As a self-confessed WordPress plugin addict, I was a bit hesitant to add another plugin. But, this particular plugin (much more than a plugin!) is just too good to be true! The tool is called TrenDemon and it is a marketing tool that does many things for you and your blog (or website).
What is TrenDemon?
To some extent the definition of TrenDemon is related to the purpose that you have defined for yourself, when choosing to use TrenDemon. This is because there are different settings that allow you to do different things with TrenDemon. Based on that, it isn't “just” a related posts plugin, or a monetization plugin for external content. More simply, it is a marketing tool, for you to use to meet your objectives.
You are not limited to only using TrenDemon with WordPress. However, that said, this article is written within the context of using it as a WordPress plugin.
The WordPress plugin is primarily a bridge to allow you to log into the TrenDemon web site. It is very convenient to reach the TrendDemon dashboard in that manner, right within your WordPress dashboard. You could also open another browser tab and login directly on the site.
As Advertised… on TrenDemon
The four key aspects that TrenDemon advertises on their site are:
- Growth (Conversions).
- Automation (Time-Saving).
- Simplicity (No Tech Skills Needed).
- Insights (Analytics).
That doesn't necessarily define what it does or how it does it, or most importantly, how we can set it up to benefit ourselves and our sites. What we will aim to do is to help you set it up so that you can start to realize these benefits that TrenDemon offers.
The purpose of this article is not to make the case for the delivery of the benefits claimed by TrenDemon (even though I can say that I am personally impressed by the tool). The purpose of this article is to help you get it set up so that you can test it and see for yourself. Fortunately, it is free to sign up for TrenDemon, so that pricing decision is out of the way and you can literally set it up and give it a run.
Maximizing the Engagement and Site Traffic
One of the key benefits that TrenDemon promises is that it maximizes the interaction of content on your site. If you include external content items, it can also maximize the interaction with that content, as well. Examples of external content would include your YouTube videos, guest posts that you have written for other blogs, and any other content that you want to include.
Recommended Reading:
Selecting Fonts that Make Your Blog site “Pop”
Through the brilliant analytics that are built into the tool, TrenDemon is able to determine which articles (or external content items) are getting the most engagement. This tool differentiates between a page view and a page read. A view is considered the loading of that page. The TrenDemon tool actually measures the time on the site to be able to calculate that the article has been read. This is a key distinction and enables the tool to display those articles (and content pieces) that have resulted in the most engagement and longest time spent on the article (classified as the article being “read”).
Installation Assistance and Tips
Yes, this is a phenomenal marketing tool! I mean, the potential for you is really staggering. However, I'm going to be honest with you. It is not a plug and play WordPress plugin. It is going to take some “doing” to get it to work. In this section, I list some possible caveats that you may run into and what you can do to help mitigate that situation.
I am a very technical person (programmer), but it took way more time than it seemed like it should have taken, to set up TrenDemon the first time. There is a helpful guide that walks you through it, but there are also some potential “gotchas” that could have you pulling your hair out of your head.
TrenDemon offers a User Guide to help you get going. Even more helpful than the guide, is the FAQ section with quick answers to “what is what” and where to find it. You can also watch the tutorial videos.
Does that mean I contradicted the TrenDemon claim that no technology skills are needed to use TrenDemon? No, not at all. TrenDemon, once it is set up, is quite straight-forward. Also, using the campaign as an example, you can view what you have done on a previous campaign to know what to do for the next campaign.
Most of the “gotchas” are based on
- Settings that are turned off, and
- Settings that need a specific selection (choice).
There are four different places to check the settings BEFORE you actually use the tool. I'm going to break them out into two different “placements” for ease of explaining how to find them. Also, they will be numbered, below, but the number is only for reference purposes.
- Placement A: TrenDemon > Settings.
- Placement B: TrenDemon > Dashboard > Settings > General Settings
- Placement B: TrenDemon > Dashboard > Settings > LIFT Settings
- Placement B: TrenDemon > Dashboard > Settings > PLAY Settings
My term, “Placement(s)” refers to the two different locations. As you will see, one location is the WordPress Dashboard Settings and the other is the actual plugin settings (Placement B). Again, this is just for reference for this article.
1. TrenDemon > Settings (Placement A).
This first settings section is the main WordPress settings section for TrenDemon. On this panel, you will want to ensure that your email address is showing correctly. There is a link to modify the email if it needs correcting. You will likely want to set the mobile setting to “on” so that your settings are ready for mobile. If you want to make some extra cash, you will want to leave the “Hide Trendy” off, so that Trendy displays and generates money for you.
The important decision on this settings panel is whether you want the SHOW or the LIFT display for your “related content.” The SHOW display is a slideshow at the end of the article and the LIFT display is a sort of pop-out display (settings shown below, in Section 2, “General Settings”). Fortunately, previews are available by hovering/clicking on the information “i” button near these radio button descriptions. Go ahead and make your initial selection now.
2. Dashboard > Settings > General Settings (Placement B)
Most of the settings in this section are very self-explanatory. The main thing is the “Ready to Go Live” setting set to “On” (green) and that the status shows as “code is installed correctly.” That “Ready to Go Live” can be a real “gotcha” moment if you have set up everything and cannot figure out why the plugin doesn't seem to be working properly. Also, if you do not have the message that the code is installed correctly, you will want to visit the TrenDemon site and troubleshoot (or ask for assistance). Without the code installed correctly, with that message, you will not be able to get out of the starting gate (not able to get started). If you want to try it yourself, you could try uninstalling the plugin and re-intalling, but you may want to visit TrenDemon's site, first, to see if there is an easier answer or explanation for your issue.
3. Dashboard > Settings > LIFT Settings (Placement B)
Some of the settings in this section are very self-explanatory, like your web site URL and your email address, as well as the language you speak. Others may not be as obvious. For the most part, if in doubt, leave the defaults. The purpose of this article is to work through the “gotchas,” but even I am still working through the most efficient way to use TrenDemon. There is so much more than what initially appears “under the hood,” when you first look at the plugin/tool.
The LIFT settings are the settings that control what some of us would think of as the display of “related content.” TrenDemon is so much more than just related content display, but of the two functions, LIFT is closer to this functionality, to give you an idea of what options you are setting.
You will see settings like placement (whether you want the display to appear on the side or at the bottom of the article). At the bottom of the article, it will appear after the viewer reads the article. You also have options to select image, text, or a notifier (like a sort of update display).
To manually place a “show button,” you can copy and paste the code that is shown on this settings page. This could be manually placed on a post/page or you can also try it in the widgets area.
You can also designate the type of content that you want to automatically include, such as video. Full image crawl allows a crawl of the page versus specific content.
There are still a few (quite a few) question marks about exactly what each setting will and will not do. Personally, even I am still working through these myself and testing them. There is a slideshare, below, where I will update some of the findings during my discovery process. Be sure to bookmark this article on Basic Blog Tips, so you can keep apprised of updates.
4. Dashboard > Settings > PLAY Settings (Placement B)
This next section displays the setting snapshots for the PLAY settings. The PLAY settings are a gamified way that you can reward your site visitors. As a comparison, it is similar to the gamification that is present in web sites like Viral Content Bee, JustRetweet, and SocialBuzzClub. These sites reward you when you share content, by providing you with credits to use as rewards to give others when they share your content.
In the same way, the settings in this PLAY section allow you to designate rewards to provide to your viewers and readers for sharing your content.
My recommendation is to implement the LIFT settings, first, and then take some time to play with the PLAY settings. If you think of these settings in the same way that you think of how the gamified sites mentioned above work, it will be easier to understand how this part of the tool can help you to build engagement and sharing on your site.
Final Notes
It is perfectly normal that there may not be content displaying, as it takes some time for TrenDemon to do its magic and prepare the content. Go have your cup of coffee, or go out for your evening date, and check back.
Also, this article covers that initial set-up process, but you will want to go through the help guide and FAQ provided by TrenDemon to actually prepare your content. The key thing is to relax and if you come back from your date and things are not working as you believe they should be working, don't worry. Use the TrenDemon resources to contact support and they will help you. For faster response, be sure to watch the tutorial videos for a step-by-step process.
Please feel free to embed the SlideShare, above, in your article if you ever write about TrenDemon. 😉
Hi Deborah,
I love the time saving aspect of this plugin. I am big on that, traveling so much, and any automation tool can work wonders for me. Thanks for the SUPER helpful tutorial Deborah!
Tweeting from Bali.
Ryan
Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate that feedback 😉 Yes, I am all about automation. I’m definitely an efficiency addict. It is really helpful to find that something that I’ve stumbled on also helps others.
Simply amazing step by step way you’ve explain.. Thank you.
Thank you, Jalpen. I appreciate the kind words 🙂
i’m also using this plugin in my blog.Really this plugin is time saving and very effective for getting more traffic .Thanks for share here.
Hi Humayun. Thank you for sharing your experience. I haven’t heard that much buzz about TrenDemon. At least, not as much buzz as it should be getting, based on how wonderful it is. So, it is great to hear from a TrenDemon veteran like yourself 😉
Great tutorial. Trendemon definitely seems like a service worth checking out. Not sure how I feel about them promoting external content on my blog though. Seems like you would not have complete control over the content that is show, something could be offensive or just not fit with your brand.
Chris
Thanks, Chris. I see your point about the external content and controlling that. Though, the way I have it set up with TrenDemon is actually displaying my own content on other blogs. In many cases, plugins like this may be hard to control, but if we allow them to show external content, it is monetized, like advertising. Fortunately, you can just turn it off, too, and only show your own content.
Have not heard of this plugin before but seems like something that I must try. Thanks for this.
Hi Shalu. Yes, the plugin doesn’t seem to have as many people talking about it..yet. I imagine that that will change once people find out about it and if it really is all that it claims to be (which seems to be the case so far), then it will get the “press” it deserves. Now you can say you were one of the first, Shalu 🙂
I haven’t heard about this tool before but now I am going to try it for sure. Thanks for the step by step tutorial on installing the plugin.
Sure thing, Dina. I hope this tutorial helps when you are installing 🙂
Wow, this is my first time to heard about TrenDemon plugin.
I ejoyed your step by step tutorial, I will give it a try.
Good for you, Ernest. Be sure to let us know how it works out for you when you give it that try. 😉
Hi Deborah,
Thank you for making the effort and spreading this information about the TrenDemon plugin of WordPress with us. It was indeed very useful and informative.Thank you once again.
Thanks, John. I’m glad you found it helpful. I feel, in some ways, like I am just beginning to learn about all that TrenDemon is and does. Thanks for reading and replying 😉
Haven’t heard of this plugin till now. Might be a option to use. Thanks for the article!
Sure thing, Malou. I’m glad you found it helpful. At least now, when you give it a look, you don’t have to be hung up on the initial settings and can have more time to try out the features 😉
Good tips for information about the Tren Demon plugin word press .Thank you so much.
Hi Litan. Thank you for your kind comment. I appreciate you posting 🙂
Hey Ileane, thank you very much for sharing this because I’ve been waiting for this article for a long time. Well, that great and it can definitely increase my website pageviews. Thanks a ton.
Hi Saddam. I’m glad that you found the article helpful. And, thank you, Ms. Ileane, for publishing it 😉
Hey Deborah and Ms. Ileane,
Nice to see you here Deborah! And how are you Ileane? 🙂
I’m starting to see Trendemon in use more and more. I tried installing it on my site but didn’t get it quite right. The info and stats take a bit of time to show up; thinking I was being impatient.
You’ve shed light on the how and why. Using your installation tips, I’ll give it another go.
Hi Vernessa!
Thanks for commenting and the hello 🙂
Yes, I had the same exact situation. I installed it and nothing happened. Then, when I went through my steps here (from the testing on the first installation), it worked right away on the subsequent installations. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I have met the CEO of TrenDemon and he and his team is very helpful and willing to assist you.
Also, you know where to find me, so please feel free to reach out and I will help you in any way I can 😉
-Deborah
Hi Vernessa!
Thanks for commenting and the hello 🙂
Yes, I had the same exact situation. I installed it and nothing happened. Then, when I went through my steps here (from the testing on the first installation), it worked right away on the subsequent installations. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I have met the CEO of TrenDemon and he and his team is very helpful and willing to assist you.
Also, you know where to find me, so please feel free to reach out and I will help you in any way I can 🙂
-Deborah
I love the time saving aspect of this plugin. I am big on that, traveling so much, and any automation tool can work wonders for me. Thanks for the SUPER helpful tutorial Deborah!
Oh, I hear you, Satish! I definitely like time saving opportunities, as well. And, the fact that this is analytics-based, really makes it that much better. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks.
I should now try TrenDemon on one of my site. I desperately need some traffic. 🙂
Hi Talal. Thank you for the comment. Please do come back and let us know how TrenDemon works for you.
Hi Deborah, this is very useful post for me. TrenDemon plugin is just outstanding in a word. Thanks for sharing such an important information.
Thanks, Biplob. I appreciate the feedback.
Great review and great tool (as always!). Going by the description, I guess it will help us decrease the bounce rate to a great extent and increase time spend by the users on the website. Thus, increasing the conversion rate.
Looking forward on using it.
Thanks.
Hi Rahul. Yes, that would be the assumption. Although, obviously, we don’t live by assumptions. lol For me personally, judging from my stats, it has lived up to its claim of decreasing the bounce rates. The longer you have the plugin installed, the more that it gathers data and the more that that data is helpful. Oh, and I’m sharing my actual experience. There is no kick-back and no one paid me to say this 😉
Hi Deborah,
It’s great to know about a new plugin “TrenDemon”. Now it’s time to increase my blog’s visitors counts.
Thanks
Hey Rahul. If you install TrenDemon, please do let us know how it is working for you. We’d love to hear your story.
I should now try TrenDemon . Great review and great tool. Going by the description, I guess it will help us decrease the bounce rate to a great extent and increase time spend by the users on the website. This will definitely increasing the conversion rate.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Hello Rohit. I’m glad that you found the review helpful. Yes, like I mentioned above, I have been experiencing a reduced bounce rate. The plugin can sometimes appear a bit quirky, but I have installed it successfully on several of my sites.
Hi Deborah,
Really awesome post of the amazing wordpress plugin. Deep instructions about installation helped a lot. Keep writing.
Thanks for sharing.
Hello Rupesh. Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it 🙂