Emily Dyson, Blogger and Founder, Aglow Lifestyle
I am the founder of Aglow Lifestyle which is a blog that focuses mainly on spirituality.
I'm sharing my journey of scaling up my website using SEO and AI to help write content.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
I really like Twitter because it's given me the ability to connect with so many different people. If you have the skill to share and want to build a personal brand, Twitter is such an underrated place to do that.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I first started my website back in 2018, and at the time, I was heavily into driving traffic from Pinterest. This meant that I was able to scale up my website very quickly, generate income, and grow.
Unfortunately, in 2021 my traffic from Pinterest dropped, and I was forced to adapt. That's when I started focusing more on SEO and using AI to help write my content. As a result, I went from under 200 clicks a day to over 1,800 a day in just one year.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I like how I'm always learning about new ways to grow my website.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Focus on one thing at a time". I always had a tendency to start multiple projects at once, but I always ended up getting burnt out. This meant that I never really made the progress I wanted. However, since focusing pretty much all of my attention on one project, I've gotten a lot further.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I'm motivated by creating a better life for myself and my family. Whenever I want to give up, I always remember why I started to better my life and the lives of those around me.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I'm proud of myself for not giving up.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
It is on Twitter.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Learning SEO is definitely a big skill that's helped, but I also think being patient with myself is a quality that kept me going.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I wish I had learned SEO sooner. It really is the best way to generate traffic, in my opinion.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
I admire Miles Beckler, who is a digital marketing expert. I've learnt a lot from him about growing websites, email lists, and driving traffic from Google. Moreover, I admire how much useful information he gives away for free.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I enjoy playing video games. I often struggle with switching my brain off from "work mode", so I find that playing video games really helps with this.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
The pandemic positively affected me because it meant I was forced inside to work on my website. It allowed me to really focus down and figure out the next steps.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I've never had a mentor. People may say that I mentor my Twitter following because I always do my best to answer questions and give advice, haha.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
I'd tell them to learn SEO straight away. It's a huge topic and can be overwhelming, but if you commit to learning a few new SEO tips a week, you'll get far. Stay consistent with what you do, and hang in there!
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
I think most people give up because they're impatient. Driving traffic from Google can be a challenge, and it takes time. You put in tons of effort, and you don't see any results for months. That can be discouraging, but you have to trust the process.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
Consistency is key!
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
WeArePlantmade is definitely getting it right in terms of internet marketing.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define my success by how consistent I'm able to be and how that reflects the growth of my website. Of course, I want to grow as quickly as possible, but any growth is good. I know that I'll eventually hit my targets, even if that takes longer than expected. So, I think it's important not to emphasise time frames too much. It's great to say, "I want to reach X about of website clicks by X date", but if that doesn't go to plan, you'll feel discouraged... even if you have achieved great things.