In this episode, you’ll hear me referencing hiking the Colorado Trial in 2021. I’m going to tell you right now that didn’t happen. In fact, I could tell as I edited the show that the COVID strain had hit. And shortly after this episode was recorded I ended up taking a break from several parts of my business. It has taken me over a year to get back into the swing of things and I’m excited to share this conversation with my friend Carrie Smith Nicholson. She’s a bad ass. What we didn’t mention in the show was that she sold her first blog for almost $100,000 grand and that she wrote the book “The Ultimate Guide to Selling a Blog: How to Sell a Blog for Six Figures and Be Your Own Broker.” Her new business “Hashtag Colorado” has grown significantly in the past year and if you’re a person considering creating a destination based website or travel content-listen up. In fact, there were a couple of tips that I’m going to be using right away now that I’m focusing on growing my website “Square State Colorado”
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Show Notes
- This episode was recorded during the summer of 2020
- Carrie Smith Nicholson-I mess up her introduction. She takes over and introduces what she’s working on.
- 2011-Blogging and Podcasting
- Hashtag Colorado
- Wrote 2 amazing books as well (shouts our yours truly)
- Ryan is from Colorado and Carries is from Texas and that shared experience guides the Hashtag Colorado content.
- We address the fact that we both run projects focused on Colorado content.
- If you’re interested in creating travel based, this episode is for you.
- What is the Hashtag Colorado mission and how has 2020 affected the mission?
- There were so few resources about Colorado that there was an opportunity to fill the gap
- Carrie’s background in accounting directly influences the content that they share.
- Carrie’s Cost of Living resource
- There are tons of opportunities to create evergreen content in the travel space (even during COVID)
- We talk about content that travel and location focused content creators could generate.
- What are the every day life situations that content creators could provide helpful tips on?
- Texas wiper fluid vs. Colorado wiper fluid=the environments are very different.
- Crafting personal perspectives and how it relates to “me” or the people you’re trying to serve?
- Carrie shares how she’s built up consistency into her business and podcast. This is a fantastic tip.
- She and her husband set up seasons and did 10 episodes a season. In 2020, they increased their frequency. There is focus on avoiding being tone deaf.
- Consistency is what works for the CONTENT CREATOR and then the audience will pay attention (as will Google and Search Engines)
- I share my painful experience doing the Manitou Incline.
- Travel content and a pandemic…
- The innocence of my “We’re going to be dealing with this for another year.” Clearly, the pandemic is going to be around for longer than that. Painful.
- Update your previous content
- Create content with “now” in mind
- I mention Pearl Street in Boulder cordoned off. I was correct about that.
- Carrie spends a lot of time focusing on analytics and SE
- Two tips for online content creators
- Focus on your niche and be the source.
- Choose your platform and money making method and STICK TO IT.
- They are NOW on YouTube. Focus on the foundation.
- They do focus on Pinterest
- Blog ads + Local Brands and Sponsorships
- We talk road trips and our impact on the places that we’re going to.
- What about a year from now? What should content creators be considering.
- Leave in room for last minute changes
- Create content 6 months ahead of the actual upcoming season
- I ask if Carrie has been surprised by the response to this project.
- We talk about monetization for the Hashtag Colorado podcast
- Sponsors
- Local Brands and Business Owners
- Health initiatives with UC Health
- Ebooks
Follow Carrie and Ryan
- Hashtag Colorado Life
- Instagram: hashtagcoloradolife
- Youtube
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