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Video Blogging Lesson: Treating Your Blog Like A System

June 15, 2010 By 18 Comments

As many of you know, I do blog consulting on the side and one of the biggest problems I see with most blogs is the lack of system integration between the blog and other social media outlets. It is almost as if the blogger thought about each individual part, instead of how they affect each other as a whole. Your Twitter account, Facebook account, email newsletter and blog are all apart of a system that you, as the blogger, use to convert casual viewers into longtime readers and customers. Without this integration and planning, you create branding confusion amongst the different mediums and your conversion rates suffer. So let’s take a look deeper into how you need to treat your blogging like a system.

Video Blogging Lesson: Treating Your Blog Like A System

Discussed In This Video – Logopond.com | Aweber

Ok…so the idea here is that you want your blog and your related sites/social media to be a sum that is greater than it’s parts. With branding and design consistent across mediums, you are able to build trust in your content and brand through integration. Think of it this way…what do you think when you switch from someone’s blog to their Twitter account and finally to their Facebook account and everything matches? It helps you remember who they are and what they are about right? Well…that is the idea.

So…how do we treat our blogs like a system?

While the video goes more in-depth on the subject, here are the cliff notes.

Your Blog: On Page Optimizing

Your blog is typically your first line of attack with your readers. It is what creates that first impression and gets a new reader to start absorbing your content. On your blog you need to have some items that all look seamless within the design and compliment your goals.

  1. Unique Logo in the header.
  2. Social Media Icons that match your color scheme and design.
  3. Newsletter Opt-Ins below content and in sidebar that carry the same color scheme and design. (Preferably through Aweber)
  4. Personal photo on about page that is professional looking even if it is humorous.

From your on page blog system optimization, you are laying the foundation for your other social media and newsletter elements.

Your Social Media and Newsletter: Off Page Optimization

We carry this same theory to your off page sites using your blog as the foundation.

Facebook Fan Page
  • Professional picture – Matches the picture on your about page.
  • Matching Logo – Same as the one in the header of your blog.
  • RSS Feed – Deliver your content to your Facebook fans.
Twitter Account
  • Professional Looking Personal Avatar – Matches your Facebook fan page and blog about page.
  • Logo – Located in the background of your profile page.
Newsletter
  • Same voice and style in content as blog content.
  • Same color scheme and logo if html formatted.

There Are No Assumptions in Blogging!

The biggest excuse that I hear bloggers say as they choose to ignore this crucial part of the process is…

I don’t have to worry about that…they’ll know.

Well…guess what? They don’t. It is up to you as the blogger to operate under the assumption that there are no assumptions. You have to make your blog and your brand stand out from the competition by making everything easy to recognize and as simple as possible. Any confusion will only hurt you in the long run. It is not always about what you like or what you think looks good. It is about what converts the best while keeping within your personal voice and originality.

Next time you are jumping around blogs being a consumer of content, take a look at how the successful blogs attack this theory. Chances are…if they are seeing a lot of success…they are holding true to their branding and voice across all of their outlets.

Filed Under: Blogging, Content, Social Media, Tutorials/How To, Videos Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Do Not Make This #1 Fatal Blogging Mistake

May 13, 2010 By 13 Comments

There is one fatal blogging mistake that I have seen most beginning (and some experienced) bloggers go through. At some point in time with their blogs, the blogger decides that it would be a great idea to start talking about blogging on their blog about gardening. The typical mind frame hits that hits the following thought process: “A lot of bloggers follow my blog, so it must be a good idea to talk about my other passion as well! Besides…I see other bloggers have success with talking about blogging…so why can’t I?!”

This is a trap! Let’s walk through it a little bit so you can see why you shouldn’t talk about blogging (or advertising rates, statistics or anything else off topic) on your blog about gardening…

The Blogger With Blinders

Horse with Blinders On - Blogging BlindersBefore you ever started a blog on your given subject, you had a passion for your niche. You bought products related to your niche, talked to your friends about it and got completely immersed in the atmosphere. One day, you came across blogging as another way to release that passion on the world and now you are making a little bit of coin at the same time. It is a beautiful thing and one of the main reasons I love this form of passion outlet and business building.

But you fall into a trap…

You just found another passion that you want to talk about so you start talking about it on your gardening blog. Like a horse with blinders on, your view of your favorite activity/subject matter is now skewed through your new found, exciting passion of blogging. While you may think that there are bloggers following you on your gardening blog that would like what you have to say about blogging, there is one fact that will never change.

Even bloggers go to blogging blogs to read about blogging and gardening blogs to read about gardening (or any other niche).

When you start going way off topic on your blog, you are not only putting off your current readers who have no interest in blogging, but you are also putting off your readers that do blog! It is a double edged sword that cuts your blog to pieces. If you are going to go slightly off topic and try to expand your subject matter. Writing about “How to have the greenest grass on the block” would be a much better topic to dive into as it will strengthen your brand and expand your offerings.

Another Harsh Fact For Bloggers That You Should LOVE!

Want another harsh fact that you should absolutely fall in love with is the #2 reason you should never talk about blogging on your blog about gardening?

98% of people want to consume the products and services you create, not create their own.

What do you think the ratio of Wal-Mart shoppers is to business owners in the United States? Statistically, it is almost immeasurable. For the blogger, that is a great thing. That means there are more people out there that want to help build your business than become your competition. So…why do you want to teach them how to do the exact same thing on your blog about gardening?

There is an underlying desire within blogging to help others blog (why do you think I started this site!), but there is a time and place for it. If you really want to help people with their blogging or get them started blogging, you need to either do it privately or on a different site. Keep your brand and content focused for true success and leave the talking about blogging for blogs that are focused on that subject matter.

Oh yeah…1 more thing…before you run off starting a blog about blogging because you have also gotten blinders on that are telling you that is the only way to make money online…the highest profit, biggest revenue generating blogs I know…have nothing to do with blogging. They just never talk about it…and you can take that to the bank.

Resist Image by gwen | Horse Blinders Image by ?rtofdreaming

Filed Under: Blogging, Content Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rock Star Personal Branding for Bloggers

May 11, 2010 By 19 Comments

In this guest post by Maren Kate from Escaping the 9 to 5, she explores how your personal brand online should mimic that of a rock star for guaranteed success. Personal branding is a large part of success in blogging.

Since when is the word Rock Star only synonymous with musicians? I don’t know who created this trend but I’m here to break it… I believe you can be a Rock Star blogger too! Harness the power of the rock star within you and use it to explode your blog to new success!

6 ways to apply the Rock Star mystique to your personal brand

1. Rock Star’s a made not born. Joan Jett wasn’t singing “Cherry Bomb” coming out of the womb, so if you haven’t built a rock star worthy personal brand up to this point don’t sweat it. Your inner rock star is just hibernating that’s all. So now it’s your turn to dig deep and see if you have what it takes to develop a rock star brand for your business or personal use? If so I can promise it’ll explode your success online and off and the benefits it’ll have to your blog may very well change your life.

2. Personal branding is mandatory in today’s economy. Whether you run a blog on baked goods or help mommies get out of debt, it is time to sum up your inner rock star and start getting personally branded. People love to feel connected to the blog they are reading and the business they are buying from, they want to know you are special… different, not just one of the thousands of drones out there pitching something. How can you do this? Develop a personal brand worthy of any rock star of course!

3. Rock Star’s are known for something. Whether it be Elvis’ pelvic thrust or Ozzy’s dove head decapitation thing, rock stars are usually known for a ‘signature’ thing. This can work for your personal brand as well. Look at celebrities on and off the net, they usually are known for something too. Naomi from Ittybiz is known for her potty mouth and sparkling sense of humor, Problogger is known because he was first and is biggest and iJustine is known for recording every part of her life – even the ones we don’t care about.

4. Know your Rock Star name. My full name is Maren Kate Donovan, online and on all of my social platforms I go by Maren Kate. This is because when you Google Maren Kate you find me every time… and it is unusual enough that I don’t have to worry about another Maren Kate popping up and battling for her turf. Rock Star’s go by nicknames too, sometimes these are derivations of their real names and sometimes they totally made up pseudonyms. Look at Lady Gaga, Prince and Madonna. Think about Johnny B. Truant when it comes to blogging, do you think he REAL name is John Ben Truant? It may be – I don’t know for sure – but I am 99% positive he does that so he can dominate the niche for that catchy name and image.

5. Rock Star’s have a voice. Every rock star sings or communicates in their own unique ‘voice’, for a blogger you need to do this as well. You can write a mid term type blog post or you can write something from your heart in your very own voice. Think about how you want your voice to sound? Do you want to be the funny business blogger? the overly serious clown blogger? the dynamic, eccentric financial blogger? Pick a voice and stick with it through all of the channels in which you communicate online. If you do this people will get to the place where they know your voice when they read it anywhere – just like how we can pick out a song that Elton John did from hearing just a few seconds of it.

6. Be sure to keep consistent. Though rock star’s throughout the ages have had identity crisis’ it’s best once you decide on your personal brand to stick with it, at least for a while. People will grow to trust and love you this way – they will read your blog and feel as if they really ‘know’ you. This loyalty can pay off for years down the road and your consistence will make you a pillar in your online community.

In closing, I know there is a little rock star in all of us – there sure is in me! Whether you choose to show yours through videos, the written word or another form of media be sure to let your true self out. Not only is it liberating but you’ll be amazed at how much your blog & business grows once you’ve ‘come out’ so to speak with your true, rocking self.

This guest post was written by Maren Kate. She is an entrepreneur and blogs about her journey in leading an unconventional life at Escapingthe9to5.com.

Filed Under: Blogging, Marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Internet Lifestyle Is About Freedom, Not Free Time

April 29, 2010 By 30 Comments

I think there is a common misconception out there that making money online and the “internet lifestyle” is all about working 2 hours a day and goofing off doing whatever the hell you want the rest of the time. If you want to be successful in the long run and in life…that couldn’t be any farther from the truth. The Internet Lifestyle is more about freedom than free time and since I started making money online…my free time is no different than during “corporate life”.

What Making Money Online Means To You

Stick with me here for a second as this may change how you feel about your blogging.

Making money online is your key to choices.

I was talking to a fellow blogger/freelancer the other day that had his time cut out at his job in half. Now…if you have ever had that happen to you (I have…it sucks), you feel pretty helpless at the moment as you have to go home to your loved ones and explain that things are going to be tight for awhile. Luckily, this blogger/freelancer is able to lighten the load by doing side projects that come about through his work online.

On top of that…this blogger was hit with a decision. Do I look for another part time job, a new full time job or really make a run at my dream? Now, the answer to this question is a needs based question that is different for everyone so I am not going to sit here and pretend that I have the answer, but…the interesting part about this scenario is that this particular blogger now has more choices than ever before. It is no longer “I am at the mercy of others”. Instead, it is “what can I do for myself to make this situation better?”

The Reality About Blogging And Making Money Online

The reality about making money online is the vast majority of bloggers will never hit the big time and make 6 figures a year writing about what they love. I wish everyone did…but like everything in life there is only so much room at the top and there are only so many people that are capable of the discipline it takes to run a 6 or 7 figure business.

But this should not get you discouraged.

By supplementing your household income by doing something you love online, you can open up a whole new world of choices that would have never even been an option before!

  • You will no longer be tied to that job you hate 100%. You can have the choice to search out a better paying, more enjoyable place of employment while you supplement your income with blogging.
  • You can get the toys (for free if you read Ramped Reviews!) that you used to not be able to afford on your regular salary.
  • You can take your wife/girlfriend/kids out to dinner more often.
  • You can go on better vacations.

The list is limitless and it is all possible through your efforts online. There is a lot of focus on “full-time income” through blogging and that full-time income for many bloggers is completely different. I know a lot of bloggers that make a full-time income online and still have jobs. Why do they still have jobs? Well…2 salaries is a pretty cool thing if you can swing it don’t you think? What if they really like their job (yes…there are actually people out there like that)?!

As you look at your blogging, make your goals for the future big. If you want to make a real run at it and become a full-time blogger, I do not want this article to discourage you from that goal. Hit it full swing and go after it. The point I do want to get across is to try not to focus on the thousands of articles online all focusing on the “Internet Lifestyle” and start looking at how your blogging can start to free up choices in your own life. Who knows…by focusing on choices…you just might end up managing a 6 figure business online…

What has your blogging let your choose?

Image by PotironLight

Filed Under: Blogging, Lifestyle Design Tagged With: , , , , ,

Are Your Articles Telling Stories?

April 27, 2010 By 5 Comments

Truly great connections are made through the telling of stories. By stimulating the imagination and encouraging creativity, we are able to connect with our readers on a deeper level that can only be obtained by sparking the mind. While we churn out blog posts, we are…in effect…creating an art through words. Many of us do not consider our writing art as we may come from a more engineering, business, corporate background, but by blogging…you are participating in one of the oldest art forms in existence…writing.

To grow your blog and see the success you seek, you must make that vital connection with your readers. With this strong connection, you will realize the growth and viral spreading of blogging.

Those that know me (or follow me on Twitter) know that I am a cycling obsessed, wanna-be photographer that also happens to own a blog network. What surprises me the most is how similar the art of connecting with people through words is to that same connection with photographs.

Recently, a friend of mine and fantastic photographer, Joe (regularjoe on Flickr), sent me this link to David Griffin’s talk on telling stories and making that connection with photographs.

As director of photography for National Geographic, David Griffin works with some of the most powerful photographs the world has ever seen.

Like most things in my life, I started seeing the parallels between great photography and blogging. Ideally, to make that connection with your readers, you need to be telling a story with your blog and your articles. Take a close look/watch and start to relate this video back to your blogging.

Telling A Story With Your Blog

Now that you have seen how it is done with photographs, how can we apply this back to your blogging. The following list is a few tips/tricks I use while writing that helps me tell a story to you guys through my blog articles.

Visualize While Writing

I am a visual learner by nature, so when I read blog posts, I sometimes struggle with writers that are not painting a picture on the subject they are writing about. Especially in the cycling world, I try to literally paint a picture with words and walk my readers through the experience. By telling this “story”, I can connect through my words and solve the problems that face my readers on a personal level.

On this blog, I do things like the following: “As you sit down with a blank “new post” screen scratching your head on what to write and how to connect with that new search engine visitor, sit back, take a deep breath and go to those same feelings you had with writers block and how you conquered the fear.”

I literally picture myself sitting in front of the computer screen in my head and relate those feelings to words on a page. By making that emotional connection through words, you will make a connection with your readers that will make them want to come back for more.

Lay Out The Scene

Fantastic images that tell a story are not shot on accident. The composition of the photograph brings the viewer on the journey without actually being present. When I was starting to shoot with a super wide angle lens, Joe told me to really focus on composition and tell the events that were about to take place through a single image. For example, with mountain bikers, show where they are going to ride next or the obstacles they face.

With your readers, you need to do the same. You need to lay out the scene and show them what they can expect next through your words. Each article is a part of a sequence that adds up to the whole. Are you just publishing articles on what you feel like that particular morning? Or are you planning out the story and linking subject matters together to lay out the scene? By planning your articles and their sequence, you take your readers on a journey that will bring them back.

No One Wants To Read Research Papers

Just like no one connects with bland photography, your readers do not want to read research papers. They connect with blogs because of the personal nature of the writing. There are no footnotes, no table of contents…just the relationship between the bloggers words and the readers emotions on the other side of the screen.

By telling stories through your words, you can make that connection and keep readers coming back for more time and time again.

Filed Under: Blogging, Content Tagged With: , , , , ,

10 Ingredients Of A Successful Article

April 22, 2010 By 14 Comments

Every blogger knows the good article when he sees it (it’s simple – a good article is interesting to read ;-) ), but how to make it from a scratch? There are plenty and plenty of articles about that.

As the matter of fact, nearly every blogger who writes about making money online or blogging has some day made an article about that. We have carefully tasted their creations and designed a combined list of main ingredients of a good blog post.

#1: Difference

Almost anything that can be written is already out there and original idea is a real scarcity, so to appeal to readers be different. Do not make another hamburger! If it is impossible to come up with an original idea, try to put bread between two pieces of beef. It may not be delicious, but it will create a commotion and attract attention to your blog. But be careful not to scare-off your readers.

#2: Knowledge of Your Audience

That is one of the the most important rules of marketing (and that is what a good article is all about: you are exchanging your material for readers’ attention). All people are different and it is critical to understand who your readers are and what there problems are. What are they looking for? Why did they come to your website and what can make them stay? These are the questions that you should ask yourself every time you start a new article.

#3: Whatever Your Readers Order

The article is not for you, it is for them! After you start to understand your readers you should get an idea of what they are looking for. Just give it to them, or explain why they don’t need it. Imagine that you are in a restaurant, you ordered a chicken and they bring you soup. Unless you get convinced that you really want the soup you will simply leave (it would be better if they served you chicken in the first place, but nobody’s perfect).

#4: Interactivity

Make your readers think and interact with you through questions, stating arguable points or in any other way. Unless they are involved in your blog in any form, they will not feel themselves as part of it and will not become your subscribers. You know why Chinese restaurants are so popular? It’s not because of the food (you can order it home), its the process when everything is flying around just in front of you and occasionally ends up in your mouth as if by magic.

#5: Aftertaste

When the reader has found what he was looking for (the best outcome is when the search ends on your blog), do not let them leave you once and for all. Make your readers understand that there is much more interesting and important stuff coming later on your blog. The dainty can be delicious, but it must leave a pleasant aftertaste as well, or else what do we have left, when its all finished?

#6: Deep-water Bait:

Yet again do not let the reader just get off your hook, lure them deeper and deeper in your blog. Just like a pro chef gives you the appetizer and only after that the main course, you should tempt the appetite of your reader. These tricks can help you:

  • related articles widgets;
  • in-post links to related articles;
  • anything else that works ;-)

#7: Unforgettable Taste

That is not an ingredient actually, but the result and an extremely important one. It is often called brand development. You want your blog to be famous, don’t you? Internet marketing is not purely about links and bookmarks. Do not forget that you are marketing your brand and it should be not only recognizable, but also memorable.

#8: Knowledge of the Topic

You should know well any topic you are writing about. People try to find something new and original in your article, give them only the valid information and not some general stuff. There is more than one way to skin a cat, and if you’re at it, learn as much of them as possible (I actually love cats very much, but could not resist this game of words :-) ).

#9: Fresh Info

There is no way a person can know everything. Besides there is always new stuff emerging. So, unless you are 100% certain that your knowledge is complete and up-to-date, you should make a bit of additional research just in case there is something new.

#10: Collaboration

After you did your research, you should not be shy to show it and to link to the sources of your information. Besides being simply polite and honest it will also help to attract attention of the people you are linking to. They can get interested in your work and this may help you to make more connections for the future.

This, of course, is not the ultimate list of the things you should put into your article to make it tasty, there are other extremely important ingredients like passionate writing as well as self obvious things such as correct spelling and things of lesser importance like image for every post. All of them will be covered in further articles, so stay in touch.

Now that was an example of how to provide incentive to sign-up for an RSS feed ;-) Hope you will find these ingredients worthy using for your projects. Also feel free to post your opinion or questions in the comments.

This is a guest post written by Edward ‘The Chef’ over at Flavor of Success, “Be the Chef in the Kitchen of your Life”. Flavor of Success is devoted to gathering and sharing all kinds of success stories. We are interested in the stories of celebrities, businessmen and simply everyone else.

Image by Lexitaru

Filed Under: Blogging, Content Tagged With: , , , ,

Your Biggest Weapon In Keeping New Newsletter Subscribers

April 16, 2010 By 10 Comments

Over the past couple of days, I have talked about the importance of having a newsletter on your blog and how to attract readers to sign up for your newsletter by giving up their valuable email address. One of the main concerns amongst bloggers is how to keep those subscribers once you have closed them on subscribing to your blog.

In all reality, it is pretty easy to keep your subscribers and continue to provide value that they soak up like sun on blacktop if you follow some pretty simple rules. You also need to remember one thing…

People do not mind being sold to (especially if it is something they need), but they hate spam.

Follow Up Email: First Point Of Contact

The follow up email (email that is sent directly after subscription is confirmed) is your most valuable weapon to keep your subscribers and most bloggers overlook this step as a formality. This first point of contact with a new subscriber is your change to lay out the foundation of your newsletter. It is also one of your most successful emails you will have with your newsletter (from a percentage open perspective), so it is time to grab their attention.

Your follow up email needs to keep these things in mind.

  • It needs to deliver the free goods you promised upon signup (or a link to download them).
  • It needs to welcome the new reader to your newsletter and thank them for being a part of your community.
  • It needs to specifically lay out exactly what they need to expect from your emails.
  • It needs to reinforce the personal touch by you talking directly to them…not formal broad statements.

It is really that simple. You are basically laying out exactly what your new newsletter subscriber can expect to see in their inbox from your blog. You are entering their personal world through their personal email inbox, so make the email sound and feel like you are talking directly to one person.

Important Note: You are not selling anything with the initial follow-up email. I see a lot of bloggers make the mistake of trying to close the sale when your reader is really just trying to get a grasp of what to expect. You can include links to your paid products below your signature or causally mention that you have other products on the web, but this is not the time to try to put on the hard sale. It will convert poorly and put a bad taste in the mouth of your new subscriber. Selling comes later (and I’ll get into that more in a later post).

Simple Follow Up Example

Here is a sample follow up email that I worked up on the fly so you can get the point of what I am talking about.

John Doe,

Thank you for signing up for the Gardening Tips newsletter! Attached you will find your free eBook, “5 Gardening Tips You Didn’t Know” as a thank you for joining our community at Gardening Tips.

So what can you expect out of the Gardening Tips Newsletter? I will be sending you exclusive tips that can not be found on the site twice a month to help you further grow your garden. You will also be receiving periodic deals and promotions that should help you save some money on your gardening gear needs. Also be on the lookout for bi-weekly blog updates to keep you up-to-date on the goings on at Gardening Tips.

I am excited to have you as a member of our community at Gardening Tips, so if you have any questions, concerns, ideas or random thoughts, hit me up via email.

Thank you,

John The Gardening Guy
john@gardeningguy.com

Pretty simple right? It isn’t obscenely long and it gets the point across. Better yet…it hits all of the points I made above quickly and efficiently. Now…what do you think happens when the next email comes across John Doe’s email inbox? He is probably more likely to open it and absorb your content because he already knows what to expect and is looking forward to the next email because it is going to provide him value in relation to his gardening.

So What Is Your Job After The Follow Up Email?

Start delivering on the promises you laid out in your follow up email and do it consistently. Luckily, with the follow up email process laid out in Aweber, you can setup this entire process and leave it on auto-pilot. One of the things that completely streamlined my blogging was my newsletter and the hands off approach it takes in improving your blog and income after initial setup. You are providing value and consistency without having to touch a thing.

So…next up on the chopping block for newsletter talk is how to actually monetize this thing and we will get into that on Monday.

Newsletter Series Recap

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Filed Under: Blogging, Tutorials/How To Tagged With: , , , ,

How To Dramitically Increase Your Newsletter Subscription Sign Ups

April 15, 2010 By 10 Comments

Yesterday, I talked about the importance of having a newsletter in your blogging when you are trying to generate income. Now…in that same article, I revealed an ugly truth about newsletters. Your readers are going to protect their email address more than they protect their own kids. Don’t worry, it is not your fault, but you can blame the millions of spammers in this world that make it difficult to run a serious business that provides value and fills a need. Like most good things in life, email lists and newsletters have been exploited, so it is your job to overcome the noise.

Since it is that much harder to gain the valuable email address, what can you do as a blogger to increase your conversion rate and chances for success? The good news, it all comes down to two ideas.

  1. Provide value for free. (or)
  2. Provide something interesting.

Hook Your Readers In With Something Free and Valuable

One of the most common ways to increase newsletter sign ups is to provide something of value that is free. In the blogging world, giving away a free eBook or eCourse is a go to default that many bloggers hit while trying to build their list (I use both on this site with Ramped Blogging). This is a win/win for the reader and the blogger as the reader gets something of value and the blogger gets the subscriber to their email list.

Now…if you really want to be successful with this theory, you need to employ one of two theories when creating your free product.

  1. It needs to be over the top with value if you are doing something like the competition.
  2. It needs to be completely unique.

Think of it this way…why is a potential newsletter subscriber going to download your eBook when they downloaded something exactly like it from a more well known blogger last week? They aren’t. But…if you provide something completely unique or over the top valuable, you can overcome the thousands of other free eBooks on the market and get your subscription numbers up.

Another bonus of providing a free eBook or eCourse. If you have a paid version on another subject, this free version you are giving away provides your readers with a preview of your eBook content further qualifying them as a potential customer of your paid options. Keep this in mind as you develop your own free hooks.

Tip: There are other versions of free as well. Think about teaming up with a retailer in your industry and offering a free 10% off coupon for signing up. This will allow you to cash in on affiliate commissions while providing something of value and building up the business of your partner company. There are more ways of unique freeness that you can drum up…so use your imagination to separate yourself from other bloggers.

Something Completely Unique

Do you do something on your site that is completely unique from the competition? Could you package some of this uniqueness together and offer it to potential newsletter subscribers for free? Providing something completely unique and entertaining can be a great way to entice newsletter subscriptions.

I have a friend of mine that is an incredible illustrator. When we started talking about ways  to increase his newsletter subscription, one of the ideas that came up was offering 5 free political cartoons that you can not find anywhere else on his site for newsletter subscribers. While this does go along with the free theory above, it is also completely unique in his field…so it separates his brand from the competition.

As you look for ways to grab that email address, try to take a close look at your operation and see if there is anything that is 100% unique that you can offer your newsletter subscribers. Are you really successful in your field? Maybe you check in with newsletter subscribers once a month and show them the back end to your success that no one else sees…

You Have The Hook…Now What?

So you have something free or unique of value to your readers, how do you make sure that the sign up is in the right spot to convert? I like to use two methods on my blogs that bring in the highest converting ratio in my experience. I would test both of these (and absolutely do #1) to see what works best in your blogging. I use Aweber as my newsletter service (you can get started for $1) which makes both of these extremely easy to accomplish.

  1. Feature Your Sign Up Above The Fold On All Of Your Pages – This one is a no brainer. Make sure you have your sign up form (not just a link…Aweber can make a cool looking form for you) and hook featured above the fold on every page of your blog. This is typically done at the top of the sidebar. This will be your #1 weapon in converting causal readers into newsletter subscribers.
  2. Lightbox Hover (test) – The lightbox hover is that nice looking box you see hovering over a page when you visit the site for the first time. This method is more intrusive than just displaying your sign up on the page, so proper testing will tell you if this is a right fit for your blog. In my experience, the lightbox hover works best on blogs outside of the internet marketing/blogging niche as those types of readers are not as sensitive to it. The only way to find out is to test it on your blog, but I have seen dramatic increases in certain niches. (again…Aweber provides me with everything I need on that end)

Sweet! We are now converting readers into newsletter subscribers, so next…we need to go into how to keep them as subscribers and then how to properly monetize that list. More to come…

Newsletter Series Recap

Sign Up For Aweber By Clicking Here (get started for only $1!)

Filed Under: Blogging, Tutorials/How To Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Find More Time to Blog

March 24, 2010 By 10 Comments

In this guest post by Ralph Jean-Paul from Potential2Success.com, he tackles a problem that a lot of bloggers run into as they strive to grow their blogs to a full-time level…finding the time to get the necessary steps complete for success. If you are interested in guest posting on RobbSutton.com, read this article on guest posting and hit me up via email.

Let’s take a trip back to when you first started blogging.  Remember the first time you saw your blog listed on Google?  Or what about the first time someone left a comment on a post?  And who could forget the very first time you made an affiliate sale or revenue from an Adsense click?  Good times, good times.

That was then and now you probably realize that blogging is not a way to make some quick cash.  Blogging as a business doesn’t take much money to start.   However, that doesn’t mean that it’s free.  In order to have a successful blog, it will require some of your valuable time.

Finding time to blog can be difficult.  Most bloggers have a full-time job, family, friends, and other commitments that they are responsible for.  So finding the time to write, post, and market their blog can be a challenge.

It is possible to run a successful blog and have a life.  I learned this when I first started blogging.  I had a full-time job, taking 6 college courses, and I had to learn how to build and market a website.  It was a challenge, but I was able to do it successfully.  I still use the same methods I learned back then today to make time to blog.

Finding More Time

Use the Time You Have Wisely

Part of the reason it may seem like you do not have enough time is because you haven’t made good use of the time you have.  Often we think there is not enough time to write content, market, and develop our blog.  The time is usually there, we just need to know what to do with it.

One way to make sure that you are using your time wisely is to have a plan on what you will be doing before you get in front of your computer.  Your plan should include a list of tasks and a timeframe to complete those tasks.  It is also a good idea to prioritize the list.  If you fall behind, and do not have time to finish everything, the most important tasks still get done.

If you don’t have the disciple to not visit Facbook and Youtube while you’re working on your blog, then make sure that you close those windows.  You don’t need any unwanted temptation to distract you from finishing your tasks.

Find Your Best Working Hours

Find out when you are the most productive and work on your blog during that time.  By finding the time when you are the most productive, you are making it possible to complete your tasks faster thus taking up less time.

I recently began waking up at 3 am because I realized that I focus best early in the morning.  For some reason, trying to write during the day is almost impossible for me.  Something about the thought of sunshine outside makes it difficult for me to concentrate.

Do More of What You Do Best

I think the goal for any successful business is to find out how to profit from their best product or service.  As a blogger, this is also your goal.  Instead of wasting time on things that are not effective, focus on what will make the most difference.

So what’s your strength?  Do you deliver dynamic content?  Are you exceptional at marketing?  Take whatever you do best and do more of it.  The problem that I had when I started blogging is that I was doing so many things that didn’t produce the result that I wanted.

Once I realized that there were just a few things that produced the result that I wanted for my niche, I focused on those things and worked to improve them.  Instead of wasting time on what you have been told will work, focus on what is working and stop doing what isn’t.

Blog Everywhere

Ideas and inspiration are everywhere!  Whenever you have an idea for a post, capture it immediately.  I use the Notepad on my Blackberry if I don’t have any paper and my voice recorder when I’m driving.

One night I went to the movies with some friends.  While we were watching the previews, I had an idea for a post about the top 10 inspirational movies of all time.  Ignoring the cartoon that told us not to use our phones during the movie, I whipped out my Blackberry and started typing.  Before I knew it, my idea became 150 words and a good start to a future post.  That post became one of my most popular posts and is still in the top 10 most viewed pages on my blog.

There are really two main benefits to blogging everywhere.  One, you get to act on an idea that you had.  Having an idea is good but it’s pretty much pointless unless you turn that idea into action.  The second benefit is that you don’t waste time looking for ideas.  When writers block strikes, you can always go back to your vault of ideas and pull something useful.

Share the Burden

When times get tough and you need some extra time, opening up your blog to quality guest posts is a great way to keep your blog updated.  Publishing a guest post is also a great way to give yourself a little break from producing content.

It also gives your readers some fresh content from someone who may have a different writing style.  It also offers the opportunity to boost your traffic as that blogger will usually market their guest post.

Ralph Jean-Paul is the main writer for his blog Potential 2 Success which is a result-driven personal development blog. He is also a monthly contributor for 2 other popular personal development blogs. Along with being a writer, Ralph is also a speaker and entrepreneur. For more from Ralph visit Potential2Success.com

Image by ToniVC

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Want To Succeed? Stop Being Afraid Of Competition!

March 11, 2010 By 20 Comments

I hear bloggers all the time make the excuse “there are already too many blogs about that…so I’m not going to start one”. That is a fear of competition and I am going to explain to you why that is an unhealthy fear that will keep you from success.

Before we jump straight into it…I want you to sit back for a second and think about all of the products and services you use on a daily basis that came into the market only in the last couple of years. Maybe it is your car, your favorite coffee, the computer you are staring at right now. Now, think of where you would be if that company decided that there was too much competition in that market to bring something new to the table. Doesn’t make much sense now does it? So let’s look at why competition in blogging is a good thing for you and future growth.

Want To Succeed In Blogging? Stop Being Afraid Of Competition!

Now that I have blown enough hot air, let’s get down to brass tax and take a look at why competition in blogging is a good thing for you…as the blogger looking to have a successful blog (did I say that blogging word enough times in that sentence?). Let’s assume for all of these points that we are referring to quality competition and not scraper sites or ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ blogs.

Competition Means There Is A Market

If there is a lot of competition within a give marketplace, that means there is a customer base large enough to support the ever growing offerings on the web. That’s right…that means there is still room for your blog to make its mark on the vast world wide web space. If there was not a big enough audience to support all of those blogs, they wouldn’t be there. Who wants to waste their time spinning their wheels for nothing? I don’t and neither do other successful bloggers.

Now…there is a flip side to this as well. If you find a niche were there is zero competition, do not go thinking you just found the holy grail of blogging. There is probably a reason that no one has entered that market so you will need to do some preliminary research before you go and throw everything you have at it. Is the niche too narrow? Is there not enough people online that want to read about this niche?

Beginning a new blog in a crowded market is all about finding a smaller sub-niche that has an audience, growing that blog and then expanding into other sub-niches until you have a giant monster of a resource. Find a competitive market and rock it out. There is an audience to support it because you can already see they are there!

Example: With Bike198.com, I started with mountain biking and that eventually grew into road biking, commuting by bike and an online forum. It is all about building on success and not being afraid to try.

Competition Makes You Work Harder and Smarter

There is no time to be lazy when you are working within a niche that has competition. The bar continues to rise with quality as more bloggers enter the market offering something new and exciting. While a lot of bloggers would use this as an excuse to throw in the towel or keep to their old ways, the successful bloggers use this as a challenge to continue to work harder and smarter to stay that one step in front of the competition.

Friendly competition among bloggers will force you to continue to look for ways to be more efficient in your blogging in all aspects (monetization, content production, etc.). While the other bloggers in low competition niches get to sit back and be lazy, you are forced into being a well oiled machine. Because if you aren’t…your competition will be. So welcome to the crash course in being a better blogger…having to compete with other better bloggers.

Competition Drives Innovation and Creativity

Cutthroat competition among competing brands drives innovation and creativity in the market and this is a great thing for everyone involved. It also produces more profitable blogs, products and services quality drives sales. This need to continually make more innovative content and products will drive you to make more money online and see faster blog growth.

Competition Brings Up The Entire Industry

Going hand in hand with every previous point, all of this competition brings that specific market up to a new level and…in the process…brings you up with it. Your blog becomes better faster and your competing blogs do the same. What happens when you go to expand into a new market? Your skills are already a well oiled machine ready to take on the world. So while you were fine tuning your skills in a high competition market, the others were just sitting around with old methods. You now get to come in and raise the bar.

Competing Markets = $$$

Larger audiences and a lot of competition means there is money being made. If you are looking for profitable niches, start looking where there are other blogs making money (not the MMO, blogging niche). It will take some research on your end to find them, but the payoff is huge in the long haul.

Bloggers: We Are All In This Together

Just remember, we are all in this together. Bloggers generally welcome friendly competition and we work to bring the quality of our niches up instead of try to discourage new ideas. The web is huge…and we can all have a part.

As you look at your market and where you want to head, remember that high competition also means that it might take a little bit longer to rise above the noise and make your mark. But…once you do…your mark is much more substantial than in low competing niches.

Find a way to bring something new to the table and rock it. You will be surprised at the result as readers really want to see something new and unique. Just because there are already a lot of blogs on a given subject, that does not mean you can’t make it your own and be highly successful. It just means you have to work a little bit harder for a bigger reward.

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