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Proof That Happiness Can Equal Success in Your Small Business

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Many people underestimate the importance of a holistic approach to small business growth. We fully agree with Albert Schweitzer’s quote:

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

Do you love what you do? Do you do what you love? In today’s post, we’re going to discuss the three reasons why happiness boosts success, and 5 easy ways to become happier in your career.

3 Things That Happen When You’re Happy

When you’re happy, these 3 things happen, acting as catalysts for business growth.

1. Happiness Breeds Creativity

While spending time on creative activities can make you happier, the reverse also applies. According to University of California, San Francisco, a collection of studies showed that a positive mood increases creativity. When you are happy, your body releases more dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that has been linked with motivation. In turn, dopamine increases the control you have over your mind. It also boosts activity in the areas of your brain where processing, learning, and decision-making take place.

It goes to show that happiness can help you come up with more creative ideas, which in turn will improve your business processes, whether it is marketing or better ways to handle people and processes.

2. When You’re Happy, Your Customers Will Be Happy

The University of California Riverside did a study, led by Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky, which investigated the link between happiness and success. She said that they found strong evidence to show that happiness causes people to be more sociable and generous, healthier (stronger immune system) and more productive at work. Likewise, happy people also tend to make more money.

When you’re sociable and generous towards your clients, they will, in turn, feel happy and more likely to use your services. It is contagious!

3. Happy People Work Harder

Economists at the University of Warwick carried out a number of experiments to see whether happy employees work harder, and indeed, they found that happiness made their subjects 12% more productive.

It’s clear to see that happiness has a positive effect on a person’s performance, but now do we cultivate a spirit of happiness in the workplace?

5 Steps to Becoming Happy at Work

Gallup revealed that in 2013, two-thirds of the workforce were unhappy. Many people believe that work and misery go hand-in-hand. Becoming happier at work does not need to be an insurmountable task. Here are some proven ways to be happier at work.

1. Find Meaning In Your Work

If you’re in your own business, you already have many reasons to be happier than someone who is pushing the clock from 9-5. If you don’t already do what you love, perhaps it is time to strategize a new approach. Find ways to change the world, even if it is in a small way, daily.

2. Create a Cozy Office Environment

Most of us spend many hours in our offices every day, and therefore, it should be as comfortable as possible. Decorate it as you wish; get some music going and put up pictures that make you feel good and remind you of why you do what you do.

3. Smile 🙂

Did you know that you can trick your body into believing you’re happy?

That’s right!

When you smile, your body releases neuropeptides that tell your brain to be happy. And when you smile, it will touch everything you do.

4. Leave Home at Home and Work at Work

Don’t bring personal issues to work and don’t take work problems home. It’s easy to do when you have a dedicated office at home – simply shut the door when you “go home” and return with a fresh perspective tomorrow. Likewise, when home issues are killing your focus, close the door, turn on focus music and get to work.

5. Say Thank You!

Gratitude is the ultimate happy-maker. Whether you express gratitude to your clients for their business, or to your family, or even to yourself, it will result in a heightened sense of self-worth that results in even more goodness.

Of course, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a 5-minute breather can go a long way to making you feel fabulous again. Either way, you really should do whatever you can to get the happy hormones flowing, because it will not only make you feel good, but it will bring about a positive shift in your results.

6 Simple Website Hacks for Online Marketing Success

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So, you’ve got a great website and a strong business model, but you’d love to see a lot more traffic coming to your site. As a small business owner, promoting and maintaining your business, a website, and your product or service can be a full-time job. However, there are a few simple ways to hack your website to help work smarter instead of harder.

While most marketing tasks are complex and can require quite a bit of your time, there are a few things you can complete in less than 5 minutes to make your time more effective.

5-Minute Tricks for Online Marketing Success

The next time you’re overwhelmed by your online marketing task list, take a minute to do just a few of these things to increase your online marketing success.

1. Make Your Headlines Matter

Statistics have shown that, while 8 out of 10 people read headlines, only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the rest.

Try the Portent’s Content Idea Generator http://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker, which will help you generate great headlines for your content, based on your keyword. It’s a really cool tool!

Or, our personal favorite is the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer. This tool grades your headline and lets you know, in detail, what is good and what is bad to help steer you towards a viral headline.

2. Create Your Own Images

While quality stock photo sites are a dime-a-dozen these days, custom branded photos go the distance. Instead of sharing someone else’s images, create your own.

In fact, the Edgerank Checker revealed research that showed how created posts were so much more effective in areas of engagement, organic reach, and viral search, compared to shared posts.

Instead, use the other brand’s thoughts as a starting place for your own, unique content.

3. Repurpose Your Old Posts

When you don’t have time to write a new blog post, simply repurpose and share an old one via your social media channels.

Most people probably won’t remember seeing it the first time and those that have seen it won’t mind seeing it again if it’s quality, valuable content.

While this may seem like the lazy marketer’s option, it offers a range of significant benefits. From continuing to develop social proof (likes, shares, tweets, +1s) to extend your reach, you’re bound to get more comments, shares, and discussion on a post that already has comments.

People are more likely to participate when there’s already a buzz.

4. Add Oomph to Your Most Popular Page

Check out your Google Analytics to find the most popular page on your site, and add a call-to-action to it. This is one of the most effective strategies, and it takes only 5 minutes to implement.

Be sure that the CTA or link you’re adding is highly relevant to the page content. There’s nothing worse than an off-the-wall plug that doesn’t make sense for the reader.

5. Include an Outbound Link (or three)

Show that you’re not pulling your information out of thin air by including a link to relevant information on your site, this includes pages and articles.

People will take you more seriously when you include a link to an authoritative page or something that is written by someone who is an expert in the field.

6. Leverage Time-Saving Tools

There are many new tools that make your job as an online marketer easier. Hootsuite and IFTTT are two of the coolest tools for social sharing. Take advantage of these tools and enjoy the results.

Do you have more time-saving online marketing tips? We’d love to hear from you!

5 Reasons to Jump on the Google Bandwagon

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It’s true, Google is a behemoth and very nearly a world power…for good reason. But, believe it or not, there are people and businesses that are still not on board with Google.

Google seeks to establish a strong digital platform that can integrate to create a holistic user experience on the Internet.

There are 4 concrete and important reasons to jump on the Google bandwagon:

1. Simplicity

Simple things really are the best in every way. Simplicity is the best for maintaining your sanity, your momentum, and your brand.

The definition of simplicity is freedom from complexity, intricacy, or ornamentation.

That statement accurately defines Google’s digital suite and every tool found within it:

  • Each tool is as minimal as possible while still offering incredible functionality.
  • There’s no unnecessary, flashy branding or advertisements.
  • Tools are clearly color-coded for ease of use.

Simplicity and accessibility go hand in hand, which leads us to our next reason to hop that bandwagon:

2. Accessibility

As a business owner or entrepreneur, there’s little that is more important than accessibility to your daily needs. Google gets that, and works to make your worklife and business dealings as easy as possible by offering everything you could possibly need in one compact place.

They desire to be the one-stop hub where you can:

  • Check your email (Gmail),
  • Surf the internet (Google Search),
  • Mark dates on a calendar (Google Events),
  • Get directions (Google Maps),
  • Share files (Google Docs),
  • Watch videos (YouTube),
  • Engage in an online video chat (Hangouts).
  • Engage in instant messages (Hangouts).

Or, if you’re using Google G Suite to market your business or someone else’s, you can:

  • Keep an eye on viral trends and keywords (Google Trends)
  • Set alerts for news relevant to your industry (Google Alerts)
  • Research and manage SEO (Google Keyword Tool)
  • Manage and maintain your website reach and statistics (Google Analytics)

Plus, there’s so much more that you can do with Google’s digital suite that isn’t listed here.

3. Mobility

In this day and age, your mobility can potentially mean the life or death of your business. Fortunately, Google makes each of their tools and products available via mobile and even offline if you need it.

Imagine for a moment that you’re having a very important business lunch with a new potential client, but forgot to print off your presentation slides. Big uh-oh. But, what could impress them more than a guided tour through your presentation on Google Slides.

This mobility could mean the difference between an excited new client and a lost prospect. Never lose a prospect again because you made a tiny mistake.

4. Expandability

While Google tools and programs are pretty robust and thorough, sometimes you need a little extra. Fortunately, Google offers the capability to add-on functions through sponsored plugins and open-source options.

Custom reports and goals in Google Analytics.

Enhanced Gmail functionality with Google Labs.

In fact, Google offers documentation for developers to help add more functionality to their tools without the overhead.

5. Shareability

Last, but certainly not least, Google offers premium shareability in all that they do. Plus, they make it as easy and user-friendly as possible.

You can add individuals, teams, and organizations to just about everything you do within Google’s digital suite. This not only makes things easy for contractors or remote teams, but it can also ease your mind. Never again will things get lost in translation or get missed in the stack of inbox files.

Do you have another reason why Google is the best? Share it with us in the comments!

5 Easy Ways to Drive Sales Using Email Newsletter Marketing

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Email Newsletter Marketing is All About Making Friends

The funny thing about working in marketing is that you become very cognizant of brand identification. Eventually, you’ll begin to see the values that each company expresses behind the brands you know and can decide whether or not you align with those values as well, or if you’d rather spend your money elsewhere.

It’s kind of like making friends.

Newsletters make a great way to show off your personality to your potential clients and make friends along the way. Your customers opted in to find out more about you, don’t disappoint them. Take this opportunity to express yourself a bit. Be bold. You won’t get attention if you avoid sticking out.

Your company should be an extension of your personality.

Remember, as an entrepreneur; you are your business. Reflect that in your newsletter! Don’t forget to include strong, relevant content, though. You don’t want to lose potential business by focusing too much on yourself. The purpose here is to provide value while making a personal connection. People will much more likely conduct business with a company to whom they feel connected.

Here are a few tips to help your newsletter connect with your target audience:

1. Include an article(s) relevant to your market niche.

Successful businesses stay ahead of the curve so help them gather information. Stay knowledgeable about the latest developments in your industry. Then share any relevant and important news that you find.

2. Write a personal connection piece.

Don’t just fill this with fluff. Use this as an opportunity to express your own personal business philosophy. If you struggle with what to write, discuss how do you integrate your lifestyle to fit your values.

  • Why did you choose entrepreneurship?
  • What drew you to your niche?
  • What specifically interests you?

Focus on articles that bolster your values and beliefs and your personality will show through.

3. Write a bio that stands out.

Don’t just follow your typical bio format.

Answer these types of questions:

  • What do you value?
  • What are you known for?
  • Where do you feel the most connected?
  • What do you hope to achieve?
  • What excites you?

Use the answers to these questions and craft a stellar bio that will seem a little more individualized, giving a greater sense of your personality. This helps your audience connect with you on a personal level.

4. Be clear about what qualitative results your clients receive.

People want value, and they’ll eat it up if you give it to them.

So, don’t beat around the bush. Tell them what they’ll get from working with you while stressing the benefits. Remember, it’s about value. Let them know what they’ll be getting for their money.

5. Give the message your clients want to hear.

People want to know what you’ll do for them. Just because you put out a newsletter doesn’t mean that readers will sign up. You have to sell the message that they want to hear. Solve their problems, and they’ll keep opening up your newsletter for more.

Have another email newsletter tip that you use? Share it with us in comments!

How to Get Started in Social Media Marketing in 9 Simple Ways

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Social Media is Hard, but Necessary. Learn How to Get Started Like a Pro Today

Jumping into social media for your brand? It’s scary business, going outside your comfort zone, right?

You have a personal Facebook page. You’ve seen videos on YouTube and you receive celebrity tweets. You know what it’s all about. From a consumer’s standpoint, that is. Once you became an entrepreneur, you realized that the perspective is quite a bit different from the other side.

You know you need social media to attract customers, but where do you even begin?

How do you gain traction?

Here are a few tips to help you get started with social media marketing for your business:

1. Have a purpose.

Consider your purpose for diving into social media.

Do you want to make connections?
Do you want to share updates of your blog content?

Think of your end goal and how you could use social media to get there. Then, based on that, make a detailed social media plan and stick to it.

2. Have a plan.

Not all social media platforms are created equal. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as target demographics.

Find out which ones best meet your needs and then create strategies for each independently.

3. Create a strong profile.

Fill out your profile completely and include relevant details for your followers. Use an appropriately professional image and update details as needed.

4. Put yourself out there!

Send out an email to your whole contact list announcing your new social media profile.

Add “like” or “follow me” buttons to your website and let people know where to find you. Engage on other pages, and those people will follow you back to engage on yours.

5. Let’s say it again: Engage!

Get out there and comment on posts, pictures, videos, etc. that relate to your business.And don’t keep it one-sided.Make sure to respond to comments made on your page. People won’t return if they think no one’s listening.

6. Share readily.

Sharing the content of others can also help generate a strong fan base. People appreciate having their reach widened and will reciprocate in kind, sharing and getting your material in front of more potential customers as well.

7. It’s not all about you.

While people love to hear from their favorite brands and receive their updates, the focus should always be on providing value. Keep your focus on sharing helpful information and avoiding blatant self-promotion.

8. Keep it coming.

Consistent messaging will build your reputation and maintain your exposure. If you keep putting your message out there, people will begin to see you as an influence in your industry and look to you when they need your products or services.

9. Be Patient.

Social media success takes time. Unless you already have a well-established online presence, you probably won’t get instant results. Don’t worry and don’t give up. Keep making connections and building your list. Eventually, all of your hard work will pay off.

Remember, social media is like a snowball rolling down a hill. Expect slow results at first, but once you get going, you will really gain momentum and begin attracting fans exponentially. Keep steady and focused, and you’ll be seeing the benefits soon.

7 Simple Steps to Engage People on Your Blog

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7 Simple Steps to Engage People on Your Blog

Ready to Get People Excited to Read Your Blog?

When you hear about the need to engage, a lot of people think about social media networks such as Facebook and Google+. Blogs often get overlooked.

Most popular blogging platforms provide various features that both allow for and enhance engagement and sharing just like you would see on a social network. Just like some social media accounts, blogger profiles exist that have tons of followers and generate a lot of comments, while there are some that seem to generate little attention at all.

Where does your blog lay on this spectrum? Do you desire more interaction on your page? Here are 7 simple tips to help you increase engagement and build a following with your blog:

1. Have a purpose.

Having a well-defined purpose will help give you direction on what to write, and a reason for visitors to keep coming back.

Ensure that you are specific and consistent in your focus, if you keep changing up your focus, your potential audience will get confused and eventually leave. By remaining consistent and narrowing your blogging to a certain niche, you can help establish yourself as an expert in that field and be the go-to person for those seeking advice regarding your particular area of knowledge.

2. Be relevant.

You hear about relevance all the time, and for good reason. Readers have a far greater likelihood of commenting on an article that speaks to them, so provide information that really resonates with them.

Keep up on current trends and relay the latest news. Give hints and tips your target audience would utilize to achieve success.

3. Don’t overdo it with text.

There are a TON of articles and studies out there that define the best or worst length of blog articles. The truth is, they’re all right…and all wrong.

While there is no real sweet spot in terms of blog length, it is typically best practice to keep a median word count between 400 and 700 words depending on the topic.

It hurts a writer’s ego, but few of your visitors care about your lengthy prose. Make it easy to scan by using bold highlights and bulleted lists. Break out key points using write short, crisp sentences, paragraphs, and bullet points.

4. Welcome conversation.

It may sound silly or like basic common sense to say this, but you really do need to ask for engagement from your readers.

  1. Pose a question.
  2. Ask their opinion.
  3. Get their feedback.

People love to be heard; it makes them feel important. Simply ending your article with “What do you think?” may be enough to generate a reply.

5. Answer questions.

Like conversation, honest answers can be the best thing you’ve got in your pocket.

Your readers want to know that you appreciate them and take the time to respond intelligently and promptly to any and all questions.

Never take your readers for granted, always greet them and thank them for their time. You don’t enjoy feeling like you’re talking to thin air, and neither do they.

6. Include sharing buttons on your blog posts.

Make sure you provide the ability to share your blog articles on the major social media platforms such as Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter. When a visitor shares your content on their social networks, it greatly increases the chances you will attract those with whom your content resonates.

If you’re using WordPress, there are tons of high-quality, reputable social sharing plugins that will serve your needs.

7. Make it easy for readers to subscribe to your RSS feed.

This allows your visitors to have your posts delivered to their reader without having to visit your blog each time you publish. That way, they’ll get notified when you share a new post and have even more encouragement to stop by and say hello.

What did you think? Please leave a comment below and let us know!

How to Blog to Boost SEO and Increase Sales in 8 Steps

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There’s something about the power of language and communication that comes across in the written form that can’t be expressed in other media. Plus, you get to enjoy expressing those skills and use them to attract sales makes it all the more satisfying.

However, just because you have a blog that you contribute to frequently doesn’t mean anyone will read it or transact a sale.

Here are 8 steps to blog to boost SEO and increase sales.

You have to use your blog correctly to boost SEO and increase sales by drawing them down the sales funnel. A good blog can play a powerful role in attracting customers to your products and/or services.

You begin with social media and engage on all of your social media platforms. As you attract people to your fan pages, you furnish them with an opt-in or freebie offer. Provide value in this offer, so your potential customers visit your blog to learn more helpful hints and information.

Learn to use your blog correctly to boost SEO and increase sales.

Here are a few tips to help employ your blog more effectively to boost SEO and increase sales:

1. Determine the frequency of your posts and plan a schedule. Find a good balance.

Don’t over commit yourself to the point you burn out, but make sure you still maintain a presence. Figure out what works best with you and your target market and stick with it.

2. What value do you provide through your blog? Don’t write to a vacuum. People will visit your blog when they have a reason to read what you have to say. What reason will you give them?

3. Write topical articles relevant to your niche. This ties into the value tip above. Your readers confront a lot of competing messages out there. Give them what they seek with information of value that will help them in their business, not just yours.

4. Create theme months. Tie in your blog posts to an overall theme that you address over the course of a month. Plan out 8-10 things to share regarding the theme and write a post on each.

5. If you run low on material, take a refresher course or learn a new skill. Write about your self-improvement experiences over your next series of posts. Others will learn from what you share.

6. Promote your blog on your social media channels. You did all of that hard work writing it so get the word out there! Ask your friends to sign up for announcements and let everyone in your feed know when a new post publishes.

7. Cross integrate between media types. Facebook’s algorithm shows posts higher and more often when they contain pictures, media, or other high-profile attachments. Get a greater blog reach by attaching your link to an inspirational quote, article or picture that is sure to be seen and shared.

8. Maintain a good social balance. Don’t beat your customers over their head with sales pitches. Instead, use the 80/20 rule and work to offer about 80% fan value and no more than 20% promotion in your blog posts.

A blog is an incredibly powerful marketing feature that can boost your SEO, create a sense of community, and bring in new sales. But, it has to be used properly and consistently. Follow these 8 basic steps, and your own common sense, to achieve a solid and lucrative blog.

Have another tip to great blogging? We’d love to hear about it, share your ideas in the comments below.

Top 5 Business Marketing Trends of 2016

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With every passing year, businesses are becoming more aware of the fact that their focus must be more consumer-centric. And in 2016, it has to be even more so. The crux is that your marketing needs to fully engage your target market, and you need to increase that focus more every time you reassess your strategy. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what you can do this year to ensure that your marketing is in line with current trends.

The Marketing Trends That Rule the Business World

1. Mobile Marketing is Set to Get Bigger

Yes, mobile marketing has been around for a while. It’s nothing new, but it will only get bigger in the coming year. eMarketer predicts that 50% of all global digital spend for 2016 – that is more than $100 billion – will be in mobile advertising.

2. Customer Experience Will Still Dominate

The modern consumer has more options today than ever before, which means that you need to put on a great experience when they visit your site. Comparison sites, online reviews, and a deluge of shopping channels means that consumers can choose exactly where they spend their money.

A survey by Gartner suggests that in the near future:

85% of the brand relationship will be managed without any human interaction.
89% of the competition will be based on customer experience.

According to the Aberdeen Group “State of Marketing Automation 2014: Processes that Produce”, best-in-class businesses are up to 67% more likely to use marketing automation platforms.

And on the note of automation…

3. Apps for Every Purpose

When apps first emerged, they were made for mobile devices only. These days, every type of device has an app. From desktop apps to web apps and television apps – there are countless ways in which to manage our tasks.

Apps for Every Purpose

As a marketer, you can use apps to increase productivity and to leverage your marketing resources. Make use of low-cost and even free apps to:

  • Manage your content.
  • Enhance customer experience.
  • Drive advertising and promotions.
  • Schedule and track your social media marketing.
  • Send out email marketing campaigns.
  • Access your website analytics.

4. A Shift Towards Advocate Marketing

Awesome customer experiences result in referrals. Every time you provide a great user experience, you are building a relationship. Happy customers are positive influencers who benefit your company greatly. By creating positive experiences for your clients, you can leverage your marketing through the relationship you have with them as an effective method for promoting referrals.

5. Content Will Remain King

Since the dawn of days, content has been the key to online marketing success. With close to 90% of consumers heading to the search engines to do research before buying anything – both online and offline – it only makes sense that around 93% of all marketers use content marketing.

Do bear in mind, though that consumers want everything to be better, faster and more, which is why social marketing platforms already identify and promote high-quality content, which means that marketers will need to ensure that they are constantly adding fresh, high-quality content to make an impact on their audiences. That means that consumers will have to find better ways to share their content.

Content Will Remain King

A study by Animoto found that:

96% of consumers found online video helpful in making buying decisions;
73% of consumers surveyed said that they were more likely to buy after watching a video;
and 71% were left with a positive impression of the company, service or brand.

As online marketing continues to evolve, it’s up to us as marketers to stay on the cutting edge of industry trends to ensure that we continue to deliver the types or experiences our target audiences demand.

The Top 5 Ways to Live and Work Totally Unbound

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Living and working unbound is a really great choice for anyone who is a little sassy and a lot independent. Seriously, ladies…this is probably you. So, here is what we like to call our “Unbound Handbook” or the top 5 ways to live and work totally unbound.

  1. Be True to Yourself

Who you are is an important part of why you do what you do, and being true to your personality and values is a priceless commodity that not all people can access.

So, ALWAYS be true to who you are in everything that you do. If something goes against your personal values, even a little bit, ditch it. If something will make you a chunk of change right now but doesn’t make sense for your business model in the long run, why bother? You’re in it for the long haul, for both yourself and your business.

Living unbound is all about being yourself and doing what you want to do, the way you want to do it. It makes sense to be true to that, right?

  1. Never Box Yourself In

This may seem a little bit cheesy, but it is the real deal. Never box yourself into something that doesn’t make sense for you.

That means that you should never, ever settle for something that you know is less than what you deserve because someone says you can’t do it. Or, avoid doing something because it doesn’t fit within a predetermined model of what you or your business should be. You determine what you can and cannot do. No one else.Never Box Yourself In

So, take the bull by the horns and charge right out of that box. The sky’s the limit ladies, and we’re aiming for Mars.

  1. Hire Good People Like You

Hiring great people can be a daunting task, but if you approach it from a different perspective you’re more likely to end up with stellar employees.

Always try to hire people that are like you. They are more likely to be living and working unbound already and are more likely to share in your passion. A shared dream or passion makes for an amazing work relationship and hard working people.

  1. Believe in Your Passion

Don’t ever let people get you down and tell you that you can’t do something that you believe in. Your passion and resilience can move mountains if you let it.

Sometimes believing in something that doesn’t fit the norm is hard, but it’s always worth it in the end. Plus, we’ve seen people make millions doing something that makes them happy but makes zero business sense. Passion works, and it inspires others to do the same.

  1. Never Take No For An Answer

“No” is a word that we all learned very early on in life, and it has always had an impact on how we live and how we perceive things. Not anymore.

No doesn’t belong in your vocabulary, and you should never take no for an answer. There is always a better option, a way to circumvent the situation to make it work.Never Take No For An Answer

The next time someone tells you “no”, whether it be a potential client or a family member, ask them how they came to determine that “no” was the best answer and then show them how your option can work for them. Not everyone is going to be swayed, but there’s no harm in trying to approach a situation from a variety of angles.

Rules Are Meant to Be Broken

In conclusion, you make the rules. They’re yours to bend or break whenever you see fit, so now is the time for you to live and work completely unbound from the things that would hold you down.

Simple, Free WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin

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backupAs a web master, backing up your site files becomes a crucial part of your daily life. Let’s face it – hackers will always try to compromise your site, servers will fail, or you will mess up (as I have done before). After spending copious amounts of time managing, tweaking, and changing your site to make it perfect, the last thing you want to do is to try re-do it exactly as it was from memory. You can’t afford to lose all the hours you have poured into it. Backing up your site on a regular basis can offer a quick solution for restoring your site in the event of a failure.

If you’ve been searching for a reliable method, then UpdraftPlus is an amazing free option. It will help you create automated backups of your WordPress installation and allow you to easily restore older versions from Google Drive, Dropbox, or any of a wide range of cloud storage solutions.

How Does UpdraftPlus Work?

Once you have installed and activated the free UpdraftPlus plugin, you need to configure it.

  1. Go to Settings on your WordPress Dashboard, and navigate to UpdraftPlus Backups.
  2. Go to Configure Backup Contents And Schedule. You can schedule backups for anything from every four hours to once a month, and you can set different intervals for your files and database, if you wish.
  3. Under Copying Your Backup To Remote Storage, you can choose where you want to send your backup files. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to set up your preferences.
  4. Save Changes to complete the set-up.

It’s as simple as that. Updraft Plus also has a Pro version that offers even more flexibility and function, such as site cloning, multi-site use, and storing your databases in multiple locations.

Why Do I Love UpdraftPlus?

First, they have a great support forum, and you can receive priority support by purchasing the premium plugin. It’s the ideal solution for backing up, restoring, cloning, and migrating your WordPress site.

Half a million people are using Updraft Plus and I’m happy to be one of them.

Easy Configuration – Even beginner webmasters can easily set up their Updraft Plus accounts.

Completely Flexible – You can store your backups in any of the most popular cloud storage solutions, email them to yourself, or keep them on the server. Schedules are flexible too.

Proven, Reliable Backups – Updraft Plus is used by some major websites of up to 12 Gb in size, which is much, much bigger than your website and mine. It has been tested extensively and it delivers.

Four Price Plans – You can choose the free plan if you have a small website, or the 2-license plan for single sites. The business plan is ideal for companies with up to 10 licenses, or, if you’re a developer, you can install it on as many sites as you wish for only $145.

If you don’t have Updraft Plus yet, you should go right ahead and try it out. You’ll love it too!