What you need to know about blogging
Blogging outlets have surpassed the traditional media outlets as the go to source for news business politics etc.
Check out the statistics down below .
• 77% of Internet users regularly read blogs
• Businesses with a blogging strategy have up to 34% greater lead generation
Billions of people browse websites for information which means there is a demand for bloggers .Long gone are days of writing letters making long distant phone calls thanks to apps like Skype watts app instagram making it easier for us to communicate and shop.
Indeed We are truly blessed to be in living in the digital era as there are many break through stories to date .
Now it is time to get down to the nitty-gritty to try figure out how best to navigate in this highly competitive content driven landscape.Luckily there are support systems in place in forums and various other groups .Believe it or not People are very helpful online despite the very competitive nature that exist.
So here is a basic outline to get you started.
Firstly figure out your content marketing goals before you proceed then you can harness the power of data and people to your advantage .This is something that I will talk about later on this post.
Before you go any further Check out the statistics below
• 70% of consumers would rather learn about a business from a blog than an advertisement
• 82% of consumers have a more positive view of a business as a result of reading online content.
If you utilize data and people correctly to build and measure your content performance you should make out pretty good.
Check out the statistic down below .
(67% of marketers measure the effect of content through the SEO it drives)
Understand This (Writing detailed post around certain keywords is one of the key factors of success .) It helps you to make more informed decisions instead of guessing .
Take a look at a few of the action steps below.
• look at your data
• Find the topics and keywords that are getting you the bulk of traffic .
This is what I touched on a few sentences above but I am here to re-inforce it .
After analyzing keywords and data copy and past the information into a spread sheet or note pad .
Now ,if you are like me blogging on a weekly basis then you know how difficult it can be to come up with ideas.
Now, knowing the difficulties you might face as a blogger you most certainly want to be rewarded for your efforts .Now The reward is not always going to be financial sometimes it can be as simple as some one sharing your content playing the role of a brand embassador to a degree.
If you want to execute on the techniques discussed there has to be a mutual benefit .Think about What you are going to give the reader in return for them joining your tribe or signing up for your email list ?
You have to compensate your readers for their loyalty .(So How do I compensate ? )
Take for instance you set up a squeeze page and people opt in .So now you have a group of subscribers to market your services too.
use this time to engage and give your readers value to make the transaction mutually worthwhile.Maybe you can write up a downloadable e-book with expert advice in it.In another instance you might give them instant access to one of your coaching sessions on a steep discount.
I have found the method above to be convenient having been on the receiving end.
There are so many ways to tie your readers in but you must be willing to experiment a few times until you find an effective method.
Do not get me wrong here. you can write an in-depth article and still not gain traction.And The answer as to why you aren’t is simple ( your audience is not interested ) or your post is lacking quality .
In order for me To help you increase your chances of creating good content I am going to advise you to pay attention to your audience , dive into your analytics and use polls .
Check this out
The number one reason for having a blog is to provide value of some sort ; the selling advertising is secondary.
Remember that you are interacting with humans so there should be some form of human communication .In other words engage your followers ,build ,measure and learn. If you aren’t learning How else is it possible for you to figure out what is and what isn’t working ?Some of these things you will have to learn through trial and error and others you will learn from other peoples mistakes.
Now I know how easy it is to get distracted .
You get distracted when you start comparing your results and not having clear defined plans.
Here is what you need to know.
Not one legit social media influencer woke up and decided to be on top they had to earn their spot.So moving forward Give yourself the respect you deserve before getting bent out of shape about rankings, views etc.
For more inspiration Read Stephanos story here
274: How Stefano Changed Blogging Platforms and Started Blogging with a Plan
Patience is key ,having a lack of patience will take you on road that leads to a dead-end.
Remember each writer has strengths and weaknesses so there is no need to give up when things aren’t working out in your favor.Furthermore there is no code that needs to be cracked in order for you to succeed ,hard work,strategy ,innovation,consistency is synonymous with success.
Down below I have a laundry list of things that you should browse.
The science of blogging
Here again let me let it be known (you do not have to be immortal to write or earn income streams)The art of blogging has more to do with skill ,consistency, willingness to test ,tweak ,innovate yourself. No special skills are required.
Do not just blog be direct
I might sound hypocritical here but I am just now starting to implement the direct method into my routine .So instead of covering broad topics I now narrow my market to specific topics to help build authority around my niche.
Build and network
” No man or woman is an island” neither is your blog.I am not advising to go pay influencers to share your content either.What I am instructing you to do is “make some noise” go out to events conferences make yourself known.If you do not promote or bring awareness about your brand how do you expect others to ?
Mistakes are acceptable
No It is not the end of the world if you publish a post with a few mistakes . Furthermore there is a tiny percentage of bloggers if any that write above the eigth grade level .Yes do careful editing reviewing of your post before you hit the publish button but do not be obsessed with it .
Capture the moment
Capturing attention is not difficult at all it is the art of doing it that is more challenging.A lot of times we focus more time and energy on superficial aspects of it yet we lack very much in the customer service department .For example an easy to navigate website, valuable content , good check in and check out system .
Sharpen your skills
If you truly want to up your game the resources are available .Thanks to the internet there are e-books , books,podcast ,audio books to meet your needs.
Write with conviction
People could tell by the tone of voice if you are confident or not .If you are confident then by all means let it be known .In other words expound share your opinion . Problem Solved !
Work at your own pace
Be consistent persistent yes however Speeding (rushing ) to meet deadlines is a recipe for disaster. Give yourself the respect and breathing room you so richly deserve.Set a schedule that you know you can adhere to. Do not worry about the next blogger that is posting 3 times per week. Always align your content scheduling with your goals.
Capitalize
Learning is imperative not only in the sense of having knowledge but in executing staying ahead being able to adjust to on-coming changes before the broader industry gets into the act.
Strategize
I am guilty of not having a content plan mapped out myself so this is an area that I have to work on.Planning a schedule in advance can ease the burden on your shoulders which also gives you free time to delegate to other task.
Audience
Nurture the relationship think solution orientated and you can win favor.The more you write solution orientated post the more likely it is that you will succeed in selling affiliate products renting out ad space and so on.
Pay attention to the Retention rate
How long are (website visitors) coming and staying on your blog, what pages are they viewing the most on each visit ?knowing and understanding these metrics will help you to identify and update existing pages to better serve the needs of your visitors and keep them on your site longer. Once again use your data.
Set yourself apart
Setting yourself a part is not as simple as doing things differently from others. To Put it into the context of blogging It means writing articles addressing specific needs that are not being met in the market.So basically what it comes down to is putting your finger on the pulse of your readers …a little search will get the job done.
As long as you are in tune with what your audience needs you can build momentum really fast.
More over I think that it is much more beneficial to strategically craft ,create ,document articles because they are more likely then ever to get you a return on your investment.
Nothing is more annoying than publishing a post that is not getting views, shares zero zilch ! So to help minimize these headaches it is better to take time to do up front research .
And I am only telling you this because I have had to watch in disbelief as many of my post have fallen short of the mark.Another reason why I am telling you this is because lots of people abandon their blogs with in a matter of months because they are not seeing the desired results.With all that is being said I want you to know that there is a reward at the other end of the table .The reward might come months on in or years later but once the tree starts bearing fruit you will be thankful that you started the blog.
Summary
The opportunities are limitless on the webphere . If you have the desire to succeed you can do so by all means.Some The people that you see abandoning their blogs throwing in the towel like I once did do not have or did not have the proper motive. Some like myself were blogging for money .In other cases some of the same website owners that believed that it is always going to be sunshine you know working on the beach with very little effort.For those of you that have been mislead thinking that blogging is a walk in the park I am sorry you are in the wrong profession.
You have to earn your keep, so if you are not ready to do it regroup and come back when you are focused and ready to do work.This is not to say that writing is a strenuous exercise but that it is mentally taxing. And No I do not think that it is for everyone because some people prefer video ,audio ,micro content. If you have the patience to write, edit ,publish re edit update old pages optimize your website for search then you stand a good chance of making progress.Treat it like a hobby that you love and you can go much further because it is seen as fun not a job. Have fun enjoy the process and you might just be surprised at what you achieve in the process.
Do you have any further questions
Do you have plans to blog full-time
Which one of the tips or quotes in this post inspire you the most. Would you like to be the next guess on my blog ?Are you open to a possible collaboration ?Are you ready to take it to the next level ?
I know that I asked a lot of questions towards the end but I am a curious blogger seeking answers.
Feel free to make your presence heard and felt in the comment section below.
Thank you for joining me today.
Let me here you loud and clear in the comments section.