How to Get MILLIONs FREE Traffic with Flipboard

Julian Goldie SEO
29 Apr 202444:34

TLDRIn this Flipboard master class, Michael Dinich shares his strategy for driving millions of free visitors to his website from Flipboard every month. He explains that Flipboard, unlike other platforms, is open to sending traffic to external sites and is similar to the old StumbleUpon in its approach. Dinich emphasizes the importance of creating magazines around high-level topics related to one's niche and maintaining daily activity by posting new content. He also discusses the process of repurposing content to appear as new on Flipboard and the significance of using compelling headlines, images, and descriptions to attract readers. Dinich suggests that the platform is suitable for various niches and provides tips on how to build a community by sharing both one's own content and that of others. He highlights Flipboard's supportive stance towards content creators and contrasts it with the challenges faced by publishers due to Google's updates. The summary also touches on the potential impact of Google's site reputation update and the need for publishers to diversify their traffic sources.

Takeaways

  • 📘 Flipboard is a content creation platform that drives significant traffic to websites, with Michael averaging 500,000 to over 1 million page views a month.
  • 🔄 Unlike other platforms, Flipboard is open to sending traffic outside its ecosystem, making it a valuable tool for content creators looking to expand their reach.
  • 🚀 Setting up a Flipboard profile is straightforward, similar to setting up a Twitter account, and involves creating magazines around high-level topics to categorize and share content.
  • 📈 To maintain engagement, it's important to post daily to each magazine. The content can be a mix of new and repurposed articles, with a focus on capturing attention through headlines, images, and descriptions.
  • 🔄 Repurposing content for Flipboard should be done thoughtfully, with changes to headlines, images, and intros to appear as new content and avoid being penalized by the algorithm.
  • 🎯 The key to success on Flipboard is a combination of posting high-level, engaging content daily and sharing other people's content to build a community and following.
  • 👥 Flipboard has different account levels, including basic profiles and creator programs, but even with a basic profile, significant success can be achieved without automation.
  • 📈 Results from Flipboard may take around six to seven months to manifest, indicating a need for patience and consistent effort from content creators.
  • 🤝 Building a community on Flipboard involves sharing a variety of content, including other people's content, to increase engagement and following, which in turn boosts visibility for one's own content.
  • 💰 Flipboard traffic has been found to be of high quality, leading to good email sign-ups and revenue per thousand impressions (RPMs), making it a valuable source of income for publishers.
  • 🌐 In light of algorithm updates and penalties from search engines like Google, platforms like Flipboard offer an alternative traffic source, encouraging content creators to diversify their traffic acquisition strategies.

Q & A

  • What is Flipboard and how does it benefit content creators?

    -Flipboard is a content curation platform where users can discover new blog articles, YouTube videos, images, and various types of content. It benefits content creators by driving significant traffic to their websites, as it is open to sending traffic outside its ecosystem, unlike other platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook.

  • How much traffic does Michael Dinich typically get from Flipboard per month?

    -Michael Dinich averages anywhere from 500,000 to over 1 million page views a month from Flipboard.

  • What is the process for using Flipboard to drive traffic to one's website?

    -The process involves setting up a Flipboard profile, creating magazines around high-level topics, posting content to these magazines at least once a day, and engaging with the community by also sharing other people's content.

  • How many magazines would be optimal for a Flipboard profile?

    -The optimal number of magazines is around 10, especially if posting daily. However, this number can vary depending on the amount of content produced and the capacity to maintain activity across multiple magazines.

  • Can old content be repurposed for Flipboard, and if so, how should it be done?

    -Yes, old content can be repurposed by making clones of the original content, slightly modifying the headline, and ensuring a canonical link back to the original post. This makes the old content appear new to Flipboard's algorithm, which favors fresh content.

  • What are some strategies for creating compelling content for Flipboard that stands out?

    -To create compelling content, focus on having an exciting headline, a high-quality featured image, and a description that captures attention within the first 500 characters. The content should be relevant and engaging to the target audience.

  • How does Flipboard compare to other social media platforms in terms of driving traffic?

    -Flipboard is more open to sending traffic outside its platform compared to others like Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook. It is also less competitive and more focused on community building, making it a high-return platform for driving traffic to websites.

  • Can managing a Flipboard profile be outsourced, and if so, how feasible is it?

    -Yes, managing a Flipboard profile can be outsourced. The task can be broken down into manageable chunks, requiring less than an hour a day, making it feasible for individuals or teams to handle efficiently.

  • What is the typical time frame for seeing results from using Flipboard?

    -It typically takes about six to seven months to see significant results from using Flipboard. This time frame allows for building up engagement and followers before the profile starts to take off.

  • How does Flipboard's approach to content differ from SEO-focused platforms?

    -Flipboard is not primarily SEO-driven. It focuses on creating engaging titles, descriptions, and using compelling images to attract users. Content can be more 'snackable' and does not need to be overly long or keyword-optimized.

  • What are some best practices for building a Flipboard community?

    -To build a community on Flipboard, regularly post new content to your magazines, share other people's content that is relevant and interesting to your audience, and engage with followers by responding to their interactions with your content.

  • How can one leverage Flipboard to recover from a drop in traffic due to algorithm updates on other platforms?

    -By actively using Flipboard to post and share content consistently, one can recover lost traffic by attracting a new audience and building a community of followers who are interested in the content being shared.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to Flipboard Traffic Strategy

The video begins with an introduction to a Flipboard master class featuring an interview with Michael Dinich. The discussion focuses on how Michael successfully drives millions of visitors to his website from Flipboard each month. The conversation covers the basics of Flipboard as a content curation platform, the amount of traffic Michael typically receives, and the unique nature of Flipboard's algorithm in comparison to other platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook, which are more restrictive in terms of driving traffic outside their ecosystems.

05:00

📈 Optimal Magazine Creation and Content Repurposing

Michael explains the importance of creating magazines on Flipboard, which are similar to boards on Pinterest, and using them to group topic ideas. He suggests creating a magazine for each website category that gets regular updates. The strategy involves attracting a broad audience to the profile and then narrowing down to the specific niche. The discussion also touches on the necessity of posting daily to keep magazines active and the technique of repurposing content by making clones with updated headlines and canonical links to the originals.

10:02

🎯 Winning the Click with Engaging Content

The paragraph emphasizes the need to capture the audience's attention with compelling images, headlines, and descriptions, especially since Flipboard is a content creation engine rather than an SEO-driven platform. Michael advises using eye-catching images and exciting headlines even for niches that may not be inherently visual. The goal is to entice users to click and engage with the content, highlighting that almost every niche can benefit from a strategic Flipboard presence.

15:02

🚀 Scaling Flipboard Success with Consistent Activity

Consistency is key on Flipboard, with daily activity recommended to maintain magazine engagement. Michael shares that his children manage his Flipboard profiles, demonstrating that with a systematic approach, the task is manageable. The strategy involves setting up 10 high-level magazines and posting to each daily. Additionally, leveraging trending topics and other people's content can boost engagement and following, with the suggestion to flip up to 300 articles a day that are not your own.

20:03

🤝 Building Community and Sharing Others' Content

The paragraph discusses the Flipboard community aspect, encouraging users to share content from other creators in addition to their own. This approach not only builds a community but also increases the chances of your own content being seen when you do post it. The strategy involves manually flipping posts to ensure they are well-curated, which can lead to better results than automated RSS feed connections.

25:05

📈 Driving Traffic and Monetizing Flipboard Success

The conversation shifts to the quality of Flipboard traffic, which has led to good email signups and revenue per thousand impressions (RPMs). Michael stresses the importance of converting this traffic into an email list and other social media platforms to create a more permanent connection with the audience. He also talks about the impact of Google's updates on publishers and how diversifying traffic sources can mitigate risks associated with relying solely on Google.

30:06

🌟 Embracing Diversification and Future-Proofing Strategies

The final paragraph touches on the importance of not just relying on Google for traffic, given the potential risks and upcoming changes like the deprecation of third-party cookies. Michael advocates for a diversified approach to traffic generation, including building an email list and leveraging social media platforms. He also briefly mentions the potential of YouTube and TikTok for content diversification and traffic generation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Flipboard

Flipboard is a content curation platform where users can discover new blog articles, YouTube videos, images, and various types of content. It is significant in the video as Michael Dinich uses it to drive millions of free visits to his website monthly. The platform's algorithm is friendly towards content creators, unlike other platforms that aim to retain users within their ecosystem.

💡Traffic

In the context of the video, 'traffic' refers to the number of visitors directed to a website. Michael Dinich discusses how he averages between 500,000 to over 1 million visits per month from Flipboard, which is crucial for website owners as it can lead to increased brand awareness and potential revenue.

💡Content Creation

Content creation is the process of generating material for publication on various platforms. In the video, Michael talks about how Flipboard serves as a platform for content creators to share their work, emphasizing the importance of creating engaging content to attract and maintain an audience on Flipboard.

💡Social Media Platform

A social media platform in this video refers to an online service that allows users to create content, interact with others, and share content. Flipboard is mentioned as a social media platform that is open to sending traffic to external websites, contrasting with other platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook that tend to keep users within their ecosystem.

💡Niche

A 'niche' in the video refers to a specific segment or targeted market within a larger market. Michael discusses creating magazines on Flipboard around niche topics to attract an audience interested in that particular content, which is a strategy for growing one's Flipboard presence and driving traffic to a website.

💡Magazines

On Flipboard, 'magazines' are collections of content around a specific theme or topic. They function similarly to boards on Pinterest. Michael explains that creating and regularly updating magazines with relevant content is key to attracting followers and driving traffic to one's own content.

💡Canonical Link

A 'canonical link' is an HTML attribute that helps search engines understand the preferred version of a webpage to be indexed and displayed in search results. Michael mentions using canonical links when cloning content for Flipboard to ensure that the original content is the one that gets indexed and receives SEO benefits.

💡Optimization

Optimization in the video pertains to the process of enhancing elements such as titles, descriptions, and images to increase their吸引力 (attractiveness) and performance on Flipboard. It's about making content more appealing to users scrolling through their feeds, thereby increasing the likelihood of clicks and engagement.

💡Engagement

Engagement refers to the interactions users have with content, such as liking, sharing, or commenting. Michael emphasizes the importance of engagement on Flipboard, as it helps to keep magazines active and attractive to followers, which in turn can lead to increased traffic to one's website.

💡Outsourcing

Outsourcing is the practice of delegating tasks to individuals or companies outside one's own organization. Michael shares that he has outsourced the management of his Flipboard profile, demonstrating that the process of curating and posting content on Flipboard can be effectively managed by others, allowing one to focus on other aspects of their business.

💡Email List

An 'email list' is a collection of subscribers' contact information used for sending newsletters, promotions, and updates. In the video, Michael highlights the importance of converting traffic from platforms like Flipboard into email subscribers as a way to build a more stable and controllable audience for long-term marketing efforts.

Highlights

Michael Dinich shares his strategy for generating millions of views on Flipboard monthly.

Flipboard is a content curation platform that drives significant traffic to external blogs.

Dinich averages 500,000 to over 1 million page views a month from Flipboard.

Flipboard differs from other platforms by being open to sending traffic outside its ecosystem.

The platform is compared to the early days of StumbleUpon for its user experience.

Users on Flipboard are more focused on reading articles compared to other social media platforms.

Setting up a Flipboard profile is as simple as setting up a Twitter account.

Creating 'magazines' on Flipboard is similar to making boards on Pinterest and is key to driving traffic.

Dinich recommends posting daily to Flipboard magazines to maintain activity and engagement.

Cloning content with canonical links back to the original can help increase the visibility of older content.

Optimizing titles, descriptions, and images is crucial for attracting clicks on Flipboard.

Flipboard can be effective for a wide variety of niches, not just visual ones.

Outsourcing the management of Flipboard profiles is feasible, even for those with large websites.

Flipboard's community-building aspect requires sharing other people's content, not just your own.

High engagement with other content on Flipboard can lead to faster growth of your own following.

Results from Flipboard traffic strategies typically take about six to seven months to manifest.

Dinich has successfully replaced lost Google traffic with Flipboard and other platforms after algorithm updates.

Building an email list and diversifying traffic sources is crucial for long-term online business success.