chance to hear how great you are.  

How to Make Your Own Podcast Cover Art?

Let’s face it. 

Most podcasters are not expert graphic designers.

However, you can still make beautiful, engaging covers without having to pay someone else. 

What’s the secret? 

Use a podcast cover maker tool like Pixelied, which is a great cost-effective alternative to platforms like Canva.

Regardless of whether you have a creative bone in your body, Pixelied lets you customize pre-made templates to create a unique, professional podcast cover art.  

And the great news is that Pixelied is free to use. 

Here’s a step-by-step walk-through of how to create podcast cover art using Pixelied.  

Step # 1 ― Open Pixelied’s Free Editor

Open Pixelied’s free podcast cover editor to get started and you’ll see the following window along with all the podcast cover art templates:

Step # 2 ― Customize Your Design

Have a quick browse through the templates available to you. 

Your goal is to try and pick a design that will visually communicate what your podcast is about to potential listeners (more on this later). 

Once you’ve chosen a template, you can customize it to your liking.

For example, let’s say you are the host of a show that discusses mental health. 

When you choose a template, it will open it in the canvas. 

Here, you will see a range of customization options that let you change the image, color scheme, text, opacity, and more.

Get creative!

Pixelied is a powerful editor with a range of tweak-able parameters you can play around with.

Step # 3 ― Download Your Podcast Logo

Once you finalize your design, the next step is to export it from Pixelied. 

Look for the “Download” option on the top right of your screen. 

You’ll be asked to select the format of the image file (.jpg vs .png).

And that’s it! 

Your new shiny podcast logo is ready for use.

Best Practices For Creating Podcast Cover Art

Naturally, creating cover art for your podcast is a little unnerving. 

After all, it will follow you around everywhere. 

But fear not. 

If you stick to some of these universal podcast cover art design rules, it will shine rather than blend in with the crowd. 

1. Visually Show What You’re All About  

Remember the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words?”

Think of your podcast cover art in a similar light. 

You have one opportunity to convey your message.  And although text-based descriptions often do accompany podcasts, listeners will only see them once they click through.

So, your task with your podcast cover art is two-fold. 

It must both inform potential listeners what the podcast is about and the tone of your podcast through visuals alone. 

How do you accomplish that?

By understanding your core audience. 

Once you identify your listener demographic, ask yourself: How do you want to make them feel? Why are you making this show? How are you different from your competitors? 

As you start answering these questions, write them down. 

Brainstorm how you can visually represent these ideas. Think of images or visual representations of the topic or key words that often feature in your podcast.

Here are some great podcast cover art examples that are simple yet informative.

2. Don’t Get Too Wordy

Just because you’re designing cover art doesn’t mean you can’t use text.

In fact, you should be using text where possible. 

It provides a rare opportunity to connect with people and convince them to pick you. 

But there is too much of a good thing.

Don’t start writing paragraphs. Text should complement and add to your visual message, not detract from it. 

Stick to three to four words. 

Why?

To ensure your message is clear and legible on all screen sizes. Keep in mind that eight in ten weekly podcast listeners tune in from their smartphones.

Most people will shy away from a mass of text on a small image. 

Additionally, using a few words is better for branding as it lets you create a catchy, fun tagline that listeners can remember you by. 

If you’re struggling to figure out what words to use, here’s a few examples of suggestive words you can use:  

• Talk 
• Conversation
• Debate
• Explained

NPR has perfected the art of creating podcast art that gets text absolutely right every time. 

3. Avoid Overused Images

When it comes to image selection for your covert art, cliches are a big no-no. 

No one wants to see this:

Stock or generic images of people of items such as headsets, microphones, speakers or any other audio-related device has been overplayed. 

Avoid them at all costs. 

Otherwise, besides telling potential listeners very little, if absolutely nothing, what you’re actually saying is that you are lazy or lack the creative skill to communicate.

That’s not something you want to be letting your listeners on to.

Note that the above examples include some of the most commonly overused images across all niches.

However, depending on your niche, there will be some additional objects, items, phrases that you will have to avoid so be on the lookout for them.  

4. Be Consistent With Branding 

Branding is all about influencing the emotions of potential listeners.

For example, let’s say you’re Best Buy.

As a trusted name in the industry, your cover art should take advantage of existing branding and feature your logo that listeners have seen elsewhere. 

Why?

It’s part of your brand identity.

Since listeners are investing their time, they will naturally favor podcasts by businesses they are familiar with.

Here are some great examples of podcasts with branding almost anyone will recognize.

Also, make sure to incorporate copy, images, fonts, and colors that people associate with your brand elsewhere to help create a consistent feel across different formats.

This will help cement that connection you have with loyal fans.

For example, Neil Patel’s podcast logo is a great example of how to stay consistent across platforms.

Here’s how his artwork looks on the iTunes platform.

Compare that with his website.

Notice anything?

Both images are consistent and use of the same colors, text, and photos.

But what if your podcast is not linked to any large organization?

Is branding still possible?

Absolutely!

Ask yourself what kind of brand image you want to establish: sharp, edgy, smart, funny, simplistic, or something else entirely?

Your artwork should reflect your answer.

5. Let Typography Do The Talking 

Not sure what typography means? 

Well, it’s an art form that deals with the arrangement of text to provide additional meaning and context to your image. 

For podcast cover art, this mostly means the type of font you use, however, it can also include the use of different shapes to share a message. 

So how do fonts add additional meaning to your text?

By provoking a psychological reaction that shapes emotional response in humans. 

It’s a trick professional designers and marketers have known for decades. By using font psychology, you can communicate certain themes to listeners without saying a word. 

For example, trustworthy, playful, friendly, and creative are just some emotions you can share by changing font type.  

How does this translate into the world of podcast cover art?

Let’s say you are the host of a comedy podcast.  

What font type should you use?

Something playful obviously. 

But on the other hand, if you run a finance podcast, you’ll want to use fonts that make people feel you are trustworthy and an expert in your field.

Here’s a great table that associates various feelings with different fonts: 

But remember one thing.

When choosing a font to build an emotional connection, make sure it does not impede the readability of your message. 

6. Use Color Contrast To Your Advantage

Color plays a key role in forming first impressions. 

According to research, humans judge other people and/or products within the first 90 seconds of initial exposure. 

But what influences their judgment?  

You guessed it!

It’s the choice of color or color scheme.

Between 62%-90% of all impressions are based on colors alone, so you want to pick colors carefully as they can set the tone, mood, and message people to take away. 

Here’s a great example of how color contrast can work both for or against you.

You should always pick shades that reflect on the tone of your podcast.

In the above example, neon is not the best choice for a business podcast as it has a charitable undertone. Orange is a much better choice as it relates to vitality and health, things which you relate with your career.

So how do you know which color to use? 

First, spy on the cover art of your competitors. 

Do you notice any patterns in their color scheme? 

For example, if you notice your competition is using an abundance of dark colors, you can opt to use bright and contrasting colors to get noticed. 

Similar if they are all using similar bright colors, you can change it up a bit.

Not sure which color has what meaning?

Here’s a great graphic that gives you the basics:

Remember, your color choices are not limited to what’s visible in the background. 

You can also add contrast through text and/or graphics you use. Just ensure the final product is easily noticeable, easy to read, and uncluttered. 

Best Examples Of Podcast Cover Art Designs

Now that you understand the nuts and bolts of great podcast cover art, let’s look at some podcast logo examples from Pixelied in action. 

Example # 1 ― What’s Wrong With Your Business

What makes it great?

Effective use of contrast.

A few things are going on with the color scheme here. 

First, notice the contrast achieved using two similar shades of color in the background image. It guides your eyes directly to the center of the page where the main text is.

But that’s not all. 

The contrast effect continues in the text.

By highlighting the key word in a different color, visitors will find it easy to understand what to expect from this podcast.

Example # 2 ― The Fitness Journey With Sophia Steve

What makes this cover art so great? 

It’s all about clever use of typography and taking a simple message to reflect on the host’s playful character. 

Notice the different font used for host Sophia Steve’s name? 

How does it make you feel?

Relaxed? At ease? (It should unless you’re a robot..)

All it took was a simple tweak of the font style, however, the playful theme does not stop there. 

You’ll see a similar strategy applied to the image of the host by using external styling elements to make her appear friendly, goofy, yet smart at the same time.

Example # 3 ― The Lady Gang

The Lady Gang’s podcast cover art is a great example of how powerful visuals can help you share your story.

Although the podcast name doesn’t give much away, one glance of the image tells visitors all they need to know about the show; from the group of women hosts, their seemingly close friendship, and casual but professional outlook.

To reinforce this point, the artwork uses color to great effect.

Notice the prevalence of black everywhere?

Each host is wearing one article of black clothing and the podcast title is placed on a black backdrop also.

What’s the significance?

Black is linked to a sense of professionalism.

Example # 4 ― Business Process Simplified

The last example shows how simplicity is powerful when executed correctly.

While it may seem like not much happening in this cover, its genius lies in the use of a simple tagline to tell people exactly what to expect.

And to make sure people don’t miss the text, contrast is used cleverly to draw attention to it.

Besides the text, color is again used to impart different moods.

The host is featured on a black backdrop indicating professionalism while orange is all about fun.

Over To You

While easy to overlook, podcast cover art is essential for success.

It is the face of your show and what people see first. If you fail to make a good impression, you’ll not only lose people’s trust but a loyal audience base.

So don’t take it lightly.

Follow the tips mentioned in this post and head over to Pixelied to create a distinct podcast cover that complements your content and sets you on the path toward success.

Ready to get started?

Begin your journey by clicking here.

The post How to Create Eye-Catching Podcast Cover Art? [+Templates] appeared first on Pixelied Blog.

But that doesn’t mean other options don’t exist. 

Amid the plethora of competitors is Etsy, a global marketplace that brings together buyers and sellers of vintage goods and handmade items. 

With 46.3 million active users, the platform is a great alternative for artisans to ply their trade on. 

But how does it work? And how can sellers establish a strong presence on the platform?  

One way to maximize sales is by creating an attractive Etsy banner. 

It’s the first thing that most shoppers will see when they enter your virtual storefront and first impressions do matter. 

In this post, we’ll provide a step-by-step walkthrough of how to create and upload a banner on Etsy and the best-practices you need to know to convert shoppers into paying customers.

What Is An Etsy Banner?  

Before sharing with you important details such as the correct Etsy banner size to use, how to make them appealing, and how to upload these images on your store, there is another important question to answer.

What the heck is an Etsy banner?

Simply, it’s a hero image that appears above your product listings on your store’s homepage.

Here’s an example of an Etsy banner:

Etsy banners are not unique to the platform either. You’ll notice these types of images being used on other sites such as Patreon and Soundcloud.

However, there is no one universal law on how to use them.

You’ll notice different best practices being used for images depending on the platform.

What’s The Ideal Etsy Banner Size?

According to Etsy itself, the ideal banner size lies between a maximum of 3360 pixels by 840 pixels and a minimum of 1200 pixels by 300 pixels.

However, there is more to creating banners than just getting the dimensions right. 

An important point to note is that Etsy gives you three choices when creating a banner; a small banner, a cover photo, and no banner at all. 

Make sure you choose cover photo option instead of small banner.

Why?  

Besides being larger and more visually appealing, a cover photo will show up on both mobile and desktop whereas a small banner shows only if a user is on desktop. 

Considering that over half of all Americans shop online on mobile, picking the correct option here is critical.

Also, since a cover photo gives you more space to communicate, you will want to go with this option.

Why Even Bother Creating An Etsy Banner?

Indeed, most people will not read or pay close attention to a store’s cover photo.

So why create one in the first place?

Since it will be the first thing, potential customers notice when they arrive at your store, what you decide to show them can influence shopping behavior.

Therefore, creating a banner is a good practice in branding and marketing visuals.

By exposing people to strong visuals, a banner lets you communicate who you are as a brand, show off your products, or provide social proof to inspire buyer confidence. 

And once you’ve gained recognition, you can use cover photos for a variety of other reasons such as to promote a sale or share a seasonal or holiday product launch.

Last but not least, cover photos can often double as a brand logo and ‘complete’ your brand.

You want to use this opportunity to build loyalty and drive repeat business.

How To Create An Etsy Banner In Four Easy Steps

Now that you know the correct Etsy banner size to use and why you need these images, it’s time to create your very own banner finally.

Not sure if you’re up to the task?

There are plenty of platforms out there that allow you to create an Etsy banner in just a matter of few clicks. If you’re not sure which tool to use, Pixelied is a safe bet.

The platform is powerful and lets you create pro-level masterpieces in no time without much skill.

Here’s how to create a memorable cover using Pixelied:

Step #1: Head Over to the Editor (It’s Free)

To get started, simply go to our free Pixelied editor.

You’ll be able to create eye-catching banners by choosing from hundreds of ready-made Etsy banner templates.

Step #2: Select An Etsy Banner Template

Pick a template from the left sidebar that best fits your needs. 

You can use the search functionality to look for a specific template or category. Once a template has been clicked on, it’ll load on to the canvas and you can customize it to your heart’s desire. 

Step #3: Add Your Assets To The Design

Some macro-level customization options include the ability to add your own images, modifying and styling text, options to add illustrations and icons, and changing the color scheme. 

But if that’s not enough, there are additional options as well that let you control the fine details.

This includes touching up shadows, controlling image opacity, and adding/removing borders.

Step #4: Download Your Amazing Design

When you’re done designing, simply hit download at the top right to export your design.

You will be given a choice to choose between the .jpg and .png format. Pick whichever format works best for you.

With your banner ready, the next logical step is to upload it on Etsy.

How To Publish And Upload A Banner On Etsy

If you don’t have an Etsy account, first create a profile.

When you arrive on the website, click sign-in and instead of filling in your login details, select register.

After you’ve completed the registration process, you’re ready to begin.

Log in to your account and click on Shop Manager on the top right of the dashboard. This will take you to a new page where you will see a range of options.

Look for your shop name at the bottom of the page under Sales Channel.

Next, click on the “Settings” option.

Click on the pencil icon next to your store name, and you will be taken to yet another page.

Here, click on the change layout option.

Next, you will be asked to choose a banner type; either cover photo, mini, or none.

Remember to select the cover photo option.

Upload your newly minted banner photo created with Pixelied.

And that’s it!

Tip: While the free version of Etsy gives you three banner options, if you have a premium Etsy Plus account, you will have some additional design options.

• Carousel banner

This option lets you add four different images as your cover photo instead of just one.

By having more room to showcase your products or tell your brand story, the previously small space is now suddenly much larger.

Why is this important?

You have the opportunity to drive more engagement to your store.

But be careful.

If your images don’t relate to one another or share different messaging, you will end up only confusing your visitors.

• Collage banner

This option lets you add two, three, or four images into one single large banner.

This option is a great way to show off your most popular or newest listings.

By being able to show more of your products from the get-go, the collage banner is a great way to maximize sales.

Best Etsy Banner Examples And Practices

As you have seen now, creating cover photos is pretty straightforward.

But the real challenge lies in the design.

How can you communicate your brand ethos in such a small space? While difficult, it’s not impossible, especially if you follow these proven practices.

Aim For Consistency With Your Store

Being consistent is important when it comes to branding.

Consistency in this context means that your target audience is exposed to the same core message and experience while browsing or shopping in your store.

This includes everything from how your cover photo appears to how you provide customer service.

For example, one way you can help promote consistency is to make sure that the color scheme used for your product listings matches that of your cover photo.

For example, Dye For Yarn showcases a cover photo that resembles its product listings below.

Remember that a banner sets the tone of the core message you want to communicate with customers.

If you remain consistent, you’ll start to gain recognition from customers.

And in a competitive and saturated marketplace, being recognized means winning half the battle.

Choose Contrasting Colors To Stand Out

To grab a user’s attention, your banner needs to stand out.

One way to do this is by using color contrast to your advantage.

Since, the human eye is more sensitive to bright hues, so bright red, yellow, and orange will always perform better than green, blue, and purple shades.

But that doesn’t mean you always have to use bright colors to achieve this effect.

For example, Tram21 was able to draw attention to their products by placing them in the banner on a dark backdrop.

The result?

Products that look exceptional and more importantly, customers could immediately know what the brand is all about in a single glance.

Clear Use Of Text

While images alone can be effective, don’t underestimate the power of text.

Often an image alone might not be enough to convey your value proposition, so adding text to your banner is a great way to communicate what your brand is all about.

Remember to keep it short and concise, though.

For example, if your store specializes handmade bracelets that make great gifts, you might add: “A bracelet for all special occasions”.

Here’s an example of how Stampoutonline uses text in their banner image to cleverly to answer who they are and what they do.

Leverage Whitespace

Whitespace is integral to good design practice.

But what is it exactly?

It’s space that is intentionally left blank to minimize confusion. You don’t want too much happening in your banner and make readers guess what you are trying to say.

So, be careful not to add too much information in your banner image.

Instead, try to use white space to highlight design elements and highlight your key message.

Here’s an example

Make Use Of Social Proof

Ever been in a crowded marketplace, trying to figure out where to eat?

If you’re like most, you’ll end up going where other people are.

Why?

Humans are psychologically hard-wired to copy the behavior of strangers when it comes to making a decision.

Similarly, online shoppers are tired of marketing campaigns and will be influenced by the wisdom of the crowds when it comes to deciding whether a product or brand is worth buying.

Notice how Bloom Valley Market’s cover photo utilizes people to showcase how their products can be used in everyday situations.

Here are three ways how you can integrate social proof in your banner:

• Tell potential customers how many people like you

Since banners allow you to insert text, you can add a line such as “trusted by X number of shoppers” or even plug the name of a celebrity text that says 50k people like you.

• Someone important likes this / us.

Like in the previous tactic, you can use the image of a celebrity or even someone well-known in your industry.

• People like you like this

The last option is to use images of normal people so that buyers can easily relate.

Conclusion

While easy to overlook, Etsy banners are quite an important piece of branding asset.

Besides introducing your products or brand ethos to potential shoppers, they also provide a competitive advantage over your rivals.

Just remember that effective banners are memorable. By following good design practices and using tools like Pixelied to create banners, your store will see an increase in footfall in no time.

The post Ideal Etsy Banner Size: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on Pixelied Blog.

Before forums, social media, and message boards gained traction; amateur bloggers were busy churning out content for like-minded individuals. 

But are they still relevant in 2020?

Absolutely!

Practically everyone reads blogs still ─ 77% of internet users to be precise ─  whether it’s to stay up-to-date, learn new things, or be entertained. 

Yet, the blogosphere has become increasingly over-saturated with content. 

Add to the mix the rise of multimedia platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and you get an extremely competitive blogging environment for newcomers. 

But the industry is not dead. It’s evolving.

Long gone are the days when writing content was enough. In its place, a new breed of bloggers has emerged. 

In this post, we’ll review common mistakes that amateur bloggers make and provide you with strategies and tips to ensure you can build a solid following.    

10 Mistakes Amateur Bloggers Should Avoid At All Costs

1. Relying entirely on platforms like Wix 

It’s a fact that most bloggers are not technical gurus.

They might be experts in their field and be able to write well, but they cannot create a functional web page without help.

Enter third-party solutions.

Platforms such as Wix, WordPress, and SquareSpace have gained traction because they provide hosting solutions and allow anyone to create a blog using a drag-and-drop interface.

No code required!

Sounds great, right? 

Err..not quite. 

When using free blogging platforms, you are not allowed to own a unique domain name, which is extremely bad for SEO and your blog (you’ll learn why this is important later).

You don’t want your website to look unprofessional with a domain name like xyz.wordpress.com.

If you’re serious about blogging, pay for a unique URL so that you can build a brand identity. 

Also, make sure to pay for your own hosting, so you have complete control over your blog. 

This also gives you the freedom to customize your site as you see fit. 

By being in control of your destiny, you can avoid future headaches if a third-party platform decides to shut you down.

Fortunately, it’s not going to cost you an arm and a leg to get a domain name or hosting. 

2. If you build it, they will not come 

Many new amateur bloggers wrongly assume that if they write content, readers will magically appear on their doorstep and get links on other sites pointing to their blog.

Sadly, this is no longer true (unless you can find a way to time travel back to the 90s). 

The hard truth is that no one cares if you have started a blog, and more importantly, most people will never even know about it without any promotion from your end.

You  have to get word the out and distribute your content (more on this later). 

Below are some examples of common distribution channels.

With almost 5 billion internet users, the chances are that at least some people will be interested in what you have to say regardless of what niche you choose or how narrow your focus is. 

It’s your job to find and reach out to these readers. 

“It’s not enough to just produce good content. In the early days of your blog, you need to focus heavily on content promotion too, both on social and search,” shared Donald Chan, founder at MarTech Wise.

3. You don’t post content regularly  

Amateur bloggers are prone to being inconsistent. 

After the initial excitement of a new project starts to wear off, many either hit writers’ block or lose their motivation if they don’t enjoy quick success.  

The result?

Fresh content dries up, and blogs become graveyards.

Remember, patience and perseverance are critical to success in this business.   

To maintain a loyal fan base, establish a content calendar and post content regularly so that your readers remain engaged and keep coming back to your site. 

There is no right or wrong formula for how often you should post. 

When starting, experiment with posting frequency and choose what works best for you, whether it be once a day/week or several times per month. 

4. Failing to promote your blog 

Getting the word out about your blog is as essential as creating great content. 

But what is content promotion exactly? 

It’s a marketing tactic meant to help build awareness, engage leads, and convert traffic into loyal followers of your brand.

While it is a time-consuming process, failing to share your content is a sin.

Here are some tips on how to distribute your content:

• Share on social media

Sharing your content on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is a great way to increase your reach.

Be careful, though.

When posting on different social platforms, make sure you know the ideal dimension of images that accompany your post to maximize reach.

Pro-tip: If you don’t have many followers, use hashtags to reach a broader audience. 

• Build an email list

Your blog has to be more than well…just a blog. 

But what exactly is an email list?  

Think of it as a database of your readers’ contact information who have voluntarily given you their emails to stay up-to-date with your latest content.

By reaching your fans in their inbox, you will be able to build valuable long-term relationships.    

• Write guest posts

Guest blogging is a common content marketing strategy.

It requires you to write content for other sites. 

Here is an example of a blogger and business owner doing just that.

But wait ㅡ why would you promote someone else’s site? 

Think of it as a mutually beneficial relationship. In exchange for helping someone else with content, you get access to their traffic and increase your brand awareness. 

It’s a small price to pay to attract traffic back to your own blog. 

Remember that this is a two-way street so you can also invite others in your niche to write guest posts for your blog.   

5. Not using Google search console

Besides content promotion, there is another way to get your blog in front of readers.

By ranking favorably on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs). 

Search engines act as gatekeepers of information online. On Google alone, users carry out 5.6 billion searches every day to find relevant information. 

In SEO (search engine optimization) language, these inputs are referred to as keywords.

For example, “wordpress themes” and “free responsive themes for wordpress blogs” are both keywords. 

Naturally, sites that rank high on SERPs for these keyword inputs will receive the bulk of traffic. 

Here’s a graph of click-through-rates (CTRs) plotted against Google rankings.

However, many amateur bloggers either don’t know about keyword research or shy away from it,  fearing it to be a technical process. 

Instead, they create content blindly and hope people search for it.  

However, you should be doing the opposite. Look for relevant keywords that readers in your niche are searching for and create content around it.

How do you do keyword research?

You can use a free tool like Google keyword planner to get data about the number of average monthly searches carried out for a keyword and how difficult it is to rank for.

As a beginner, it will be hard to compete for high-volume keywords since you will be taking on authoritative sites that have been around for years. 

Your goal is to create content that balances between search volume and competition.

6. Ignoring best SEO practices

Unlike humans, search engines need help understanding your content. 

Google can’t read or ‘crawl’ and understand what your blog post is about. It needs to be told what the content is about and why it should rank high on SERPs. 

To do this, you absolutely cannot ignore SEO.

Fortunately, the process is quite straightforward!

Here are  some tips you can implement within seconds:

• Label your images

If you have images accompanying your post 一 which you should 一 you will need to set the “alt-text” for each image. 

The alt-text simply describes what an image on the page is about. 

Since search engines can’t read images, adding the alt-text is a helpful signal and provides you with a leg up when it comes to Google understanding your content. 

• Update your meta description

Meta descriptions are snippets of text information that appear on SERPs. 

About 155 characters long, this short copy appears below the link of each result and is meant to encourage readers to view the content on your page.

While it’s not necessary to include them, doing so will increase click-through-rates to your blog, which is an SEO ranking factor.

How can you write a great meta description?

• Accurately describe your page’s content to ensure consistent user experience.
• Don’t give everything away. Make readers want to click through to your content.
• Include your main keyword in the text.
• Create a unique description for each link. No copy-pasting!

7. Not creating internal links to other posts on your blog

Amateur bloggers often don’t know the powerful effect of internal linking in their blog posts.

Internal links are hyperlinks that take users from one page to another on your site. 

From an SEO standpoint, these links are important for two main reasons. 

First, they encourage readers to stay on your site rather than go somewhere else.

In doing so, you help provide positive reinforcement to search engines about why your site is a reputable and trustworthy source of information which boosts your rankings. 

Second, internal links help search engines better crawl your website.

When Google attempts to index new pages on the Internet, it may initially land on the only page of your site.

This means that as far as search engines are concerned, any other pages you have don’t exist. 

It does not matter how great that content might be or how precise your keyword targeting was, these pages will not show up on SERPs. 

However, internal links can help search engines find all your pages.

But remember that internal links must be relevant. 

For example, if your internal link keyword is ‘best antivirus software’, you don’t want to send users to a post about ‘best wordpress plugins’. 

That’s just bad user experience.

A good internal linking strategy targets related keywords to your primary keyword. 

For example, you might create a post about ‘best TV models of 2020’ in which you mention products like Samsung Q90R QLED TV and Vizio P-Series Quantum X. 

From here, you can then create standalone content for each of these products and interlink the pages with your primary keyword.

8. Not connecting with other bloggers

When it comes to blogging, befriending your competition is key for survival.

Why?

One word: Backlinks.

A backlink is when one web page links to an external page outside that domain.

These links act as ‘votes’, so if your blog post has a lot of external backlinks pointing to it, Google will believe this content is valuable, leading to a higher ranking.

In an ideal world, great content should attract backlinks organically.

And that does happen.

However, you don’t want to leave it to chance. To increase your odds of acquiring these valuable assets, connect with other bloggers in your niche.

Participate in discussions on social media or community-based sites like Reddit to get your brand out there.

You can also engage in cold email outreach and ask for backlinks.

While this is usually a hit-and-miss process, make sure to personalize your message. 

It’s what separates spammers whose emails get deleted and the pros who are able to earn backlinks from sites with high domain authorities.

9. Ignoring page load speed

A fast-loading website provides a better user experience, which translates to higher rankings. 

Yet, amateur bloggers often ignore site speed in favor of bad design practices. 

They load up their pages with large images, infographics, and video or use design templates that take long to load. 

But today’s online users expect their pages to load almost immediately. 

Too much of a delay and they will likely leave to go somewhere else which is bad for SEO. 

Every second count. 

Here are some tips on how to improve your site speed:

• Optimize your images

You can reduce the size of your images by compressing them using tools like Pixlr.

Other services you may want to explore include Gimp, TinyPNG, and Smush.

• Use a content delivery network (CDNs)

CDNs allow you to host your files across a large network of servers around the world. 

How does this help reduce page load speed time? 

Having your site spread across many servers helps reduce the load on any single server and also protects it from traffic spikes that can slow download times. 

10. Not updating your old articles

Old is gold as the saying goes.

But when it comes to online content, anything old is undesirable. Outdated content is hard to rank because search engines penalize it. 

This is why bloggers spend hours creating new content. 

But there’s a way to “cheat”. 

Updating your old content can provide enough of a freshness boost for ranking purposes. 

Spend some time going through your old posts and look for opportunities where you can make changes to your content. 

Some things to look out for include: outdated data, missing internal links, and new developments in your niche that you need to add to provide better value to readers. 

For example, Brian Dean is known to consistently update blog posts on his site.

Conclusion

In today’s online environment, amateur bloggers have to be more than just writers.

You have to know how to sell and market yourself.

However, with some determination and knowledge of what it takes to build a long-term following, blogging remains a lucrative opportunity for anyone willing to put in the hard work.

The post Amateur Bloggers: A Guide On How To Avoid Deadly Mistakes appeared first on Pixelied Blog.