For Newbies Without Direction: Why Not Try A "STARTER BLOG"? Success with Blogger Blogs

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Hello All....


I have seen a flood of the "I'm a newbie, where do I start?" threads recently. So to help out some of those without any definitive plans, I present the concept of "starter blogs."

My Definition of a Starter Blog: A Blogger blog that is created for the sole purpose of teaching a newbie about the basics of blogging, with the ultimate goal of monetizing the blog, but only after it is consistently getting 100+ unique visitors to it each day.


Again, these are just MY opinions and ideas. Things that have worked for me in the past. Obviously there are no guarantees and the true determining factor to a person's success is his/her efforts. But for those that are still looking for a model to follow, I offer the Starter Blog concept.

I believe that many online ventures that are based on blogging fail because there is too much emphasis placed on income generation too early in the process. When the newbie doesn't get the immediate earnings that he mistakenly thinks he is going to get, he becomes discouraged and quits.

But with the Starter Blog concept, you can't monetize the blog until it is consistently getting 100 visits a day.

This amount will give you a good source to tap into. Not just in terms of potential income, but also in terms in terms of testing and tweaking. If you are only getting 3-5 visits a day, it's going to take you weeks to analyze adjustments you have made and how it is affecting your sales. But at 100 visits a day, you can test and tweak quickly.

With Starter Blogs, you have to EARN your ability to earn. If you can't make it to 100 a day, you have to continue to focus your efforts on content creation, marketing, etc, to increase your daily traffic. This is a good habit to get into (ie. focusing on traffic generation stats as opposed to sales stats).


JoeMack's "Starter Blog" Method for Newbies:


1. Pick the topic for your blog.

When deciding on a topic, I would recommend choosing something that you are incredibly passionate for. It has to be in the top 3 of most passionate things in your life.

With the variety of monetization methods available (affiliate promotion, Adsense, Amazon, CPA offers, etc) just about every topic can be turned into an income-producing blog. But we aren't concerned about exact monetization methods right now. You just want to pick a topic that you are probably obsessed with.

2. Get some keywords.

Your keywords are going to be used in many different ways. Sure, they are definitely necessary in order for you to maximize your SEO efforts, but they also have other beneficial uses.

If you don't have a keyword tool, you can use Google's free Externtal Keyword Tool. You can find it here: https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeti...=KEYWORD_IDEAS

Throw in your root keyword and get yourself a list of relevant and most searched keywords for your topic.


3. Get yourself a Blogger blog.

I have used all of the usual suspects when it comes to a free blogging option (ie. Squidoo, Hubpages, free Wordpress, etc). From my own experience and personal preferences, I recommend using a Blogger blog (http://www.blogger.com). It is very easy to use, and it is my opinion that since Google owns Blogger, how could they NOT give them just slightly more ranking juice. Regardless, I have used free Blogger blogs in the past to generate income, so I know for a fact that it can be done.


4. Choose one of the Blogger templates and set up your blog to best suit your topic.

This step is highly dependent on your topic and your individual style and personality. Although your own preferences are important, be sure to also place yourself in the shoes of your blog readers. Appropriate blog appearance can be just as important as content.

There are so many things that you can add to your Blogger blogs to make them attractive, easy to use, interactive, and more. Be sure to check out the main possible additions you can include.


5. Every day, add one new post to your blog.

Take out your keyword list. Starting from the most searched keyword phrases, add a post related to one keyword each day.

And this isn't to say that you need to write and publish a unique 1000 word post each day. This can result in burnout very quickly, even about topics that you are passionate for.

Each day you could post:

- informative content written by you
- a relevant Youtube video
- an article you recently read
- a controversial thread on a forum
- a great tip for a popular blog


Remember, we aren't worried about sales or income right now. We just want to get used to working with a blog. Posting frequently will get the search engine bots visiting your blog more often and will help your search engine rankings.

6. Social bookmark each new post.

For this step, I suggest using a site click SocialMarker (Social bookmarking service. Fast tagging and posting to all major social websites - SocialMarker.com). Yes, it takes a little more time to set up the first time, but then after that, it assists you in social bookmarking your new posts over a number of social bookmarking sites like Reddit, Digg, Fark, SlashDot, and plenty more.


7. Use marketing techniques to increase daily traffic.

There are plenty of possible marketing techniques to use that will result in higher daily traffic. This traffic will come directly, or it will come as the result of getting a better search engine ranking for the blog and getting more organic traffic.

Possible marketing techniques:

- article marketing and syndication
- forum signature marketing
- proper blog commenting
- being a guest blogger
- press releases


8. Once you get to 100 visits a day, MONETIZE!!

If you posted on your blog daily, social bookmarked those posts, and used a variety of additional marketing techniques, you WILL be seeing a stable and growing amount of daily traffic.

Give yourself a big pat-on-the-back for getting to 100 daily visitors. Most IMers never get to this point. You have definitely earned the right to start making some income from the time and effort you have given to make it successful.

The exact type of monetization method will depend on your specific topic. And keep in mind that it doesn't just have to be a single way to make money. You may find that you can include a block of Adsense ads plus a couple of Clickbank affiliate products. All this being said, I wouldn't recommend putting more than 2 different types of monetization possibilities. Giving the reader too many options to choose from will generally HURT sales, rather than helping them.


9. Maximize your efforts with Facebook and Twitter.

The "Starter Blog" concept is solid and sound. But if you were able to incorporate Facebook and Twitter with it, you could be multiplying your efforts (and thus multiplying potential income generation). Creating and maintaining Facebook fan pages and Twitter followers can drastically accelerate the time it takes the Starter Blog to get to the 100 visitors a day level.


Ok, well, there's the "Starter Blog" Method for Newbies. If even one person benefits from this thread, then it will definitely be worth the time and effort to create it.

If you ever feel stuck, take some action. That tends to unstick me.

Much Success,

JoeMack
#direction #newbies #starter blog
  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Schuman
    Great post JoeMack. Thanks for putting so much quality into it. I like your idea on getting to 100 visitors a day before monetizing a start blog. Getting in the habit of content creation is a smart long term habit to be in. Anyone can do this and should do this.
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  • Profile picture of the author Santr123
    This is a very helpful post for someone who wants to get a taste of blogging. One question, once you start seeing a surge in traffic, should the blogger try to port their website from Blogger.com to Wordpress? Also isn't it advisable to have your own domain name and hosting rather than using a free platform?
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  • Profile picture of the author clever7
    This is a good way to begin learning how to make money online. However, with only 100 visitors a blog can make money only by selling products, or perhaps through Adsense. You can't make money with Linkworth ads for example or other ads that require a huge amount of visitors.

    And you cannot use this option for a long time because you are in risk. I agree that in the beginning you should begin with a free blog to see how things work into practice, but later you have to have your own blog in your domain name, otherwise you can lose your work.

    I had four Blogger blogs in 2008, but they were destroyed by malware in 2009 because of a hacker’s attack. I tried to restore them, but I was not helped by anyone. Blogger is a chaos. If you have a problem, you are lost.

    Some people are lucky and they have Blogger blogs for life, but you never know what can happen.

    I was confident that my blogs’ content was very helpful for the public and I didn't think that I could ever have problems. However, one of my blogs was about the absurd tendency of self-harm. It was infected by malware exactly after a long discussion with various comments, which I had with a reader who was offended by the fact that I considered self-abuse a severe mental illness. You never know why someone may decide to do something bad against you…

    It was a shocking experience for me to see my four blogs being destroyed without a reason.

    You should use free platforms with caution, without working too hard.

    I created another Blogger blog after the destruction and I posted a few articles there to drive traffic to my own Wordpress blog, which I created in 2009. I also learned how to create Squidoo lenses. They are very good for beginners, for learning and training, but you should not exaggerate on creating these pages. You should create a few of them to learn how things work online, and then use these pages to drive traffic to your own links.






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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    For those that are concerned about the possibility of losing their Blogger blogs unexpectedly. (I have been using Blogger for about 8 years, and have never had any of my blogs deleted.)


    If you were truly worried about it, you could:

    a. register a domain name, and have your blog hosted with Blogger.

    b. keep a backup of all of your posted content


    If you do these two steps, you will have some protection in the event that Blogger does delete your blog. And again, if you do everything ethically, you shouldn't have any issues with Blogger deleting your blogs.


    And yes, this is not a long-term plan. That's why they are called "starter blogs." This is just so that the newbie can learn about the basics of blogging, and get into the habit of taking actions that will result in increasing traffic numbers.

    Much Success,

    JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author ashloren
    This is an awesome suggestion for people who are just starting out. This is kind of what I did myself, except for my version was much less strategic and didn't have as much structure.

    I hate it when I constantly see the same advice from everyone, saying things like: "Don't use a free blog. Register your own domain and pay for hosting, it's more professional."

    That's BS if you ask me. I agree that the advice itself is sound, but it's simply NOT practical for someone who is a total newbie and doesn't have the funds or resources yet to do these things.

    It's much better to just start from scratch like you are suggesting and work your way up, learning as you go and upgrading when your traffic and budget permit.

    I also struggled considerably with choosing a topic when I began blogging. That kind of evolved as well, but for me the best option was to simply write about the things I knew from experience and share my insights and advice on those topics with my readers.
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    I believe that if you have some basic IM knowledge and experience under your belt, and the funds to do so, then yes, hosting a Wordpress blog would be a better option.

    And again, I am speaking through my personal experience with Blogger blogs. One of my first successes was a free Blogger blog on a very obscure but highly searched keyword phrase. This was when I just started to really study SEO and keyword research.

    It was like a 5 word phrase, but I guess a fair amount of people were searching for it specifically. So with a Blogger blog, I published one long and keyword-rich post. I then wrote and submitted an article to EZA pointing back to the Blogger blog. I put two ad blocks of Adsense (a 300 X 250 square at the beginning of the post, and then a wide skyscraper down the right hand side. In the post, I also briefly mentioned a product (that was an affiliate product I found on Clickbank).

    And then I forgot about it.

    It wasn't until I unexpectedly received a commission payment from Adsense that I was reminded of the Blogger blog. I checked out the stats for the blog, and saw that I was generating between $10 to $20 a month in Adsense, and about one sale of the CB product (paying me $15 commission).

    This was about 6-7 years ago, and the entire SEO environment has changed. But from my experience, Blogger blogs can be profitable. And by keeping a back-up of all published content (which you should be doing anyway) and getting a domain name, you can minimize your risk. And this is coming from someone that has never had a Blogger blog deleted.

    Again, just my experience and opinions.

    JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author PTaubman
    Most people's first site is never their main site (or it gets a full makeover at some point). Think about it - the first time you do ANYTHING, you learn so much from the process. The next time you attempt it, you are automatically better than you were the first time.

    Going with a Starter Blog is great advice that JoeMack is giving - go and screw up something that does not matter first, and then build an empire!

    Paul.
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by PTaubman View Post

      Most people's first site is never their main site (or it gets a full makeover at some point). Think about it - the first time you do ANYTHING, you learn so much from the process. The next time you attempt it, you are automatically better than you were the first time.

      Going with a Starter Blog is great advice that JoeMack is giving - go and screw up something that does not matter first, and then build an empire!

      Paul.
      Exactly. Besides, too often, newbies get stuck in a never-ending cycle of research. And when they do start a blog or website, they do it in a niche that they think will make the most money, never realizing that how they feel about a niche can greatly influence their success in it.

      JoeMack
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      • Profile picture of the author KimNZ
        Its nice to see a Senior Warrior giving great advice to those on the forum who are starting out. Thank you
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  • Profile picture of the author samjaynz
    Great idea, and will help newbies avoid "shiny object syndrome" and "analysis paralysis".
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by samjaynz View Post

      Great idea, and will help newbies avoid "shiny object syndrome" and "analysis paralysis".
      When the focus is on traffic generation and not income generation, it does take some of the immediate pressure off the newbie. Plus the "100 visitors a day" is a good incentive to strive for.

      And because it is in a topic the newbie has a lot of passion for, the newbie should enjoy the process more fully (as opposed to those newbies that "chase the money" and choose an uninspiring topic).

      Much Success,

      JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author RockNRolla
    This is great for people just starting. My problem when I got started was that I was too focused on getting everything looking perfect which really doesn't matter at all. I wish I had just thrown together a site and concentrated on what really matters, targeted traffic generation.
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    Every time I see a new thread pop up with the familiar "can you really make money online?", I always think, "Just go start a blog."

    To me, it's like dipping your toe in the water. It's a way to get a feel for things before you dive in. People are writing articles and promoting affiliate products, and they have never built....anything.

    And that's not to say that you NEED to be able to build a blog or website to make money online. But it is SO EASY to do now.

    I'm a dinosaur compared to most. It is truly amazing how easy they make it.

    My son Jakob is 10. He LOVES Blogger. And he rarely gets stumped by anything that Blogger throws his way. In about 60 minutes, he can have a Blogger blog complete with video, pics, and content. It looks professional, and no one can tell that it was all made by a 10 year old.

    JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Taniwha
    If a blog is something that you're positive that you'll stick to, go the "whole 9" and buy hosting + domain name. If it really does take off, you'll regret not doing this because you'll have to basically start a new blog with your own domain name.

    Yes, I believe that having a domain name ending with .blogger.com or .wordpress.com is just not going to be as powerful and long term as a self hosting blog.

    But I do agree with not monetizing it until you have a steady amount of traffic. By adding different monetization methods, you are taking your attention away from the biggest point of your blog - content.

    Get into the minds of you're target audience and figure out what they want. Do they need to get back on their feet quickly after major surgery? Do you have experience in this? Then post ways to help them. Create a report giving them step by step instructions in exchange for their email address. Then later on, you can promote courses, products and/or services that truly helps them out.

    Ps. I'm against 'personal blogs' because it's just too broad. You'll get readers interested in maybe 20% of the stuff you write about. You'll be much better off choosing a niche which you can talk about for 2 years+.
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by Taniwha View Post


      But I do agree with not monetizing it until you have a steady amount of traffic. By adding different monetization methods, you are taking your attention away from the biggest point of your blog - content.


      Ps. I'm against 'personal blogs' because it's just too broad. You'll get readers interested in maybe 20% of the stuff you write about. You'll be much better off choosing a niche which you can talk about for 2 years+.
      Hey Taniwha....

      Beautiful name, by the way. Most people simply try to make money to soon. To bring in a fishing analogy (I've gone finishing twice), most newbies are throwing out their fishing lines with no bait on the hook. With a Starter Blog, you just focus on content creation, not monetization. Meaning, you are spending your time giving out delicious information, attracting fish to your boat.

      Once you get a school of fish swimming around your boat, hungry for whatever new bait/content you will throw into the water, then you throw out your nets and fishing lines.

      JoeMack


      This thread has just "jumped the shark".
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  • Profile picture of the author sfrewerd
    Awesome newbie info. I especially agree with the waiting until 100 visitors a day before monetizing. I've learned (and learned it from a trusted guru btw) that post-Panda/Penguin tactics dictate waiting until you're ranking for at least your primary keyword before monetizing. By the time you're getting 100 visitors a day and have followed the tips JoeMack supplied, you'll probably be ranking in Google for a keyword or two.

    If you post quality content and wait before monetizing it indicates to Google that you're serious and not just a junk blogger.

    Once again, awesome info :-)
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    Sherry Frewerd
    Family Niche Marketing Network
    http://familynichemarketingnetwork.com

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  • Profile picture of the author Taniwha
    "This thread has just "jumped the shark"" Pun intented?

    One thing I do suggest though, is to start an email list early, even if you're not selling anything yet. By the time you do have affiliate offers set up, and assuming you have 200-300 people on your list - that's a good 5 sales straight off the bat.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jennwith2ns
      Thanks for all the info! I have had blogs before, but am trying to figure out how to start the actual IM plan.

      I do have a (possibly stupid) question. If I choose the niche/topic I have been thinking about with a starter blog, can I eventually just throw my own domain on it and use it as an "official" blog? Or do I lose the indexing and progress I have made with Google bots, if I change the domain name? This is one thing I'm not clear about.

      For example, I have a blog on Wordpress, the free platform. It is now getting over 100 visitors a day. But part of that is due to their "Reader" thing when you have the free blog, and not available when you self-host it. Because with the reader, you follow others and they follow you. But I hate the blogtitle.wordpress.com thing.

      I guess I am not making sense. Hopefully someone else can ask this question more eloquently. It's not like I get paid to write or anything.
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      Jenn - Writer and Marketer of Stuff
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      • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
        Originally Posted by Jennwith2ns View Post

        I do have a (possibly stupid) question. If I choose the niche/topic I have been thinking about with a starter blog, can I eventually just throw my own domain on it and use it as an "official" blog? Or do I lose the indexing and progress I have made with Google bots, if I change the domain name? This is one thing I'm not clear about.
        Hey Jenn...

        You did just fine with your question.

        If you keep the typical blogspot domain name that is provided with a Blogger blog, then yes, if you decide to get a domain name and hosting, you will lose all the blogspot links that you used in your marketing and backlinking activities.

        However, if there is a chance that you will want to have your own domain name for this Blogger blog at any point in the future, then I would recommend getting a domain name and hosting it through Blogger.

        So later down the road when you do have the funds to get hosting and want to switch over to the Wordpress plateform, you can do so without losing all the backlinks that you have made.

        Much Success,

        JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Taniwha
    You will lose some of your visitors once you change over domains, that's why starting out with a self-hosted domain is best for long term blogging.

    Although you might be able to 301 redirect all the pages to your new domain (Not sure though because I haven't had a wordpress hosted blog). You can also create a new post stating that your blog is changing over to 'said domain'. Lastly, if you have been building an email list, you can send your subscribers an email.

    or

    Spend a small investment on hosting and a domain name so you can avoid all that trouble.
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    I got this PM from a fellow Warrior about this thread. I decided to share my response here.


    How many searches should keywords have? Should I write articles around long tail keywords that get small amount of monthly searches?


    You know, in the past, I was very focused on promoting JUST long term keyword phrases. While I do feel that targeting specific keyword phrases with blog content and article marketing should be a conscious and required event, I also believe in just writing about certain topics within a niche that you are interested about or additionally passionate for. I find that this allows me to create content easier (since I am not worried so much about including specific keyword phrases). And I usually rank well for keyword phrases I never would have thought about targeting. So a balance is definitely a key to success.

    What type of competition in Google? Keywords in quote or check page rank of pages?


    I usually focus on results of less than 100,000. But you HAVE to do one more double-check with any keyword phrase that you plan to target: check the first page results on Google for it. Regardless of competition, the strength or weakness of the first page Google results can make a significant difference in success or failure.

    What type of subjects? Can we write about absolutely anything?


    Well, fortunately everyone has a few different subjects that they can choose from. Ideally, along with being passionate about your subject, you want to choose subjects with greater potential for income generation.

    One blog per topic and can we only use bookmarking sites to obtain backlinks?


    Yes, to stay focused and maximize SEO benefits, I would use one Blogger blog per subject/niche. No, you any and all backlinking methods available (article marketing and syndication, blog commenting, forum sig files, etc). Not only is the amount of backlinks important, but the diversity of the backlinks is important as well. You don't want to have just one type of backlinking. That doesn't appear natural, and may be flagged by Google's algorithm. Diversity is key.

    Would you advise to get a domain per blog or would using blogspot be enough?


    I would advise those that don't have the funds or confidence to have self-hosted Wordpress blogs, to use Blogger blogs as a way to gain experience in managing a piece of "digital real estate", and potentially generate income. It doesn't have to be a lot. Just making a little bit of money can do wonders on the faith and determination of newbies. The $20 commission is worth an infinite amount than twenty dollars. When seen in the best mindset, that commission should wipe out all the doubt that many newbies have about internet marketing - that it isn't real - that it's a scam. That commission is a victory, and will take away much of that doubt that is holding them back from true financial success.

    Should I start another Blogger account if I've had one of my blogs deleted in the past? Or can I use the same account?


    You know, so many people are worried about Blogger deleting their blogs. I have had 20+ Blogger blogs over the years, and I have never had any of mine deleted. If you DO have some concerns, then by all means register a domain name and keep a backup of all the contented posted. That way, if Blogger DOES delete your blog, you will still have all of your backlinks in place. Then you can either "move" your domain name to another free web2.0 site, or you can get some hosting (there are many VERY affordable hosting plans out there - you'd be surprised). You have backup's of the content, so you can re-publish everything and be good to go.


    I hope these answers help those that may have been thinking about them.

    Much Success,

    JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrea21
    Hi

    Thanks, I appreciate the above reply. If we start with the blogspot name instead of our domain and then transfer to a domain at a later date, will the backlinks we have built to the blogspots be redirected to the new domain names? Also, how many pages should we write per subject?
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by Andrea21 View Post

      Hi

      Thanks, I appreciate the above reply. If we start with the blogspot name instead of our domain and then transfer to a domain at a later date, will the backlinks we have built to the blogspots be redirected to the new domain names? Also, how many pages should we write per subject?
      Andrea....

      Yes, if you choose NOT to get your own domain name, and then try to "transfer" the Blogger blog content to another format, you will definitely lose your backlinks.

      Now, some things to consider:

      1. Having a domain name registered (for anywhere between $2 to $10 per year) and backing up your content should give you very good protection against theoff-chance that Blogger will delete your blog).

      2. There is a GOOD chance that your blog will never get deleted. Can Blogger delete your blog at any time? Yes, definitely.

      Will they?

      That's a very debatable. Personally, I have NEVER had a Blogger blog deleted. I also don't know of anyone PERSONALLY that has had a Blogger blog deleted.

      Yes, I HEAR about it all the time, but I don't know anyone personally that has lost a Blogger blog.

      And consider this: if you learn the Terms of Seervice for Blogger and follow them, what's the likelihood of them deleting your blog?

      Blogger is just like any othwer business or service. If they truly went out and deleted blogs indiscriminately and without warning, would anyone use them anymore?

      JoeMack

      P.S. One last thought. I am assume that everyone knows this, but I may be mistaken. Do you know who owns Blogger.com? It's GOOGLE!

      Google owns Blogger.

      That makes me think two things:

      1. Blogger isn't going to upset customers that are doing everything legitimately and appropriately. They understand the importance of keeping consumers happy.

      2. Of all the web2.0 options out there (Blogger, Squidoo, Hubpages, Weebly, etc), wouldn't Google see Blogger blogs slightly differently in their search engine rankings? I certainly can't provide anything. I can just go with my own personal results and experiences.
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    Originally Posted by mikedcarroll View Post

    I prefer to use Wordpress, Octopress and Typo Rails Blog. I can self-host those and have a lot more control over what I publish and how long my blog stays up.
    Mike,

    Yes, for many situations, having a self-hosted Wordpress blog is idea. I have my own fair share.

    The point of this thread was to give newbies a different option. Yes, Wordpress is amazing and I love all it can do.

    But I started out using Blogger blogs, and truly feel like they are a good option for those not wanting to spend money or be tied to a monthly expense (and I feel that's the true reason people don't get hosting - not that they don't want to pay the money, it's just that they don't want the responsibility of having an automatically withdrawn expense).

    Much Success,

    JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    Another tip for you is to make sure that you triple or quadruple back up everything that you write! At least back up everything in one or two places/locations virtual or otherwise.
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by Michael Ten View Post

      Another tip for you is to make sure that you triple or quadruple back up everything that you write! At least back up everything in one or two places/locations virtual or otherwise.
      Great point, Michael. I hate thinking about all the content that I lost by not backing it up. I do my best to be as careful as I can be, but still, every once in a while I will "lose" content because I didn't adequately back up my content (text, photos, audio, etc).

      How do I "lose" content?

      - having it on my laptop, and having that laptop get stolen
      - typing it out directly on a blog or website, and then losing power
      - working on fresh content on one of the word processing documents, and the computer freezes up

      Murphy was pretty accurate with his law (there's three of them, actually )

      Now I do my best to backup as much as I can. I use Dropbox.com. They allow you to remotely store on THEIR servers up to 2G of files. If you need more than that, you can pay for more. But I do mostly writing, and have barely put a dent on the 2G of storage space. And it's quite simple. They set up a special folder on your desktop, and then every once in a while drag your important files over to that folder. (I copy and paste the files). It becomes a habit after a while.


      JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author luane
    I think Blogger blogs are useful if you absolutely can't spend any money on a self-hosted site, plus they rank well and are Newbie-friendly. Long-term, you definitely need to invest in a Wordpress site and write daily as suggested. This will bring you a slow trickle of traffic at first, but the social bookmarking will turn that trickle into a steady flow if you have good content, and people find your website useful. Also, a free Blogger blog is a really good way to test out the profitability of niches (so is Youtube) for what converts and how well. Kristie from Georgia
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by luane View Post

      I think Blogger blogs are useful if you absolutely can't spend any money on a self-hosted site, plus they rank well and are Newbie-friendly. Long-term, you definitely need to invest in a Wordpress site and write daily as suggested. This will bring you a slow trickle of traffic at first, but the social bookmarking will turn that trickle into a steady flow if you have good content, and people find your website useful. Also, a free Blogger blog is a really good way to test out the profitability of niches (so is Youtube) for what converts and how well. Kristie from Georgia
      Correct.

      And to reiterate: I am not saying that using Blogger blogs is better than Wordpress. I started with Blogger blogs, made some money, and now manage self-hosted Wordpress blogs. I do use Blogger occasionally, but if you have the funds to do so, having more control is where you want to go to.

      What I AM saying is that Blogger blogs are the perfect way to start their IM journey. Blogger blogs are easy to use, even for those with the most basic of internet and computer skills. Blogger blogs on passionate topics will allow newbies to get comfortable with many of the basics of internet marketing, while increasing their confidence.

      Plus, they may even make a few bucks along the way.

      JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    JoeMack your advice is sound, but i cant recommend a Blogger blog. I'm not ranting about you, i'm just saying that too many well-deserving and hard working people have seen their Blogger blog instantly deleted... with no hope of restoring their blog. They don't blog spam, do illegal activities, or break any rules. For that reason, i can only suggest Wordpress.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joe Russell
      Originally Posted by Randall Magwood View Post

      JoeMack your advice is sound, but i cant recommend a Blogger blog. I'm not ranting about you, i'm just saying that too many well-deserving and hard working people have seen their Blogger blog instantly deleted... with no hope of restoring their blog. They don't blog spam, do illegal activities, or break any rules. For that reason, i can only suggest Wordpress.
      Not only what Randall was saying but in my opinion introducing a newbie to a cms other than WordPress from the start is counter productive. Why? Because it is human nature to stick with something you are familiar with. Many will not go outside their comfort zone to learn something else even it is the obvious better choice. Any beginner that does will basically be starting over from scratch to learn the best CMS for our industry...WordPress.

      I think you would agree that the ultimate would be a free resource that allows a total newb to learn affiliate/internet marketing from the get' go with WordPress which is the most widely used and recommended CMS for IM.

      Believe it or not such an option does exist and the only investment required is a domain which can be had for buck or less of you know where to look.

      Joe Russell
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      • Profile picture of the author Andrea21
        Hi

        So there isn't a need to target keywords that get a certain amount of searches per month? If that is the case, do we choose phrases that get high searches including those that get low searches?

        With regard to choosing a domain name, should we aim for a combination of niche keywords and something that is brandable instead of exact match domains?

        Thanks
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        • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
          Originally Posted by Andrea21 View Post

          Hi

          So there isn't a need to target keywords that get a certain amount of searches per month? If that is the case, do we choose phrases that get high searches including those that get low searches?

          With regard to choosing a domain name, should we aim for a combination of niche keywords and something that is brandable instead of exact match domains?

          Thanks
          Actually, I suggested targeting the most searched keyword phrases for the niche you are targeting. You can target keywords with lower search demand, just be prepared to do a lot more work.

          - one keyword phrase gets 200 searches a day
          - one keyword phrase gets 5 searches a day

          You could be on page 2 of Google's search engine results and still get some decent traffic.

          Even if you hit the number 1 position for the second keyword phrase, the MAX you could get is 5 searches.

          As far as domain names, up until a few months ago, I would recommend getting an EMD (exact match domain). But a number of Warriors have reported a negative reaction by Google for EMDs.

          Much Success,

          JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author Sushiman1111
    Originally Posted by JoeMack View Post

    I believe that many online ventures that are based on blogging fail because there is too much emphasis placed on income generation too early in the process.
    This.

    Of course people want to make money from IM, but the whole, "I want it, and I want it NOW" mindset is so self-destructive. Give yourself a little time before you start looking for monetary results.
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  • Profile picture of the author WhereDoIEvenStart
    How many articles should be the minimum?

    Will 2 or 3 pages be okay?


    Will something like maybe 4-5 paragraphs each page mixed with some visual stuff like pics and videos embedded from some of the most common Video sharing sites such as YouTube, etc. be an ideal way to start?

    Oh and I almost forgot about embedded Audio content such as sound or music.

    I suppose if Newbs like me that is concerned about writing a lot of articles then maybe we can always try something like Pre-recorded audio messages and then maybe use something like transcription software, and revise it afterwards or get help to if necessary to make it look and feel professional, etc.

    Or would you need something like almost a 10 to 20 page research paper length type of contents?

    I thought about starting a mini-blog on something I plan to experiment with but I doubt I'd actually earn anything from it.

    Not that it really matters since it's going to be for experimental and testing purposes. It's more so just for fun, and if I do end up earning something, then great it's just the bonus, not something I'd overfocus on, depending on how much time I get because now I have a busy schedule since I have a Full Time job Again. And even if I didn't earn anything I won't even make a big deal about it.

    This "Free" Blog route seems like the best and only way for some newbie on a limited budget or have no money to test the waters.

    But however it can not be and will NEVER be a Long-Term Solution for some kind of sustainable income.

    And Yes I totally AGREE when somebody earlier mentioned Backup the whole darn thing, every single last bit, that way if your "free blog" was shut down for any stupid reason and you decide to continue it should be easier to restore. You Must Always plan ahead when it comes to something like this being a possibility.

    One other thing to add maybe a free opt-in/subscribe Email list such as the one offered by Listwire?
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    • Profile picture of the author janicej
      Banned
      I just have a quick question on this topic that has been on my mind for a while: is setting up a blog on Blogger or other free sites less efficient for the purpose of improving SEO/traffic generation than setting up your own domain with a unique blog?

      I'm talking both about onsite optimizations and the pros/cons of setting up free blogs vs. owning your own domain, since the latter isn't really a much more expensive option, and you can get a lot of customization options.
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  • Profile picture of the author KevinChapman
    For people starting out in the business who have very little money or blogging knowledge then blogger.com is a great place to start. It's so easy to use, can look decent with very little technie skills and it's free.

    Obviously there's the problem of it getting shut down but this isn't very common and I'd always suggest transferring over to a paid wordpress blog as soon as you can afford it or as soon as you feel like you want to take the next step. Transferring it all over is really easy to do too.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by WhereDoIEvenStart View Post

      This "Free" Blog route seems like the best and only way for some newbie on a limited budget or have no money to test the waters.
      It isn't even that.

      Someone with no money can far more safely and sensibly test the waters with their own self-hosted WordPress blog, which they themselves own and control, instead. No money needed. No credit-card needed. Just knowledge needed ...

      http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post8221240
      http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post8214929
      http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post8179448
      http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post8153585

      Originally Posted by KevinChapman View Post

      Obviously there's the problem of it getting shut down but this isn't very common
      Respectfully, I disagree, Kevin: I think it's very common, and that its frequency is continuing to increase all the time, too, for fairly understandable reasons.

      Google Suspended My Innocuous Blogger Blog
      Squidoo/Blogger as primary website
      Blogger and deleted blogs?
      Blogger blog removed
      Wow Blogger Deemed All My Hard Work Spam
      Is blogger blogs worthy?
      have blogspot energy?
      is Wordpress really a better choice than Blogger in my case?
      Blogger Hosting...Is that ok??

      The main point, it seems to me, is that it's completely unnecessary to use Blogger for this. It's all potential downside. It gains nothing, compared with the safer, better alternatives. You just have to know about the safer, better alternatives.

      There are only really four (partly overlapping) groups of people (in "internet marketing") who use Blogger ...

      (i) People who are unaware of the unnecessary risks

      (ii) People who imagine that those risks are all problems that happen "only to other people" and that they'll be ok "if they stick to the terms of service"

      (iii) People who don't know that you can have your own reliably self-hosted WordPress blogs without even paying anyone a penny for the blog, the theme or the hosting

      (iv) Very few people who still imagine that "they must rank well because Google owns Blogger" (seriously, there are still a few people who believe that - it's also nonsense).

      In other words, collectively, they're all people who - for whatever reasons - don't quite appreciate that it's entirely unnecessary and pretty ill-advised. I was about to say "just my perspective", but of course it really isn't just my perspective at all: it's also the perspective of hundreds of other Warriors who have made this completely unnecessary mistake and paid the price, some of them more than once, and there are loads of their posts explaining it in the threads I've linked to, above.
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      • Profile picture of the author jstumfer
        Aren't Web 2.0 blogs a little harder to get traffic for, a little harder to get ranked, a little harder to brand and therefore a bit harder to make money with?

        I thought it was supposed to be a lot easier to get results with a good domain name that could be branded instead of having a long domain name with blogspot or wordpress on the end of it?
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by jstumfer View Post

          Aren't Web 2.0 blogs a little harder to get traffic for, a little harder to get ranked, a little harder to brand and therefore a bit harder to make money with?

          I thought it was supposed to be a lot easier to get results with a good domain name that could be branded instead of having a long domain name with blogspot or wordpress on the end of it?
          This isn't relevant either way. For the record, you can have a blog hosted on Blogger's site and still use your own domain-name for it, instead of one of their subdomains (with a redirect, or by domain-mapping - but it makes no difference to all the reasons in explained in post #40 above for not hosting there - it doesn't make their terms of service, or their idiosyncratic and inconsistent interpretations of them, any different or safer!).
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      • Profile picture of the author PandoraH
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        It isn't even that.

        Someone with no money can far more safely and sensibly test the waters with their own self-hosted WordPress blog, which they themselves own and control, instead. No money needed. No credit-card needed. Just knowledge needed ...
        Alexa, I have one thing to say about this. If you are going the route of the self hosted wordpress blog, some money comes into play to pay for hosting. I say this only because several times I've set up a "test blog" just to play around with themes and such. These have always been on "free hosting" websites, and in my experience, they all universally suck to one degree or another.

        But if you have 5 bucks a month for hosting (several web hosting services offer "starter plans" with upgrade options), this is the way to go.

        One of my clients has been using Blogger.com to build backlinks for one of his real estate clients. We posted real honest-to-God unique article content. The "blog author" stuff is totally configured. The default theme always gets changed. We play "by the rules" and still, we have blown through 3 of these sites in the last year. Personally, I think this might be because we didn't set up Google+, Twitter, etc. for this "fake author". That might have made a difference.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by PandoraH View Post

          Alexa, I have one thing to say about this. If you are going the route of the self hosted wordpress blog, some money comes into play to pay for hosting.
          My point is that there's perfectly adequate, reliable, long-established free hosting available, in hosting places where the business-model is to impress people so much with the reliability and quality of the free hosting that they'll stay for eventual paid upgrades later. As many do.

          I'm not talking about unreliable, new, untested hosts, or people who put their own advertising button on your sites.

          I know professional marketers who have been using Byethost successfully for many years, having originally started there with free hosting, precisely so that they could avoid depending on Blogger and taking the unnecessary risks/accidents/disasters sadly encountered by so many Warriors.

          Originally Posted by PandoraH View Post

          in my experience, they all universally suck to one degree or another.
          Well, please excuse the observation that many people's experience is different from this, and that there's a list of links above to threads in which some of them say so.

          Originally Posted by PandoraH View Post

          One of my clients has been using Blogger.com to build backlinks for one of his real estate clients. We posted real honest-to-God unique article content. The "blog author" stuff is totally configured. The default theme always gets changed. We play "by the rules" and still, we have blown through 3 of these sites in the last year.
          People who use Byethost, 000WebHost and/or Freehostia instead seem not to "blow through 3 sites in a year" when they've "played by the rules". You're making my points for me, here.

          Really - what kind of business decision is it for people to depend unnecessarily on hosting where you can "play by the rules" and still get your sites removed three times a year?! It doesn't even bear thinking about, does it?

          I recognise, of course, that not everyone agrees with me. Be that as it may, the information in post #40 above (which I know many people here have not quite appreciated) is pretty much factual. So - if nothing else - people reading it can make a better-informed decision for themselves.
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          • Profile picture of the author PandoraH
            Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post


            I'm not talking about unreliable, new, untested hosts, or people who put their own advertising button on your sites.

            Well, please excuse the observation that many people's experience is different from this, and that there's a list of links above to threads in which some of them say so.

            People who use Byethost, 000WebHost and/or Freehostia instead seem not to "blow through 3 sites in a year" when they've "played by the rules". You're making my points for me, here.
            Thanks for your civilized reply to my post, Alexa! (and if it's not apparent, I am quite serious!) I have actually used free webhosting sites that were suggested by various folks on the forums here on WF. Do I recall the names of these sites? Not a chance! Maybe I have just had really bad luck, but they all had so much downtime it was not funny. I have very recent experience with this, and I just said enough is enough.

            As for your note about blowing through 3 sites, in my defense, it was not my decision to make. Certainly, I'd do (and will be) doing things differently. I think there is a time and place for a Web 2.0 site like blogger.com, but for serious hosting of a main site or a Tier 1 backlink site, you need a serious host and a domain.
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            • Profile picture of the author firedancer
              Thanks JoeMack for this thread, I started a blog on Blogger about six months ago. It was at a time when , as a newbie, I was suffering from serious information overload and analysis paralysis. So one day I just started a blog.

              It was most importantly an action taking step. This is the single most important thing for newbies to understand. There are sooooo many avenues one can take in IM, and one can get stuck for months at the first hurdle - picking a niche or even choosing a domain name. So , Blogger got me out of that rut. I felt because I wasn't spending any money to set it up, I really didn't have anything to lose, and tbh what I learned about setting up a blog was only learned through the actual doing of it..

              Now if I need to, I believe I can import all my work to a paid host, but I only wish a thread like this one existed two years ago when I first started looking into IM

              www.workingathomewriting.blogspot.ie

              In fact I just learned recently the importance (for indexing your site) of linking each post (in a natural way) to each other on your blog, which I haven't done and I now have no clue how to do this , but at least I now know to do it from the beginning of my new one.
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              • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
                Originally Posted by firedancer View Post


                It was most importantly an action taking step. This is the single most important thing for newbies to understand. There are sooooo many avenues one can take in IM, and one can get stuck for months at the first hurdle - picking a niche or even choosing a domain name. So , Blogger got me out of that rut. I felt because I wasn't spending any money to set it up, I really didn't have anything to lose, and tbh what I learned about setting up a blog was only learned through the actual doing of it..
                This paragraph sums up exactly why I started this thread. It isn't about using Blogger blog to make money (although if that does happen, that's a bonus). It isn't about a long-term online venture.

                It is simply about learning by taking action. And more often than not, this type of learning cannot be taken away, and will result in many more successes in the future.

                Starting a Blogger blog is simply a means to getting yourself moving. Getting yourself used to taking action on a consistent basis. Building something without worrying about how you will pay for it in the future.

                JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author SuccessMarketer
    I think blogger is a very good place for newbies to start. YES, it can be deleted (although if you are not doing anything questionable, why would that happen...?) but it's very easy to use and as long as you learn proper keyword research, it could prove a very good way for newbies to start seeing results pretty quickly.

    By results I mean - the bottom line- some cash in their pockets

    When that happens, the person has the confidence that they can really do well online and also the confidence to invest in themselves and their business tools (getting hosting, buying a domain name, autoresponder, etc).

    If I had to start again, I would make sure I had an opt in box in my blogs to capture as many subscribers as possible. A list is - as we all know - the way to go and really building a solid business.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by SuccessMarketer View Post

      YES, it can be deleted (although if you are not doing anything questionable, why would that happen...?
      Ask all the hundreds of Warriors whose posts fill the threads linked to above, and scores of other threads just like them.

      They don't know why it happens. They all stuck to the terms of service and it happened anyway. To hundreds of them.

      One of Blogger's many different explanations for "why it would happen" is that it can sometimes even be an automated process, triggered simply by competitors "flagging" a blog. Not that that means you necessarily get it back, after they delete it.

      The reality - whatever the reasons - is that it does happen. Very regularly.

      Originally Posted by SuccessMarketer View Post

      it could prove a very good way for newbies to start seeing results pretty quickly.
      But without the safety and security of doing exactly the same thing elsewhere, where you don't have any of those problems.

      There's no gain from trying to it at Blogger, rather than somewhere where you yourself own and control it. Blogger, compared with that alternative, is all downside.

      Some people "just get it": others "just don't".
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  • Profile picture of the author writetoearn
    Thanks, appreciate the advice. Is it worth calculating the potential earnings of keywords in advance of writing articles? Would targetting low search keywords provide quicker results even though they are not as profitable as those getting thousands of searches per month?
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  • Profile picture of the author PandoraH
    This is one of the best "get up and go" guides related to IM that I have seen. Joe, I always enjoy reading your posts. Heck, I even want to respond to your "looking for a JV" thread, but I think it's just too soon for me.

    Needless to say, what Joe says in his initial post and his replies in this thread are exactly what I've been planning to do. Half the work is done, and the rest is just a million stupid things, and then finally activating the site.
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  • Profile picture of the author lalit657
    perfect tips for newbie to start something atleast...It is really a quality information that you provided in your post..I think it's really gonna work for me..
    Signature

    If you're going to tell members to check your signature, this is what they'll see.

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  • Profile picture of the author kenzo22
    Wow, I must admit you've done great job. I'm sure you will help many people who want to run a blog.
    Signature

    Backup and maintenance plugin for WordPress
    www.wpguards.com

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  • Profile picture of the author tyronne78
    Thanks for sharing this with us JoeMack. There are many advantages to blogging on community blogs like blogger.com and wordpress.com. Like you just mentioned you are blogging on an authority site and there may be a few ranking benefits because of it. Another advantage to blogging on an authority site like blogger.com is the fact that it's owned and controlled by Google,and just like with YouTube videos your subpage on blogger.com may have a better chance of ranking higher than a page on another person's site. With that being said,I'd rather have a self-hosted wordpress blog that I own and control that can't get shutdown without explanation. Another advantage of having your own blog is you have control over what you name it (for branding purposes). Just buying a domain and doing a redirect to your subpage on blogger.com or wordpress.com won't work either.
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  • Profile picture of the author Diego Ayala
    Joe, thanks for starting this thread ~ very good information to get started and learn how things work, and to be able to try and test the waters before plunging in. The replies are also very helpful - it just adds to my learning curve!
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    I recognise, of course, that not everyone agrees with me. Be that as it may, the information in post #40 above (which I know many people here have not quite appreciated) is pretty much factual. So - if nothing else - people reading it can make a better-informed decision for themselves.

    Hello Alexa,

    I can honestly say that I DO appreciate your post. I am a huge fan of yours and truly respect your opinions.

    In my initial post, I stated that I was basing this thread and method off of my own experience. And yes, although I have done a lot in terms of internet marketing, my experience is limited. Personally, I have had nothing but positive results from using Blogger. There very well might be hundreds, even thousands, of people getting their Blogger blogs deleted, but it has never happened to me, or anyone that I personally know.

    When I hear people talking on the forum about about there Blogger blogs getting deleted for no reason (or Adsense getting banned, CPA memberships getting de-activated, Paypal getting shut down), I can't help but think that it isn't the entire story. People don't go out of their way to express some of their actions that may be "crossing the line." It's so much easier to say that the Big Bad Google (or Paypal or Youtube) took action for no legatimate reason whatsoever.

    Maybe they're all telling the truth. Maybe they're not. I don't know. All I can do is share what I have experienced personally. Those using Blogger blogs go into it knowing the risks, and do their best to minimize those risks.

    There is no perfect medium. Each one has pros and cons. It is up to the user to do their own research so that when they do or do not choose to use a Blogger blog, they can do so with good confidence.

    One thing to keep in mind is that I wrote this thread for those Warriors who have very little knowledge and experience with internet marketing (and sometimes the internet itself). Although I stated that earning income was the end goal, this was only after focusing on content creation and traffic generation. For me, a Blogger blog is just a great way to learn a TON about blogging, keyword research, niche selection, article marketing, and on and on.

    I never implied that this was a long-term business model, or a medium that a person should base their entire income revenue on. Blogger, like Youtube or Facebook, is just a tool. One of many that newbies should look to learn about.

    Ultimately, I hope that this thread is beneficial to newbies, or anyone else thst chooses to follow it.

    Alexa, I am very happy that you posted on this thread. I believe that the best threads are composed of opposing points of view. So thank you for contributing.

    In fact, I believe that all newbies that read this thread owe it to themselves to truly take to heart the wisdom that you shared in post #40. I truly mean that.

    I am not a perfect person. I am no guru. I'm just a guy sharing a little information based on my personal experience.

    Much Success,

    JoeMack
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Thank you very much indeed, Joe. Few people would react as you have done, and I'm both grateful and impressed.

      It's my intention, always (believe it or not ) to make one post in such threads, "saying my piece" and suggesting that there may be issues there to think about before using Web 2.0 sites. But then inevitably people quote bits of what I've said, and reply, and/or challenge something, or ask something, and before I know where I am, I've made 4 posts.

      You make some very good points, of course!
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      • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        Thank you very much indeed, Joe. Few people would react as you have done, and I'm both grateful and impressed.

        It's my intention, always (believe it or not ) to make one post in such threads, "saying my piece" and suggesting that there may be issues there to think about before using Web 2.0 sites. But then inevitably people quote bits of what I've said, and reply, and/or challenge something, or ask something, and before I know where I am, I've made 4 posts.

        You make some very good points, of course!
        Alexa,

        Like I said, I am a big fan of yours and have read hundreds of your posts throughout the years. I know that you make your responses with the best of intentions: to ensure that the information being expressed is accuate and valuable. It's one of the reasons why I respect you so much.

        I know how frustrating it can be to write out a long post, and then have to respond to the bits and pieces that people pick out. I guess that's the nature of human beings: to pick out those tidbits of info that directly relate to us, and place full emphasis on that.

        Thank you again for your input. I truly feel that getting a variety of perspectives benefits everyone in the end.

        Much Success,

        JoeMack
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  • Profile picture of the author jbsmith
    I'm a huge fan of "Starter Blogs" as you call them...this is the way we have entered every new niche market for more than 6-years now (going back to the days of Moveable Type blogs :-)

    We also have a large contingent of students that we have worked with over the years as well...from all of this experience, I would recommend a few tweaks to your method:

    1. Your own domain + Wordpress from day 1. I won't say too much on this as it has already been somewhat debated in the thread, just to say setting up your own domain and a default WP blog from CPanel auto-install is dead simple these days. Yes, it takes some work and a little technical understanding, but anyone who is not willing to put in an hour into setting up their business (in my opinion) should not start their own business

    2. The blog for traffic approach is getting tougher each year with the SEO changes, which means you do have to pay *some* attention to the appearance of your blog (it needs to be professional), you do need to create compelling content that will get some natural backlinks and you do need to market your blog outside of the normal (write an article on Ezine articles and backlink)

    3. I would highly recommend an opt-in strategy from your blog as early as possible, even with a few dozen visitors each day, you want to start list-building early. Driving people back to blog posts, reviews, special offers, etc...from your list is THE leading way to ramp up sales even with a couple hundred people on your list. Yes, this adds complexity, but many people who have built blogs regret not having added list building months before.

    4. Learn to master the art of blog post writing. You can't just write any old blog post about your topic and actually get people interested enough to visit, read and comment (participate). Study top blogs in your industry and see how they structure their titles, what content they provide, what desires they target within your niche and how they illicit comments or participation. The better you get at this, the more visitors and the more action will be taken from your blog.

    I realize some of this may fall one step ahead of "Starter" tips, but I am a big fan of helping "Starter's" setup in the early days as if they have have that 100 visitors already so they don't have to go through that pain a few weeks down the road.

    By the way, this really does work -- there is no reason that you can't ramp your blog up to 100 visitors a day in 2-3 weeks, at least this has been our experience.

    Jeff

    Jeff
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