7 Steps To Become a Best Blogger and Make Money

Everything goes online these days: how connect with others, how we shop, how we socialize, and how we work. It has also caused some significant changes in how we make money.

Blogging has become a profitable business. Without a boss,, most of the top bloggers have quit their jobs to be permanent bloggers. You can be one of them if you follow the steps appropriately.

People use the internet to make a little cash, and others have turned working on the web into their primary source of income. For some folks, this means a lot of revenue. To help you make the most money you can from the World Wide Web, here are seven top tips that can help you optimize and increase your income.

1. Start A Blog Today

Everything has to start the best today. Start somewhere; it doesn’t matter if you are in the business of selling widgets; every site needs a blog! Blogs let you add fresh content all the time, which will keep visitors coming back for more and keep your pages on the top of search results.

Blog pages also give you more space for discrete advertisements, affiliate programs, and other similar revenue streams. Additionally, getting paid for sponsored posts and reviews isis a great way to make more money. To build a website/blog, you need a host (i.e., GoDaddy), a template (i.e., WordPress), Blogger, and content.

2. Google Adsense

Set up Google Adsense for your blog. Suppose that sounds like too much technical information for you. In that case, there is a natural button – Google’s advertising platform is as simple as signing up, enabling (on Blogger), or pasting a small code on your website, and allowing the advertisements to automatically roll in. The problem with this program is that you don’t get any commissions – and you don’t get to control the ad content. This is useful for some, but power users will want something a little more robust.

3. Use Social Media

Promote it on your social media accounts no matter what you do to make money online. You have a base of people who are already interested in you and vested in your brand – why would you not want to take advantage of that? Social media networks like Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter are top ways to build a buzz around your website or business. If you have multiple sites, be sure that each has an account that is regularly updated. Social sites aren’t repayable as your only form of advertising, but they can help to build a lot of brand recognition and send eyes to your places.

4. Pick One Niche & Expand Outward

 

While it may be tempting to start blogs and sites that appeal to many top categories, this strategy may spread you out too thin and prevent you from ever genuinely optimizing any of these channels. Start with one niche you know most about, establish yourself as an expert, and then expand from there. Only then start working out other areas. So, in no particular order, here are my 10 good blogging topics to write on:

1. Travel Blog
2. Relationships Blog
3. Failures story Blog
4. Success story Blog
5. Education Blog
6. Happiness story Blog
7. Beauty Blog
8. Photos Blog
9. Health Blog
10. Food Blog

 

5. Work On It Every Day!

Making money on the web happens 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you start building your site and take a hiatus for a few weeks, your website will still be there, but many of your viewers or customers won’t be. If you have a blog, try updating it at least once daily. If you have a site or service, respond to emails within 24 hours. Even though you can’t always be available, your website is, and whether rightly or not, your visitors expect you to be too.

6. Don’t Try To Make Your Money The Easy Way

That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t go after the easy money from things like ads, but you shouldn’t have that be your only way to make money. Ads may cause you some extra cash, but every click on these ads often earns you only pennies. Additionally, the folks who visit your pages don’t like ads, and if your page is slathered with them, people won’t keep visiting your page and won’t be clicking on those ads.

7. Have Multiple Blogs 

 

Even if you have the best ideas, products, or anything else,  t doesn’t mean it will make you a ton of loot. If you put all of your eggs in one basket, you are asking for trouble. If you put all your eggs in one basket, you are asking for trouble. If you have your online widget store, you should also have a widget blog (with ads and affiliate marketing programs) and maybe even an eBay store to unload widget overstock. This way, you are hedging your bets and ensuring you have money coming in from other channels in case of difficulties with one of your streams.

Read More

Brand identity – 10 First steps to building a blogger brand identity

Topics on favourite blogs are cyclical, and right now, one of the hottest topics is branding.

Seems easy enough, right? I have an undergraduate business degree with a Marketing emphasis, an MBA, and worked with some of the top ad companies in the US, and I still can’t define branding with one broad stroke.

Table of Content 

• 1. Buy your own domain.
• 2. Create a bio page
• 3. Get a Gravatar
• 4. Open a Twitter account
• 5. Sound human in your articles
• 6. Add value to your articles.
• 7. Have an idea whenever likely.
• 8. Be consistent
• 10. Incorporate your site’s look and feel 

What does branding mean to a blogger typically? 

When people write “branding”, what they say is brand identity. Brand identity is what you want people to think of when they see your name. It’s an extension of you, your personality, knowledge, and ability to deliver a quality product or service — essentially, all the things that make you different from others in your space. In this case, that would be your blog.
Find your edge

If you don’t know why you’re different from other bloggers in your category, neither will your readers.

Find your edge and promote it.

Maybe you’re more knowledgeable than your peers. Perhaps you have a great sense of humour; make sure that shines through in everything you write. Or perhaps you have inside info, other advice, ridiculous analogies, or unique visualisations. So tell us you are, provide supporting evidence, and remind us by sprinkling your expertise throughout your posts. In other words, you have to deliver value that people can’t get elsewhere.

Regardless of the edge, you entirely have one or figure it out soon. Otherwise, you really are just like everyone else.

If you want a brand identity, you have to first be able to be identified. The clue is right there in the title. Let’s start with the following basics:

1. Buy your own domain.

That means you need your own domain name. Look at your domain name as your online storefront. It says a lot about your offerings and tells people that you are serious about your brand. If you’re using Blogger or another free service, you’re just trying to sell products with no authentic brand, almost like hawking items at a flea market.

If you need help with picking one, here’s advice on choosing a good domain name.

And if you need help starting from scratch, here’s my guide on starting a WordPress blog.

2. Create a bio page or add a short bio at the end of your posts.

It’s amazing how many blogs are missing a bio. How can you expect to build a loyal following without telling anyone about yourself? Even if you really are an authority on your subject matter, how would your readers know? How can your blog be an extension of you if people don’t know who’s behind the curtain?

Through a well-maintained blog site, people want to know who they’re spending time with, even if it’s just a rare minute a day. While you’re at it, throw in a beautiful picture of yourself. I’m not saying you can’t be successful without a bio, but you’re creating an uphill battle for yourself.

Those of you who don’t think you have nerves related to your niche, write about your passion, the learning experience itself, or your stance toward the topic. And don’t worry about bragging a little. If it makes you feel more satisfied, write about yourself in the third person.

3. Get a Gravatar.

When you drop a comment anywhere, you want people to be able to quickly identify you.

Go to gravatar.com and use a picture that best depicts what you’re trying to represent (ideally, the same image as the one you used on your bio page). For instance, if part of your brand identity is your magnetism, you better use a picture of yourself smiling.

If you previously have a brand icon or other picture, that’s fine. In most cases, I suggest using an accurate picture of yourself. Look at all the prime money-making bloggers out there. You would recognize them if you were in an elevator with them at BlogWorld, right? None of them uses colorful logos, cartoons, or pics of their pets. They use their real faces.

4. Open a Twitter account.

This is one easy way to build a following. In fact, correct or wrong, some folks judge your popularity by how many Twitter followers you have.

And don’t just open an account. Add the picture you’re using for your bio and Gravatar. Then, use parts of your bio page on the Twitter bio. Ultimately, get a new background so it looks like you really care about your Twitter account. After all, didn’t you use the WordPress default theme?

Consider handling your Twitter account as an extension of your blog.

Except for securing your own domain name, it will take less than an hour to do the rest. That has to be the biggest bang for your buck for any blog.

Don’t spend a hundred hours writing content and not take a few minutes to create your brand identity. Even if you haven’t done all of these things, the good news is that it’s never too late to start.

5. Sound human in your articles.

There are so many blogs that resemble like they are written by bots. I know there’s apparently a human behind it, but why can’t some people just write like they are talking to me. It’s not that hard; in fact, it’s easier!

Forget what you studied in school. You’re not writing an examination paper or a textbook. You undoubtedly shouldn’t be that formal when blogging. Just write your columns like you typically speak, and your personality will shine through.

6. Add value to your articles.

This is really what makes you stand out as an individual. You are unprecedented because you can add value—a little something extra that can’t be had elsewhere.

Your post points will frequently allow you to act as an authority on your subject. If you don’t, you’ll look like a messenger and pick what; millions of those are nearby. Take the comfort of these windows of possibilities so you can stake your claim.

7. Have an idea whenever possible.

When writing posts that allow you to communicate an opinion, pick and defend a side. Don’t be anxious to have a stance and have others bother. I’ll argue that disagreements are healthy for blogs since they create a helpful analysis. Being neutral is worse than being wrong!

This can be your expert or personal opinion. Provide supporting evidence when possible, but allow readers to share their experiences.

8. Be consistent.

Whatever you choose as your edge, you better regularly exploit it. So if your schtick is your sarcasm, maintain your eye-rolling banter throughout your posts. If your thang is motivational, you have to be the rah-rah utmost of the time. In other words, almost always stay “in nature”.

You may have to be pressing on a funny blog or curious on a serious blog. However, if you’re harmonious with the way you denote yourself when it’s time to be the glaring opposite, you’ll create quite a dramatic effect — in a proper way.

9. Reply to comments.

Regardless of where your blog is on the maturity scale, you must answer comments. Of course, if you have a hundred words per post, like some vast names, you can get away with just jumping in with a bit of insight when appropriate.

For the rest of us, there’s no incentive not to respond to a quarter (and in some cases, more than share) of the comments on your site. You have to bake that connection into your blog when you’re growing.

10. Incorporate enough of your site’s look and feel in everything you do.

In my last post, I think I already stressed the importance of using the same actual picture of yourself whenever possible.

Now, let’s use the same brand messaging for everything else that you do. If you have a logo you want to be associated with your blog, make sure it’s on your email messages, feeds, Twitter background, etc. The same goes for colours and fonts that are on your blog.

Brand identity long-term wrap up.

So there you have it. The first steps are just an hour of your time to set the stage. Almost everything else that you do requires you to regularly think about your brand identity.

If you’re not a marketing pro, you might want to slap a sticky note on your monitor to remind you to always think about your brand identity. Eventually, it’ll become natural for you.

Remember, find that edge and harvest the heck out of it. If that’s how you want to be “known”, you must integrate your brand identity into almost everything you do.

Read More

Blogs as news – issues and traps

The things people never seem to learn about blogging are pretty basic - Good blogs work on good web design, good SEO and good marketing, combined with high-quality content and exciting news. There are a few big issues with blogs as news sources, which can create severe problems. Read our previous article Top 5 things to do for your SEO

Also read : 3 Pro Blogger and Make Money from Blogging

Blogs often break the news, and about half of the time, they get into trouble for doing it. Some bloggers are kamikaze-like, publishing material on a sniff of information and not caring whether it’s right or wrong. The result can be a lawsuit and/or being wholly discredited for publishing garbage. That’s not where you want your blog to be.

Blogging as news

If you’re writing news on a blog, you’re well-advised to learn some basic rules of journalism before you publish a single word.

The cornerstones of journalism are:

• Facts- Is the information on which your news is based correct? Does the news source contradict itself, or is it inconsistent with information? If so, lookout. You may have picked up someone’s PR press release material, and that’s not news, it’s propaganda until you can put it in context with the situation. Always check your information for accuracy.
• Balance- There really are two sides to every story, and in any news context, there can be many more. One side of the story isn’t news; it’s just part of the report. If you’re writing news, you must consider the stakeholders in any news situation. Never be one-sided, unless you write your blog as an opinion piece.
• Defamation- Defamation involves accusing someone of doing something illegal or damaging their reputation. This is a very tricky area of law, and every word you write can be used against you if you get things wrong. Do not fall into this trap, at all costs. If you’re not sure, don’t publish.
• Opinions- You have a right to your views, but if you’re presenting something as news, there’s a big difference between intelligence and your views. You must make it clear that you’re expressing an opinion, not stating a judgment as a fact.

Traps

One of the worst traps for bloggers is website design. Some blogs can be unreadable, with far too much content all over the place. If you’re doing a news blog, that’s death. Readability is a big issue with any news source, and navigation is essential. Use your pages' default tabs and settings to ensure your site is easy to search for. (WordPress templates may get a bit turgid, but the design does work. Stick to basics if you’re not sure.)

Also Read: 15 Successful Blog for Free and Make Money Online

Other news blogs can be “all pictures”, which is lousy SEO, meaning your blog’s ranking will likely depend on picture tags. That’s a great way of getting to the lowest ranking quickly. Worse, it makes your text content semi-searchable, and search engines may not react well to a hotchpotch of different tags and vague relevance to search topics.

Keep your news and site design formats simple, and you’ll get the readers you want.

Read More

Guide, How to become a freelance writer

If you are mesmerized by the prospect of earning extra income by freelance writing from the comfort of your home, this post is suitable for you.

How great would it be if you could work within your schedule with unlimited potential to earn as much as you wish? Great right! What is even better, you would not need to leave the comfort of your bed. Instead of having to struggle with the morning hustle and bustle of the modern world where you need to commute to the office, the rules and regulations of your workplace make your dreams come true from the comfort of your home.

You will no longer need to answer to your annoying employer or stay under the ever-glaring eye of your supervisor. You will be able to take time off as much as you want. You can spend as much time as possible with your family and no longer be forced to miss the weekend at the pool. 

These are the realities of becoming a freelance writer. I am quite sure that you are very interested by now. I will give you a practical guide on how best to become a freelance writer and sell writing services.

Guide on how to become a freelance writer.

Many people are attracted to self-employment and mainly freelance writing but don’t know where to start. The factors that limit us often exist in our minds and the limits that we place on ourselves. You must step out of your comfort zone and work without limits to achieve your most significant potential in any field. So what is the best approach towards freelance writing? 

1. Pick a niche and understand what you want

One of the most frustrating challenges a beginner will encounter is deciding on the topic of their content. If you can discover your passion based on your personality, interests, and area of expertise, finding tasks in your writing niche becomes more straightforward. 

Consider this factor before you embark on your journey as a freelance writer and answer the questions that will most likely arise from your exploration. Different people have different talents, interests, and careers. You just need to find yours, and you will be in a better position as a writer.

2. Create a portfolio for yourself

In writing, the most challenging task for you will be getting any gigs without a great portfolio. But how do you build a portfolio when you have never completed any writing jobs? The easiest way is to start by creating guest posts. Try to contact bloggers in your chosen niche and request to write guest posts for their blog.

This may not be lucrative for you, but it will set you on the right path. In most cases, you will not get paid for your first blogs, but it will act as a stepping stone towards your new career as a freelance writer. Feel free to write for a short time. It will definitely pay off in the long run!

3. Practice your writing skills and improve them continuously

In order to beat the competitive market for freelance writing, you need to build writing skills that will last. Get better writing skills by regularly reading written work and practising on your own. Never wait for a job to hone your skills. It does not really matter if you are getting remunerated or not; make sure that you are constantly writing. 

In this way, you will be practising and always sharpening your writing skills, which will be to your advantage when it comes to writing for money. Excellent writing skills will always earn you better rates on the market, and you must work to become the best freelance writer by regularly writing content relevant to your niche. 

4. Let other people have a look and edit your work

Writing is not easy, and you can always be flawed. Find ethical companies that perform edits to completed tasks and pay to get your work proofread and edited. An excellent example of such a company is Peachy Essay. No matter your niche, their perfectionist team of editors will be able to identify the mistakes you make and comment on your work to help you improve. 

Learning is a process you must be willing to go through to become the best freelance writer on the face of the globe. Stay calm about spending extra money learning. It will all be worth it in the end. If you cannot develop your skills, you can also take a course that teaches you what you need to know. Excellent skills will eventually pay off, and it is worth all the trouble.

5. Write pitches that win clients

You will not earn money in freelance writing if you cannot score new clients. You need to find a way to win new clients' attention with the proposals you write. You may have the perfect portfolio, but it will be valuable if you cannot pitch new clients. 

Learn the art of the pitch and find ways to score new clients even in the hardest of times. This requires patience, and you should learn how to be resilient. Your freelance business may not earn you thousands in the first month, but you will be surprised what time can do. 

6. Don’t dare give up

As a freelance writer, I can testify to the fact that this is never a walk in the park. You may spend weeks in the end without earning a single dollar. After all the money that you invested in trying to learn freelance writing, you may feel desolate and decide to give up. Always remember that you are not the first person to have this experience, and neither are you last. 

The best freelancers in the market experienced the same thing. The trick is never to give up. Keep pushing and pitching to clients until you get your break. When you finally get your gig, you will be glad that you never gave up the fight.

If you follow the above points, I am sure that you will attain success in your freelancing career. Happy Freelancing go-getter!

Read More

eHow – How to do just about everything

If you’re starting a DIY project, eHow is a great place to start.  eHow is ranked in the top 250 most popular sites on Alexa which means it gets massive traffic.  Articles in eHow range from how to file your taxes online to how to build a stripper pole for your house.  You can also find recipes for great food and excellent drinks or information on how to housebreak a dog.  With such a wide range of topics, you can almost always see what you are specifically looking for, or you can just browse through the various sections and find out how to do things you didn’t know you didn’t know how to do.eHow

eHow is written entirely by the public.  As soon as an author creates an account,  he or she can start writing.  To promote more writers, eHow has what they call a writer’s compensation program.  To the unknowing public, views, ratings, recommendations, and friends “affect” how much money you make.  The truth is they just give you some percentage of their paid ads (Google Adsense is one of a few different affiliate programs they use).  Having more friends, comments, recommendations, etc.. might help you generate more traffic which will lead to more clicks, but they don’t have a direct effect on the amount of money each writer makes.  Technically, even the quality of your article doesn’t guarantee you’ll make any money on eHow.

I have made a decent amount of money with my articles about how to make various cocktails.  If you’re looking to make money on eHow, making friends, commenting articles, and getting involved in general will help generate traffic, but if you want to make money, get people clicking your ads. You can’t ask people to click your ads (it’s called click fraud and will get you banned), but you can write about installing subwoofers in a car and recommend people shop around.  In the event, the reader is inspired to click on the OnlineCarStereo ad below your article…. *grin*

Regarding the actual content, there are a ton of very well written contributors who give great directions that are easy to follow and actually very helpful.  Unfortunately, there are also tons of inferior writers who believe making money on eHow is all about publishing 500 useless articles.  99% of the stuff these authors write is garbage!  If you want to contribute, don’t worry about writing duplicate content (EDIT: Someone pointed out that writing duplicate content could lead to copyright issues.  What I mean is don’t be afraid to write an article about something someone else has written.  There are dozens of articles about “how too many money on how.”  As long as you write your own unique content in your own words and cite any sources you might have used, you’ll be okay); everyone learns and teaches a different way, so you might just help someone who would have otherwise been lost.  Either way, eHow is a great resource for finding out how to do just about anything!

Read More

Is Your Posting Frequency Working For You Or Are You Working For It?

Posting schedules are often debated among bloggers. It’s not always easy to post on a schedule, especially when family and offline work calls, so let's discuss whether you should consider a posting schedule and what frequency you should post.

Before we get too far, remember that a posting schedule does not mean you have to post 5 times a week. Posting one time per week on the same day is still a schedule.

Should You Have A Posting Schedule?

One of the main arguments for not having a posting schedule is genuinely inspired posts. Being on a strict schedule can force you to publish posts that aren’t entirely finished; by only posting when you feel like posting, you ensure your content is always inspired.

The downfall of not having a schedule is you can easily never make time to post, and your blog and readership will die. Some also argue that unpredictable posting can hurt your following. To counter that, just encourage readers to subscribe to your RSS, and then they’ll know they'll check your site.

Posting on a schedule is great for building a reputation for reliability and consistency. Your readers will know when to check your site, and people who stumble upon it will know when to expect new work.

When you start running short on ideas, inspiration, or time, the deadline of a schedule can make your post articles that aren’t your baren'tne way Daniel Scocco mentions in his free ebook on how to combat this is filler posts. Instead of going for the fences with every article, try writing several good posts and building up to one killer post.

Extra tip: Thurs/Friday after 3 pm have the highest CTR and number of retweets.

 

What is the Best Posting Frequency?

Posting frequency also dramatically affects how fast your blog will grow. I’ve noticed Steps To Become that posting 4 or more times per week increases my traffic faster than posting 2 or 3 times. Posting less than once every 10 days will stunt your growth.

One of the main advantages of posting four or more times per week is that the content is almost always fresh for new readers. Most people aren’t interested in reading an old, dead blog, so several-week gaps between posts can kill your readership unless you're established.

The primary disadvantage to a high post frequency is similar to a posting schedule; it’s easy tit'sn out of ideas, run out of time, or get burned out. Having many posts that don’t get don't views is also frustrating because of the high post frequency. If that’s beinthat'soblem, consider submitting some of your articles for guest posts on a more extensive blog (just be sure not to publish on both blogs).

It all comes down to the goals and purpose of your blog. Infrequent/unscheduled posts are probably excellent for building a passive following. If you’re trying to grow fast, frequent posts are a must, and a schedule is probably a good idea.

Do you have a posting schedule? Have you noticed post frequency has helped or hurt you?

Read More

How To Get The Most Traffic From Every Article You Write

If you’re posting killer articles day after day, but not seeing significant growth, the problem might not be your content. Your question might be where you are publishing your article.

Guest posts are one of the most powerful ways to drive traffic to any blog. Even the “A-list” bloggers like Daniel Scocco use the power of guest posts to drastically increase the traffic to their blogs.

Instead of posting fantastic content 5 days a week on a blog that isn’t getting any traffic, try submitting your best one or two articles to other blogs in your niche. Apparently, high traffic and well-respected blog is the bests place to share, but even smaller blogs in your niche can send you new readers.

One of the best ways to pick which blogs to submit your articles to is to browse through each blog’s archives. Notice not just the subjects of posts, but also specifically find other guests posts. Use these posts as a measuring stick for both the quality and style of your content.

On Steps To Become, for example, a considerable number of the guest posts are lists of some sort. In fact, more than half the records on Steps To Become are written by guest authors. If you have a killer list article that you just finished up or have in queue to post next week, consider submitting it instead.

While it is true that daily posting will bring readers back more frequently than posting once or twice a week, but people have to come to your site before they can become regulars in the first place. Don’t look at it as a loss of content on your site, but again of credibility and potential followers from another. After you see the results, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

Read More

Have You Got the Blogging Blues?

Blogging blues! We all get them.

You know, you’ve been blogging for a while happy as a lark, topic after topic tripping off the keyboard like there was no tomorrow. Traffic is growing, and even some comments are being left by your appreciative readers when BAM! Just like that when you should be feeling like you’re sitting on top of the world, the blogging blues take hold.

Suddenly:

• - You have nothing more to say
• - A commenter challenged your content and therefore (you think) your authority is being questioned.
• - Traffic has stalled
• - Alexa no longer loves you
• - You are not making any money
• - Doubt sets in – is this the right niche?
• - The topics on other blogs are always more enticing
• - You begin to flirt with the idea of a hmmmm… an online affair of a different kind
• - Your blog no longer appears attractive to you
• - Posting becomes a chore
• - Google has banished you to the sandbox

If you have ever experienced any of the above – or, all of them at once – you’re in good company. There isn’t a top blogger around who at some point or another didn’t come up against the same challenges. It’s as if you turn a corner and the road ahead is nothing but one-speed bump after another.

You feel as if all your hard work is for nought, that the universe is set against you and you sink into a real funk – you get the blues, and you get them bad.

If there is anything I can say to you at this point it is that you do not give in – don’t succumb. Simply add the experience as one of the rites of passage in your blog income career. There are ways to deal with each of these speed bumps. Check in tomorrow and the day after and then again … all of the above will be tackled one by one until once again you feel like you are standing on top of the world – a champion blogger!

Read More

Mailbag: Learning the hard way

This just in…

Hello!
I don’t actually need anything (even a reply!) but I wanted to thank you for your excellent Website Steps To Become.

It sounds like a joke, but I prefer to do things the hard way whenever possible because it usually ends up being the most interesting and instructive way to do it. I’m pretty confident about trying most things and usually a quick study, but I’m feeling pretty slow and stupid where this project’s concerned. The saving grace is your website which at least helps me break thing down into manageable, achievable target parts. It’s already been longer than a weekend, but I’m getting there!
Thanks,
M_____

…and my reply

Thanks so much for your encouraging words.
I have to admit I’ve severely burnt out on the blogger thing. So many people have the attitude “Just gimme the results so I can gets the monies.”
I’m not like that. I’m the A or F student. Blessing or curse, I seem to have to understand what it is I’m doing.
Which means I end up “doing it the hard way.”
I think it saves me time in the future though.


My estimate is around 10-15% of people are “hard way” learners, and these are the people I want to speak to, to collaborate with, to be around. I hope you’re one as well.
Best,
Simon Mkhize

Are you a hard way learner?

Most people aren’t, I don’t think. And that’s cool, even envious in many respects.

For those few of us who are, some words of encouragement.

You bring unique value. Not everyone needs or wants that value. Find the people who want it, need it, appreciate it. Let the others abide.

Stay the course! If it’s worth learning, it’s worth learning the hard way. Just be picky about what’s worth learning.

Take no criticism personally. Even when it is personal. Especially when it’s own.

Have fun, enjoy life, and seek others on the hard road. We’ll travel together!

Read More

Are Training Wheels Slowing You Down?

Today’s question: Are training wheels hindering the speed of your success and what’s that got to do with blogging?

Taking the summer off of blogging was like taking the training wheels off of my internet marketing business. I didn’t see it that way – heck the thought never entered my mind until this morning when I read Nathan Hangen’s essay Step Away From the Blog.

In his essay compares blogging to a set of training wheels. Blogging, he says gets you going on the internet, familiarises you with online business basics and opens doors for opportunities. Blogging of and on its own seldom puts a severe coin in your pocket, and he challenges the reader to step away from blogging, develop a product and build a business around that product. In other words, stop fooling yourself, take off the training wheels and start making money.

Co-incidentally in today’s edition of Website in a Weekend, Dave Doolin tosses a suspiciously look alike grenade into his reader’s psyche: Money blogging: Everyone’s dirty little secret. Dave’s question is just this: why do you blog?

Both articles are worth the read. Hop on over there and then come on back.

But it got me thinking. Without knowing it, I was shedding those training wheels during my sabbatical.

After almost two years of blogging the money, the truck hasn’t precisely rolled up to my front door. I have made a few dollars here and there, but it’s a long way to Tipperary and to the pot of gold.

Taking the sabbatical helped me to de-clutter, clarify and get into business – two, in fact, one as a JV partner and the other a full partnership. Both are online businesses. I would have happened if I did not have this blog as my set of training wheels.

But the training wheels are off now.

Does that mean I won’t be publishing here? No.

One of the most valuable lessons learned from blogging here is that this is my Continuing Ed in internet marketing. So yes, of course, I’ll continue to publish – I hope to change the tone of content somewhat, that this may not be so much a blog on blogging as a commentary on our industry and a further hope that it stirs your creative juices which I encourage you to share here.

So as a beginning what about you? What has your experience been in blogging? How have you grown since you began? Do you have a vision of where you want to be? How do you think blogging factors in? Have you made money off your blog? Or has the blog been a conduit to selling other products? What’s your topic? What’s your product?

Would love to hear. My space – your voice!

Read More

2024 New Keyword 'Blorganic' – The only way to grow your blog

I know. That’s my sad attempt at creating my own word: grow my blog organic. Hmmm. It makes me want to patent that. Wait, should it be organic? My one-dollar request after reading this article is that you write your own blog post about this 2014 new keyword: "Blorganic." Don't forget to link Steps To Become. 

What is Blorganic?

Let people find your blog instantly instead of inviting people to your blog. In other words, bring people to your blog who are interested in what your blog is about.

Anyway, how many of you have made a sad attempt in growing your blog or website? Judging by the questions I get from here, the posts made by many folks on various forums, and the insane amount of marketing about SEO shortcuts and alike, I’m guessing many of us have tried fast track our way to success.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Look, I’m guilty as well. Even though I firmly believe nothing will work in the long-term other than growing your blog organically, I’m still curious enough to see if someone has figured out some magic formula. My expectations are usually meagre otherwise I would be disappointed every time.

In my opinion, if you’re an individual or small company, save your time and money and ignore those ads! Things like buying backlinks or link exchanges may work well for the big guys trying to move up on SERP, but they won’t do much to sustain success for the small fry.

How to grow your blog organically (Blorganic)

So instead of paying for a shortcut (and sometimes very expensive) service, I recommend a simple, methodical system that will drive long-term success.

1. Write quality articles consistently
2. Comment on other like-niche sites
3. Write guest articles on other like-niche sites
4. Participate in do follow forums

Really, that’s all there is to it. That said, doing all of those things will take a lot of time. But hey, if you can make it past the painful writing period for an audience of one (usually at least three months), it will pay off.

Notice I didn’t explicitly state that you should seek out do follow sites to comment and write guest articles for. Although I prefer to follow, the real purpose of those activities is to spread the word about your expertise and build relationships with people. A do follow backlink would merely be a bonus.

In other words, you are doing work to create a natural following. No gimmicks; just your own personal sweat equity. That’s what I call being blorganic.

So are you blorganic?

Read More

What It Takes to Start a Blog that Makes Money

When did you start blogging, and how long it took to reach where you are now?

Let me tell you, when I started online… it was actually back in November 1999. I dabbled with many things: getting paid to read email programs, surveys, affiliate products, ClickBank, eBooks, you name it.

In 2010, I got involved with blogging. I set up a free wordpress theme on my host and launched my 3-month IM coaching program. Made around $8k within a few short days by taking advantage of my brand name  and my most valuable asset (my 3,000+ subscribers list)

Do not believe the hype that it’s easy to make thousands like that without skills or assets. The opposite is true.

Also read 3 Steps To Become a Pro Blogger and Make Money from Blogging.

What would you do differently if you had to start again? Why?

I would partner with skilled writers and professionals and launch niche blogs (in and outside IM). In fact, I am doing this now because I am too addicted to some keyword research tools I’ve stumbled upon recently. And I actually love to find little-known, underserved industries.

You won’t believe how many niche blogs you can build in the health or wealth sector alone. Think of all the different types of diseases people get touched by. Think of the hundred ways people can make offline money or invest money.

There are onesies with high traffic volume (e.g., people searching for specific solutions, products, or information) and low to medium competition. What bothers me the most is the low quality of these sites. If you stumble upon some top results, you’ll notice that most pages are nothing but “distinguished” money sites. Serving their owners and caring less if readers find what they’re looking for.

My aim with my blog network is to serve people and give them what they want, good, valid information at two clicks away.

Also read: Stop struggling — 55 article ideas for ANY niche.

What mistakes did you make in the beginning?

I love making mistakes. This occurs naturally when trying to learn something new, right? I installed all kinds of plugins and themes and broke the blog. It took me three whole weeks, working day and night, reading, and putting all the pieces to the puzzle together—learning WordPress.

I know the basics and even some advanced stuff. I like WordPress blogging, and my biggest mistakes were not starting sooner with my blog network and not finding the right partners.

Blogging is about writing; you either partner with someone who handles writing (constant writing is critical, either daily or weekly, at least!) and knows their stuff and/or someone who loves promoting the blog (e.g., through blog commenting, forum marketing, guest posting, etc.)

Also Read: 9 Steps To Become a Food Blog Successfully

What mistakes do you see others make?

Phew. There are too many to count in a short interview! The biggest ones are:

1. Starting blogging with no specific goal

Why do you want the blog? Most people have one answer: to make some money. Good for you. But that’s not a goal. You don’t drive a car for the sake of driving the vehicle or just to go from point A to point B. You have specific goals when driving your car to certain destinations to get things done, right?

2. Starting to learn a new skill (blogging) without knowing the terminology or taking advice from beginners or fake “gurus.”

It’s like the blind leading the blind.

I suggest they study the pros and not take for granted what they hear on forums or from people who don’t even own blogs.

3. Giving up too soon and not believing in what they’re starting out.

I like this quote: “Winners never lose, losers never win.” You either start to learn a skill that will pay off for many years to come or don’t dabble with it at all and do something else.

When I started WordPress blogging, I remember I didn’t want just to try it. I made sure to learn the game: the terminology and the basics. I’ve read anything I could get my hands on, browse through Google, and found insider tips—what works and what doesn’t, straight from those who’ve been there and done it.

Plus, I’ve read interviews with pro bloggers and emailed them whenever I had questions, worries, or challenges.

If you’re stuck, Google the challenge. If you’re not sure, ask the pros, not your friends. They are probably not bloggers.

How do you define a super affiliate blogger?

A super affiliate has built his brand name and has a tribe or following (e.g., mailing list subscribers and/or incoming traffic/RSS readers) – the more, the better.

You know you are a super affiliate blogger, not when you make $10k like the pros do, but when you have the status, credibility, and brand recognition they do. You cannot make money online if you Moneyew and nobody knows you, at least not in the blogosphere.

When others know you, you are a super affiliate, and you have a mailing list you can use for traffic, clicks, and sales.

Also read 8 Steps to Become a Successful Video Blog and Make Money.

What is the money of blogging success?

My brand name my mailing lists, and my skills (I am a copywriting addict and Jay Abraham marketing strategist fan)

However, I would not have reached any blogging success if I had not loved reading and learning from others. Most people don’t like to put in the time and effort to attain their goals, and the majority of people I’ve known or talked with are simply not as patient as I am.

In other words, if you know what you need to achieve, then get it. Do whatever it takes, legally and morally, to reach your dream. The problem is that people think this is a solo game. Not really. Everything we do in life is with the support of others and for others.

You are not alone in this game. You’re either playing in a “team” (you can form yourself or with the help of others), or you’re not in the business.

There’s no shortcut in this. You have to learn the inner game, and the more you know, the better for you and those around you. Information is power, yes! But applied knowledge is the key. You can have the right information, but if you don’t understand it and have no clue what to do with it, then you’ve wasted your time.

Learn to find the correct information from the right people and apply it ASAP.

Also Read: 15 Steps To Become a Successful Blog for Free and Make Money Online

What do you like the most: WordPress or Blogger? Why?

WordPress is on your web host because you can control your blog, plugins, and theme. You don’t own the blog with Blogger, but Google controls it. Find a wordpress enabled host that lets you install your blog at the push of a button.

Trying to manually install your blog is a headache. Getting on the WordPress.com platform is free, but no ads/promotions are allowed. This means you must go with the WordPress.org version but do it from a host with Fantastico or a one-click install like the others (e.g., DreamHost, HostGator, BlueHost, GoDaddy, etc.).

Do you have any quick tips for newbie bloggers who want to start a blog that makes money?

Definitely! Money today. Invest your time and money wisely. Take imperiously. Learn from those who have been there and done it. Create your team, and don’t look back. You are on the path to outstanding achievements – you just have to believe in your dream and get out there. Take what’s yours. You develop your skills and are the only one shaping your destiny/future.

The best advice I can give to you (and everybody else) is to never control the uncontrollable (e.g., other people or outside events). You only have the power to control yourself and direct your thoughts and actions to reach your goals, or worse, let them sabotage and distract you from your goals.

This is the challenge we are all facing nowadays, and the one who controls it can lead others to achieve their dreams naturally (by example) and not by command.

Read More

4 Simple Ways to Monetize Your Blog

Making money blogging is possible, but do you know how to monetize your blog? The main thing that many newbies don’t know is that a blog can be monetized in many ways. When you create a website, you can monetize it with advertising or a few other ideas, but the possibilities are endless with a blog. Setting up a blog and monetizing it is easy, but you need a large audience and traffic. Blogging can be definitely profitable and fun!
Here are some ways to monetize your blog:

1. Advertising

This is the most popular way to make money from a blog. You can advertise by using text link ads, placing banner ads, etc. You can promote your product, an affiliate program, or ad network. You can also try banner advertising; you can place banners on your blog to promote your product or someone else’s. You can also sell ad spaces; this is called ‘’direct advertising,’’ and you sell spots on your blogs to advertisers. The rate you can charge depends on the quality and quantity of your traffic. You can also try Google Adsense to make money from clicks. I recommend using Google Adsense when you start

2. Affiliate Marketing

You can promote products by email marketing,, writing reviews,, or even placing advertising banners. Promoting affiliate products do convert well but can be hit and miss sometimes, it really depends on the techniques you use. I suggest creating a review blog and writing reviews about them while inserting your affiliate links. The commissions you get depend on the merchant you will use, and you can get anywhere from 30% to 75% of the commission of the product’s actual price.

3. Review Posts

You can write product reviews on products, or you can only review blogs or any services available online. Many blog owners also accept paid surveys where they allow services and product owners to advertise their business on their blog. If you have enough skills, you can write the review yourself, but you can always request the buyer to write the review.

4. Email Marketing

Many Internet marketers love blogging because they promote their products on their blogs and create a massive list of hungry subscribers. Building a list is fundamental to making money online, and you can easily create a list by blogging.

Read More

Six tips For blogging with a purpose

What do you think about when you start writing your next post? Before you even begin, know why you’re doing it so you can stand out from the crowd. Why do you write? Do you need filler text so your blog doesn’t go without being updated for more than a day? Are you interested in promoting goods or convincing your audience to buy something? Are you trying to express yourself and make a meaningful statement? Are you trying to generate discussion?

Whatever your intentions, make sure you have a plan before writing. Here are five tips on how to start blogging with a purpose:

1. Choose A Tagline

The most critical thing in clarifying what your blog is about is to choose a tagline. You won’t believe how many bloggers fail to do this small yet dangerous thing.

2. Make A Statement About Who You Are

The biggest challenge is conveying a message about why you’re blogging. Keep your message focused on your readers and give them a good reason to visit the blog and read your content. The purpose, the benefit, and the “what’s in it for me” statement create meaning for your readers.

3. Know Your Audience

When writing your posts, always ask yourself who you’re writing for. Are you targeting experienced professionals or average users? Are they just readers or potential clients? Having a clear idea of your readers is essential because it helps you determine whether you’re accomplishing your goal.

4. Let The Content Be King

Most bloggers try to achieve more things at a time, like having people read their content, subscribe to their lists and RSS feeds, browse the archives, click on affiliate links, and more. Although blogs have multiple goals, they should have only one primary objective: to be read. Content should be the primary focus because if you can engage readers to interact on your blog, you can meet all the other goals.

5. Share Your Knowledge

The core objective of blogging is a demonstration of value. Each article you write should reinforce why somebody should read your blog and convince new visitors why they should listen to what you have to say. Just like anything else, if you share your knowledge and help people solve their problems, it will pay back through recognition, which will help you grow your business.

6. Associate With Winners

Most certainly, there are bloggers with broader audiences in your niche who are seen as thought leaders. Writing a post that reveals how your ideas intersect with their views creates a positive association and possibly a relationship with that blogger.

Summary

In essence, your primary goal is to create long-term relationships with your audience, attract repeat visitors, demonstrate your expertise and create value. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, time, and creativity.

Read More

7 Reason Why having a blog is like having a girlfriend

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/bed-sleeping-couple-covered-cover-1822497/

Let me begin by stating that I’m not sexist. I just don’t know what it’s like to have a boyfriend (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Secondly, as some of you already know, I’m married, so I haven’t had a “girlfriend” in what seems like an eternity. I am a one-woman kind of guy. Luckily, I have a pretty good memory of what it was like to have girlfriends.

On with it. Here’s why I think having a blog is like having a girlfriend.

1. The first several days are euphoric.

After reaching your goal of having one, you feel absolutely fabulous. You’re almost in disbelief how amazing it feels! Time passes so fast, and you’re taking in every moment. You wake up with a smile on your face and go to bed with a bigger smile. (I’m talking about being happy, what are you thinking about?) What could go wrong?

2. After two weeks, you still feel great but realise that you are in a committed relationship.

You’re still having a great time, and the butterflies are still floating around in your stomach. In fact, you’re so wrapped up in your new relationship that you don’t even have much time to think long-term. You just know that you’re attached to it and, as a result, see less and less of your friends. BTW, your friends notice more than you since you’re blindly smitten and have no concept of how much you’re leaving your former life behind.

3. Within a month, you can’t imagine life without your new plaything.

Although the honeymoon period is over and you start noticing things that you don’t like about her, you feel that the good still outweighs the bad by a landslide. Reality sinks in that you are no longer free to do whatever you want, but you convince yourself that it’s OK. You continue to spend money on her to show her your affection.

4. After two months, you learn that you have to nurture the relationship.

After a few minor disagreements, you realise that you just can’t “be yourself”. Keeping her happy keeps you happy. That means you have to continually look at her needs and fill them. This requires more time that you originally bargained for. You also start to miss the things you did before you jumped into this relationship.

5. After six months, the constant attention that she demands is taxing you.

You don’t even remember what it was like before she walked into your life. However, you continue to do what it takes to meet the everyday demands of being in a relationship like this. A good part of your life is spent making sure that she doesn’t have a reason to make you unhappy. By now, you’ve burned several holes in your pocket to satisfy her. (That means you’ve spent money, you sicko!) If you had known six months ago how much work this is going to be, you might have never started this in the first place.

6. In a year’s time, you know you have to make a decision.

You question whether or not you’re truly committed. You either have to cut her out of your life or be ready to take it to another level. You need guidance, so you start asking your friends (who barely know you at this point), talking to strangers about your relationship, and even soliciting the advice of [gasp] your family.

7. And after that?

Hopefully, it turns out great for you. You forge ahead and continue to build an excellent relationship with her. Through good times and not-so-good times, you really are in a relationship. Doing it half-assed is worse than not doing it at all.

Maybe the timing isn’t right. Perhaps she’s not the right one. Perhaps you’re not meant to be a good partner. Maybe you have other priorities that you need taken care of first.

Your girlfriend blog will need TLC. It requires a bit of money but more importantly, a lot of your time. Furthermore, you can’t really measure ROI on it since there are so many non-monetary benefits.

At the end of the day, you can get all the counsel you can want but no one can decide but you. Just don’t leave her hanging…

Read More

How to start a WordPress blog

I don’t consider the topics I write “advanced,” but I need to return to the fundamentals once in a while. Apparently, there is so much information on the web on SEO and making money that a lot of basics get lost—like actually creating a blog!

Look, I get it. The money isn’t there for bloggers to write about how to start a blog site. People starting a blog typically aren’t the ones who would be clicking on ads or spending any money, really. I’m guilty as well; one of my first posts here described how you would start a blog site, but it was so high-level. I wasn't lazy; I just didn’t realise it was necessary.

1. How do you start a blog site?

If you’re a non-techie like many of my friends, you’re in luck! In today’s self-server web environment, you can create a blog with little or no experience! If you could find this blog, then I’m sure you have enough computer skills to create your own blog.

First and foremost, since you’re not going to build a blog site from scratch, you have to decide which blog company you want to work with. Many of them are out there, but two of the more popular ones are Blogger and WordPress.

I’ve used both, and they each have their pros and cons. Without going into crazy detail, if you’re just starting out, you can’t go wrong with either. Just go there and browse around. The interfaces are very intuitive, so if you can’t figure out how to start posting, then I strongly suggest you find another hobby.

Of course, right now, your blog site URL looks something like this: bloggeydown.blogger.com. If you want bloggeydown.com instead, you’ll have to register the domain elsewhere. That’s a topic for another day, regardless of whether it will make me any money. I do feel I owe it to my audience to post a step-by-step process for creating a blog from scratch. Most of the active Free Blog Help dot Com community already have sites, but there are some new visitors every day, many of whom do not have established blog sites yet. So here goes a little more depth on my take on how to start a blog with WordPress.

2. How to start a WordPress blog

Step 1: Decide on a topic

This is your most important decision. If you plan on creating a blog just to post your random thoughts, you will always be your only audience.

“Experts” will tell you to find a niche that’s not saturated, but my suggestion is to find a niche that you are passionate about, regardless of how popular it is. Your knowledge of the subject matter is secondary because you can post while you gain or document the learning experience.

If you must, find a micro-niche. For example, there are many blogs on being a father already. Instead, your blog will be about being a single dad, being a stay-at-home dad, or being a dad who homeschools his kids. You get the idea, right?

Remember, fresh content is the lifeline for any blog. If you’re not passionate about the topic, you’ll lose interest fast — especially since readers and money from your blog won’t be coming for a while.

Step 2: Choose a domain name

If you are planning on using Blogger or any other free full-service blogging platforms, then stop reading here. On the other hand, if you want your blog to grow and make some money in the process, you will need your domain name. This way, your blog will be stayathomedaddy.com instead of stayathomedaddy.blogspot.com. Your blog will be more accessible to remember, but more importantly, you have shown the world that you are committed to this blog. Your domain name will cost you less than $10 a year, so there’s no reason not to do this.

Need help picking a domain name? I have a brief article on what makes a good domain name that you should read. Come up with a short list since your first choice is likely already gone.

I use GoDaddy, but you can register it at other sites. I’ve had nothing but great things to say about GoDaddy for domain registration, so if you’re going to head over there anyway, I get a little something-something.

Step 3: Secure a host

After you purchase your domain name, it’s time to find a home for it. This “home” is called hosting, and this will cost you about $80 a year. Since you are using WordPress, you will want a hosting provider that supports it.

Before you ask, I also use GoDaddy to host my blogs. There are many other good companies out there, but I haven’t had a bad day with GoDaddy yet, so there’s no reason for me not to stick with them. The cost is comparable to everyone else, and I know what I’m getting from a customer service standpoint, which is one of the best in the industry.

As an alternative, although I have not used Blue Host, some of my peers have raved about how happy they are there. You can visit Blue Host here.

Whether you choose GoDaddy, Blue Host, or another WordPress-supported hosting provider, you’ll be ready to take the next step.

Step 4: Install WordPress

Actual GoDaddy screen cap for installing WordPress

The big reason why I recommend WordPress-supported companies is how easy it is to install WordPress. Suppose you are not technical like most bloggers today. In that case, you probably don’t want to mess around with reading requirements, setting up a database, downloading WordPress files and unzipping them into your folders, and running the install file.

Alternatively, if you signed up for GoDaddy, you can go to your Hosting Control Center and click a button to do everything mentioned above for you. Really, you click one button. It can’t get much more comfortable.

If you need help navigating the site or have questions, you can call GoDaddy 24/7, and a customer service rep will walk you through the process step-by-step. By the way, installing WordPress is free.

Step 5: Add a theme

Even though you don’t have to have a new idea to start posting, I wouldn’t want anyone to see my new site with a default theme. A theme is basically the overall look and feel of your website. It may also provide you with additional administrative tools. Although many issues are free, the better-looking and more fully-featured themes usually cost a few dollars (usually $40-$80 for a single topic).

There are so many choices out there that it can be overwhelming. Just look at the blogs you like and scroll down to the footer to see their use. In the beginning, experiment with free themes to get the hang of using WordPress. A free theme is perfect for your needs.

If you decide you’d like to pay for a tha clean themeoks great, is easy to use, has good support, and is optimized for search engines, one option is the one that I currently use. A frugal theme is an excellent choice, in my opinion. You could use this link to learn about and purchase a Frugal theme. While you’re there, check out examples of what others have done with Frugal. Pretty amazing stuff!

Step 6: Start posting

Now that your building blocks are laid out, it’s time to populate your blog with real meat. It will initially seem pretty easy to fill your new blog site with content. Don’t let that fool you! Most bloggers fall off the face of the earth pretty fast.

If you followed all the steps, you’ve put yourself in a pretty good position. Look at some of these tips on how to be in the top 10% of bloggers who can survive six months. You’ll find that the first tip is to set a goal on posting frequency and stick to it no matter what. That’s easier said than done.

What to do next

There you have it. You have your own WordPress blog for less than $100! I know you’re proud of yourself, but don’t relax too much, though. Your work isn’t done; in fact, it’s just beginning!

If you need more depth on what you can do in WordPress, check out the video from Getting Started with WordPress – the newbie guide.

Although there is much to do, below are the first few areas you should start learning about.

• Which plugins do you install?
• How to perform your search engine optimization (SEO)
• How to get Google ads on your pages

And if you get a moment, check out how to make money blogging with YouSayToo.

Read More

Brand identity – First steps to building a blogger brand identity

Topics on favourite on blogger brand identity are cyclical, and right now, one of the hottest topics is branding.

Seems easy enough, right? Well, I have an undergraduate business degree with a Marketing emphasis, an MBA, and worked with some of the top ad agencies in the US and I still can’t define branding with one broad stroke.

What branding means to a blogger

Typically, when people write “branding”, they say brand identity. Brand identity is what you want people to think of when they see your name. In this case, that would be your blog. It’s an extension of you, your personality, your knowledge, your ability to deliver a quality product or service — essentially, all the things that make you different from others in your space.
Find your edge

If you don’t know why you’re different from other bloggers in your category, then neither will your readers. Find your edge and promote it.

Maybe you’re more knowledgeable than your peers. So tell us you are, provide supporting evidence, and remind us by sprinkling your expertise throughout your posts. Perhaps you have a great sense of humor; make sure that shines through in everything you write. Or maybe you have inside info, individual advice, ridiculous analogies, or amazing visualizations. In other words, you have to provide value that people can’t get elsewhere.

Regardless of the edge, you better have one or figure it out soon—unless you really are just like everyone else.

The clue is right there in the title. If you want a brand identity, you have to first be able to be identified. Let’s start with the following basics:

1. Buy your own domain.

That means you need your own domain name. If you’re using Blogger or another free service, then you’re just trying to sell products with no real brand, almost like hawking items at a flea market. Look at your domain name as your online storefront. It says a lot about your offerings and tells people you are serious about your brand.

• If you need help with picking one, here’s help in selecting a good domain name.
• And if you need help starting from scratch, here’s my guide on starting a WordPress blog.

2. Create a bio page or add a short bio at the end of your posts.

It’s amazing how many blogs are missing a bio. I mean, how can you expect to build a loyal following without telling anyone about yourself? Even if you really are an authority on your subject matter, how would your readers know? How can your blog be an extension of you if people don’t know who’s behind the curtain?

I’m not saying you can’t be successful without a bio, but you’re creating an uphill battle for yourself. While you’re at it, throw in a beautiful picture of yourself. People want to know who they’re spending time with, even if it’s just a few minutes a day through a well-maintained blog site.

And don’t worry about bragging a little. If it makes you feel more comfortable, write about yourself in the third person. Oh, those of you who don’t think you have strengths related to your niche, write about your passion, the learning experience itself, or your stance toward the topic.

3. Get a Gravatar.

When you leave a comment anywhere, you want people to be able to quickly identify you.

Go to gravatar.com and use a picture that best depicts what you’re trying to represent (ideally, the same image as the one you used on your bio page). For instance, if part of your brand identity is your charisma, then you better use a pic of you smiling.

If you already have a brand icon or other picture, that’s fine. In most cases, I recommend using a real photograph of yourself. Look at all the top money making bloggers out there. You would recognise them if you were in an elevator with them at BlogWorld, right? None of them uses colourful logos or cartoons or pics of their pets. They use their real faces.

4. Open a Twitter account.

This is one easy way to build a following. In fact, right or wrong, some folks judge you your popularity by how many Twitter followers you have.

And don’t just open an account. Add the picture you’re using for your bio and Gravatar. Then use parts of your bio page on the Twitter bio. Lastly, get a new background so it looks like you actually care about your Twitter account. After all, you didn’t use the WordPress default theme, did you?

Treat your Twitter account as an extension of your blog.

Except for securing your own domain name, it will take you less than an hour to do the rest. That has to be the biggest bang for your buck for any blog.

Don’t spend a hundred hours writing content and not take a few minutes to create your brand identity. Even if you haven’t done all of these things, the good news is that it’s never too late to start.

Read More