Digital Well Publisher

Make a Living Writing While Traveling the World

Is Your Health Website Mobile Ready?


Have you heard the news? Google will start rolling out a new update to its search algorithm on April 21, 2015 having to do with mobile ready websites.

If your health website is not mobile ready starting on April 21st, then your site risks the possibility of being dropped in the Google search results.

What does “mobile ready” mean?

Mobile ready simply means that your website has the ability to be easily viewed on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. If you have never bothered to look, take a moment to look at your site on your laptop or desktop computer. Next, upload your site onto your smartphone or tablet. If your site is mobile friendly, then the layout of your website may look slightly different from that of your laptop or desktop computer. In particular, the menu should be much easier to maneuver from one page to another. The site should also fit comfortably onto your mobile device without having to scroll back and forth a lot to read the information.

Why should I care if my health website is mobile ready?

Two reasons…

  1. It’s a good idea to stay in Google’s good graces so that people searching for your books, products, and services will be able to find you. Getting dropped lower into the search results may mean that you won’t be visible to potential clients and patients.
  2. People often use their mobile devices to look for health information on the go. This could be while making a purchasing decision between 2 health food products at the grocery store, while seeking medical help during a medical emergency, looking up prescription pill information at the pharmacy, asking a question in an online health forum, etc. If your health website is not mobile ready, you miss out on lots of opportunities to receive traffic to your website.

How do I know if my site is mobile ready?

The good news is that many sites today are already mobile ready If your health website is built on a WordPress theme, then your site is more than likely already built to be mobile friendly. If you are using a free website, I suggest you double check with the company you are using for yourself.  You can easily verify if your health website is mobile friendly by checking out this Google Developers’ site: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly. You simply plug the address of your website into the designated space on the page, click on “ANALYZE,” and let the tool do all the work. If someone else designed your site for you, you can always go back and ask them if you’re confused.

The good news is that either your website is mobile ready — or it is not. There is no real list of parameters you need to stick to.

Halona Black is a Writer & Book Coach who works with wellness entrepreneurs who are ready to share their million dollar story. You can find her at DigitalWellPublisher.com.

Stay Connected

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ep6: How to Become a Published Author Without Writing a Word

Listen to this episode:

iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

Just about every wellness entrepreneur I have ever met has had a dream of publishing their own book — and for good reason. Writing a book can be a great way to separate you from your competition, get you speaking gigs, as well as be a great way to add another income stream to your business.

However, the big problem with publishing a book for many wellness entrepreneurs is writing the book in the first place. You may have said any of the following:

  • I am overwhelmed by the process of writing a book and don’t know where to start.
  • I am not sure I have a topic that other people are interested in reading about.
  • I hate writing.
  • I have dyslexia or other learning challenges that make writing difficult.
  • I don’t have time to write a book.

No matter what your reason for not having a published book, I want to offer you 3 ways you can become a published author without writing the book yourself.

#1 Write with a Book Coach

As a book coach, I have an in-depth process of interviewing wellness entrepreneurs that helps you to nail your book topic and its content. Once the interview is complete, I get the interview transcribed and I work on cleaning up the text to create an ebook that can be sold on Amazon, your website, or a host of other spaces.

#2 DIY Voice Recordings

Some wellness entrepreneurs prefer to have more of a hand in the creation of their own book. For those DIYers, I can work with you on creating a solid book idea that is marketable and is in line with your brand. We also develop a chapter outline. At that point, you can grab a voice recorder and talk out each individual book chapter. Once the recordings are done, you can find a reputable transcriber, then clean up the writing with value added information like charts, graphs, templates, etc. Get your book formatted with a great cover and you are ready to publish.

#3 Interview Others

For those of you who think you don’t have enough content, you may be interested in gathering content from others. Simply choose a theme and do interviewers with thought leaders in your field. Your book will be great exposure for them, and you will get the honor of being associated with an industry leader.

Would you like to know more about how to publish a book? Then sign up for your Publish & Profits Toolkit at DigitalWellPublisher.com for practical publishing advice, podcast interviews from industry leaders, and support from other entrepreneurs like you.

Halona Black is a Writer & Book Coach who works with wellness entrepreneurs who are ready to share their million dollar story. You can find her at DigitalWellPublisher.com.

Stay Connected

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Ep5: How to Publish Your First Print Book with Chanelle Washington

Listen to this episode:

iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

Writing, publishing, and marketing your first print book can be exciting and nerve wrecking at the same time. My client, fellow wellness entrepreneur, and friend, Chanelle Washington can tell you all about it. She published her first print book, “Radiant Living: How to Abide in Joy, Confidence, & Abundance,” in late 2014.

In this episode, Chanelle Washington of Indigofera Beauty and Radiant Living tells us all about her experience publishing her first print book. Listen and find out how Chanelle focuses on

  1. how to move from book idea to published book
  2. how to stay motivated through the self publishing process

I worked with Chanelle as a developmental editor, one of the key members of your self publishing team.

To learn more about Chanelle’s book, business coaching, and beauty products check out the resources section below.

Resources

Stay Connected

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

Ep4: Recipe Writing Blunders

Listen to this episode:

iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

There is so much to writing a good food recipe than just transcribing ingredients and directions on a page. There are rules that should be followed so that your readers will be able to follow your instruction on how to recreate a recipe in their own kitchen.

The challenge for many wellness entrepreneurs is that they never started out wanting to be recipe writers. As a result, they may not have attended culinary school and there are very few resources available that offer lay cooks the information they need to learn how to do recipe writing well.

I, for one, don’t believe it is necessary to attend culinary school in order to learn how to write a good recipe. Culinary schools often focus on teaching basic cooking techniques that can be brought into restaurants. However, many wellness entrepreneurs are not interested in starting a restaurant (I said, many, not all…). What many health coaches, dieticians, and other entrepreneurs who may include some component of food are doing is teaching people how to cook and make decisions about what they eat within their own kitchens.

So what you will read here and find in the podcast episode are just a few notes from me concerning recipe writing blunders with a few tips on how you can improve your recipe writing without having to go to culinary school.

Recipe Writing Tips

  • Create a food philosophy.
  • Allow your recipe titles to let the food speak for itself – i.e., stop calling your recipes, “Healthy Guacamole…” It doesn’t sound delicious, particularly to people who are new to healthy eating. “Guacamole with Smoked Peppers and Sweet Corn” – now that’s delicious! The fact that it’s healthy should be an afterthought.
  • List your ingredients in order of use.
  • Be specific about how much of each ingredient you use.
  • Use standardized measurement (a standard teaspoon and a cereal spoon are two different things…).
  • Be sure to explain less obvious steps in recipe preparation (preheating, presoaking, pre-cooked ingredients, etc.).
  • Walk through the steps in preparing your recipe as you would to a kindergartener. Use short sentences.
  • Tell your reader how to store the food once it’s prepared. Does it need to be eaten immediately, or can it be frozen?
  • Add variations on the recipe. Can you swap out one ingredient for another to make it palatable to people with allergies, vegans, or for people who may not have access to that ingredient that season, etc.

Resources

If you want to learn more about the proper way to write recipes, how to write a food blog, write food related articles for magazines, etc., then you need to buy Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob — today! You can also view her blog jam packed with food writing advice and interviews.

Here are some of the other food and wellness bloggers mentioned in the show that may inspire you:

 

Stay Connected

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

What is a Podcast?

I recently started a podcast and I just had a revelation:

  • Although podcasts are quite popular, there are still lots of people that have no idea what a podcast is.
  •  People don’t realize that they can access a podcast using more than just iTunes.

So I decided to stop and offer up a little education that may be helpful to you.

What is a podcast?

 

A podcast is on online radio show that is pre-recorded and can be accessed any time via podcast distribution services like iTunes and Stitcher. There are other podcast distribution services, however those are the most popular services.

How to record a podcast

As a newbie podcaster, I record my podcasts using a free online tool called Audacity. This tool is as close to professional audio recording tool as you can get for free. When my computer is on the fritz (meaning: not working), I use free conference calling software to record my sessions. Both Audacity and the free conference calling service allows me to easily create an mp3 file — the preferred audio format for podcasts.

I will begin to do interviews with wellness entrepreneurs who have written a book very soon. I am toying with the idea of using Skype and/or free conference calling to record our conversation.

How to edit a podcast

Audacity also allows me to edit my podcast right in the same system that I used to record it. Now you may notice that I have a very short introduction to give you a clue about what to expect in that episode. I record the short introduction and tack that onto the finished audio along with music. I purchased royalty free music from istockphoto (yes, they deal with more than just photos…) for $33. I use it for both my intro and outro. Audacity has lots of editing controls that — as a newbie podcaster — I have no idea how to use. I simply use the noise removal feature to filter out as much of the background noise as humanly possible. Once all the pieces are in order (the quick intro, intro music, the content, outro music), I save it as one mp3 file and prepare to distribute it to my listeners.

How to distribute a podcast

Once my podcast is recorded, I have to find a way to distribute it to a larger audience. I can host the audio on my blog, however audio files tend to be very large and may slow down my site. This makes it necessary to find an outside site to host my podcast audios for me.

I have opted to use Buzzsprout. I find it to be reasonably priced and simple to use. Buzzsprout turns my mp3 audio into an rss feed making it easier for other podcast distribution sites to make it available to people looking for podcasts.

What is a podcast distribution site?

The term, podcasting, comes from the good people at Apple and iTunes. Podcasting became popular back when folks had iPods. It was easy to access podcasts on the iPod or even at home via the iTunes app on the laptop. Nowadays most people access podcast (and most other music and video content) on their phones and/or laptops.

How can I access the Digital Well Publisher Podcast?

There are several ways to access my podcast, Digital Well Publisher, along with many others.

iTunes: This is the most popular way to access not only my podcast, but thousands of others. Simply download the iTunes app on your phone, laptop, or any other device. Use the search function to find Digital Well Publisher.

Stitcher: This is probably the second most popular choice for those that don’t use Apple products. I have an Android phone. I mostly listen to podcasts on the go, so I find it easy to plug in my earphones and listen to podcasts on my commute, while doing chores, while walking, etc.

Buzzsprout: This is the direct rss feed for the Digital Well Publisher podcast.

How do I find more podcasts to listen to?

I recently did a podcast episode called 5 Podcasts Every Wellness Entrepreneur Should Subscribe To. This is a great place for you to start if you are looking for more ways to build your business as well as get access to some great personal development tools.

I would love to stay connected with you! Download your complimentary publishing toolkit and learn 28 ways to grow your wellness business with a book!

Ep3: How to Create Your Self Publishing Team

[buzzsprout episode=’248345′ player=’true’]

If you ever thought that self publishing meant you had to publish your book all alone — I’m here to tell you that your assumption is wrong.

 

As a matter of fact, if you don’t use some kind of team to support your project, your book may not do very well.

 

Self publishing tools and services like Amazon and DIY templates have made self publishing so much more accessible to wellness entrepreneurs like you and I. However, there are some instances where you should be interacting with another human for some book projects so that you create the best book possible.

 

Today’s episode is all about creating a self publishing team that helps you to win. The list given is simply a suggestion as not all entrepreneurs will have the budget to hire all the people on my list. Who you need to work with depends upon the kind of book you want to publish and how much you want to spend.

Here is a short list of 8 roles you may want to think about as support in writing, publishing, and marketing your book:

 

  1. YOU, the writer: team leader, your vision!

  2. Subject Matter Experts: do interviews or find secondary research sources like books or journals

  3. Editors: developmental, copyeditors, line editors

  4. Book Formatter: format your book to be read online or in print

  5. Cover Designer: graphic artist or illustrator

  6. Beta Readers: people who can give you advice on how to improve your book

  7. Marketing Team: find people who can help you get the word out

  8. Sales Tools: tools to help you sell and distribute your book

 

Show Notes:

Digital File Types: mobi (most popular file, used for Kindle), epub (file used for other digital readers)

Book Cover Resources: Canva, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Fiverr

Sales Tools: PayPal, Selz, E-Junkie

How Much Money Are You Making on that Unpublished Book?

How Much Money Are You Making on that Unpublished Book-

 

Have you had a book idea mulling around in your head for months… maybe even YEARS?

Do you make plans to start your book on Sunday only to realize that it is now Wednesday and you haven’t written a single word?

Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who has started writing, then got caught up in trying to sound so poetic that you couldn’t get past chapter one?

What is stopping you from making the leap from idea to published author?

As coaches, speakers, and experts, we want our first book to be a slam dunk — a best selling work of genius. But the truth of the matter is that because you are attempting to write, publish, and market your book without support, what you wind up with is a bunch of false starts and wasted effort.

So now let me ask you…

HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU MAKING ON THAT UNPUBLISHED BOOK?

Probably not a dime.

Here’s another question…

HOW MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON BECAUSE YOUR BOOK IS STILL UNPUBLISHED?

These opportunities can include:

  • speaking engagements
  • media exposure
  • connecting with new clients
  • best selling author status
  • growing your coaching programs
  • passive income

… the list can go on!

So how can you get from idea to published author? Here are a few ideas:

#1. Be honest — ask yourself what is stopping you from writing your book. Is it because you don’t know if your idea is good enough? Is your idea so BIG that you don’t know how to tackle it? Are you making the time and space in your life to get the book done? Be clear about what that reason is — without judgement. The first step in getting your book done is to be honest with yourself about why you haven’t done it yet.

#2. If you have started and stopped writing your book — like you have a chapter or two that haven’t even been touched in months — ask yourself what is blocking you from continuing with your writing. Is it because you have fallen out of love with the topic? Is it because you don’t have anything else to say? These may be signs that you have approached writing your book in the wrong way. Go back and re-examine why you wanted to write this book in the first place, analyze your overall business goals, then work on rewriting your book outline so that it is in line with what you had in mind for your coaching, speaking, or expert business.

#3. Are you just distracted? Distraction can kill your dreams, if you allow it to. As a business owner, it’s important to minimize distraction as much as possible. Create working hours for when you are writing your book and cannot be disturbed. Make public declarations of your writing, editing, and publishing goals so that your loved ones can keep you accountable. Create a small group of other business owners who are working on writing a book so you can do it together. Whatever you need to do, get it done.

Are you ready to cut the excuses and get your book done? Then let’s talk! Schedule a 1-hour complimentary consultation where we can talk about your book and business needs.

 

Ep2: 5 Podcasts Every Wellness Entrepreneur Should Subscribe To

5 Podcasts Every Wellness Pro Should Subscribe To with Halona Black

One of the most powerful things I have ever done for myself was to get rid of my television. Four or five years ago while I was going through a big transition in my life, I decided that the television was getting in the way of my life progress. I was horribly unhappy with where my life was going. I was tired of going to a job I hated, only to come home so exhausted that I collapsed on the couch for at least 3 to 4 hours to watch reruns of sitcoms I had seen already while gorging my face with greasy Chinese food and pizza.

I was a sad sight.

Getting rid of the TV was just the catalyst I needed to jolt me out of my zombie mind, and get me thinking about the kind of life I wanted to create. I honestly believe that had I not gotten rid of the TV, I’d still be sitting on the couch waiting for life to happen as opposed to being out in the world creating the life I want to live.

That’s why podcasts have very quickly become my daily personal development tool of choice — dare I say personal obsession. Why?  It allows me to listen from anywhere — while doing chores, while exercising, during my commute, etc.

Podcasting is Part of the Self Publishing Revolution

You see, self publishing isn’t just about books. Self publishing applies to all kinds of media. And the great variety of self published media that is available means that you and I have a much greater variety of media to choose from. I choose media that uplifts my spirit, nourishes my brain, and brings me closer to my goals. What does your media do for you?

My 5 Favorite Podcasts

I want to share with you 5 of my favorite podcasts that I think will benefit all wellness entrepreneurs. I certainly have more than 5 favorites, and the listing here is not in any hierarchical order.

I invite you to subscribe and rate them all on Itunes.

School of Greatness with Lewis Howes

Black Entrepreneur Blueprint with Jay Jones

Wellpreneur Online with Amanda Cook

Side Hustle Nation with Nick Loper

Nomadtopia with Amy Scott

[buzzsprout episode=’245297′ player=’true’]

 

{ep1} 5 Reasons Wellness Professionals Should Self Publish

5 Reasons Wellness Pros Should Self Publish - DigitalWellPublisher.com

[buzzsprout episode=’244076′ player=’true’]

It’s finally here.

Ladies and gentlemen: It’s the Digital Well Publisher Podcast.

After a lot of thinking, prodding, and pushing myself to finally JUST DO IT, I finally recorded my first podcast. I’m ashamed to say that I got so involved in the details of trying to make a perfect podcast, like finding the right music, making podcast art, and trying to find the perfect podcast hosting service, that I have quite literally lost weeks and who knows how many potential subscribers.

I went to a one day podcast conference here in Orlando, FL in late December. The one thing that everyone told me was that the first episode will be the worst, particularly as your skills improve.

However that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a listen. I actually think the content is very valuable.

For now, you can listen to it right here on the blog. In a couple weeks, it should also be available via Itunes and Stitcher. That way you will be able to subscribe to it on your phone or computer.

In the meantime, let me know what you think of episode 1!

I hope this inspires you to move forward in making your dream of writing a book that changes the world a reality.

#FridayFind with GoOnWrite.com

It’s Friday! That means a new book, business, or health resource for DigitalWellPublisher readers! And today I’ve got a good one for you.

One of the details that separates a quality book from an amateur book is a beautiful cover — this goes for whether you produce an ebook or a print book. However trying to find an affordable resource for getting an original book cover can be quite difficult. That’s why I’m so excited about bringing today’s resource to you today.

Resource: GoOnWrite.com

What it is: This is a website where you can buy pre-designed ebook and book covers starting at the low price of $40.

Why I love it: There is a wide selection of beautiful covers that can be used for a multitude of subjects and genres. Once you have purchased a cover, you are the only person who will have it. So you never have to worry about someone else stealing your cover. You can’t beat having a beautiful ebook cover for only $40.

Connect: Check out their website at GoOnWrite.com.