Blogging can be an intimidating thought especially if you’re just starting out with your plans. There’s always that foreboding fear at the back of your head which can cripple your progress. However, you’ll find that most of the things you worry about when you’re new to blogging are just you, overthinking too much.
[Read more…]From SEO to Copyright Law to Visuals, a Great Blog Requires Much Attention
Blogging is more than just blurting out your emotions on the Internet. It’s a style of writing that requires honesty, accuracy and a little flamboyance. Be careful, though. Your online audience could either make you a viral sensation or a complete bust almost overnight.
Like any form of writing, there are standards and styles to abide when blogging. If you want your blog to get noticed, you also have to optimize your content to be recognized by Google and other search engines. [Read more…]
5 Mistakes that are Holding Back Your Blog’s Success
I am sure you’ve come across plenty of articles about the mistakes bloggers shouldn’t make regarding their blogs and how they must avoid certain pitfalls if they want to leverage the immense potential of blogs to generate revenue. You’ll be forgiven for thinking this one is along the same lines, because it is.
The fact is there are so many mistakes that can trip a blogger, and each one of them is as critical as the other; this means there is always something new to say. In this article, I’ve tried to identify and explain those mistakes that are not very self-evident and which are associated with the bloggers attitude rather than his/her writing skills. [Read more…]
Three Quick Questions Before Starting Your Next Blogging Adventure
The blogging realm is constantly buzzing along, and according to Technorati, two new blogs are creating every second. The craziest part is that statistic was published in 2006, a time when blogs were in their infancy, and very few were creating successful businesses from them. I’m not sure about you, but when I had my first idea for a blog, or any ideas for that matter, I get really excited. I start thinking of possibilities, how to structure the site, and so on.
Also, my aspirations can get the best of me, and I feel that it’s going to be a huge success right out of the gate. However, success is not something that just happens, but takes time to manifest based on a bunch of different factors. Before kicking off your next blogging adventure, don’t go too crazy, and jump off the deep end. First, ask yourself these three questions:
Do I want to make money, or do I just want to build something for fun?
Depending on your goals, you may want to monetize, or just start up a new pet project. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with monetizing a blog, but if your main aspiration is to make money, you’re going to have a bad time. Making money blogging has no eight step program, and there sure as heck is no such thing as a “set and forget” system. [Read more…]
Four Principles Separating You From Blogging Elite
Although it’s incredibly easy to get up and running, blogging itself is no easy task. No matter what you write about, we all have the desire to be heard. Our ideas or passions mean something to us, and if no one is listening, it can be pretty depressing. In virtually every industry, there are pros and among those pros are what’s called the “elite.” They are at the top of their game, and in the blogging world, there is no shortage. Maybe they have built a six-figure business like David Risley or generate significant ad revenue from a website dedicated to their passion.
Whatever it is, there are several principles that separate them from the average folk. Contrary to popular belief, no magic powers are required, and we all possess this same ability to create something great.
Work Ethic
Knowledge is power, but execution is king (Tweet this). You can have the absolute best tips, tactics and strategies, but if you don’t take serious action, you are never going to build the thing you have hoped for. Consistent action is key to building anything great, and blogging pros know this. [Read more…]
How Blogging Helped Me Keep My Sanity
Life is not a walk in the park. There will always be times when we encounter problems and trials. However, there are times when our problems can seem so large that it feels like we can’t go on anymore. It is during times like this when we need to have an outlet or else we’d just go crazy.
My life isn’t perfect. It never was and it never will be. Like you I have had my share of ups and downs. 5 years ago I discovered something about my family that shook my world. I was still in college then. I was so busy with graduation, school activities and my business of selling indoor fountains and glass vases I thought I had everything going for me. I had good grades, great friends and a bright future. Then over sem-break my mom revealed that my father owed millions to his business partner. This shocking news affected the entire family greatly. I wanted to solve it but I didn’t know how. I wanted to forget it but I knew that wouldn’t help matters. The enormity of it just seemed to consume me. I felt like my world was crashing down on me. I needed to have an outlet. So I turned to the one thing that I did best. I turned to blogging.
Everyday at the crack of dawn while everybody was still asleep I would turn on my laptop, go online and start writing like crazy. I didn’t advertise my blog. I just wanted an outlet for all this emotional turmoil within me. I went on with my life. But I never forgot to blog everyday. [Read more…]
When Will Blogging Be Accepted as a Career Choice?
It really depends on whom you’re asking… your super supportive aunt? Well, then it’s a great career choice. If you’re asking your school guidance counselor or your conservative parents, it probably won’t go over too well. Blogging certainly has the potential to be a viable career choice, but when will it be accepted by the general public as a career choice?
There are really 3 issues
1. Perceived minimal barriers to entry.
2. Most people don’t truly understand blogs and how they can be monetized.
3. The success rate of making a decent living isn’t very good.
Anyone can be a blogger. While it’s not easy to earn a living as a blogger, it’s easy to become a blogger. What do you really need? A free or very inexpensive website and the application of your time. Any career that has minimal barriers to entry is not going to be accepted by those that are more conservative. Their belief is that you should have to go to school, receive training, and at least do something to earn the right or the experience/knowledge needed to become a blogger. Blogging is a relatively new field. School and colleges are usually ten years behind the real world in terms of determining what training is vital to the workforce. Many colleges only recently began offering degrees in Web Design. I work at a high school in New York. I have yet to see any teacher complete or attempt any lesson plans related to blogging.
The truth is, most successful bloggers are far more sophisticated in their blogging activities than those that fail. [Read more…]
Sustainable Blogging: Blog Like a Farmer
This is a guest post by Kim De, a freelance writer and author of Zen Kitchen, a blog focused on recipes and food issues.
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For animals to remain strong and healthy under adverse situations. For humans to maintain their well-being. For agriculture to satisfy human needs for generations.
It is a word that has been batted around for awhile and has been prevalent in the media recently as farmers who are using sustainable practices are finally getting the spotlight.
But what if we were to stretch the definition to encompass other areas of our lives? Sustainable relationships. Sustainable employment. Sustainable blogging.
Lets see how easy it is to adopt the techniques used by farmers to bloggers. [Read more…]
Making Sushi and Making a Blog Are Surprisingly Similar
David Fishman is a blogger and food enthusiast who likes to cook and blog about how to make sushi at his website, How to Make Sushi At Home.
You’ll notice that I’ve found a clever way to work this into the first paragraph of my guest blog post. That wasn’t the purpose of relating it to you right now though, so give me a chance and keep reading.
It’s the juxtaposition of blogging and sushi preparation that I’d like to talk about, because indeed, they are listed together in my author section, and indeed, they have a number of interesting parallels inherent in their existence. Let’s talk for a little bit about why making sushi is actually exactly like making a blog. For those of you with blogs out there, I hope you’ll be convinced to start making sushi (hey I have a great place for you to learn *hint hint*). For those of you who make sushi, maybe you’ll be inspired to start blogging. [Read more…]
5 Ways That Bloggers Are Like Rappers
This is a guest post by Gary Kohler from LifeCover.ca.
To get noticed as a blogger you need to stand out.
You need to pick a niche and be the strongest voice of that online community. To get attention you need to stir the pot every once in a while but most of all you need to keep people wanting more.
There are many ways that this is similar to the world of gangster rap and here are five reasons why.
1) “Final” Goodbyes
Bloggers and rappers both love the “final” goodbye. The brackets are there because usually the final goodbyes are not actually final.
Some rappers will retire every second album but they will inevitably come back for another record or three. Bloggers do this too. They might need a vacation or some time to focus on their family but a lot of times they’ll come crawling back to their little soapbox.
Rappers do it to sell more records and to hype their newest effort. Bloggers likely do it for comment love and to send people to their newest blog or website. Once in a while a blogger or rapper will quit for good but most of the time they’ll be back for more. [Read more…]
