Categories
Healthy Living

Sugar Free January: What is it, why do it, and tips to complete it successfully.

What is Sugar Free January?

Sugar Free January is a month-long challenge, typically done at the start of the new year, to cut out refined and added sugars from your diet. The goal is to become more aware of how much sugar is in the foods you regularly eat and to (potentially) reset your taste buds to appreciate the natural sweetness in whole foods.

While each person can define what “sugar free” means for them, it generally it involves avoiding foods with added sugars like desserts, sweetened beverages, and many processed foods.

Why Complete Sugar Free January?

There are so many benefits to eating less sugar! Many of these I experienced after just 1 month of trying sugar free January and lead me to continue to try to decrease my sugar intake all year long.

A few benefits of going sugar free in January:

  • Reduce sugar cravings and recalibrate your palate to enjoy less sweet foods
  • Lose weight and decrease body fat by cutting out empty calories from sugar
  • Improve energy levels
  • Support better dental health by decreasing risk of cavities
  • Enhance your mood
  • Lower inflammation in the body and support heart health
  • Learn new recipes and new ways to use ingredients

Ultimately, taking a break from sugar can help you make better food choices, break the cycle of craving sweet foods, and establish healthier long-term habits.

How to Complete Sugar Free January

The rules of Sugar Free January are flexible – you get to decide what foods you will include or avoid. Some people choose to cut out all added sugars, both natural (like honey and maple syrup) and refined (like white sugar). Others may still include natural sugars but avoid anything with refined sugar.

Typically, my sugar free January will exclude all natural and refined added sugar – so I pretty much stick to fruit! – but I allow myself to have some sugar free chocolate on occasion (hellooooo Lilys Dark Chocolate).

Here are some tips for a successful sugar free month:

  • Think through your meals in advance and focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and quality proteins
  • Read nutrition labels and avoid foods that list any form of added sugar in the ingredients
  • Research sugar-free alternatives to your favorite sweet treats, like using dates or banana to sweeten baked goods (this was big for me!)
  • Keep healthy snacks on hand and allow yourself free range to snack when you get hungry
  • Keep the sugary food out of sight or (better yet) throw it out
  • Allow yourself a small indulgences, like a square of sugar-free dark chocolate

Remember, this challenge is about progress, not perfection. If you slip up, just get back on track with your next meal or snack. Awareness you gain is more valuable than being 100% strict.

My Experience with Sugar Free January

I have completed Sugar Free January for the past two years and found it to be challenging but so rewarding!

I follow a fairly strict approach and avoid all added sugars including “natural” ones like honey and maple syrup. Instead, I focus on eating whole foods that naturally contain sugar, like bananas and dates.

The past 2 years its been SO fun to experiment with new recipes and learn how to use new ingredients in the kitchen. During these weeks I eat a lot of banana/date sweetened muffins! However, I’d be lying if I didn’t indulge in a treat occasionally. I love Lilys Dark Salted Caramel and highly recommend it!

Overall, I have found Sugar Free January to be a great reset that helps me be more mindful of my food choices year-round. While I don’t maintain a completely sugar free diet through out the year, I have been able to drastically reduce my sugar intake. I highly recommend giving Sugar Free January a try!

a cross section cut of a sourdough bread loaf
Homemade sourdough bread
Bowl of strawberries
Strawberry snack!

Checkout my first experience doing sugar free January!

I started doing sugar free January as part of my New Years Resolutions in 2023. It was such a success that I continued it into 2023 and even recruited a few family members.

Categories
Website Optimization

10 Proven CRO Tips to Skyrocket Your Website Conversions

Many businesses invest heavily in driving visitors to their site, only to see disappointing conversion rates. The good news is that with some strategic conversion rate optimization (CRO) tactics, you can dramatically boost your bottom line.

Here are 10 proven CRO tips to take your conversions to new heights:

  1. Leverage the power of A/B testing: A/B testing allows you to compare two versions of a web page to see which one performs better. By testing different headlines, images, copy, and calls-to-action, you can gain valuable insights into what resonates with your audience and drives more conversions.
  2. Personalize the user experience: Tailoring the website experience to each visitor’s needs and interests can significantly lift conversion rates. Use data like location, traffic source, and past behavior to dynamically adjust content and offers.
  3. Streamline your forms: Long, complicated forms are a conversion killer. Reduce friction by only asking for the bare minimum information you need. Use multi-step forms and auto-fill to make completion quick and easy.
  4. Showcase customer reviews and testimonials: Social proof is a powerful motivator. Highlight glowing reviews, impressive case studies, and trust badges to build credibility and overcome hesitation.
  5. Craft compelling calls-to-action: Generic CTAs like “Submit” or “Click Here” won’t cut it. Use action-oriented, benefit-driven language on prominent buttons to entice visitors to take the next step. Test different versions to optimize performance.
  6. Improve page load speed: A slow-loading website frustrates users and hurts conversions. Compress images, minify code, and use caching to provide a snappy experience. Aim for pages that load in under 2-3 seconds.
  7. Provide live chat support: Offering real-time help via live chat can prevent visitors from bouncing when they have questions or issues. Use proactive triggers to offer assistance at key moments.
  8. Create dedicated, distraction-free landing pages: Sending ad traffic to your homepage is a rookie mistake. Build targeted, conversion-focused landing pages that match your ad content and eliminate navigation distractions.
  9. Use urgency and scarcity: Motivate visitors to act now by using limited-time offers, countdown timers, and low-stock alerts. But use these tactics sparingly and authentically to avoid frustrating visitors.
  10. Analyze and iterate: CRO is an ongoing process. Dig into your website analytics to identify leaks in your conversion funnel. Gather user feedback via surveys and user testing. Continuously run new A/B tests to keep lifting your conversion rates over time.

Driving more conversions doesn’t have to be a guessing game. By applying these proven CRO tips, you can turn more of your hard-earned website traffic into leads and sales. The key is to always put yourself in your visitors’ shoes, remove barriers, and give them compelling reasons to say “yes.” Need expert help optimizing your website for conversions? Let’s discuss how my SEO, CRO, and UX consulting services can help you reach your growth goals. Contact me today to get started.

Categories
Website Optimization

5 Simple SEO Tips Any Small Business Can Implement

When it comes to owning a small business, attracting new customers and staying competitive in your space is critical. One effective way to do this (and one of my personal favorites) is by improving your search engine optimization. By optimizing your small business’s website for search, you can increase your visibility online, drive more organic traffic online and in person, and ultimately grow your business.

While SEO can seem overwhelming, there are some simple ways you can work to boost your search rankings. 

Five simple and actionable SEO tips that any small business can implement today:

1. Optimize Your Page Titles and Meta Descriptions

When searching online, page titles and meta descriptions are often the first things potential customers see when your website appears in search results. Make sure they accurately describe the content on each page and include relevant keywords. Keep your titles under 60 characters and your meta descriptions under 155 characters to ensure they are displayed fully in the search engine results page. However, just a note – Google will often make up its own titles and descriptions at its discretion. The best you can do is provide good quality meta details and hope search engines use these in what they display to the user. 

2. Create Quality, Keyword-Rich Content

Search engines favor fresh, relevant content. Regularly publishing blog posts, articles, and other content that incorporates your target keywords can significantly boost your search rankings. Focus on creating content that provides value to your audience and answers their questions. Two great places for content inspiration are reviews and customer support chats. These are pieces of inspiration that come directly from your customers and can be used in product feature descriptions and FAQs. Use headers, bullet points, and images to make your content more engaging and easier to read.

3. Build Local Citations and Backlinks

Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and industry-specific websites. Ensuring your contact details are consistent across all citations helps search engines verify your business and can improve your local SEO search rankings.

Backlinks are links from other websites to your site. Getting high-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative sites can greatly improve your search rankings. Some strategies for building backlinks include guest blogging, partnering with other local businesses, and creating valuable content others want to link to.

4. Optimize for Mobile

With mobile device browsing growing year over year, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial for SEO. Make sure your site is responsive, meaning it adapts to fit any screen size. Use large, easy-to-read text, and place important information and calls-to-action front and center. Compress your images to ensure fast loading times on mobile connections.

5. Leverage Customer Reviews

Customer reviews not only provide valuable social proof for your business, but they can also improve your search rankings. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business profile, Yelp, and other relevant sites. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you value customer feedback and are committed to providing excellent service.

By implementing these five simple SEO tips for your small business, you can start improving your search rankings and attracting more organic traffic to your website and business. SEO is an ongoing process, so consistently publishing quality content, building backlinks, and optimizing your site will yield the best long-term results. With a little time and effort, you can outrank your competitors and take your small business to the next level.

Categories
Website Optimization

Effective Local SEO: A Beginner’s Guide

Local SEO is a crucial strategy for businesses seeking to attract more customers from their local area. In this guide, we’ll explore the fundamentals of an effective local SEO strategy, including practical tips and how Matilda Digital can assist in elevating your business’s local online presence.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO focuses on optimizing a business’s online presence to appear in local search results. This is particularly important for businesses like restaurants, service providers, and retail stores that depend on attracting local customers.

Local Search Visibility is Critical

Appearing in local search results is vital to connect with potential customers in their immediate geographic area. The vast majority of consumers use the internet to find local information so being visible in these searches can significantly impact your business’s success.

A group of people stand around a small business

How to Do Local SEO: Key Strategies

To effectively implement local SEO, there are several key strategies to consider.

1. Google Business Profile Optimization

One of the first steps in local SEO is setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile. This involves claiming your business listing, ensuring your information such as address and phone number. is accurate and comprehensive. I also helps to regularly update your profile it with posts, photos and encourage patrons to leave reviews.

2. On-Page SEO for Local Businesses

On-page SEO involves optimizing your website’s content and structure. Ensure your name, address, and phone number is consistent across your website and other online listings. Incorporate local keywords, such as the city or region where your business operates, into your website’s content.

3. Building Local Backlinks

Backlinks from local sources, like newspapers, business associations, and local bloggers, can improve your local search rankings. Networking and creating valuable content can help in acquiring these links.

4. Managing Online Reviews and Ratings

Positive reviews on your Google Business Profile and other review sites can significantly boost your local SEO. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and always respond professionally to both positive and negative reviews.

5. Mobile Optimization

With the increasing use of smartphones for local searches, having a mobile-optimized website is crucial. Ensure your website is responsive and offers a seamless experience on mobile devices.

Matilda Digital: Your Partner in Local SEO Success

As a Digital Marketing specialist, Matilda Digital can help you create local SEO strategy tailored to your unique business needs.

Personalized Local SEO Strategies

At Matilda Digital, we understand that every business is unique. We offer personalized local SEO strategies that align with your business goals and target audience.

Comprehensive Local SEO Audits

We conduct thorough local SEO audits to identify top areas for improvement and develop a plan to enhance your online visibility in local search results.

Ongoing Support and Monitoring

SEO is an ongoing (and sometimes never ending!) process. Matilda Digital provides continuous support and monitoring to ensure your local SEO efforts are effective and adjust strategies as needed.

Boosting Your Local Online Presence

Local SEO is a powerful tool for small businesses looking to increase their local online visibility. By understanding and implementing the basics of local SEO, and with the expert guidance of Matilda Digital, your business can thrive in the competitive digital landscape. Our goal is to boost your local online presence, helping you attract more customers and grow your business in your community.

Categories
Website Optimization

Why Your Small Business Needs Website Optimization: An Overview

When you own a small business, every detail is critical in helping a customer to make a purchase. No matter the business, 3 basic things need to align before someone makes a purchase: 

  1. They need to find the product
  2. They need to want the product
  3. They need to trust you

While these 3 things are critical regardless of industry, medium, or audience, it’s particularly important you get them right on your website. Afterall, it’s slightly easier to help someone find what they need, convince them it’s cool and get them to trust you when they’re standing right in front of you. A website requires that you communicate all of that digitally through text and imagery. You don’t get the opportunity to instantly answer site visitor questions or direct them to products. They are in control. 

A website optimization strategy aims to solve for this. Utilizing certain strategies and techniques, you can help more users find your products, convince more users they want your products and make more users feel comfortable with your brand and services. 

Understanding Website Optimization

Technically, Website Optimization refers to a set of strategies and techniques aimed at improving your website’s performance, functionality, and user experience. It covers areas such as page speed, mobile optimization, content optimization, search engine optimization (SEO), and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

The Importance of Website Speed: 

Slow-loading websites frustrate users and may cause them to bounce before exploring your site. A fast-loading website, on the other hand, can keep users engaged, potentially increasing your conversions and sales.

Optimizing your website speed involves using tactics such as image compression, code minification, and server optimization.

Mobile Optimization: A Must in Today’s World 

Today, over half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices and this percentage is still growing. Ensuring your website looks good and functions well on all types of devices, from desktops to smartphones is critical. 

Having a mobile optimized site does double duty. It provides a better user experience AND helps with SEO rankings. Google’s algorithm prioritizes mobile-friendly websites, so a well-optimized site can help you get found more easily in search results.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Digital Visibility 

SEO is a critical component of website optimization (and a personal interest of mine!). It involves making your website visible to search engines, which helps you to gain higher rankings in the search results. 

By optimizing certain page elements like meta descriptions, title tags, and keywords in your content, you can help search engines to understand your content. Higher rankings in search results means more visitors to your site and ultimately, more potential customers for your business.

Content Optimization for User Experience

The phrase “Content is King” couldn’t be truer for a website. And ensuring that content is optimized is critical. By providing valuable, well optimized content you help answer your customers questions and educate them on why a purchase with you is the right choice! Content optimization could mean creating compelling, easy-to-read content, breaking text into sections with headers for readability, or using engaging images and videos. 

Conversion Rate Optimization for More Sales 

A focus on Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is important to drive sales. CRO focuses on determining which points in the process drive a user to purchase and maximizing the effect of those points. Sometimes, CRO efforts involve refining your website design, improving call-to-action (CTA) buttons, or simplifying the checkout process.

By optimizing for conversions, you’re not just driving traffic to your site—you’re ensuring that traffic is meaningful, resulting in more sales and growth for your business.

Website Optimization: A Small Business Necessity 

Website optimization might sound complex, but its benefits are clear: a faster, more appealing website, better search engine rankings, a more engaging user experience, and increased conversions. All of these lead to one vital end goal: boosting your small business.

By focusing on these areas of optimization you can bring in more traffic and convert that traffic.

Interested in learning more about how website optimization can benefit your small business? Contact Matilda and lets start working together! 

Categories
Recipes

Vegan “Egg” Salad Wrap

Chickpea egg salad wrap on a plate with potato chips
Chickpea “egg-salad” Wrap

I ate a ton of these wraps when doing sugar free January. They’re a delicious, easy lunch that can be prepped in advance. I’ve had them in a wrap or on a salad. So good!

Vegan “Egg” Salad Wrap Ingredients:

  • 1 x 14oz can of chickpeas, drained
  • 6 tbs of vegan mayonnaise (I used Sir Kensington)
  • 1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp of mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp of paprika powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To Make:

  1. Mash chickpeas in a tupperware.
  2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Serve on a wholewheat wrap with lettuce or over a salad. Easy!
Categories
New Years Resolutions

Sugar Free January: Week 4 Update

My last full week of sugar free January has come to a close and I’m feeling very positive about everything. I’ve gotten into a groove of sugar free snacking and sugar free desserts (primarily dates & pineapple) and not missing everything else THAT much. Of course I’m still eyeing that frozen piece of apple cake. In February, I think I’ll do 1 sugar dessert per week. 

I’m still not detecting any taste changes from this month but I don’t think I expected that. I wanted to completely lose my taste for sugar but I doubt that will ever happen! Maybe after a few more months…

I have lost weight though, which really helps with the challenge I’m doing with by brother and husband! 

What I Ate This Week

Again, I didn’t venture TOO far from my typical meals but 3 things really made my week better:

  1. Tempeh wraps
  2. Pineapple
  3. PB stuffed dates
Tempeh Avocado Wrap w/ Hummus

A High Level Look at My Sugar Free January this Week: 

I’m getting more used to it! 

The last week has been: Super Easy – Easy – In between – Hard – Incredibly Hard
My mood has been: Great
My sleep has been: Still good! 
One thing I learned was: Giving up sugar is not the worst thing in the world! 

Categories
Blog New Years Resolutions

Sugar Free January: Week 3 Update

And week 3 of sugar free January is done! I have to admit, it’s getting easier. But I am getting pretty bored with my food (mainly the snacks). At this point, I’ve eaten A LOT of dried mango, cheese and potato chips. I’m not mad about it, just getting a bit bored of it. Last Sunday I ate a “sugar-free” chocolate mousse that used erythritol instead of sugar. I’ve been trying to avoid sugar alcohols but my mom made it and you can’t say no to your mom! 

I’m certainly excited to get back to eating that frozen apple cake in my freezer but I’m also hoping to do some version of sugar free February and beyond. I’ll have to think more about what that will look like.

What I Ate This Week

Again, I didn’t venture TOO far from my typical meals but 3 things really made my week better:

  1. “Sugar-free” Chocolate mousse 
  2. Savarin brillat cheese (SO great if you like soft cheese)
  3. Another round of my vegan chickpea “egg” salad wraps! 
Chickpea egg salad wrap on a plate with potato chips
Chickpea “egg-salad” Wrap
Bowl of strawberries
A delicious bowl of strawberries

A High Level Look at My Sugar Free January this Week: 

I’m getting more used to it! 

The last week has been: Super Easy – Easy – In between – Hard – Incredibly Hard
My mood has been: Good! No complaints actually
My sleep has been: Still good! 
One thing I learned was: I need to get better at living without alcohol. I’m definitely craving the glass of wine after work. 

Categories
New Years Resolutions

Sugar Free January: Week 2 Update

As my 2nd week of sugar free January comes to a close, I can say I’m feeling better about the whole thing and am certainly continuing to learn about myself.

I will confess, last Saturday we were at a friends birthday and they catered pizza and salad which I ate (there was likely sugar in the pizza dough and blue cheese dressing). I actually HAD brought my own protein bar but the host came up and asked if there was anything else she should order for me so I wouldn’t have to eat “some weird grilled cheese thing”. But, I didn’t eat any of the plethora of desserts, I consider it a win overall. 

What I Ate This Week

I haven’t ventured TOO far from my typical meals but 3 things really made my week better:

  1. Dried mango (Nuts.com and Trader Joes)
  2. Sugar Free Banana Strawberry Cake from Fermenting Foodie
  3. Vegan Chickpea “egg” salad wraps! Will post a recipe eventually… 

A High Level Look at My Sugar Free January this Week: 

I’m continuing to stick to the mantra: stay busy and eat less (which is my favorite way to be! 

The last week has been: Super Easy – Easy – In between – Hard – Incredibly Hard

My mood has been: Better than last week! I’ve been sleeping a bit better, watching less TV but playing more video games.

My sleep has been: Better than last week! 

One thing I learned was: I’ve been the reason we’ve eaten out so much in the past few months! Now that its harder to eat out, we haven’t ordered takeout at all! 

Weekends are the hardest for me but if I stay busy, they’ll get a little easier. 

Categories
New Years Resolutions

Sugar Free January: Week 1 Update

First Week = Complete! 

Today marks 7 days of no sugar. No added sugar that is. So, (obviously) no cookies, cakes, ice cream but also none of my favorite vegetable stock (!), soup that I had opened prior to NYD or cereal.  Instead, I’ve been eating MUCH healthier. Salads, homemade bread, rice + tofu dishes. Its been.. Nice? Fine? Dare I say… not so bad? 

Homemade curried butternut squash soup with a quinoa salad

To satisfy my sweet tooth,  I’ve been eating lots of organic dried mango (a favorite of mine from Nuts.com), raisins and peanut butter. I also have yet to go to WholeFoods this year to explore what exciting sugar-free options they have. I got a gift card from work so I’m ready for that guilt-free-sugar-free shopping trip. Eventually, I plan to get a little creative with dates, bananas and applesauce and see what type of baked goods I can produce. 

A High Level Look at My Sugar Free January this Week: 

The last week has been: Super Easy – Easy – *In between* – Hard – Incredibly Hard

My mood has been: Fine, not overly excited but okay. (its the first week back from 11 days off though) 

My sleep has been: Not so great. I have been having LOTS of anxious dreams (nightmares maybe?) but I DO sleep through the night. 

One thing I learned was: Find things to do in your downtime and you won’t eat so much! I’ve been playing a lot of drums (New Years Resolution #1)  and video games with my brother.

Today, I’ll be at a friend’s 30th birthday all day so wish me luck. 

On to sugar free January week 2!