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Blogging for Profit
A blog (a shortened version of "weblog") is a website
where entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. "Blog"
can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others
function as more personal online diaries. However, a newer turn in the
blogging industry is to blog for profit. Whether it be profit through
product sales, pay-per-click advertising or individual advertising sales,
blogging can actually turn a profit for those skilled enough to harness
the power of the blog. Blogs can combine text, images, and links to other
blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Most blogs are
primarily textual, although some focus on art (artlog), photographs (photoblog),
sketchblog, videos (vlog), music (MP3 blog) and audio (podcasting),
which are part of a wider network of social media.
Featured Article
Five Mistakes Often Made By Bloggers
by Lynette Chandler
Are you fed up with your blog? Do you feel it's not giving you the results
you're hoping for? Don't feel bad. Chances are, some missteps were made
along the way that contributed to that. Here are the most common ones.
Not Asking For Comments
Bloggers always agonize over the lack of comments. But the problem is
not that people don't read the blog or don't want to comment but the blogger
hasn't given the opportunity for readers to comment. Just like asking
for people to order a product, you've got to coax people to spend their
3 or 4 precious minutes to comment on your blog. Ask for opinions. People
love giving it. Ask for reader's experiences, input or help to accomplish
something. Ask people to suggest something to you e.g. You're getting
incorporated, ask people for suggestions, tips and recommendations. Asking
also tells people you're open to suggestions and alternative views, further
improving the image people may have of you.
Not Hosting On Their Own Domain
This is one of the most ironic things. Let me ask you a question. Would
you host your website on a free host? Of course not. It's almost criminal.
So why would you host your blog on a free blog host? Quit using Blogspot
or Wordpress dot com domains. Nothing against them they are awesome services
but if you're blogging for business, you need your own domain.
This way you control where you want to publish the blog to. Tomorrow,
if you outgrow these services, you can easily export your blog to another
tool, another host without losing too much established traffic. A domain
is also easier for people to remember and easier for you to publicize.
Not Maximizing Their Blog Content
Many businesses quit blogging because they feel it's too much work. True,
like everything else, you gotta work on a blog but you don't have to break
your back over it. Sometimes you may have a paragraph here and there about
a topic that just isn't big enough for an article. You know what? You're
going to have many more of these impromptu thoughts and ideas – publish
it to your blog. Later, you can come back and gather these paragraphs,
compile them into a complete article or even a book.
That's only one way of maximizing your work. Have you written articles
in the past? How about e-courses, audio transcripts or books that aren't
in publication anymore? Recycle. Break them up and post them on your blog.
In fact, if you have lot's of this type of content, you can even get your
assistant to post them for you.
Publishing Too Often
Isn't this the complete the opposite of everything you've ever been taught
about blogging? Fact is, the blogosphere has evolved. There are too many
blogs competing for your reader's time.
Nobody has all that time to read so many blogs. People are now forced
to carefully choose the blogs they read. And that also means they'll drop
a blog just as quickly as they choose to read one when they can't keep
up with your frequency. Maintain a balance. Give information at a slow
and steady pace, not bury people with it.
Falling For Short Term Methods
Ah, this is my favorite. If you can have a favorite pet peeve that is.
Every week, you hear about people dishing out the newest, coolest blogging
tactic, best blogging tool that's sure to sky rocket your business to
success or bull doze your way to the top search engine listings. Consider
how any offer will help you advance your business two, five or tens years
from now. Is it really in line with your marketing direction? If it isn't
drop it. It also helps a lot if you can have a reliable source whom you
can consult and help put things into perspective for you. One of the most
powerful qualities of a blog has nothing to do with search engines, tagging
or pinging. These things do have a place, but they aren't as powerful
as the relationship opportunities between you and your customers.
Although these mistakes are common, they are also very easily rectified
and don't cost much money. All of these suggestions are born out of my
own trial and error and they've worked out nicely. Try it yourself.
Affectionately nicknamed Tech Diva by her peers, Lynette Chandler regularly
dispenses blogging and RSS help to countless business owners. Visit www.BloggingStarterPack.com
to learn more about blogging and get a copy of her video free.
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