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To Blog or not to Blog???

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fitnfree

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Hi...this blogging craze...is it really worth it? I find I simply don't have time to sit and read blog after blog after blog, in spite of my interest in a topic. As a result of this lack of time, I haven't really delved into this area as yet, but do, from time to time, seriously consider it.

So, my question is, have any of you find it pays and if so, how do you find the time?? And just what do you post to keep people visiting it?

I know blogs are extremely popular, but I haven't yet been sold on them, so do sell me! ;)
 
Being a blogger for the last 2-3 years, I could write a long explanatory reply on why blogging is good. The simpler way would be: are you prepared to lose the advantages a blog brings in front of your competitors?
 
are you prepared to lose the advantages a blog brings in front of your competitors?

What are those advantages? I seriously haven't a clue and am seeking some thoughts because I just "don't get it" yet... :confused:
 
Hi FitnFree,

If you read some of the other posts in the blogging forum, you'll find a ton of threads that explain the benefits of blogging. This one in particular offers an in-depth look and starting guide at blogging for affiliate marketers: http://affiliate-marketing-forums.5...ms/5751-deep-secerts-successful-blogging.html

A few simple benefits that I can think of off the top of my head include
-the possibility of gaining loyal readers who return to your site on a regular basis, thus developing trust and becoming more likely to buy/pay heed to your recommendations
-having an informal way to update your site on a regular basis
-yet another way to generate traffic, participate in blogroll/link exchanges, reach a wider audience, network further within the blogging community

Hopefully some blogging affiliates will add their two cents :)
 
Thank you, Julia! It's responses like yours I'm very intrigued with. So many doing this seem to be very glad -- I just am not sure how to fit something like this into an already over-filled schedule, but on the flip side, perhaps it's past time I MADE time... I guess because I haven't developed an interest in reading blogs, I'm having a difficult time feeling that anyone would want to read mine. :(

I appreciate the resource, also and will definitely check it out along with other comments here at the forum.
 
You know, if someone told me 3 years ago when I started the 5 Star blog,
that I would have to write one article every day to create new content for my web site - i would have said NO WAY - I don't have time.

But once you get your blog set up and start blogging it becomes habit and is really easy. It doesn't feel like you are creating a new page or writing a new article - it's just fun.

To save time (and your wrists if you have carpal like I do) just scan the RSS feeds of blogs in your niche and pick good news stories or other people's blog posts to highlight and just comment on and quote them.

Here's an example of one I did quoting another blog that didn't take any time at all. 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Blogs, Google and SEO Blog ? Will Search Engines Become the Biggest Affiliates?

The upsides of making the time to blog are:

1) Increased traffic. Search engines LOVE blogs. (my blog is ranked #1 and is the highest traffic part of my site)

2) Wider exposure (also increased traffic). Instead of just being found in search engines, with a blog your site will get distributed to a ton of BLOG search engines like Technorati, Google Blog search and a TON of others.(you need to submit once then after that its easy.)

3) Links - people that like your blog or specific posts will quote and link to you on their blog.

4) Reputation - great way to position yourself as an industry expert.

There is more but those are some of the main benes.
 
WOW! You certainly make some un-arguable (is that a word?? lol) points there -- if they do all that, then I guess it IS past time I get my feet wet! I did play around with Google's free blog a while back -- just nonsense, really, to see how they work and such. However, I don't want a "freebie" one -- will set up my own. :rolleyes: (Anyone know if Word Press is good? Seems I read a lot of positive comments on that one).

Thanks Linda, sincerely appreciate your feedback!
 
Wordpress is the BEST! Easy to set-up and free.
My 5 Star blog uses WP and Google eats it up!

You will still need to find a good (free) WP template. Tons out there.
Get one that supports widgets so make it easier to add features into your sidebars.
Then you will need some plug-ins for certain things you may
want like spam control and related topics.

If you need help, Teli one of our 5 Star mods is a WP genius.
I just hired her to do about 6 upgrades on my 5 Star blog and
she's great to work with. Even though it's fairly easy if you are
a do-it-yourselfer and fairly technical, she can bang stuff out
10 times faster than I do and does it better than I do.
So I pay her now rather than even trying to add
plug-ins or change layouts myself.

If anyone's curious what she just did for me on the 5 Star blog she...

~ Added a 2nd sidebar (so I can get more links up above the fold)
~ Added related posts plugin - if you click to read a post, then scroll down to bottom of post and you'll see other related topics from my blog.
~ Added recent threads from the forum to the far right sidebar.

Bunch of other behind the scenes stuff, but those are some things you can see.

PM her if you want her to set everything up for you.
 
You will still need to find a good (free) WP template. Tons out there.
Get one that supports widgets so make it easier to add features into your sidebars.
Then you will need some plug-ins for certain things you may
want like spam control and related topics.

:eek: Head reeling! Widgets? Plug ins??? :eek:

Although being the major geek I am it could be fun -- just need time, time, time. I think I'll get started though and thanks for the reference, also. Never know when some help may be needed!! I also do web design - -just got my techincal diploma, so here's hoping it pays off! :D (I think it will, though!)
 
I did it! Got a blog all set up -- so ahhhh...help!?! now what???

Added the 5 star link, though! ;)
 
Congrats! Did you end up going with Wordpress? That's the one that we (Share Results) use, and we're really pleased with it.

Now it's time to ....start writing. :D
 
:D Yes, I did go with Word Press and I found a theme -- I can't get over how great Word Press is to work with! I had dabbled with a blogger just to see what the hype was all about once, but actually find Word Press much more enjoyable. I even installed a theme!

So, I'm pretty much ready to get going but now I haven't a clue what to do so I'm roaming around looking for blogging tips/suggestions. :confused: Anyone have any favorite sites for tips - -not just hype, but REAL tips? TX!!!
 
I read the "Authority black book" recommended by member rtsurvivor, and I thought it contained some decent information on blogging. It deals mainly with Wordpress.
-k
 
What types of tips are you looking for? Blogging in general (i.e. how-to), marketing the blog, commenting tips, etc.?

One good place you may want to bookmark is Darren Rowse's ProBlogger. It may take some effort to keep up with when you first get started, but when you use a feed reader, it certainly makes it much easier to scan.

As for what you should do now...write. If you're running low on ideas, consider the questions you receive via e-mail. Instead of only responding via e-mail, polish up the answer and blog it (I've used that to save my butt more than a couple times LOL), think about something in your industry that irks you -- it could be a misconception or a myth that continues to propagate -- and set the record straight, or even blog about current events/news in your niche.

For WordPress bloggers, I wrote an article a very, very long time ago about what to do once the installation is complete. Chances are you've already made these changes, but in case you haven't, feel free to read You've Installed WordPress, What Comes Next?

And, of course, if you have any specific questions, we're all more than willing to help. Just ask. :D

~ Teli
 
Well, I'm just not sure what to do with it and/or where to share it. I put a link to it on my home page and mentioned it in my newsletter, but no one seems to be taking any interest. I try to add posts when I think of something but I'm not real clear just what the purpose is supposed to be -- I am tying it in with my web site, since I have a very difficult time believing anyone would want to hear about my personal life. :p

Thanks so much!
 
You'd be surprised what people want to hear about. Humans are naturally voyeuristic creatures, so it's interesting to hear about someone else's experiences with something.

As for where to share it, add it to your forum sig, leave comments on other blogs within your niche, make sure you're pinging the update services, submit it to blog directories (there are a ton of them) and regular web directories, add your RSS feed to RSS directories (see RSSTop55 for a good long list), and don't forget about your e-mail sig (an oldie, but a goodie).

I've already mentioned some tips on what you can blog about. A lot of my consulting clients have the same problem, but each of them, after they develop a rhythm, have more than enough topics to write about and they're addicted to blogging. So, give it some time, start slow (there's no need to burst out of the gate LOL) and let it build over time.

Hope that helps,
~ Teli
 
Thanks, Teli, very much! Every little bit helps. I guess I just need to find some time to devote to it and get in the hang of it. I would really like to make something of it!

I need to visit other blogs, too -- maybe that would give me a much needed jump start!
 
fitnfree, in case you didnt know Teli is our resident blog expert and really knows her stuff and gave you some great advice.
 
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