Blogging Tips From A Professional Blogger

Let's Brainstorm YOUR Business!

 

This is a very casual, candid video taken during a fun lunch with a group of bloggers in Connecticut. It's an Open Q&A on blogging success, blog marketing, blog traffic, how to stand out in your niche, and more. I hope you enjoy joining us for lunch! 🙂

If you have any blogging questions, you can leave a comment below - or join us for the Niche Blogging Q&A on Facebook where you can also get your questions answered free, and get feedback from a whole group of active bloggers!

 

[.04] Tip: Choose Your Mentors Wisely!

If you want to learn how to do something, make sure you learn from someone that's actually doing it and has personal experience on the topic. There are entirely too many coaches, mentors and bloggers even that are teaching or sharing how-to information... without any hands-on experience of their own.

Be smart about where and how you invest in your business!

Looking for a coach or mentor? I'd love to help you reach your goals!

 

[.12] Simsbury Bloggers Lunch Meetup

Our fun Simsbury, CT lunch meetup with local bloggers was hosted by Lori Boyko - she runs the Jersey Shore Community. Thank you, Lori!

If you'd like to join me for lunch as I travel around the world, be sure to subscribe to my events page so you'll get notified of fun get-togethers in YOUR area.

 

[.33] Discussing My Own Niche Blog

I have a great time with my low carb blog, which is basically a traveling food blog where I travel the world and share easy ways to stick to a healthy diet - everywhere but the kitchen! I've been blogging in that niche for more than 4 years, and have been a professional (six figure) blogger for more than a decade.

 

[1.25] Making Money With Your Blog

TIP: Use a wide variety of revenue sources for blog income, such as: contextual advertising (like Google Adsense), sponsored posts, work directly with sponsors and brands, affiliate marketing, offering your own products and/or services, etc.

As a minimum, you need at least three separate sources of revenue. There are many ways to make money blogging, and the more your test... the more money you'll make! Over time you'll find the ideal combination of sources to monetize your blog easily, in ways your market LOVES - such as sharing great resources, offering them training, introducing them to cool new products, etc.

 

[2.25] Required Disclosures & Disclaimers

Tip: Disclose your affiliate or brand/sponsor relationships conversationally. In addition to having standard disclaimers and disclosures on your website, it's important to disclose your connections within the actual post content as well. Why? Because many people may be reading your content via email (through your Blog Broadcast), on the mobile version of your site, through a feed reader, etc.

 

[3:25] Using Facebook Groups For Lead Gen, Traffic & Direct Profit

Facebook Groups are HOT right now, and an easy way to engage your target market online... super fast. You can use Facebook Groups to generate leads for your service based business, to get a huge traffic boost, to engage buyers of your products, and to make sales with direct conversions right inside your group - even as an affiliate.

See: Facebook Group Profits

 

[3:59] Standing Out / "Is This Market Too Saturated?"

Fact: there IS more than one of everything. There isn't much that hasn't been done already. Ideally you'll bring something fresh to the market - whether that's your unique personality, viewpoint, or a creative angle. Or simply... better marketing. 🙂 If you're concerned about competition, or struggling to GO BOLD in your niche, see:

You’re Guaranteed To FAIL If You Do This…

Also see the clip starting at [5:41] for an example of a creative "memorable" campaign that stood out in a crowded niche.

 

[6:28] Don't Let Technology Hold You Back

Candid "reality" is what readers REALLY enjoy!

If technology is holding you back, JUST WRITE. Your presentation doesn't have to be perfect. You can always improve on that as you go. You can easily outsource things super cheap on sites like Fiverr.com, or get free help in groups & forums. You can even ask ME in a comment here on this post, or in my Niche Blogging Q&A group. 🙂

Technophobia may just be a means of procrastination, masking the real issue: a fear of failure. <- Read that. There are tons of great tips there you'll enjoy!

 

[7:25] Forget Perfect. Just Be YOU!

Be real. That's what attracts an audience and builds a readership. People love someone they can relate to, learn from, and feel connected with. While you should always strive to learn and improve, proofread your work, take better photos, etc... don't expect to "be perfect" right out of the gate, and don't let "imperfection" stop you from sharing your story or helping your market!

Read: The Perfectionism Trap That Holds You Back

 

[8:34] Monetization: The Key Is To Build An Audience

Don't focus on getting traffic or making money, but rather on "building an audience" - because that's where the money is. It's not in the "traffic" (anymore) given you can now build an audience on multiple platforms across the web... and convert people where they are.

 

[10:28] Facebook Group Marketing (Don't Spam!)

How to properly gain traction, and get traffic & exposure from Facebook Groups. Learn the one thing you should do to get more people from Groups where you participate... to Like your Facebook Page. 🙂

 

[11:53] Google+ Is Great For Indirect Search Traffic

Find out why you should always include text when you share links or images on Google+. Never just share links! ... or you'll miss out on the biggest benefit of using Google+.

 

[13:08] Measuring Your Social Marketing Success

Your success on each social media platform should be measured separately, based on what that particular platform offers in regards to traffic or building your business. Google+ is great for indirect search traffic, Twitter is great for connecting with brands & influencers, Facebook is great for engagement and conversions, etc.

There is no "one size fits all" way to measure the metrics. Each social media channel should be used with a very specific objective, appropriate for that channel.

Learn how you can get my Social Marketing Results AND Niche Success Blueprint courses FREE, along with hands-on help improving your traffic & profit.

If you're NOT using a certain social media platform, or you're thinking of dumping one of them due to "lack of response", you'll want to listen to this clip. 🙂

 

[15:25] Using Twitter Lists Strategically

This is a fun little tip! In addition to tailoring your "reputation", you can use Twitter Lists to make Twitter more efficient and effective.

Read: Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Twitter…

And: You Should Be A Social Media SNOB

 

[18:08] My Take On Hootsuite - And ALL Social Media Automation

I'm still working out the best way to use Hootsuite in my business, because I LOVE the concept. Listen in to hear the issues I've had with it, and my thoughts on using URL shorteners and social media automation.

And stay tuned - I'll have more tips & tutorials on Hootsuite coming soon! 🙂

Read: Using a URL Shortener? 8 Reasons To STOP!

 

Tip: If you ARE using Hootsuite, make sure you get your own domain name to use as a unique URL shortener.

 

[20:29] Taking Precautions With Your Privacy As A Public Blogger

Susan asks: How do you feel about kids blogging? It brings up a great topic on the precautions you should take as a blogger or video blogger at ANY age... and why!

 

[24:17] Easy "Money Content" Ideas

Being your own target market makes monetization easy. Simply keep a running list of things you buy, use, do, that catch your interest, etc. This makes for easy blog content, and easy social media updates "on the go".

Tip: Blog about each product or service you use, and why, then create a Resource List or checklist for your audience that links back to each of your detailed blog posts. You can repurpose this checklist or resource list into multiple formats, including content for: slideshare.net, video, PDF download, checklist.com, etc.

Read: 20 Simple Tasks That Increase Revenue Fast

 

[25:56] Tip: Always Give Your Readers "The Next Best Click"

From the very beginning, always include a Call To Action on every piece of content you create online. It's rude NOT to include "the next best click"! Not only is this a great way to serve your market, and train your readers to "take action" (and to hear "product talk" from you). It's also a great way to impress Brands you would love to work with... Read: Selling Online: Do You Avoid Making The Pitch?

 

I hope you enjoyed "having lunch with us" 🙂 and all the great tips & resources... but also that you analyze this blog post as a live example of many of the things discussed in the video - plus a few, like repurposing! I didn't just share this video with you, which is repurposing our great conversation over lunch, but I repurposed that conversation into a blog post. This post also serves as a live example of providing great content that is monetized by products & services as well as affiliate links, etc.

My hope is that you took away at least ONE thing from this video & post that you can put into action right away... *cheers*

Best,

Let's Brainstorm YOUR Business!