Building a Successful Blog?

14 years ago

The Problogger book is great for things about blogging (not so much the business part, but everything else). As for marketing and making money, it isn't much different from everything else in the Internet, except that you should focus on building trust with your readers (pretty much like a list).

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valen42

14 years ago

As far as Blogs are concerned....I am really a Dumbo. I keep reading about them, but know nothing about them. I have purposedly excluded them from my thinking while I focus on IM marketing. However, so many people seem be using blogs as a part of IM marketing that
I feel that I may be missing an opportunity here.

Does anyone know of a good source for me to go to that explains how blogs work and how they could be used to drive traffic to my websites?

Lawrence,
UK

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jamawebinc

14 years ago

Originally Posted by valen42

As far as Blogs are concerned....I am really a Dumbo. I keep reading about them, but know nothing about them. I have purposedly excluded them from my thinking while I focus on IM marketing. However, so many people seem be using blogs as a part of IM marketing that
I feel that I may be missing an opportunity here.

Does anyone know of a good source for me to go to that explains how blogs work and how they could be used to drive traffic to my websites?

Lawrence,
UK

First you should define blog. What I am going to talk about is indeed a blog, not a more standard website that just uses blog software.

A blog is a collection of content (posts) that are arranged either in date order or in categories.

One big benefit of blogs is the ease of which they are used to add new content as well as how quick you can be up and running with them.

The second big benefit is the use of commenting. This opens a dialog between the blog author and the readers.

However, I have noticed that commenting seems to be making its way onto sites that are not run with traditional blog software. There also happens to be some people who turn commenting off and just use the blog to hold their content. A blog can be seo optimized and then each post can be written in a way to target one keyword phrase.

If you have an opt-in form on your blog you can than capture the contact information of a certain percentage of people who come to your blog. Testing and tweaking will allow you to raise this percentage.

Most blogs do not really sell anything on their own, but they can recommend products in their posts and direct traffic to certain places as well as have ads placed in different places throughout the site.

So the blog is the "focused keyword phrase traffic getter". Their job is to suck people in and than your content has to get people to keep reading, watching videos, etc...and then direct them to either an opt-in page or a salepage.

It is a multi click process.

Blogs also use certain technologies such as trackbacks that can be used to help spread around the word about a new post.

Many of them also use RSS, but more traditional sites can use this too.

How exactly you use your blog as far as content is up to you. In my opinion the biggest benefit of the blog is the ease of use of adding new content from any computer.

Hope this helps

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sbucciarel

Banned 14 years ago

Originally Posted by valen42

As far as Blogs are concerned....I am really a Dumbo. I keep reading about them, but know nothing about them. I have purposedly excluded them from my thinking while I focus on IM marketing. However, so many people seem be using blogs as a part of IM marketing that
I feel that I may be missing an opportunity here.

Does anyone know of a good source for me to go to that explains how blogs work and how they could be used to drive traffic to my websites?

Lawrence,
UK

I don't use them to drive traffic to my websites ... they are my websites. I use blogs a lot and have niche blogs. Very easy to target a niche, get backlinks and get good traffic from a blog when you post quality content to them. If you decide to go the blog route, I would get a domain and host it rather than use a free blog platform. You run the risk of having your blog deleted after putting a lot of work into them on a free platform. Wordpress.org is a good source of info on Wordpress blogs, which is my favorite.

Basically, you pick a blog theme and activate the theme (which is the design element of the blog) and then you post unique, informative content to it often. The blog automatically pings your posts. Do some social bookmarking for backlinks and if your content is good you'll start to get traffic. Article marketing is a good way to get traffic to them too. Don't make all your posts sound like a sales pitch. Give people good information and a reason to read your blog.

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discrat 14 years ago

Same here. My Blogs ARE my Websites. I got two that are going really good. It took me about two years to get them earning well.
It just take time with blogging but IMHO it is so worth it.

Its like building your own Real estate Online !! The longer you stay around (and put useful content with some backlinking) the rise in Value of your Blog goes up.

Its a great long term investment.
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- Barry Patterson 14 years ago
  
  Yes, I agree that blogs can be websites. The library or list of posts can be better than a website. Have you tried using the Google blogger or blog post? For a couple of reasons it appears this system could be better than Word Press. One is that it seems Google likes their "blogger" and two, posting various pictures and videos is easier, for me anyway. You of course, need to consider a normal URL to be real efficient. Do not buy one from Google as they offer. That system is too private.
  
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perfectlovehere

14 years ago

You should ALWAYS be making blogs full of useful and helpful content; not ads!

Just stick to a particular niche and you will be fine. You may still include ads but you only should every few weeks if you can.

Here's my example: perfectlovehere.blogspot.com

Take care and good luck!

-Gina E.
{Perfect Love Here}

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Dan Bainbridge

14 years ago

Problogger does seem to be a good resource in this area, of course you have to pay for membership...

I haven't used it and if I were you I would just look at successful / high traffic blogs - like internet-based-business-mastery, like stevepavlina, like problogger, etc - see what they do, the way they write, the way the sites are designed - develop a list of similarities in all areas and map out what you want to do yourself from there.

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NetWorth

14 years ago

For blogging I love WordPress it is defiantly worth the setup and if you can find a good domain name it ranks well fast!

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bollytintin 14 years ago

True talk Networth. Wordpress is simply the best. Been using it for several years.

My honest advice to the OP is that it takes a long time, with serious hard work to build an authority site. You will need to spend time writing, promoting and networking in order to achieve this status.

The journey is tough but when you get there, you will definitely enjoy the reward as you will be seen as the leader of your niche that people want to listen to.

All the best man.

Originally Posted by NetWorth

For blogging I love WordPress it is defiantly worth the setup and if you can find a good domain name it ranks well fast!
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Nickolie0990

14 years ago

I think what you are trying to say is you want to develop a blog to be like its own individual community. If this is right, then yes, having a blog is the perfect way to do that. The key is to communicate with your audience. What I would do is try to find widgets, plug-ins and produce content that will encourage feedback from the visitors.

Think of creative ways to build the community, try to put yourself in the visitors seat. Remember, the visitor likes to consume more then just reviews, so try to product videos, pod-casts, articles and any other type of media you can think of. Now I have no idea of what your niche is, but I can only guess that it is in internet marketing.

And if that is the case then I would say you have to stand out and be uniquely different, becuase there is a ton of IM blogs, it is true most of them can't hold water, how every it always pays to be different. Good luck and I hope that helps

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badboy_Nick

14 years ago

Originally Posted by tehering

Warriors...

I have an idea (a good one, I think) for a new blog...I want it to be more than just a review/affiliate site...an authority site is more what I have in mind with fresh regular and helpful content provided daily on several important topics to my market...

My question: have any of you found success in this arena and are there any top value ebooks/sites, etc that helped you achieve your success?

As always, any and all enlightenment is greatly appreciated...

Authority blogs make most of their money from recommending products so they get a cut and from advertizing. The best way to get there is to build a proper blog design, start writing content that is appealing to your target audience and start sending traffic to it, by posting in message boards, doing JVs and maybe even some small PPC to get it kickstarted.

Nick

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Jioke06

14 years ago

so warriors wordpress and blogspot whch attracts more traffic?pls advise me

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bollytintin 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Jioke06

so warriors wordpress and blogspot whch attracts more traffic?pls advise me

None!

You have to bring those traffic to them. It is the work that you do that brings the traffic.
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valen42

14 years ago

Thanks jamawebinc,

Good explanation...
Lawrence

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Danny Cutts

14 years ago

Hello,

You should check out Lynn Terry on her blog at ClickNewz! Internet Marketing Blog | Internet Marketing blog by Lynn Terry with How-to, Tips, Reviews, Case Studies & Ideas to help you succeed online. Known as the Voice of Integrity in IM… she is a fantatsic blogger and her secret is.....

Yes

fresh regular content and backlinks

BUt because people get bored very quickly they give up but if you stick with it and keep writing and getting backlinks it will eventually pay off

Danny

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Deepak Media

14 years ago

Yaro Starak's Blog Masterming program teaches you how to build an authoritative blog. I learned from him and I owe the success of my blog (Indian Motorcycle Reviews & Bike News - BikeAdvice.in by Deepak Raj) to him.

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JonMills

14 years ago

please dont do a tacky shopping cart old free ebooks site.. Plan it out and come up with something original

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tehering 14 years ago

It will be anything but that...
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Tony Hetherington

14 years ago

There is nothing to stop you doing both a hosted Wordpress blog as your main site and having one or more blogger blogs feeding into it. For good measure you should also link your blog to a twitter account.

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amitjain

14 years ago

Good idea, fresh content always helps.
Just go with it.

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shermancox

14 years ago

I second the idea about Yaro Starak. I would suggest downloading his free ebook Blog Profits Blueprint. In addition, you might check out Darren Rouse ebook 30 days to an effective blog or simply read it on his blog. Those two resources will get you up to speed on creating an "authority site" blog.

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DeonKrey

14 years ago

Whatever that blog is, what's always important is its value to its readers with the way it generates relevant and helpful contents and how it connects people with its strategies. Well, as for my experience encountering successful blogs, most of them could often almost make a community out of their posts and it's because it has to be talked about and they need its information.

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James H

Banned 14 years ago

[DELETED]

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Istvan Horvath 14 years ago

Originally Posted by James H

Enlighten me.

Enlighten yourself by reading the Forum Rules: no affiliate links in the signature
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MarkSherris

14 years ago

when it comes to starting a bigger blog, more of an authority site within your niche you've just got to accept that it'll take time.

You need to build your reputation within your own niche and provide a great service, build backlinks, in time backlinks will be built to help and then you'll eventually start seeing some great results (if your persistent)

I recently interviewed darren rowse (pro blogger) at my blog: Darren Rowse Interview and he gave a great insight into what it takes to become a top blogger.

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CaseStudiesBlogger

14 years ago

Two basic rules apply here:

1. Always produce GOOD content. Period. Spread that content (if its worth it) with social media.

2. Engage your readers by producing content regularly and being active in the comments and asking them questions.

Those are the two most important things. You just do those two things on a consistent basis and you'll build traffic and you blogging business steadily. That's really all it takes. People read blogs to get useful information. Give it to them, spread it and talk to them.

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12holger34

14 years ago

As most of you already said, Blogs can appear as a website, however it´s still not as good as an actual Website. It appeared to me that more customers like to buy products and sign up for services on websites rather than on blogs. They like to have the options and see the contact addresses and numbers, to asure themselves that there is no scam behind the whole listing.

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Istvan Horvath

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Barry Patterson

Yes, I agree that blogs can be websites. The library or list of posts can be better than a website. Have you tried using the Google blogger or blog post? For a couple of reasons it appears this system could be better than Word Press. One is that it seems Google likes their "blogger" and two, posting various pictures and videos is easier, for me anyway. You of course, need to consider a normal URL to be real efficient. Do not buy one from Google as they offer. That system is too private.

I have to contradict you re: using blogger as your authority site!
That's a crappy advice. You are not in control - they can remove/delete your blog in a second. Build a blog on your own domain hosted on a regular server.
BTW, there is nothing complicated in posting a pic or a video in WP.

Originally Posted by 12holger34

As most of you already said, Blogs can appear as a website, however it´s still not as good as an actual Website. It appeared to me that more customers like to buy products and sign up for services on websites rather than on blogs. They like to have the options and see the contact addresses and numbers, to asure themselves that there is no scam behind the whole listing.

Blogs are websites... just in case nobody told you yet.
Customers have no idea ever what is the engine of your website: WP or any other CMS.

And what stops you from putting your address and numbers on a blog...?

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discrat

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath

I have to contradict you re: using blogger as your authority site!
That's a crappy advice. You are not in control - they can remove/delete your blog in a second. Build a blog on your own domain hosted on a regular server.
BTW, there is nothing complicated in posting a pic or a video in WP.

Blogs are websites... just in case nobody told you yet.
Customers have no idea ever what is the engine of your website: WP or any other CMS.

And what stops you from putting your address and numbers on a blog...?

Yeah I am going to have to side with Istvan on this one. I still use Blogger but 4 months ago I started to migrate to Wordpress and in particular I have my Authority Blog on Wordpress. You just have more control and lately Blogger has been deleting Blogs.

I myself still love Blogger for smaller niche sites that are more geared to Adsense and CPA Offers.

But WP is the way to go for a really serious, content loaded Site !!

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