Blogs can be a very marketable and very profitable tool if used correctly. Profiting from blogs is just a matter of grabbing the attention of an audience and not doing any actual salesmen selling. In this article you will learn the 13 most essential steps to successful blogging.
1) Where to start?
You should begin your blog with a free blog hosting service such as Journal Home or Blogger. Starting with a free blog hosting service allows you to begin blogging instantly without having any advance knowledge of scripts, hosting, or programming. It allows you to focus on your content and not the internal maintenance of the blog. The best benefit of starting with a free service is, in the case your blog doesn’t become successful you do not lose any money or are you left holding the bill. The great thing about a blog is that they are organized in chronological order, your latest entry is displayed first. When your blog traffic grows greatly and you are ready to upgrade to your own domain then you can simply make your last blog entry the announcement of your “move”. Simply add a last entry stating that your blog has “moved” and type the new blog URL address. Which directs visitors to your new blog site, keeping your following, without a major inconvenience to anyone. Upgrade as you need to…but only when you need to!
2) Niche
A niche is a targeted product, service, or topic. You should first decide on a product, service, or topic which interest you. Choose an area which you can enthusiastically write about on a daily basis. You can use keyword research services like Google Zeitgeist or Yahoo! Buzz Index to find popular searched topics. It does NOT matter if your topic is popular as long as there is a audience for your topic and the topic is precisely focused then your blog should be successful. Anything can be considered a niche as long as it has a target audience no matter how large or how small the audience is. A blog about your cat can be a niche or a blog about the species of the cat family can be a larger niche market, if there are people who are interested in hearing about your cat or the species of the cat family…you can even choose to build your audience for a market which an audience does not exist, but first you must build your blog.
3) Update Daily (nothing less)
This step is a must and not a suggestion. Updating your blog daily not only keeps your blog more interesting to readers, but it also gives your blog fresh content on a day to day making it more appealing to search engines. Not updating your blog on an occasional holiday or one day here and there is understandable to most, but missing days at a time or weeks is unacceptable and will most likely result in your blog being unsuccessful. To keep your blog traffic and retain your visitors interest it is a must to update your blog daily with multiple entries. You should try to update your blog everyday with at least 3 or more daily entries. The best way to accomplish this is to set aside 1-2 hours a day for tending to your blog and adding new entries. It may even be wise to schedule a set time which you dedicate to your blog each day. Give yourself work hours and treat your blog as a job, what happens if you don’t come to work for days or weeks…you lose money or worse you get fired! Same applies here…if you don’t update your blog for days or weeks you’ll lose visitors.
4) Traffic
It’s no secret. You must have traffic to profit from blogs. There are numerous ways to build traffic. Paid advertising, free advertising, viral marketing, search engine marketing, RSS/XML feeds, and word-of-mouth. You should always use your blog URL address in the signature of your email, forum discussions, message boards, or any other communication media. You should submit your blog URL address to search engines and blog directories. You should submit your RSS/XML URL feed to blog ping services like Technorati, Ping-O-Matic, and Blogdigger. You should confidently share your blog with family, friends, co-workers, associates, and business professionals when it relates. Many blogs can be considered as a collection of articles, for this purpose you should submit your blog entries (those that are valuable and lengthy articles) to content syndicators like GoArticles.com or ArticleCity.com. Once submitted your articles can be picked up and published by others. The trick is to make sure you include your Blog URL address in the “About the Author” passage. What this does is create link popularity and backlinks for your blog, when someone picks up your article from the syndication then publish the article on their website the “About the Author” passage is included with each publication and the link you included is followed, crawled, and indexed by search engines. Imagine if your article is popular enough or controversial enough to produce 10,000 publications across the web. The search engines is bound to find your site in no time with that many publications and credit you a authority on the topic, in return increasing your rank on search engines. The small effort of writing a well written article is rewarding. You should try to write at least 1 full length article every week for syndication and submit your article to at least 10 article syndicators.
5) Track Your Blog
How do you know if your blog has traffic? Just because no one is leaving comments doesn’t mean your blog isn’t growing. Many visitors do not leave comments but they are returning visitors. I know it sounds crazy but with blogs people are more interested in what “you” have to say! Many visitors do not comment their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time. Some do not comment at all, but are active daily visitors.
Tracking your blog does not have to be overly sophisticated usually a simple free page counter like StatCounter.com or Active Meter will do the trick. Install (copy/paste) the code into the html of your blog template and start tracking your visitors. Its better to use a service which gives you advanced traffic analysis, such as keyword tracking information, referral information, and search engine information. Visitors, returning visitors, and unique visitors should be standard for any page counter service you choose.
6) Listen to Your Audience
When using the proper page counter you should begin to see how others are finding your blog and if through search engines then which keywords are being used to find your blog. If constantly your blog is being found by 1 or more keywords then focus your blog around those keywords to make it even more powerful. When writing entry titles and entries use the keywords as often as possible while keeping the blog legible and interesting.
7) Multiple blogs
Use multiple blogging accounts to attract more people. This means you should have a blog with JournalHome.com, Blogger.com, LiveJournal.com, Blog-City.com, tBlogs.com, etc. The more blog accounts the better. You can copy/paste from 1 blog to all others. Having different blog accounts is like having a publication in different newspapers. This enables you to attract more visitors and this also increases the chance that 1 of your blogs will be in the search engine results for your focused keywords.
Short & Concise
Aside from the lengthy article a week for syndication and publication your blog entries should be short & concise (if you can help it). Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule and you have no choice but to blog lengthy entries, but try to avoid this as much as possible. You do not want your blog entries to become hours of reading. Visitors like to easily find information and skim through your entries. It is good to be detailed and provide useful information, but do not include useless information or run away sentences that veer away from your topic.
9) Digital Art
Try to include non-advertising graphics, pictures, photos, and art in your blog entries. Not too much. Once a week is fine. Graphics can sometimes bring your blog to life. Of course, the content of the blog is the most important aspect and you do not want to overshadow your content with graphics, but displaying graphics can add a bit of spice to the blog. Be choosy about your graphics and make sure they fit your entry topic. You should add content with the graphic, at least a caption. Original graphics, photos, pictures, and art is recommended.
10) Keep it Personal
A blog is most successful when it is kept personal. Try to include personal experiences which relates to the topic of your blog entry. Stay away from the business style of writing. Write with a more personal style and use first-person narratives. Do not write any of your entries as sales letters, instead share product reviews and personal endeavors.
11) Interact With Your Visitors
You now have the traffic you deserve. You should begin interacting with your visitors. Create a regular theme such as: “Monday Money Tip” or “Picture of the Week” which entices your readers to look forward to each week.
Give your readers advance notice about a product, service, or topic which you are going to review and then talk about later. If the President was scheduled to give a speech then in your blog you should state that you “will discuss the speech and give your opinion after the speech airs. Comments will be appreciated”.
Try your best to find exclusive information that not many have. Do not disclose any confidential or secret information which is deemed illegal or can potentially get you into trouble, but try to get the scoop before everyone else does. Such as: If your blog was about Paris Hilton (the socialite) and you had a blog entry about “Paris Hilton Getting Married” then it would be interesting to your readers if you had a actual picture of Paris Hilton engagement ring. Give your best effort to dig and search the internet for exclusive information and you will possibly come up with something useful. Your readers will appreciate this and they show their appreciation through word-of-mouth referrals. Imagine how many readers will tell their friends, family, and others about information they only can find at your blog.
12) Make Money
Once your blog has gained some real momentum and your blog traffic is increasing then it is time to start thinking about turning your traffic into profit. You should use contextual advertising, like Google Adsense or Chitika. Contextual advertising is usually text links which use the content of your blog to publish targeted ads on your blog. The payout is usually based on a pay-per-click model, meaning for ever click an ad receives you are paid a small percentage of the profits. In addition to contextual advertising it is good to also use graphical advertising such as: BlogAds.com, Amazon.com, MammaMedia, or General Sponsored Advertising.
13) You’re a Professional
You’re a professional now! What are you still doing with that free blog hosting service? It is time to upgrade to a domain hosted solution. You need to get a web host and choose a domain name for your blog then check its availability. Select the blogging software you wish to use, such as: Squarespace.com, WordPress.org, MovableType.org, etc. When you have your new blog domain setup and ready for traffic then it is time for you to announce your move on all your previous blog accounts. Your last entry to the blog should be a “move” announcement. The title should be “Moved” and the blog entry should state something like “Old Blog has been moved to New Blog please follow and bookmark this link for future reference: http://www.YourNewBlogDomainName.com”. This way all returning visitors and new readers should not have any problem finding your new blog domain.
At the level of a professional blogger you may want to team up with 1 or more other bloggers. This will create a more interesting and more powerful blog. The old saying “two heads is better than one”, more authors mean more advertising and exposure because each author will have a vested interest in the blog. The idea of a team blog is to make it profitable and rewarding for all authors, while continuing to target the blog topic and keeping the blog interesting for visitors.
Following these blogging techniques should make your blogging experience much more rewarding. There is no guarantee that your blog will become popular or a household name, but the effort should at least put you one step closer. Making money online is not an overnight experience like many may think, but making money online is definitely a foreseeable possibility. As well, growing popularity on the web is not an overnight experience, but through time, dedication, and persistence you will be rewarded with all the royalties of blogging.
About The Author
Ant Onaf is the owner and founder of http://www.JournalHome.com He is an online internet marketer, content writer, and IT consultant. Ant Onaf has years of IT-related experience and Internet-related experience. His ingenuity, dedication, and passion for technology, internet marketing, & writing have made him a monumental icon in the World Wide Web. His blog can be visited at http://www.journalhome.com/AntOnaf
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I know that I just wrote something the other day saying that I have done everything that I have wrote about on this blog. But I have never been a Paparazzi!! It would be kind of crazy to be one, though. If you love taking pictures and stalking people is something you are good at , than this might be the job for you. And by how the other paparazzi act on the scene , it does not take much schooling!! Well, anyway, the just of this post is to tell you how you can make money at this and here is how ~~~ Mr. Paparazzi will buy any of your photos that you have taken of celebrities. The most shocking ones will most likely make the most money. Check out the website for details.
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I love handbags and I will be the first to admit that I have way too many. There is a lot of money that could be made with this as a home based business. You love handbags and selling handbags would be doing something that you love. You would make a ton of money. There are many ways to make money with handbags.
You could have purse parties or sell them on ebay. Be careful about what you sell though. You can get in a lot of trouble selling fakes and knock-offs. But there is still a lot of money that can be made selling designer inspired handbags. You just have to let the buyer know that it is not real. Purses sell very good all year. Women are always looking for new handbags. There are many websites out there that you can buy handbags from for wholesale. Buy them and then resell them for a profit and have fun doing it. Hey, you might even get a couple of bags for yourself.
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During bad times it might be a good idea to start a home based business. You will be spending less for gas sometimes if you work at home. When times are hard you will be more likely to work harder at a home based business and be more successful at it. Just make sure that you do not spend too much money on any venture that might not be a good one. Try to find ways to promote it for free or very little money.
There are a few things that you could do out of your home to make money in these tight times. You could start offering child care services for other parents who are having to work more hours at their jobs. You could become a handy man or woman. In hard times people will most likely not want to buy new and will just want anything repaired that needs it. If you have a skill than use it to make yourself some extra money. If you have the room and a green thumb , maybe you could start a small garden and sell your pickings roadside or at a local farmers market. If you can sew, offer to do alterations.
There are many things that you can do in lean times that can make you some extra money. Starting a home based business when times are rough might be the best thing for you and your family. You will still be home with your family and be making money for your family. Just use your skills that you have and go with it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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If you constantly get compliments on your photography skills, and you love to take pictures, you could start your own home based photography business, and work at home.
You’ll need to decide what type of photography service you will specialize in, or if you will be a versatile photographer and offer all types of photography services.
The main reason to have an idea what types of service you’ll offer is because your equipment needs may differ depending upon the types of pictures you’ll be taking: weddings, portraits, sports, etc.
Before you purchase equipment, check the zoning laws in your area to be certain there are no restrictions concerning people coming over to your house.
Write down all the equipment you’ll need, and don’t get carried away buying the best or most expensive. Buy what you need to get solid performance and get the job done.
There will always be a time for fancy upgrades later. For really expensive equipment needs, you could consider rentals.
You can either have your own darkroom, or contract with a local lab if you do not want to develop your photos yourself. You’ll need to be certain that the lab you choose is reliable and produces high-quality work that you can depend on.
Get the word out by posting ads or giving your business cards to wedding planners and bakery that makes cakes for weddings and parties of all kinds. Here is a great site I found that has some info on FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY. It looks like it is free info. and you can also look here ON GOOGLE.
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What did you want to be when you were a little kid? Thinking back to when you were a kid can be a big help in deciding what you want to do now. This will get you into the best home based business that will be something that you love. If you are doing something that you love , you will do a lot better at it and stick with it longer.
I believe that all of us is born with our own talent. You need to find out what it is to reach your dream. If you think back to when you were a kid and what you always loved doing and wanted to be when you grew up , you will gain a lot of insight into what kind of home based business will be the best for you.
When you are pursuing your special talent, you will find inner peace. The money might not roll in when you are following your dreams right away. If you find the home based business that you really love and enjoy, you will stick with it longer. You are not in it just for the money and you will stay with it through the lean times. When you really love what you are doing , you will market it more , talk about it more, and you will work harder at it. The results of this love is that you will soon be making more and more money with it.
Finding the perfect home based business for you can take some time, but if you do take your time and find the ONE that is for you , you will love it even more. YOu want something that you will enjoy working at. Something that you enjoy telling others about and something that you will want to be doing for a long time. It will be worth the time that it takes you to find the perfect home based business.
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To get online sales you need to increase your traffic to your site or auctions.
You HAVE to create a personal page or about me page. Let your potential customers get to know you. They will feel more comfortable buying from you if they feel that they have connected with you. If they contact you , respond very quickly!! No matter the question reply to it.
If you are on ebay - charge the lowest shipping you can get away with. Bidders are smart and they know what shipping costs. You will turn them off right away if they see a huge amount being charged for shipping.
Include as much detail about an item as you can! The more the better. Always include every little detail. Use high quality photos of the item from different angles and show every detail.
Promote your link to your site or auctions everywhere. Use it as your signature in your email. Have business cards printed up.
Explain all of your policies up front. Make sure your return and or refund policy is easy to read and find.
If you make your customers feel comfortable than they will feel better about buying from you. You are basically building a relationship with them and if they feel cared for and well taken care of they will most likely return or at least spread the word about how great of a seller you are.
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This is a great idea that I wanted to share with all of you on how you could make extra money.
Are you a great cook? Can you bake like there is no tomorrow?
You could teach young girls and teens how to cook or bake. You could hold workshops on the weekends and teach them. You could start with basics and work your way up to where they are cooking their own meals. Teaching young girls how to bake would be really fun. You could even have a special class for cake decorating. You could have the final class be a huge dinner for all of their parents and each girl has a certain part of the meal that they have to make. Or if you teach baking then all of you spend the day baking and then sell them at the local fair or craft show.
Advertising would be easy! Put up ad at the YMCA or Girls club. Word of mouth would be awesome way to get the word out,too.
Maybe you could even teach special stuff to women! You could teach them how to bake bread, decorate cakes, or whatever you are really good at.
If you have a specialty and you love to cook or bake then you should try this. What better way to make some extra money then to share your talents.
How much to charge would be up to you. I think you should figure in what you will be teaching them, the cost of the food etc, and the time. Check around and see how much people usually get for teaching stuff.
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Start a cake decorating business if you are looking for something different in the line of home based businesses. Do you have time and creativity? Cake decorating allows you flexible time and the freedom to be artistic in a consumer filled field.
People have special occasions all the time that they celebrate with specialty cakes. Think of all the times you have purchased cakes for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other events and you will soon see how this could be a fun and lucrative career. Cake decorating businesses are also simple to start and requires little overhead. Most of the essentials for a home based business of this kind are very inexpensive and easy to come by. If you possess an oven and a microwave, you are already on your way to success.
If you have ever made cakes before, you are already ahead of the game. Do you have children in daycare or school? Think of all the birthday parties you go to in a year and you will see how this occasion alone can be profitable. Most parents today have never even made a cake, preferring to purchase one that is already baked and decorated.
You would be fulfilling a service that these parents are already taking advantage of in the retail market. A home based cake business can bring in business for graduations, weddings, baby showers, Easter, Christmas, and many more occasions and holidays throughout the year. Once it is known that you have quality service and beautiful cakes, your schedule will fill every month.
There are a variety of sources you can draw from when choosing materials and supplies after you start a cake business. The Internet is an invaluable source of ideas, as well as magazine publications and specialty cookbooks. You will need some specific cake decorating tools of the trade such as baking pans, icing flutes, spatulas and of course cake mixes and basic instructions on the decorating process.
All of these items can be found at your local department stores and on the Internet. Specialty items, such as wedding toppers and the like are easily found on the Internet as well. There are cake decorating lessons available at many trade schools and there are even some available on the web. In some cities, there are dedicated cake decorating schools. Professional cake decorating is taught in some groceries as well. Once learned, there is no end to the cake decorating opportunities available to you. This fun and fulfilling career can be started with minimal monetary investment and your dedication.
You may find that word of mouth advertising will do you sufficiently in the beginning, with fantastic results. Word of mouth is still a very powerful tool in any kind of business. Often, one happy local customer can breed several referrals and steady income. Remember, people are already purchasing this service somewhere else, why not you?
Don’t forget that the Internet is also a great way to get your business known. If you are looking to increase your scale and expand your services once you are successful, the Internet provides a great advertising outlet for a cake decorating business. Having a web site to view your creations will go a long way in helping people recognize you and your work. This can also help your local customers learn about your skill and see your product before purchasing, without having to go to the store. If you take orders online, they may not even need to call you. At this point you are providing a service to them without them even having to leave the comfort of their home.
Cake decorating is a trade that is going to be around forever. A little training and a little practice will provide you with a rich career, full of fun and satisfaction. Opening a home based cake business will provide you with regenerative income, freedom over your schedule, and the joy of customer satisfaction.
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I have not worked on my old Blog Carnival in some time now. I have decided to redo it and now you can submit your articles again to the all new work at home blog carnival. You have until every Saturday night to submit your articles and then the Blog Carnival will be posted every Sunday morning. So get your blog articles submitted. Any articles that are about working at home, ideas, tips, advice, and more for someone who is trying to work at home.
Insurance companies are launching new policies for whole life insurance and short-term life insurance or temporary insurance plans. While you are going for business life insurance, you need lot of research to find out the best brokers insurance that must be economical as well as provide you lot of benefits. Mostly young families; because of their limited budgets, go for cheap travel insurance to cover their travel and stay at other places. When you are in search of vpi pet insurance; be aware of tall claims of insurance companies, donít compromises on cost, always go for the insurance policy that provides you maximum benefits. To chart out your financial plans, different credit counseling agencies provide free of cost services.
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Blogs can be a very marketable and very profitable tool if used correctly. Profiting from blogs is just a matter of grabbing the attention of an audience and not doing any actual salesmen selling. In this article you will learn the 13 most essential steps to successful blogging.
