The Super Bowl is just around the corner! Are you prepared? Today we are going to cover a few very important steps to prepare your blog or website for the big game day. And on Friday, look for our next Merchant Guide for all your Super Bowl Needs! If you are anxious, feel free to check out our Super Bowl Pinterest Board.
1. Plan your content schedule
What types of posts are you planning to write before, during and after the super bowl to capture the attention of your current readers and attract new ones? Content planning varies by personality, but I’ve found the following steps help me keep everything organized.
- Set Publish Date
- Choose Publish Time
- Create Post Title
- Decide Post Style (How-To, List-Based, Content Heavy, Infographic)
- Select Products to Feature (if applicable)
- Select Appropriate Merchants (if applicable)
- Set Due Date!
Rinse and Repeat.
Keep in mind popular search terms during the super bowl – commercials, the half time show and top players.
2. Apply for Merchant programs
More than likely you will work on this step in conjunction with the previous step. Specifically when you arrive at #6 – Select Appropriate Merchants.
There are a number of ways to search for Merchants to partner with. You can utilize the ShareASale Search to search by Merchant keyword, product keyword, category and a number of advanced filters such as “provides datafeed” or “on auto deposit”.
In addition to searching within the network, you can also utilize the ShareASale Merchant Catalogs and the ShareASale Pinterest Boards. Remember, unless a program is on Auto-Approval, you’ll want to apply for programs well in advance to allow Merchants time to review your website/blog.
3. Plan your social media schedule
Equally as important as developing content, is determining when, where and how you are going to promote it on social media. Take a look at your analytics to see at which times during the day your followers are most active.
In addition to pushing out your blog content, be sure to sprinkle in some non-blog content using Affiliate Links. Use the Custom Link Creation Tool on ShareASale to promote specific products, categories or Merchants on your social media channels relevant to your audience. You can even use our link shortener (aka shrsl links) for optimal social media sharing. For example…
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iBuyYouADrink.com @iBuyYouADrink | Jan 9, 2014 |
| #Football fans ~ put some balls in those # drinks ~ ice mold – http://shrsl.com/?~4xfa Stock up for #SuperbowlSunday | |||
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Jessica Bishop @savvybride | Jan 6, 2014 |
| As a gal with a January birthday I can’t help but be obsessed with this Garnet Glitter polish from Julep!! WANT! http://shrsl.com/?~4wvt | |||
4. Create snappy graphics
Every blog post needs a couple of snappy images, but remember to mind the size. Be wary of large image files that weigh down your site. If you are new to the blog post image game, read or check out the following:
5. Consider a hosting upgrade
If you are experiencing slower load times or expecting a large surge in traffic during the super bowl, it might be a good time to consider a hosting upgrade. Remember that load time can make or break engagement on your website.
If you don’t believe me, read this article from KISSmetrics – “Speed Is A Killer – Why Decreasing Page Load Time Can Drastically Increase Conversions“. If it turns out you are in the market for an upgrade, check out a couple of ShareASale Merchants with great options…
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Lightning Fast Hosting & One Click Setup – GoDaddyYour website is only as good as your hosting plan. See how GoDaddy Web Hosting runs circles around the competition with blazing-fast load times, one click installation for WordPress® and other apps, and unbeatable 24/7 support.
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Managed WordPress Hosting by @WPEngineWe’re the only hosting company where our team is 100% focused and dedicated to WordPress. We also have the best “number of customers per technical employee” ratio of any hosting company out there.
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6. Optimize for Mobile Traffic
For the majority of viewers, the super bowl will be enjoyed from a couch at a friends house, a lively sports bar or from the comfort of their recliner. Each of these locations are prime for smart phone and tablet browsing. Be sure that your site is functional and easy to navigate on a mobile device. If you aren’t sure where to start, check out ShareASale Merchant – Duda Mobile.
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Mobile Website Made Easy | DudaMobileDudaDesign enables you to create fantastic mobile websites for your clients and take all the credit. DudaWhite truly elevates your business by providing you with white label versions of Duda’s editor, dashboard and more.
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7. Review your invalid links report
Now that you’ve finished all your amazing content from step #1, it’s time to review your existing affiliate links. Hop into your ShareASale Affiliate Account and go to Reports > More > Invalid Links Report. This report is a listing of invalid links that generated traffic over the past day.
It’s important to review this report regularly to make sure links are working properly.
8. Create an offline Merchant notification
Using the ShareASale API, you can setup a notification to be sent to your email anytime one of your Merchants has a status change – Online, Offline, Low Funds. As with all API calls, it does require a little programming, but can be very helpful in the long run. (You can also do this for a number of other reports, such as the Invalid Links Report)
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