Being an entrepreneur and business owner I’ve wanted to find more motivation and a system to reach more people with my blog, podcasts and t-shirt brand. Rather than flying across the country to attend a weekend seminar I thought it would be cool to lure someone to my hometown and have a great event right here. I just never knew how to pull it off.

At the end of 2022 I was handed an opportunity to get a very prominent figure in the coaching field to come to Enid for a Mastermind retreat. I was asked if I could get a small group of like minded and motivated people together for an intimate three-day event in a lodge type setting limited to about 20 attendees.

I was floored! This is an opportunity that does not come along very often, especially to small towns like Enid, Oklahoma. The great thing about it is it’s not a big, boring conference in uncomfortable seats. It’s a close knit group of people in a one-on-one type of learning event.

This will be a powerful, training-packed three-day retreat that will teach you how to get you or your business huge amounts of exposure on national or local media for FREE! What you would learn can quadruple or 10x your business the day after you return from the retreat!

If you would like to have a lifetime of media exposure for your business, if you are ready to drastically expand your reach, elevate your recognition, 100X your leads this event might be for you. Learn a step-by-step formula for converting your expertise into a multi-media marketing machine.

This information would benefit business owners, entrepreneurs, bloggers, authors, speakers, podcasters, YouTubers, coaches, trainers and more.

These classes include a proven process that can be worked for any type of business and any type of individual. Classes cover information on TV, Radio, Magazine, Podcasts, Blogs, Social Media, Book Writing, and Professional Speaking!

The system is something you will be able to teach to anyone on your team or staff or even have one of your kids do it for you!

The event would most likely be on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The event would begin mid-day Thursday, run all day Friday and half day Saturday. The plan would be to host the event in Enid this spring or summer. Dates and location would be announced about 60 days before the actual event.

This would not be first-come, first-serve. Each application needs be reviewed with the intent of inviting a diverse group of motivated, teachable individuals who are clear on their vision for their future and just want the tools, resources and help to get there faster.

This is phase one and I’m just curious if there is enough interest in Enid to get 20 other people to do this event with me. Email me at shaggs@shaggyduck.com if you are remotely interested.

UPDATE:

The speaker I have been talking about is Troy Dunn. Troy is actually from Enid and graduated from Enid High School in 1985. He started his first business at the age of 12, and by age 22 was on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “Top 40 Entrepreneurs Under 40”!

He started a second company at age 23 and using the national media as his ONLY marketing resource, his company grew to a multimillion dollar international company, which was eventually acquired by Ancestry.com.

After making over 500 appearances on national TV, Hollywood came calling, offering Troy his own primetime TV series. His show, “The Locator”, went on to be the #1 TV show on the network, shattering ratings records and leading the network for five seasons.

From there TNT and UP tv also gave Troy primetime shows, both of which quickly became ratings homeruns. All three of his primetime shows can now be seen streaming on Amazon Prime, and in 45 other countries. It is believed Troy’s TV work has been witnessed by over 1 billion people globally….and counting!

Troy has been interviewed by Oprah, Dr. Phil and Barbara Walters, and is a contributor on Fox News, CNN and CNBC.

He has written multiple best-selling books, is the author of one of the most read articles on Facebook, and has assisted 20 other people in writing best-selling books; one of them making it to #2 on the NYT Bestsellers list.

Troy has given hundreds of paid keynote speeches around the world, from audiences of thousands to the private invitation-only mastermind retreats he hosts once or twice a year.

He is married 34 years to his high school sweetheart and they have 8 children, 4 grandchildren.

Troy never intended on sharing this proprietary formula with anyone, but one frustrated friend changed his thinking when he asked why Troy didn’t want anyone else to benefit from the formula he had invented.

It took decades to perfect, has proven to be incredibly powerful, and Troy just wanted to keep it private. But that thinking has changed, thanks to this very bold, blunt friend.

Troy and his wife host this very private mastermind retreat, limited to 20 people. They are seeking people who truly believe their work, their message, could bless more lives if only they could reach more people.

The investment you will need to be prepared to make in this private Mastermind retreat is $5,000. A payment option is available. Just ask.

Troy interacts with mastermind members throughout the retreat. The Lifetime Of Media system is for ALL people and businesses. It is a proven process that can be worked for any type of business and any type of individual. Whether you consider yourself an extrovert or an introvert, the Lifetime Of Media process will fit you like a glove!

There is a very private ongoing coaching group that is not open to the public and entry into the group is limited to graduates of the Mastermind ONLY.

Here are just a few of the subjects Troy will be covering:

The Birth Of “The Formula”
My Real-World Results From The Formula
Two Awkward Truths To Embrace About Branding
The Great Lie!
The Diminishing Value Of Traditional Advertising
The Fact No Ad Agency Wants You To Know
The Birth Of “New Advertising”
The Three Step Ladder To Financial Success
The Six Laws Of Money-Generating Content
The First Commandment Of Content
The Second Commandment Of Content
Determine Who’s Story To Tell
1,000 Stories You Should Tell Immediately
The Guru Formula
The Third Commandment Of Content
How To Develop Your Brand Voice
Define And Embrace UGC (User Generated Content)
Now VS Then
The Three Types Of Content
Content Source Hacks
The “Pitch”
The “Plug”
The “Plug” Tier Two
Preparing For The Tsunami
Interview Training
Television
YouTube
Social Media
Podcasting
Blogging
Publishing
Professional Speaking
Influencers
PR (Public Relations)

Once Troy and I firm up the date and location we will start to promote this to businesses in the area. I believe the 20 spots will fill up quickly. If you are still interested, Troy is willing to do a private Zoom call or podcast interview talking through the power of this information and the ways it can help a business.

If you’re still interested and want to network with 19 other motivated individuals in our area let me know if you’d prefer a Zoom call or just audio interview. Even if you’re not sure this is for you please let me know why and I’ll remove you from my private email list.

Email me at shaggs@shaggyduck.com.

Here’s Troy Dunn talking about his LIFETIME OF MEDIA Mastermind Event.

The post Who Wants To Up Their Media Exposure? appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

In the early to mid 2000s I was creating 100 websites of my own in order to make money online. I was researching keywords that were highly searched for but had little competition. When I would discover a keyword I liked I would build a thin content website around it to attract traffic which I would drive to my Google ads and affiliate links.

After a few years of building these websites I had around 100 online and it was a little difficult to keep up with them all. I wanted a quick way of seeing all of the sites so I could monitor them on a moments notice from anywhere in the world.

I didn’t want to bookmark them all and have to haul those bookmarks everywhere I went so one day I got a clever idea. It occurred to me that if I could type a certain keyword into Google it would pull up all of my websites without any other results.

To make Google search results only pull up my websites I had to have a word on them that could not be found anywhere else. I invented my own word and searched the Internet to see if it showed up anywhere. It didn’t so I was set.

The word I created was “zoinkology”. It’s the study of the language from Scooby Doo. I made that up, that is entirely not true. I like the cartoon and many of the words used by the characters. One of my favorite words is “zoinks”.

When I would build a website I would put the word “zoinkology” at the bottom of the homepage. Eventually the word was at the bottom of all of my websites. I could then go to Google and type in “zoinkology” and no websites other than my own would pull up in the results. I could then easily skim through the links to see my sites.

A hashtag is simply grouping thoughts and information together through the use of a simple word. My made up word did not have a # before it but it was the same concept. Social media hashtags did not come along until a few years later leaving me to be the inventor of the grouping concept.

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or words preceded by a #pound symbol used to group like information easily together. Social media hashtags were first used in the summer of 2007 by Chris Messina. He presented the idea to Twitter officials and suggested the company start using the pound symbol to group related Tweets together. Hence the social media hashtag was launched.

Want to know what is happening in the world before everyone else? See which hashtags are trending on Twitter and you’ll know instantly what the hot topics are.

When creating hashtags you need to begin with the pound symbol and immediately add a word or words. Do not use spaces, symbols or dashes between words or they will not work. #nospaces #nodashes #nosymbols #hashtagtips

Where to use hashtags

Hashtags are very popular on Twitter where they first came to life. Instagram is also a popular place to use hashtags. Most people don’t think to use hashtags on their blog posts or on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. You can use hashtags pretty much anywhere you want.

You can even add a hashtag to a business card, letterhead or brochure. Interested parties can then search online for more information simply using your hashtag.

How do hashtags help?

Hashtags attract new followers and like minded individuals. They can help you grow a group of people interested in the same topics. Hashtags also help build your brand, slogan or thought. When repeated by enough people they can become popular and draw a large following. They’re a great way to bind an audience and build a movement.

Hashtags are very popular for driving support for social issues. They’re a calling card telling people you are involved and back certain causes.

A hashtag can also sum up a post or tweet with minimal words and letters. By just using the proper hashtag readers will understand the purpose of your thought. This helps build an audience that is like minded.

Do searches for hashtags using your brand or company name. You’ll begin to get feedback from users and hopefully can address any negative posts or tweets. Many people will complain on social media and hashtag the company name.

Hashtag searches can also lead you to find helpful influencers. They also help you find the right people for you to follow. Follow people in your field and they’ll help you learn techniques and tactics.

Using the right hashtags also leads to more clicks. When linking to an article or information on your website you will drive more traffic with hashtags.

How to use hashtags effectively

1. The shorter the better. Long strung out hashtags are harder to remember and are not used by many people. They also take up lots of space and can look messy.
2. Use relevant words. If you use unpopular hashtags or obscure words nobody will ever find your hashtags.
3. Use non-relevant words. If you are wanting a private group or words that cannot be found by accident use made up words or long hashtags.
4. Don’t stuff hashtags. Limit your number of hashtags to only those needed to attract your audience. Keep things looking nice without looking like a spammer.
5. Sprinkle in popular hashtags. Although there might be millions of other posts using a hashtag it can bring in instant traffic if used at the right time.
6. Find trending hashtags. There’s nothing better than riding the popularity of a trending hashtag. Hop on while the topic is hot.
7. Search hashtags for related hashtags. Study the other hashtags being used by people using your most popular hashtags. Copy.
8. Avoid hashtags already being used. If a keyword is already a part of a popular hashtag don’t try to override it with your own use. You’ll annoy people.
9. Type out your most used hashtags. When creating a new post or tweet just copy and paste hashtags you already have in waiting.
10. Use hashtags for events. Create a unique hashtag for an event. This makes it easy for participants to follow what is happening and helps them connect.
11. Include location hashtags. Including a local location hashtag will help lead to increased sales and clients.

Popular hashtags

Wondering what some really popular hashtags are? Here are a few of the most popular hashtags. Sprinkle these in with your more specific keywords and you’ll pick up extra traffic. Popular hashtags include: #gym, #summer, #workout, #happiness, #motivation, #life, #cool, #hot, #music, #hair, #beauty, #landscape, #photography, #inspiration, #design, #beautiful, #bestoftheday, #goals, #style, #swag, #health, #funny, #healthy, #blogger, #photo, #food, #fun, #happy, #artist, #cute, #followforfollow & #art.

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The post I Could Have Invented The #Hashtag appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

I’ve been working for myself since about 2002 when I quit my full-time job to stay at home and earn money online. I left a director of advertising position of over ten years to be able to spend time with my daughters at home.

I’ve had a pretty crazy journey getting to where I am today. My path to becoming an entrepreneur has been anything but a straight line. I’ve had to pivot on several occasions and ended up working with technology that hadn’t been invented when I first began.

I was asked to speak to young entrepreneurs at the NWOSU Entrepreneur Seminar in 2020. Part of my speech was telling my journey from employee to business owner. This is the video of my story. It’s a pretty amazing ride when you hear it and realize that it all happened out of a bedroom in Enid, Oklahoma.

I would definitely say that if I can make it as an entrepreneur doing the things that I’ve done then anyone has the opportunity to do the same. It all amounts to how much effort you are willing to put in and are you willing to take risks.

Take a look at my story and learn how I went from selling Jolly Ranchers at junior high to running an online media company providing news and information to many thousands of people.

The first video is the trailer for my entrepreneur podcast called That Buzz Guy along with the podcast below it. The bottom video is from my talk on being an entrepreneur at the NWOSU Entrepreneur Seminar.

The post My Own Entrepreneurial Journey appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

You need to take chances and put yourself in the position to seize opportunities. Put yourself in the right place at the right time. Opportunities can include landing a better job, snagging a big client, being asked to lead a project, building a large following, getting to do Bucket List activities and more.

Over the years I’ve created my own opportunities. Several of them by accident and others on purpose. Here is a sampling of opportunities I was given because I put myself out there. Each of these may eventually be a blog post and podcast episode in itself.

Opportunities I Created On My Own

I Quit My Job & Started My Own Company

I quit a full time advertising directors position to start my own business because I created my own opportunity! I put my talents online and when people found my designs they hired me to do theirs. Without a website and online presence I never would have had that opportunity. That turned into a 10 year career and then I used another opportunity to start a second career. If I hadn’t started a little side blog years before I would have never had the opportunity to turn that into a full time business. I have now worked from home for 20 years because of opportunities found on the Internet.

I Was The Featured Story On CNN.com

In the mid 2000s I started several blogs to get my name out there. One of those blogs was this one! I was blogging about growing up in the 70s and posted several photographs of myself when I was a kid. These were great old photos from the 1970s and I used the correct meta tags on the photos so they could be found in Google images. When Farrah Fawcett died I had the only photo of a teenager holding her poster in the 70s. That kid was me! I was interviewed by CNN and several other magazines and websites. That photo has also been used in multiple documentaries. The opportunity came because I simply uploaded a unique photo.

My First Real Interview Was Garth Brooks

As a citizen journalist I had never really interviewed anyone as a real interview. After starting my community website I decided to keep up with the events happening in OKC and Tulsa. I reached out to the PR departments of the concert facilities and asked to be included on their press release list. Not long after that I received an email saying Garth Brooks was doing a press conference in Tulsa to kick off his new tour. I was invited and then told I might be able to interview Garth! What an opportunity. I traveled to Tulsa, covered the press conference and then stood in line to conduct the interview. If I hadn’t asked to be on the media list I never would have had that opportunity.

I Interviewed Gene Simmons

I heard Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS were going to be in Oklahoma to give a press conference about an upcoming casino and hotel. I tracked down the person in charge of the media and asked for a press pass to the event. They said yes and I was put on the list! I traveled to Bramen, Oklahoma and covered the press conference. I also got a cool t-shirt, press pass and other swag. Afterwards the two were available for interviews. I waited too long and the media person said they were done and would be leaving. As a desperation move I quickly asked if I could do get in a few questions. Both the media person and Gene said yes! I got the interview and took full advantage of the opportunity.

I Covered A Presidential Inauguration

I received an email saying that people could enter a pool for a chance at free tickets to the Presidential inauguration. I posted the info for my followers and at the last minute decided to enter myself. I got picked! The opportunity included two tickets plus lots of memorabilia to the inauguration. Unfortunately I didn’t have the cash to go. So I asked my followers if they’d like me to cover the event. If so, they could donate to a Go Fund Me account. I received just enough money for plane tickets. I then contacted a family I knew that were living in Virginia and asked if I could stay with them. They said yes! I ended up with a tour of the Pentagon, free rides to the subway and a place to stay. There were many opportunities created to make this trip happen.

I Interviewed Michelle Malkin… Twice

Michelle Malkin came to Enid to cover a criminal case which involved a guy from my hometown. I went to the live presentation just to cover it for my blog. During her presentation I moved to the side of the room and ended up doing a Facebook live. I also had my cameras around my neck and took photos during the talk. At the end of the event Michelle disappeared and I did not attempt to interview her. Out of nowhere a lady walked up to me and asked if I was going to make it to the press conference. I said I didn’t know anything about it and she invited me to be there because I looked like a reporter. I went up and was one of only about four journalists there. I asked Michelle several questions and then talked to her after the questioning. A couple of years later I drove to OKC to interview her again.

I Acted With Jake Gyllenhaal & Bo Derek

At one point my friends and I were thinking of filming a movie. Oklahoma has become a center for film making due to incentives. I decided to work as an extra so I could see how films were made and what equipment was used. I sent my info in for a spot in the Paul Dano movie called Wildlife. I got a part as a firefighter. I had no idea what I would be doing so I just showed up. During the filming Jake Gyllenhall appeared out of a tent and I got to spend the day filming several scenes with him for the film. My appearances even made the cut! I was looking for more opportunities and ended up being in three more movies including one with Bo Derek. These appearance were just for fun nut I did get insights into how movies are made.

I Drove A New Vehicle For Two Years For Free

Talk about an opportunity. My car at the time was on its last leg and I hadn’t had a car payment for at least a decade. When it was time for me to get a new vehicle I got an idea that I thought I would try. I went to a local dealership and asked them if they would be interested in trading out a leased vehicle for advertising. I would get to drive the SUV with no monthly payment and they would get a set amount of advertising. I also turned the vehicle into the BuzzMobile with a decal wrap and included an ad for the dealership as the vehicle sponsor. The original agreement was for one year and the dealership extended that to two years when it was about to expire. At the end of two years I was able to purchase the vehicle at a great deal and still drive it around as the BuzzMobile.

I Flew With The US Thunderbirds

Because of my media status with Enid Buzz I was asked to take the media flight with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. The opportunity arose because I have a large following and could get the message about the Air Force out to a wide audience. When they came to Enid, Oklahoma for an air show they only allowed one local media flight. This was a Bucket List occasion that never would have happened if I hadn’t been doing Enid Buzz. The video from my flight had thousands of views which could one day lead to more opportunities. Never pass up a chance to do a once in a lifetime event.

10 Ways To Create Your Own Opportunities

1. Get started doing something! There’s talkers and there’s doers. Stop talking and get busy. You pretty much will have zero opportunities if you’re not putting yourself out there. Get online and build a presence. Start networking or speaking. You got to make some noise to be heard.

2. Create original content and put it out into the world! Upload your stuff to your own website. You will then have articles and photos that will show up in searches on the Internet. If you have not started uploading content to the world wide web there is nothing for anyone to find. Post as much as you can especially about niche topics. The more original info you have online the more opportunities people will have to find you.

3. Ask! You’ll never know the answer if you don’t ask. Many opportunities will come by just asking the right question or asking the right person. Don’t give up on the first try. If you feel there’s an opportunity and you’re not getting the answer that you want ask what you can do to improve your chances. The worst thing that can happen by asking is that someone will say no.

4. Be in the right place at the right time. Many times the right person or best choice does not end up an opportunity. Many times convenience intervenes and you’re in the right place at the right time. That can’t happen if you’re sitting at home not putting forth any effort. Be in as many places as you can to give yourself a better chance of snagging an opportunity.

5. Use all platforms. It’s not that hard to repurpose your content into multiple formats and platforms. You’ll have a better chance at a random opportunity if you can be found on more platforms. Upload your content as written word, photographic images, video and audio. Not everyone will be searching for you on just one platform. Multiply your chance of being found by using every means possible.

6. Think positive! It’s never going to hurt you to have a positive outlook. People are attracted to confidence and they’ll gravitate to you if you make them feel good. People with a positive attitude will have more opportunities than someone that is always negative. Complainers and whiners are usually avoided which limits opportunity. Use the positive energy of the universe to help generate your own opportunities.

7. Create a popular personal brand. People with great personal brands will always have more opportunities than people that are ordinary and do not stand out. A personal brand will make you a leader or expert in a niche. Being the go to person in any niche gives you more opportunities to be asked to lead, speak or participate. The more popular you are the more opportunities you’ll have. It’s like a snowball.

8. Network and meet as many people as possible. Knowing more people creates more opportunities. Join organizations, groups and boards. When people know that you’re willing to be involved they’re more apt to think of you for exclusive opportunities. Knowing somebody that knows somebody can open doors that would be closed if you were sitting at home alone. Be sure to use your connections every chance you can and let them know what opportunities your available for.

9. Get crazy! Do things nobody else is doing. Guess who gets picked to be on The Price Is Right? It’s the energetic, outgoing people. Why? Those are the folks that are enjoyable to watch or be around. If you stay ordinary you’ll never stand out from those around you. Don’t get so crazy you scare people off but differentiate yourself from the crowd. Being unique will also create more opportunities than being the status quo.

10. Don’t give up. Being patient is important. Opportunities won’t pop up overnight so be patient. You have to stay committed and continue to put yourself out there. Eventually people will take notice and you’ll begin to be recognized. The longer you keep at it the better chance you’ll have at big opportunities. Many times new opportunities will lead to even more opportunities so you have to keep at it. If it were quick and easy everyone would be able to do it.

Get busy!

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The post Create Your Own Opportunities appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Just as a quick reminder I wanted to say I bought my first domain name in 1999 and built my first website. By the end of 2003 I was making enough money online I quit my job as an advertising director and started working from home. After doing this for 20 years it seems like it almost started overnight but it didn’t.

It took three years of full time work to build what I had. Three years now doesn’t seem like much but if you’re just getting started please be patient! You will not be making a ton of money or have a huge audience in just a couple of months. You’ve got to stay consistent and add value to your audience.

I did not start working on my personal brand until 2019! I’m in the same boat as you all and I’m starting from scratch as far as my own brand. Part of this blog and podcast is to help build that personal brand. At this point it is not to sell a course, get you into a funnel or make you part of a mastermind. It’s just me helping you get to where you can have the freedom to work for yourself!

I knew the value of a personal brand in 2004 when I bought CurtisTucker.com. At that time the big personal brands online were Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, John Chow, Shoemoney, Joel Comm and Heather B. Armstrong also known as Dooce.

I was using the branding of “That Sneaker Wearing Entrepreneurial Cartoonist Internet Guy”. My plan was to become a huge daddy blogger talking about parenting and living in the 70s. Unfortunately I was making great money with my cartooning and AdSense that I never devoted enough time to get it off the ground.

Today my personal brand includes being an entrepreneur, driving a Jeep, my love of the number 2, going on wild adventures, dressing casual, reminiscing about the 70s and having fun along the way. My skills include graphic design, cartooning, branding, web design, blogging, social media, podcasting, photography and speaking. I’m working towards adding pop artist and writer to my brand.

My personal brand name is now Shaggs, owner of Shaggy Duck Studio. I’ve developed my own personal cartoon logo based on my casual style and cartooning background. My casual style includes shorts and sneakers and my look entails wearing a backwards ball cap with black rimmed glasses.

The backwards ball cap has been a bone of contention at times but it’s part of my casual “look” and is included on my logo. A backwards ball cap fits my style which is shorts, t-shirts and sneakers. My Shaggy Duck clothing and lifestyle brand is all about being casual, spending time in the sun, outdoor life and fun. The ball cap fits the brand and stays on my head while driving my Jeep! A backwards ball cap is not the norm. Normal never stands out and normal will never rise above the crowd.

Examples of unique style becoming a brand include the wool cap worn by Michael Nesmith, the outrageous glasses of Elton John, the bucket hat on Gilligan, the huge cigar held by George Burns, collars worn by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the du-rag of Eminem and many others.

Having a known personal brand opens doors for opportunities like speaking engagements, interviews, book deals, media coverage, and more. An example is the fact that I was chosen to fly with the US Thunderbirds in Enid, Oklahoma because I had built a personal brand as the go-to guy for connecting to the Enid community.

Personal Brand vs. Reputation

Your personal brand is what you say about yourself, but your reputation is what others say about you. Your reputation is your integrity and values. Your personal brand is your interests, expertise and knowledge. Reputation can influence your brand.

When someone goes online to learn more about you they are going to find your name in different places. Your website is where they are going to learn about your personal brand. On review websites and forums is where they are going to learn about your reputation.

Reputation is something you earn while a personal brand is something you create. Your reputation can have a negative or positive effect on your brand.

You Probably Already Have A Personal Brand

Everyone has some type of personal brand whether they want one or not. A personal brand is basically what you are known for. People around you will form their own impression of what you’re known for but you can easily control that impression with just a little bit of effort.

There’s a guy in my hometown that has a personal brand even though he didn’t create it and may not even know he has it. His brand is that he is the go-to guy if you want to know about VW’s. He buys them, sells them and works on them. He’s also an artist that likes to draw so his brand is that he’s creative.

This guy also wears a hat everywhere he goes. Not ball caps but fedora and Indiana Jones style hats. So his wardrobe is part of his personal brand. His longer hair adds to his personal brand. You see, everyone in some way already has a personal brand whether they like it or not.

Not everyone needs or may want a promote their personal brand. Some people just want to be an employee or not connect with other people. But, if you are wanting to build up a following of people and market your information or products to them you really should build a reputable personal brand. You’ll need it to stand out when you start networking.

All that’s required to build a brand is to take what you know and share it with others, especially online. Inform, entertain or instruct consistently, and you’ll build your own personal brand in no time. It’s nothing more than marketing yourself rather than a business or product. In essence you are the product. It’s your skills, experience, and personality that will set you apart.

Make Yourself Unique

Personal branding is all about building a marketable image which you are able to mold. Your own brand is a combination of your skills, talents and personal life experiences that make you unique. What you stand for will differentiate you from others in your field.

A personal brand makes you unique in a professional field full of lookalikes. A well crafted brand can help you carve a niche in an industry and make you thought of as an industry expert.

The age of the Internet and social media has brought us a much more competitive market unlike ever before. And with that in mind, audiences are looking to form relationships with unique people they can connect with.

Your personal brand tells people what you’re known for and what you stand for. It’s ongoing and really never ends. You can pivot your personal brand so don’t feel like you have to stick with just one skill or interest forever.

Take your most personal characteristics and traits and weave into your brand. Do you want to be perceived as very polished and professional, or perhaps more quirky and adventurous? A personal brand allows you to decide!

Tools To Build A Personal Brand

To build a personal brand you must have a website! More often than not people will be introduced to you online before they ever meet you. Your well planned website can present your personal brand in the exact light you want them to see.

When building a personal brand, it is important that you also use all social media channels available and that you are consistent across every platform. Be visually appealing, and represents the type of influential person you want to be.

Make sure you can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and the latest hot platform. Keeping fresh content on all of those platforms is going to be work. But guess what? That’s now your job! If it didn’t take some pretty good effort everyone would be doing it.

The more personality you can add to your brand, the easier it will be to find your audience. Over time you will build a community of like-minded people value your skills, thoughts and will be willing to trade dollars for knowledge or information.

To build a personal brand more quickly you’ll need to use more visuals online. The best thing you can do is video and live streaming. When an audience sees you with many followers on the Internet or on TV it will make you a celebrity of sorts.

Once I started using Facebook live streaming my personal brand went through the roof. The fact that people began to recognize me around town upped my cred and I began to get more calls to speak and appear at events.

Having a memorable personal brand makes it virtually impossible for someone to compete against you. They can compete with you on services, price and knowledge but they can’t match your personality, quirks, perspective and personal style.

Create A Brand Message

Create a personal brand statement, which is 1-2 sentences explaining your values, who you serve, and your unique value proposition. When developing your personal brand statement, make it memorable, short and attention grabbing.

With a personal branding statement, you are the one controlling your real-life message and you can make it say anything that you’d like. Think of it as your slogan. I have not come up with my own personal brand statement but did create a descriptive motto.

If I did have a brand statement it might be something like this, “Twenty year entrepreneur with complete freedom motivating unhappy dreamers to escape their day jobs by investing time into an online side gig.”

I attended a Daymond John speech a while back and he recommended that people should brand themselves with just 2–5 words. Those words should shape who you are and your goals at that moment. At any time you can change your brand. I came up with a motto for me at the time and it is “Adventurous Entrepreneur Happily Journaling In Sneakers!”

Build An Audience

Building a personal brand will elevate you to influencer status and being an influencer builds trust and authority in your field. People like to follow interesting leaders that stand out, inspire and look at things in a unique way.

A personal brand will help you become the leader of an audience. That audience will become your followers and they will consume your content and products. Cater to them and try to niche down as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to be energetic and enthusiastic.

I believe you should give your audience a nickname. My followers are called ShaggHeads and BuzzHeads. Lady Gaga had Little Monsters, Barry Manilow has Fanilows, Jimmy Buffet has Parrotheads and there are many others. Having a common name helps build your community and makes people feel included.

Brand Name vs. Personal Name

Personal brand names can be your personal name or a made up name. I started out as Curtis Tucker but eventually drifted to That Buzz Guy and then changed to Shaggs. I like to be a bit more playful so I started using the name associated with my Shaggy Duck Studio and associated with the 70s. Shaggs fits just about everything I’m doing today.

Lady Gaga does great with a brand name while Taylor Swift does alright with her personal name. If you get huge one day your name could become a brand in itself like Walt Disney and McDonald’s.

It might be easier to sell a business with a made up name rather than a personal name but either will work. If you know you’ll never sell your company feel free to use your own name. If you’re building a business to sell try using a made up name.

Subscribe to That Buzz Guy podcast on iTunes.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/CurtisTuckerTV.

The post What Is A Personal Brand and How Do You Get One? appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

There are many different ways to get people to come to your website. The best ways are always the ones that are free! Most people get their free traffic from search engines. The top search engine by far is Google which is also the most popular website on the Internet.

“Build it and they will come,” does not work on the Internet. You have to use the tools and tricks of the trade to get people to your website. The #1 source of website traffic is the Google search engine. If you can get ranked at the top of the Google for highly searched for keywords you can make a good living on free traffic.

Google does not just send you traffic for no reason. You’ll need to let the search engines know what your page is all about so they will know when to display it and for which keyword searches.

The way Google looks at what information to rank has really changed over the years. In the past Google liked to rank websites. A website could be an authority on a particular subject, whereas today, Google looks more at a single page for ranking factors. They will rank internal pages at the top of the search results no matter what the website is about.

You need to think of an internal webpage as a one page website. Google wants to rank the most authoritative page for a keyword search. Be honest with yourself and ask, “Would I consider this the best, most informative page on the planet for this subject?” If not, you’ve got work to do!

Ideally you want a page so valuable with information that other websites link to your page as a resource for the topic without you even having to ask! Link  building is an external SEO tactic that we will cover later.

With today’s search engine optimization (SEO) you can build an authoritative single page. There are several factors that will help a webpage rank high in the search engines. Below is a list of the basic SEO on-page factors.

On-Page SEO Ranking Factors

1. Keyword Phrases. You must have the keyword phrase on the page for search engines to know what to rank the page for. Keyword research can be an entire episode in itself. Basically start with the keyword phrase you think your audience will be searching for. Example would be “On-Page SEO”. The best keywords are words that are highly searched for but have the least amount of competition. Example: I ranked high for Tatoo Designs back in the day because tons of people were searching for tatoo (tattoo) designs but couldn’t spell tattoo. Other people didn’t want to spend time ranking for the misspelling so I had limited competition.

2. URL. Once you decide on your main keyword phrase you will want to use it in your URL. A URL is the address of the page on the Internet. You should have the keyword phrase in the URL with dashes in between words. Don’t stuff a URL with lots of keywords and try to keep it as short as possible. Example: the URL for this page is CurtisTucker.com/on-page-seo-basics.

3. Title Tag. Many times your page title will be the same as your URL but it does not have to be. Hidden in the header of a pages HTML code are Meta Tags. These tags can be filled out using SEO plugins in WordPress. If you use a different platform you’ll need find out where you go to add that tag. The title tag shows up on the title bar of a browser and it also shows up as the title of the page in a search result. Keep your title between 45-60 characters. Use as much of it as you can but stay below 60 characters which is the amount Google will display in their search results. Example: the title for this page is “On-Page SEO Basics and How To Rank High In Google.” Notice how it is not an exact match of the URL?

4. Description Tag. The description tag is also a meta tag hidden in the header of the page. It is a great place to quickly describe what the page is about. Keep the character count between 145-160. Use your keyword phrase in the description along with any associated words. Example: the description for this page is “Learn how to rank high in the Google search engine with these on-page SEO tactics. Optimize your page for more targeted traffic.”

5. Header Tags. Be sure to use H1, H2, H3 and H4 header tags throughout the page. You don’t have to use every size. Include your main keyword phrase in a few of them. H1 tags carry the most weight and authority. Example: I added the H3 title “On-Page SEO Ranking Factors.”

6. Body Text. Use your primary keyword phrase within the first paragraph or two. Avoid duplicate content meaning don’t go copy information from another website and paste it into your website. Google knows. Be sure to break up your long body text using subheadings and bullets. Example: I used numbered points in this article.

7. Word Count. Write a detailed article about you subject matter/keyword phrase. Try to type at least 800 words if possible and shoot for 1800! When it comes to body content more is better as long as the content is good and informative. Keep your keyword count around 3% of total word count. Example: this blog post has over 1500 words.

8. Images. You can’t have a very authoritative page without at least one image. Choose an image that is related to the subject of the page. Actually name the image using your primary keyword like “your-keyword.JPG”. Once you upload your optimized image add the keyword phrase in the image title and image alt tag. Images don’t just have to be photos, they can also be informative graphics. Example: the image at the top of this article was 3.7mb in size. I reduced the size to 900px by 470px at 72 dpi which dropped the size to 178kb. The image is called “on-page-seo.JPG”. The alt text is “On-Page SEO Tactics”and the title is “On-Page SEO Factors”.

9. Links. Link to external authoritative websites. Use keywords in the link text. Also use internal linking! Have high ranking pages on your website link to your new page and be sure to use the keyword phrase in the text link. Example: this is a link I created to the Google Search Engine (“search engine” being the keyword phrase).

10. Loading Speed. Loading speed is an on-page ranking factor. If you’re page loads slow Google will not reward you and your visitors may leave before the page loads. You’ll need to learn about optimizing photos to keep their size small. You also need to make sure code and scripts on your page are not taking a long time to load. If I get some time I’ll time this page for loading speed.

11. Above The Fold. Above the fold is basically the area that can be seen on the screen without having to scroll down. Have your best keyword phrases and related keywords above the fold. Move big slow loading images and graphics below.

12. User Experience. You want the visitor to your webpage to have the best possible experience. Google knows exactly how their experience is going. Google is aware of load speed, bounce rate, time on page, click thru rate, etc. Your goal is to attract a visitor to your page using the correct keywords, have them find valuable info very quickly, entice them to stay and read or learn more and then have them follow one of your links to another website for additional info.

13. Extras. It can’t hurt to embed a podcast about on-page SEO and also embed a video about on-page SEO! See how I just used that keyword phrase two more times?

This blog post was created to help with on-page SEO tactics. Is it the best page on the Internet for that subject? No. I’m more into creating the podcast and vlog than I am into ranking for the blog post. Do I want to rank high in Google for this subject? Of course! I can always go back and improve on this page over time.

Also be aware that you can niche down and try to rank for less competitive keyword phrases. There will be less traffic overall but you might rank #1 and actually get more traffic! I could try to optimize this page for “On-Page SEO Basic for a WordPress Website”. Less popular keywords and longer keyword phrases are called long-tail keywords. You can gather lots of traffic with dozens of long-tail keywords.

Be sure and check your facts and your spelling! Google knows!

Subscribe to the podcast at iTunes HERE or on your favorite podcasting app.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/CurtisTuckerTV.

The post On-Page SEO Basics appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Getting your website online early gives you time to learn. By the time you decide on your business idea or side gig you’ll have enough knowledge to start adding great content.

Once your website is online and you’re ready to start using it to attract visitors you’ll want to make sure it is ready for Google and the other search engines. This is a list of elements that just about every website should have.

There are other elements that could have been included but some of those are just content and fluff. Go over your website and make sure you have these 20 essential elements.

These will make it easier on your visitors and will help you with the basics for getting ranked in search engines. If you don’t understand a few of these I will most likely cover them in detail later down the line. In the mean time just search online for additional information for any element you do not understand.

20 Most Essential Website Elements

1. Logo and Name. Your branding elements on every page of the website. Usually found in the header. Be sure the logo image loads quickly and has your company name in the Alt Tag and description. Usually a .JPG or .PNG.

2. Homepage. This should be your introduction page with welcoming information. Add a short story about what you do.

3. Call To Action. If you need the visitors to perform an action let them know! Have them subscribe, download, ask questions, click links, provide information, search, etc.

4. About Page. This describes who you are and tells your story in depth. Might include a photo. If you have some great history add it here. This page could include bios of other employees.

5. Blog. Blogs keep your website fresh and updated. Provide information, entertainment and updates. Some website have the blog as the homepage while others just have a link in the menu to the blog.

6. Contact Page. Include an email form, map, phone number and address. Make sure everything you add here works! Test it. When someone contacts you answer them quickly. You could add your hours here also.

7. Contact Info. Add a phone number or email on every page possibly in the footer. You never know what page a visitor will enter your page on so be sure whichever page it is you have quick contact info.

8. Privacy Policy. It’s boring but you need this on your website. Explain how personal info and data (e.g. advertising, cookies, emails etc) collected will be used, and whether or not it will be shared with third parties. Place a link in the footer.

9. Sitemap. A sitemap page should include links to all of your web pages and blog posts. A sitemap link could be located in the footer of every page. There are XML and HTML site maps. WordPress has sitemap plugins.

10. Search Box. You need to allow visitors to easily search your website for information. You can use a search feature from the website itself or use code from Google for a Google search. Try to add this in the sidebar of every page.

11. Social Media Icons. Be sure to link to all of your social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc. These small icons can be in the footer or sidebar. WordPress has widgets that help with these icons.

12. Responsive Theme/Template. Be sure your WordPress or other website is responsive. That means your website will display correctly depending on if a visitor is on a computer, pad or phone.

13. Meta Tags. Make sure you fill in the hidden meta tags in your header. You’ll need a website title and description. Without these tags search engines will not know how to correctly rank you.

14. SEO. Search Engine Optimization. This will be an entire blog post/episode in itself. Just be sure you know how and where to add keywords, headline text, images, and content. WordPress has great SEO plugins.

15. Email Signup. Everyone needs to build an email list! Ask visitors to sign up with a simple form or link. An email list is something you own and keep. It’s your secure connection to your best fans or customers. Try Mail Chimp.

16. Navigation Menu. This may seem obvious but be sure to link to your most important pages at the top of the page. Do not overdue the links in the main menu, maybe limit to 5-7. Add navigation menu to every page.

17. Google Analytics. Get bazillions amounts of information on your visitors by letting Google track them. Learn who your visitors are, where they came from, where they are going, what they are searching for and more. A must have.

18. SSL Certificates. An SSL certificate is needed for websites accepting payments and collecting user data. They help keep the website secure. Google has now come out and said websites with SSL will rank higher because they are trusted.

19. Copyright Notice. Original content on your website is automatically protected under copyright law. Include a copyright notice on your website. It can support your legal rights and may deter infringements from happening.

20. Images. A website would be very boring without photographs and illustrations. Break up long blocks of text with images. Be sure images are optimized so they load quickly. Homepage sliders with great images are very popular.

That’s 20 elements every website needs. Do you think I missed one? Leave your ideas and thoughts in the comments. Don’t forget… start now!

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The post 20 Elements Every Website Should Have appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

If I’ve said it once I’ll say it again, “Everyone needs a website!” Even those that don’t need a website, need a website. You’ll never make a good impression in the online world without a web presence.

I’ve also talked about getting started no matter what. You’ve got to eliminate excuses so you can just get going. Starting a blog or website is not as difficult as you might think. If you are not ready to start your side gig you still need to start the process and that entails setting up a website.

A website cannot be seen online without having a domain name and without being hosted on a server somewhere. Your domain name registrar and hosting service company do not need to be the same.

I highly recommend that you build your blog and website on the WordPress platform. WordPress itself is completely free and open source but it does require a paid hosting plan. WordPress hosting can cost as little as $2.95 per month. It’s the number one web building software on the Internet.

WHAT’S A BLOG

Don’t get confused between a website and a blog. A blog is a “web log” or journal that is an addition to a website. A website without a blog is very static and does not change much. Blogs are dynamic and change all of the time.

A website is made up of pages like home, about us, contact, sitemap, etc. A blog is made up of posts that are continuously updated and can be categorized by topics and easily searched for. WordPress is a website and blogging platform. If you don’t want to update a blog you can just turn it off.

Blogs have dated posts that can be grouped by months and years. Blog posts can really help with search engine ranking because they are fresh and topics can cover a large number long tail keywords.

Blogging has become very popular and blogs are a great way of making extra money on the side while working from home. Affiliate links and ads can be inserted into blog posts which generate advertising income.

FREE WEB PLATFORMS

If you are absolutely broke and plan on using that as an excuse I am going to include a few completely free options. You can get started and test things out with a free blog and not have any commitment. Once you’re ready to move to the next level you can switch to WordPress.

Free blogging platforms include Wix.com, Weebly.com, Blogger.com and Tumblr.com. Wix and Weebly are newer, Tumblr is a micro blogging platform and Blogger has been around the block a few times.

Wix and Weebly are pretty easy to use. Almost too easy. They allow you to choose from assorted templates and include a drag and drop system to build your site. Use these platforms to cut your teeth on. Set them up and just start typing. Nobody ever has to know they are online. Upload photos, try to add videos, test their limits.

Blogger and Tumblr are older but have their own communities. I was building HTML websites in 1999 and when I discovered blogs I used Blogger as the blog on my websites. It was 2003 and WordPress had just been created. I basically built websites and had a link called “blog”. When surfers clicked on the link they were taken to the Blogger website where they saw my blogs. Clunky but it worked. If I had known code I would have invented WordPress.

Tumblr is part micro blog, part social media network. It’s really easy to get started. Check it out if you just want to have a little fun and get something online in minutes. There are also many other free blogging platforms online.

The advantage to using these free blogging platforms is that they are simple to use, quick to setup and you don’t need to connect them with your domain name, although you can. These are for you get break the ice and get started.

The disadvantage to these free websites and blogs is that they have limits. They do not have the full capabilities of WordPress and they are proprietary, meaning you can only use them on the website/server they are associated with.

USING WORDPRESS

WordPress is the leading web building software on the Internet. Many of the largest websites and most popular blogs use WordPress. It is open source and completely free. You can move your WordPress website to any web hosting company. You’ll also find tens-of-thousands of themes, plugins and tutorials.

If you love to figure things out and you’re not afraid to try I would recommend you just start with WordPress and skip the other free platforms. I’ll eventually talk you into moving to WordPress down the road so avoid the nagging and start now!

Web design has become so much more simplified than back in the day. Websites these days are built on themes that can easily be switched with the click of a couple of buttons. There are thousands of themes for WordPress and the other web designing platforms. Do a few searches and you’ll find free and paid themes.

Free themes can be very cool. Unfortunately some of them come with no support and the author may stop updating them without warning. If the theme is not updated it could eventually stop working with the web designing platform like WordPress. Paid themes have more support and tend to get updated for much longer times.

About the only downfall I’ve found with WordPress is all of the updates. Luckily many hosting companies now update WordPress automatically which is fantastic. Be sure to check in your dashboard and see if your WordPress version needs an update. If your host does not update automatically you’ll need to click a few links to get it to update. Once updated you’ll also need to update plugins.

A theme or plugin that does not get updated can stop working correctly or develop a “back door” that a hacker could break into. Once you get used to this it doesn’t really take much time at all.

WEB HOSTING

Many web hosting companies now offer WordPress packages like HostGator.com. I use HostGator for almost all of my websites. A WordPress hosted account means the software is automatically installed for you so there’s no setup.

HostGator will migrate your website if it is currently hosted somewhere else. They also offer an SSL Certificate, Backups, Domain Name and more. They also have great deals when you first get started. Give them a try! If you sign up after clicking on my link I might even make a buck through an affiliate sale.

When choosing a web hosting company be sure to look into a few specific things. Does the hosting include free email accounts, SSL certificates and 24 hour support? Look for packages that include unlimited websites, unmetered storage, unlimited bandwidth, subdomains, backups and other bonuses.

If you’re building an eCommerce store there are many other things to look into. Shopify and other shopping cart websites might be the easier way to go. I’ll do a future episode on building an eCommerce website. But that shouldn’t stop you from starting on something now!

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The post How To Start A Blog For Your Side Gig appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

Think of your website as your house, the place where you live online. Like a regular home you need an address to be found. Rather than assign a website along list of numbers you get to choose an easy to remember domain name. Your domain name is associated with a set of name servers that tell the Internet where your website is hosted. Name server addresses are entered at your domain name account registrar like Go Daddy or Network Solutions.

Think of a phone number like 1-800-843-2665. It would be easier to remember 1-800-THE-COOL. That’s exactly why we use domain names. There are many factors in deciding on the perfect domain name. Take a little time to research your choice but don’t let that stop you from getting started. Pick something and get going, you can always make changes later.

You can always change your name at a later date and even forward a new name to the old one. But! Don’t wait too long. If your business or side gig starts picking up steam you will need to make a decision quickly. The age of a domain name has been a ranking factor in Google before so the sooner you can get your name online the better.

I personally have owned over 100 domain names and still have a rather large collection. I have my own set of rules that will help guide you to a great domain name. There might be a reason for you to differ from my guidelines which is fine.

1. Purchase your name, business name, brand or keywords. This seems pretty obvious. I own CurtisTucker.com which is my name. I run EnidBuzz.com which is the name of my main gig. And I purchased EnidBusinesses.com which is a local business directory for Enid, Oklahoma. Most people will search for you by name so it would be advisable to buy your name if possible. Unfortunately your name may not be available. Someone may already be using it or a cyber squatter may have reserved it.

If you can’t get your exact domain name you can alter it slightly or choose a different name. At one time I wanted to buy CartoonLogos.com but it was not available so I purchased ECartoonLogos.com. If your name is gone try adding your middle initial or full middle name.

There might be circumstances where you want to buy your name or business name but would like to use something else as your domain name. Guess what? You can point more than one domain name to the same website! You cannot point a domain name to more than one website though. For example, I purchased CurtisTucker.com years ago but have since started branding myself as That Buzz Guy. So! I purchased ThatBuzzGuy.com and it forwards to CurtisTucker.com! Just like a phone number or email address.

Another example of when you might need two domain names is if one is very long or hard to remember. I purchased BottleCapsMercantile.com because we opened a brick and mortar store. That is the name of the store but is a bit much to type all of the time. So I also purchased BCMerc.com which forwards to BottleCapsMercantile.com. That way I can give people a much easier name to type in.

2. Purchase a .com. You can tell someone a million times that your website is WhiteHouse .gov and they’ll usually go straight to WhiteHouse.com. I always suggest getting a .com. Almost everyone has heard of famous DotComs whereas very few remember a famous .net, .edu, .org, etc. If you can’t get the .com go with a different name rather than going for a .net. Anything other than the .com will appear as not being the original or best web address. It’s like taking second place.

These days you can purchase a wide variety of descriptive extensions like .pizza, .photography, .buzz, .smile, .life, .lawyer, .me and many, many others. These are cute and can be fun to purchase but I would not use one of these as your main domain name. Like I said I own EnidBuzz.com but I also own Enid.Buzz. They both forward to the same website. I bought it just for fun and to make sure someone else didn’t come along and try to compete with me.

Some companies will purchase the .com, .net and .org to protect their brand. They don’t want anyone using their brand with a different extension. I’ll do a post on trademarking down the line.

3. Pick a name available on social media. Another factor for choosing a domain name might be the vanity usernames on social media. In an ideal world you would want to have your domain name as your username on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other social media platforms. If your username is gone on most social media accounts you can pick a different domain name which helps with branding or you might just have to choose a variety of social media account names that don’t match. It’s not a huge deal but makes branding a little messy and less memorable.

4. The shorter the better. Try to get the shortest domain name possible. I purchased ShaggyDuck.com but my company name was Shaggy Duck Media & Design. Short domains are easier to remember, faster to type and actually worth more if you ever try to resell. Finding a four or five letter domain name is much like finding a nugget of gold. They are almost impossible to find unless they make no sense at all. I made up several six letter domains like Weetys.com. My shortest domain name is EHS81.com at five letters. It stands for Enid High School Class of 1981.

5. Choose a catchy name. There might be times when you are creating a fun online business and want something really catchy. Think of names like Google, Apple, Yahoo and Monster. My first domain name was Curtoons.com in 1999. It is a combination of my first name Curtis and the word cartoons. It was the perfect cartoon website name which I still own today. I also used to make up new words back in the day. I combined Zoinks and Jinkies from Scooby Doo and came up with Zoinkies.com.

6. Avoid hyphens and numbers. Although I just said I own EHS81.com I would not recommend using numbers unless it is specific to the name. Do not use a hyphen, nobody will remember it is in your name and they’ll never find you. The problem with numbers is that searches won’t know whether to use the number or spell out the word.

7. Don’t use a trademarked name. After the release of the Apple iPad I purchased iPadBum.com. I would blog about iPads, apps and accessories. It was a bad choice of names because I could never really promote it with merchandise and I could never trademark it myself because it was using the word iPad. If I had printed anything using the term and tried selling it, Apple would have shut me down really quickly. Make sure you have complete freedom to market your domain name without possibility of legal action.

8. Purchase an existing domain name. There might be a domain name that your really like or your actual brand name might be parked. In those cases you might want to purchase an existing domain name. Beware that you’ll pay way more than the actual $8-12 cost. Be sure and negotiate. One benefit will be that the domain name will have some age which could help in rankings. A negative might be that the domain was used for illegal purposes and or had been blocked in search rankings in the past. Be sure and do several searches online to see what info comes up. You can also visit the Way Back Machine to see what website had been connected with the domain.

Be sure and set your name to auto-renew! If you lose your name someone will snag it. They’ll hold it as long as they can and charge you big bucks to get it back. At one time I owned WebZot.com, a name I totally made up. I purchased the domain for about $10 from a registrar that I normally did not use. They did not have auto-renew on. The second the domain expired it was purchased by someone else. Over the years I’ve seen it used a few times but it is now parked and is for sale. Guess what the asking price is? $50,000! LOL!

The post Choosing The Perfect Domain Name appeared first on Curtis Tucker.

This blog post is all about ideas! Here are 100 crazy, wacky and unique subjects that you can use to launch your side gig. My intent is for you to take any one of these ideas and create multiple versions of your own.

An example would be to start a blog about cooking the best Mexican dishes. You can take that idea, twist it, and start a blog or video channel about baking desserts, creating original soups, using only pressure cookers, cooking on a grill, etc.

You’ve got to find something that you are interested in and thousands of others are interested in. Not hundreds of thousands or millions, just enough to create a loyal following. You can’t create a podcast for everyone or it’ll be impossible to reach anyone. You need to have a niche audience or targeted group of followers.

You’re going to hear me tell you to just get started over and over again. I truly mean that. Use one of these ideas to set things in motion. Once you’re going you’ll start to figure things out and an idea is going to pop out of nowhere. Many great business ideas have come as a spinoff from an existing business.

Use these business ideas to get going. See if you can combine two or three of these ideas into something new. Test and ask your listeners for ideas and suggestions. Let me know if these spark a unique idea.

100 Actual Side Gig Business Ideas To Start Online

1. Fashion Trends – If you love to keep up on the latest fashion trends this gig is for you! Let everyone know the latest styles, colors and materials.

2. Dumbbell Workouts – Teach how to workout with nothing other than a set of dumbbells. No gyms or heavy weights. Include tips on eating healthy.

3. Reality Show Junky – Do you really love one certain reality show! Become the biggest, most knowledgeable fan! Watch live while commentating.

4. Vintage Photos – Collect vintage photos from garage and estate sales. Post them online and make up fantastic or humorous stories about each one.

5. Hiking Expert – Let everyone know the most beautiful places in the world to hike. Teach hiking and travel tips. Share tons of videos and photos.

6. Movie Scores – Share with people the best movie scores of all time. Point out great scores from the most current films. Create playlists.

7. Used Ball Caps – Collect and trade professional and college sports ball caps. Track down history and stories. Build up the largest collection anywhere!

8. Jingle Writer – Write jingles, taglines and slogans for companies, organizations and individuals. Add music and make them commercial jingles.

9. Stain Removal – Create the largest video library of stain removing techniques. Include all natural cleaners created with organic ingredients.

10. Saturday Morning Cartoons – Discuss your love of Saturday morning cartoons. Go deep with character profiles and little known facts.

11. Reunion Organizer – Become the online expert on how to organize a high school reunion. There are tens of thousands of family reunions each year.

12. Dental Consultant – Teach dental offices how to get organized and run their offices. Teach them marketing and social media. Build their websites.

13. Cheap Meals – Concoct inexpensive recipes that taste great. Combine unique ingredients for family meals that save people time and money.

14. Wine Bars – Create a list of the best wine bars all over the world. Give reviews and directions. Let everyone know the local wine brands.

15. 80’s Music – Podcast about anything and everything to do with 80’s music. Try to interview musicians from that decade and get them to sing!

16. Coming Of Age Movies – Start discussions on the best coming of age movies and TV shows. Interview actors and actresses from those movies.

17. Agritourism Guide – Build an online guide to the best agritourism destinations in every state. Post photos and videos. Include printable maps.

18. Paint – Create a unique way of getting paint on a canvas. Produce large sized paintings and feature them online. Sell online and at art shows.

19. Get A License – Document the steps it takes to get all kinds of licenses. Document others getting their licenses. Be sure to include videos.

20. Single Parenting – If you’re a single parent you’ll have a huge amount of followers in the same boat. Give tips, concerns and failures.

21. Model Trains – Be the expert in model trains and find the best track layouts in the country. Start your own train convention.

22. Family Games – Teach families how to play all kinds of games together. Everything from cards to boards games. Make up a new game!

23. Background Noises – Create and record background sounds for movies, videos and podcasts. Build a library and sell subscriptions.

24. Concert Tickets – Collect used concert tickets from concerts all over the world. Tell stories. Sell vintage tickets framed as gifts. Trade!

25. Office Decorating – Seek out outstandingly decorated offices. Post photographs. Interview designers. Sell decor and office furniture.

26. Find A Cause – Help promote a cause. Create bracelets or other merch. Take a cause to a national level. Start a non-profit organization.

27. Presets and Filters – Create and sell Lightroom Presets and Photoshop Actions and Overlays. Teach photographers how to use them.

28. Organic – Create something out of organic materials and sell it. Teach people how to live organically. Be the Organic God!

29. Goonie – Track down every known fact about The Goonies. Collect and sell Goonie merch. Build the biggest Goonie Tribe.

30. Podcast Reviews – There are more and more podcasts coming out every day. Help people find news one that might never get heard.

31. History – Research the history of everyday items and let people know how and why they were invented. Tell creative stories.

32. Sports Techniques – Teach young kids how to shoot baskets, hit a baseball, throw a football, etc. Create videos with experts.

33. Space Saving – Everyone needs more space in their homes and garages. Teach folks how to organize and pack things away.

34. Resume Samples – Collect the best resumes in the top business categories and post them as examples. Give tips on job hunting.

35. Flowers – Be the flower expert! Teach how to plant them and grow them. Which flowers go with which to make beautiful floral arrangements.

36. Pet Care – Give great tips and examples of how to care for your pet. Include diet, exercise and grooming. Lots of photos!

37. The Outside World – Describe what’s going on outside for those that are stuck inside. Some people are rarely able to get outside.

38. Happiness – Describe how to be happy every day. Inspire, motivate and encourage people. Use songs, stories, flavors and more.

39. Names – People are fascinated by names. Research the history of names. Give examples of popular and trendy names. Suggest monthly baby names.

40. Non-Celebrities – Discuss and interview everyday people that are doing great things but are not celebs. Spotlight local heroes.

41. iPhone Updates – Explain to everyone the latest iPhone updates. Let everyone know which are important and needed.

42. Germ Free – Teach people how to avoid germs and keep things clean. Talk about diseases and how to avoid them. Give product reviews.

43. Pins – Create a pin exchange platform. Allow people to trade, buy and sell pins on your website. Build a huge pin collection. Give away freebies.

44. Rookie Players – Give background info on rookie sports players. Talk about college and professional sports. Make predictions on who will be great.

45. Holidays – There’s a holiday or national day for all 365 days of the year. Most days have multiple celebrations. Remind people of these.

46. Dancers – Find and rank the best dancers in the country. Get results from multiple dance competitions. Show videos and publish profiles.

47. Colors – Introduce people to new colors. Show which colors compliment each other for designs and decor. Display creative color combos.

48. Financial – Give great advice on how to stay out of debt. Teach people to avoid debt rather than how to get out of it. Teach how to save!

49. Journal – Keep a journal of your daily moments. Make your life sounds super exciting even if it’s rather mundane. Get creative!

50. Jeeps – Talk about everything Jeeps. You’ll find a very loyal following. Some people love Jeeps and don’t even drive them.

51. Travel – Travel related businesses are very popular. Post about out-of-the-way locations that are cheaper but beautiful.

52. Blogging/Podcasting – Blog about podcasting or podcast about blogging. Give tips and do interviews. Teach how to get started.

53. Traffic – Teach publishers how to get traffic to their blogs, podcasts and video channels. Without traffic nobody makes money!

54. Candy – Remind people about candies that no longer exist. Also publish new candy releases. Do candy tasting videos.

55. Humor – People love to watch funny video and listen to funny podcasts. Post jokes, pranks and funny stories.

56. Traditions – Help parents build fun family traditions. Find unique traditions and write about the history. Look for holiday traditions.

57. Video – Give tips and suggestions on how to do better videos. Teach lighting and audio. Help people create professional looking clips.

58. Peanut Butter – Create a venue for everything peanut butter! Post recipes, taste test, give reviews and find new brands.

59. Stickers – Design creative stickers and sell them online. Make up funny sayings and silly characters. Build a brand!

60. Hot Rods – Find the best hot rod builders in the country. Show examples of their work. Interview them and share techniques.

61. Radio Stations – Review radio stations all over the country. Help listeners discover online independent stations. Interview DJ’s.

62. Likability – Teach people how to be more likable. Help them get along with co-workers and family members.

63. Coaching – Teach adults how to play video games! Help them set up their own Twitch accounts. Drag them into the future.

64. Bigfoot – Do everything you can to prove that Bigfoot is real. Interview people that have seen him. Post lots of stories.

65. Bracelets – Make custom bracelets and sell them. Relate them to some fantastic story that will make people want to wear them.

66. City Government – Cover your local government. Attend meetings and boil stories down to just the details. Run for office!

67. Sleeping – Show people different techniques in how to fall asleep. Talk about the benefits of getting enough zzz’s.

68. China – Follow blogs and news from China. Relay that info to American citizens. Keep people updated on developments.

69. Military – Connect military families. Talk about life living on base and moving from city to city. Highlight the advantages.

70. Presidents – Start a podcast giving historical stories and facts about all of our Presidents. Discover unknown tidbits.

71. Fish – Encourage more people to have fish as pets. Talk about the different species and how to care for them.

72. Space – Keep everyone updated on the next comets, meteors, full moons and rocket launches. Share pictures from space.

73. Top 10 – Build weekly top 10 lists and share those with your followers. Ask for suggestions to build future lists.

74. Sun and Moon – Teach amateur photographers tips on how to take better sunrises, sunsets and full moons.

75. Tea – Become an expert on different varieties of tea. Review brands. Teach people how to brew the perfect cup.

76. Magic – Create videos of you doing amazing magic tricks. Teach kids easy tricks. Interview magicians.

77. Gifts – Write articles on what gifts to give when. Use affiliate links to gifts to make money. Suggest ideas for the guys!

78. Love Letters – Have families send in old love letters that they’ve found. Read them on a podcast. Post photos of the lovers.

79. Coffee – Find the best places that sell coffee merchandise. Everything from beans and mugs to t-shirts and brewers.

80. Green – Talk about anything and everything green. Link to green furniture, bikes, food, clothes, gadgets and more.

81. Hemp – Have discussions on the amazing uses of hemp. Sell hemp products. Create videos on the benefits.

82. Eagles – Let everyone know where they can go watch and photograph eagles. Many places have annual watches.

83. Tailgating – Create videos on how to prepare the ultimate tailgate. Give cooking tips and review different locations.

84. Bartering – Teach people how to barter. Set up a page that allows people to barter with each other.

85. Coats – Get people to donate their old coats to you. Customize them and sell them online. Add some bling to them.

86. Beatles – Do nothing but talk about the Beatles. Discover little known facts. Dig up great history and stories,

87. Song Lyrics – Read song lyrics. Talk about the meanings of songs. Find songs that make no sense and misheard lyrics.

88. Rap – Talk about the latest rap artists. Interview artists and review new releases. Discuss the fashion and lifestyle.

89. Potato Chips – Taste test chips. Find the best brands and varieties. Show how to make homemade potato chips.

90. Surfing – Build a community around the surfing lifestyle. Locate the best places to catch waves. Share beach photos.

91. Pedal Cars – Buy and sell pedal cars. Show how to renovate them. Document going on searches for hard to find models.

92. Architecture – Start discussions on different types of architecture. Show examples. Interview architects.

93. Home Activities – Give tons of examples of things to do around the house for the kids. Blanket forts, games, etc.

94. Weeds and Lawn – Teach homeowners how to care for their lawn. Let them know when to plant and when to spray.

95. Collections – Take calls from people with unusual collections. Write articles and show photos of huge collections.

96. Technology – Keep everyone updated on the latest and greatest technologies on the market. Create “how to” videos.

97. Voice – Talk about voice activated devices. Give tips on using Alexa and other brands. Review skills.

98. Crime – Crime podcasts are hot! Find a new angle or take on murder cases. Find unknown cases. Tell stories.

99. Country Music – Be the go-to place for the latest country music news and the latest song releases. Interview artists.

100. Inspire – Find inspiration and share it with your audience. Use quotes, stories, songs, movies, photos and more.

That’s it! Get started today, build a website, stay consistent, be patient and never quit.

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