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Most people think of stress as a bad thing, and it can be if you let it take over your life and prevent you from getting things done. However, stress can also be your motivation to meet your goals. Think about how good it feels to mark those dreaded tasks off your to-do list. Accomplishing even the smallest tasks throughout the day can help you stay motivated to keep going. When you begin to feel stressed, use those negative feelings in a positive way by overcoming the cause of your stress. 

Don’t confuse stress with anxiety

People often confuse stress and anxiety. Both are responses the body and mind can have when facing difficult situations. Everyone faces stress, but not everyone has anxiety. If you have anxiety, you may need outside help to manage it. But with stress, you can find ways to use your body’s stress responses to get things done. Convert that negative reaction into a positive by using it to motivate yourself to accomplish your goals. 

Use your stress to be more productive

Stress can leave you feeling sweaty, increase your heart rate, and make you feel queasy. These are all normal responses to stressful situations. You can’t control how your body reacts to stress, but you can control what you do with that reaction. Think of your stress as anticipation in completing a task or project that will be fulfilling once it’s done. 

Face your stress head-on

When preparing for a stressful situation, or just feeling overwhelmed because of everyday life, find a positive way to use that negative energy. Simple things like a quick walk outside or a quiet moment alone to decompress can immediately lessen your body’s response to stressful situations. When preparing to tackle a stressful project or event, think of the worst thing that could happen and focus on what you can do to prevent that worst-case scenario.  

Everyone faces stressful situations, but not everyone deals with stress in a productive way. It’s helpful to know some calming tactics that can provide relief when you’re facing difficulties. However, you can’t always prevent your body’s response to stress. Instead, use that response to your advantage to motivate yourself to complete those dreaded tasks or projects.

Copywriters and others who create online content are likely aware of the benefits of understanding and using SEO. However, SEO standards are changing as artificial intelligence programs change the way information is presented to online users. By adapting to these changes, online content creators can stay relevant in a world where AI continues to gain popularity and accessibility. 

How AI has changed SEO

AI is making changes to the way SEO is used. When AI programs were first used by search engines, they focused on simple word recognition and matching results based on keywords. But artificial intelligence has advanced beyond recognizing just words and phrases. The latest technology can understand context and user intent, which can provide better results when someone is searching for information online. 

Adapting to these changes

When you create content using SEO, you now focus more on your intended audience and how you expect them to find your content. User intent is important as search engines can now better understand why someone is searching for a certain type of information. When creating content, think about your purpose and the reasoning behind your writing. Use keywords and phrases organically in your title, subtitles, and throughout your content that reflect your intended audience and why they could be searching for such content. 

Create unique content with a purpose

It has never been easier for online users to find information. However, they are often overwhelmed with too much info and too many sources when searching online. To create useful content, you must have a purpose in mind. Content must be unique, reliable, and searchable. Avoid keyword stuffing and clickbait titles. Instead, write unique content that your target audience will find useful, entertaining, or informative. 

Content creators must learn to adapt as technology advances. Artificial intelligence programs are now easily accessible and are used by many to find information. By understanding how these programs search for information, you can change the way you use SEO to create content based on the intent of your target audience.  

Starting a business can be overwhelming, especially when you consider the financial struggles faced by many new business owners. Worrying about funding is one of the main reasons many people hesitate to take the huge step into business ownership. While some businesses may require extensive funds for startup, entrepreneurs should know that careful budgeting can help in the initial stages of a business startup. If you have a plan to start a small business, these budget tips may help you get the funds you need to get your business running.

Barter with others in a similar position

If you need someone to help you with marketing, social media, or other tasks you’re not particularly knowledgeable in, look for people who are in a similar position. College students or others who are knowledgeable but not experienced may be willing to offer services cheap or free in exchange for something they benefit from like promotions on your website or free advertising. Bartering is a mutually beneficial way of getting what you need to start your business. 

Learn new skills

Take advantage of free classes at local libraries or recreational centers. These classes can help you learn skills that will allow you to do more business-related tasks on your own, so you don’t have to outsource. Understanding how to complete your tax returns, create digital media for advertising, or design packages or logos for your brand means you don’t have to pay someone else to do those tasks.

Look for alternative funding

You may not have to come up with 100% of the startup costs for your business if you can find other sources of funding. Supportive friends or family members may offer to invest in your business. Also, look for grants which don’t have to be paid back. Grants are available to business owners who qualify. Apply for any grant that even remotely relates to your business or your demographics as a small business owner to increase your chances of finding funding. 

Sticking to a budget can be challenging when starting a business. Alternative methods of funding like investments from others and grants can provide much-needed help when you’re trying to get your business off the ground. It’s also important to save money when you can by finding low-cost methods of getting business tasks done or learning how to complete those tasks yourself so you don’t have to outsource. 

Email has been a quick method of communication used for personal and professional reasons for decades. While some people have begun to use other methods of communication, mainly through direct messages or social media, email is still a viable way to send messages, especially in marketing. Emails are cheap, easy, and efficient. You can send emails to a large list of recipients in very little time and it’s easy to check the data to see how effective your email marketing campaign is doing. 

Craft a catchy subject line

The subject line is the greatest determining factor in whether your recipients will open an email. Your subject line should be clear, concise, and around 25-50 characters long.  Avoid using clickbait in your subject line as most people find this distasteful and can harm the reputation of the brand you’re representing. 

Make your emails mobile-friendly

Many people use their cell phones for email communication so your emails must be mobile-friendly. Use engaging graphics to capture your readers’ attention immediately. Include multiple links in your email to encourage your readers to take the desired action. Be sure the links are visible, correctly formatted, and organically spaced throughout the email. 

Know your metrics

A successful email marketing campaign depends on understanding your client’s goals and knowing how to reach their target market in a way that gets them to act. By understanding the open, click-through, and conversion rates, you can know what’s working and what needs to be changed. Monitoring these metrics helps you adapt your strategy to get the most engagement for your client. 

Email continues to be an effective way to reach your client’s target market. Emails are easy and cost-efficient to produce, making them ideal for spreading brand awareness for any client, no matter what they’re selling. A quality subject line, good links that encourage click-through, and mobile-friendly emails are all essential to a successful email marketing campaign.

When you create content for clients with different backgrounds and objectives, you may find yourself with requests to write about controversial topics. There are plenty of legitimate reasons why a client might request an article that includes potentially controversial information. Copywriters must make decisions on what they feel comfortable with and be ok with declining a job if it feels wrong to create such content. However, it’s also important to feel perfectly fine writing about controversial topics if you have no moral or ethical qualms about it. Understanding how to tackle controversial subjects is key in creating content for clients who may want to cause a stir or get people thinking outside societal norms. 

Understand your client’s purpose

What is your client’s goal and how do they plan to use your content? By understanding this, you write better content that aligns with your client’s purpose and gives you an idea of the tone to use in your writing. By knowing whether your client is trying to provoke discussion, provide information, or simply encourage readers to think another way, you can create meaningful content with a clear purpose. 

Be thorough in your research

When writing on a controversial topic, it’s important to do your research so you understand the facts surrounding that topic. Use data and verifiable information that can be backed up by reliable sources. You may wish to include links in your content that take the reader directly to the sources you used. 

Stick to the facts

When presenting controversial information, it’s important to stick to the facts. Overly emotional content may not be seen as reliable. Be mindful of the words and language you use. Use an empathetic tone so those who may disagree with your content don’t feel attacked by it. 

Sometimes copywriters may be asked to write controversial content. It’s a personal decision that must be made by each individual when deciding whether to create such content. If you choose to write about controversial subjects, do so in a way that presents verifiable facts. Use a neutral tone so your client’s information is presented in a way that shows empathy toward those who may have differing opinions. 

In the digital age, those who work in marketing must learn to shift as technology changes. While the basics of marketing still apply, the way you market your clients’ products and services, and the platforms on which you market them, may be evolving. Learning how best to market on social media can help you stay up to date with the latest in marketing trends and those skills can help you stay relevant in your field. 

Social media marketing

Many people turn to social media to see what’s trending and to understand what’s going on in the world. Generally, online users have a short attention span when it comes to viewing content, so social media allows them to scroll and click through quickly if something doesn’t catch their interest. Social media marketing requires you to create short ads, videos, and text that immediately catch the attention of your target market. If they’re bored or uninterested, it’s very easy for them to move on to the next slide or video. You must learn how to reel them in quickly to get them to continue to view your content. 

Creating content for social media

Social media makes it easy for users to share content on different platforms so it’s important to use that to your advantage. Marketing on social media means you must catch the attention of viewers quickly before they scroll away. Short videos with catchy music and interesting visuals generally work well. Incorporate your clients’ product or service organically in a way that doesn’t feel like an ad. Encourage viewers to like, share, and repost your content. It’s helpful to create content that you can post on multiple social media platforms. Consider the demographics of your target market and use that information to understand which platforms they use most frequently so you know where to post.

Marketing tends to change as new trends and technologies gain popularity. It’s important to use these trends and technologies to your advantage so you can easily reach your clients’ target market. Learning how to market on social media is valuable if you want to reach people quickly and have your content shared over various platforms, increasing your client’s visibility. 

Many people dream of starting a business, but not everyone succeeds. Some of these failures come from the fear of trying at all. It can be scary to go out on your own and leave the comfort of a steady income. But if you have what it takes to start your own business, which includes determination, adaptability, and knowledge of your market, you can succeed. Don’t let fear get in the way of your dreams. With some planning and preparation, you can be free of the things holding you back and make your own path by starting your business. 

Plan, plan, plan

You’ve likely seen movies or TV shows where a disgruntled employee suddenly quits their job on a whim only to go off and find success immediately as a business owner. This simply isn’t realistic. You need to have a plan in place before leaving your current job. Savings for emergencies can ensure you have funds to live on while getting your business running. Be sure to understand how much money you’ll need monthly to pay for your essentials and how much you’ll need to keep your business going during the initial startup period, which is often stressful and not profitable. 

Don’t burn bridges

No one wants to think of failure, but statistically speaking, many new businesses simply don’t work out. While you want to be hopeful that your business will be a success, it’s important to be realistic and maintain connections from your previous career in case you need to return to it. Part amicably with your job if possible and try to keep connections to those in your field if you need to apply for a similar job in the future. 

Be prepared for the challenges

Starting a business can be very stressful. Relying on yourself for income and being responsible for running a business on your own comes with a lot of responsibility. While this can be scary, many entrepreneurs find the benefits of business ownership worth the stress. 

Fear can hold people back from making important life changes. If you want to open a business but are fearful of the impact it will have on your life, and especially your financial situation, you’re not alone. By planning ahead and preparing yourself for the challenges you may face as a business owner, you can take the next step toward achieving your goals of business ownership.

Many people spend much of their workday at a desk. Sedentary jobs, while they may initially seem physically easy, can actually be quite hard on the body. If you find yourself becoming stiff or sore after sitting at your desk all day, you may consider adding some specific stretches and exercises to your workout routine to help combat physical issues that are common among people who work long hours at their desks. 

Beneficial stretches

When you sit in one position all day, your muscles can become stiff from remaining in a contracted position with limited range of motion. Doing lunges, heel sits, and planks can help stretch those contracted muscles and relieve tension in your back, lower body, and shoulders. These stretches are simple to do and easily accessible for most people. Consider doing a few stretches during your lunch break and incorporating them into your workout routine. 

Increase your workouts

Finding time to work out before or after work is a challenge faced by many. But working out regularly can go a long way in preventing illnesses that are associated with living a sedentary lifestyle. Simply walking a few miles several times a week can make a big improvement in your overall health. Find activities that you enjoy, that promote movement, so your workouts don’t feel like a chore. Biking, swimming, participating in group sports, or hiking local trails all provide the opportunity to be active in a way that doesn’t require you to be in the gym for hours every week.

Sitting for long periods of time can lead to long-term health issues. When you work a desk job, be sure to get up and move around when you have the chance during your workday. You can also incorporate some stretches and exercises that will help deal with the soreness and stiffness faced by many people who work desk jobs.