Wednesday 29 March 2017

Product Previews

I thought I was pretty tech saavy, as I wrote in the TpT forum of how I make my previews.  I was gently told that what I was creating were thumbnails, not previews.  She was right!

And with that, I have promptly created my first video preview.  I already see a few improvements I could make, but as my first attempt, I think it worked out well enough.  Now I have a YouTube Channel!




Monday 20 March 2017

URL Building

There is SO much to learn!

On my TpT journey, it started with creating products (lessons).
Then came the creation of a blog, facebook page, twitter account, instagram, pinterest . . . and so on!
These often seem like a time consuming exercises, but as driving viewers (potential customers) to your TpT store is the goal, it is a necessary exercise.

My latest learning curve includes the creation of URL and UTM codes.  Have I lost you yet?  I'm getting there!  Tomorrow night is the TpT Webinar about UTM codes, so I've poured myself into it for the last week to get a better understanding of it, and so I would be part of the conversation.  I am also taking a UDEMY digital marketing course, and I have certainly gained some valuable insight about how to do many new things. More to come on that topic when I'm done the course.

So, the URL is the web address of your product, blog, site, etc.  This is pretty straight forward, and often very long!  For example:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Interactive-Puzzles-Hummingbird-3070919  There are URL shorteners, such as Bitly.com and Goo.gl which will shorten your URL, for example, bitly.com created http://bit.ly/2nuHzHA, and goo.gl created https://goo.gl/rc7sws.  Both links will direct you to the TpT website, where hopefully someone will want to buy it for classroom or personal use.  That is part one.

If you go back to the bitly.com page, you will see statistics - how many clicks and where they came from.  They more bitly URL codes, the more data you will receive.

The easiest QR Reader app I have found is this one.  I use it on my iPhone and iPad, and it works like a charm.

From the goo.gl page, you will also see statistics - clicks, browsers, platforms and countries.  It will also create a QR code for the link:
 

The easiest QR Reader app I have found is this one.  I use it on my iPhone and iPad, and it works like a charm. So far so good?  If you have it, try the QR Code above and see what happens.    

Now comes the TpT URL code builder. Start here. This will explain what it is all about. Once you've done that, go here.   

I created a spreadsheet to keep track of all the various codes, as there will be a different one for Pinterest (no shortened codes work here),Twitter, Facebook, BlogSpot, and so on.  It looks something like this:  
This takes me the better part of the evening to complete and then post to each site.  Tonight, this blog is taking up the most time, but I feel it important to share what I am learning, as many TpT authors have been very generous with me.  

When I go to my TpT Dashboard, and view Traffic, I can see where the clicks came from, very specifically, such as Pinterest, facebook, etc.  My digital marketing course is telling me that this information is very valuable.  It will tell me where I need to spend the most time with promotion as the traffic is driven from very specific places.  

I often go to http://tpt.naujok.com to see my own TpT growth.  Check out your own TpT store here.  I have personal goals of where I want to be with my store, and the growth curve keeps me motivated.  I am coming up to my second anniversary as a TpT seller and am very happy with how things are going.  

What I am learning will be useful for the TpT marketing, but also for the two web-sites I manage for others.  It has been worth my time and trouble and I hope I have laid this out for others to follow and understand.  Please feel free to share a link to this blog if you think it was useful.  

Thanks,

Doris 



Friday 17 March 2017

Interactive Puzzles

My PhotoShop assignment for students turned into something completely different!  I think this is the TpT product that will reach from Kindergarten to High School.  And yes, I have that lava lamp in my classroom!  Students love it!  This is a FREE download, so please try it now!  If teachers give me feedback that says it is useful, I will certainly be making more.



Wednesday 15 March 2017

Custom TpT Categories

I have been asked how I created my emoji icons in my custom categories list.  Here's how!




Go to the My Product Listings page from your dashboard.  See mine: Custom Categories

Select Manage Your Categories at the bottom of the list.  The edit view is this:


   
Go to your emoji keyboard, on your iPad, and try some out.  Once you commit, you will see if it worked or not by seeing the saved visual after you click.   
If it did not, the category will be empty of all text, but still indicate how many projects are in the category.  I suggest only changing one category at a time!  

This will require some trial and error time, as some emojis do not work. 

I hope this helps!  Thanks for checking in, and check out a category which may be useful to you while you are at it!  

All the best in customizing your page!   

Tuesday 17 January 2017

TPT Featured Author - Me!

Advertising Works!  

This TpT newsletter feature has resulted in breaking my best month's sales record, has added many new followers, has moved me up almost 1000 spots in TpT ranking, and it is only the middle of January!  The bigger change is that I am inspired again!  I have already created two new items and am working hard on a very comprehensive course presentation, which I may be teaching for semester two! I should know by the end of this week. I hope it all falls into place.  So much for retirement!

TPT Newsletter #392
One month

These graphs are created by The Colorado Classroom, and allows viewers to see their own stats, and those of other TpT stores.  I check here frequently!  I learn so much here!  If you like this link, do let Brittany know you where there!
One year
I became a premier seller in April 2015, and my store growth has been steady, but I see how promotion is crucial to growth.  Even though I have a facebook page, Twitter, InstagramWordPress, Blogger, Pinterest, and Google+, I have not utilized these very well, at all!  Looking at the TpT traffic stats they lead me to believe most views are directly from TpT, with Pinterest a distant second and Facebook third.  So, where should I devote my time?  I still think it is in creating new lessons.  I enjoy that much more than posting, here, there and everywhere.  I don't know how some sellers do it all!  Anyway, slow and steady is how I work, and so, I will happily carry on.  Sales and feedback tell me I am doing something good.  Yeah!    




Canada 150

I am so excited about Canada turning 150 years young!  I have already ordered my free Park Pass and will visit Haida Gwaii this summer!  I am SO EXCITED!  This is a bucket list item for me!  My camera will record every amazing scene.

What an amazing history Canada has had so far.  I started to research the Canada 150 website and found that much of it had to do with our National Parks.  I spent a week researching, reading, making notes, and then finally putting it all into a Word Search and an Internet Search document with the package called  Canada 150.  I have priced it at 150 cents!  Get it?  Clever?

       

I still want to add Park Birds and Mammals sections, as some are identified as being at risk.  This form of learning is important for our children to understand the purpose of our parks and what is at stake if we don't manage it; they will be the protectors of this great land in the future.

I certainly enjoyed making this, but I enjoyed learning about my country even more.  Did you know that the National Parks cover only 3% of our country's land mass?  The worksheet will ask you things you will find interesting, once you look up the answer!  This is great Canadian trivia you can impress your friends with!  Enjoy!  

Sunday 15 January 2017

2017

Happy New Year!  Do you have a New Year's resolution?  I do . . .

I have not be very good at writing a blog; terrible, in fact.  I spend SO much time on the computer, it really is nearing addiction level.  Between TpT, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and a Blog, I just can't do it all!  Did I forget one?  Oh yes, Instagram!  That one I'm even worse at!

And so January started with Teacher Pay Teachers putting me as the feature Teacher-Author in their newsletter!  How exciting!

Well, talk about renewed energy and inspiration!  I've already added two new products, reached record sales (and am only halfway through January!), and have new followers.  I needed this!  Spring cleaning will have to wait!  

I promise I will try harder with my blog!  Will bloglovin help?

Thanks!

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