Suggestions for Bloggers As We Head Into 2011

In just a few days, we’ll be starting a brand new year. For most people, it is a time to reflect, to look at where you’ve been, and decide where you’re going.

Today, I wanted to offer a few thoughts on 2011. But, first a quick update…

The prelaunch for Blog Masters Club is proceeding very well. In all honesty, it is an easier experience than last time (about a year ago). I can tell you more about that after the launch is over, but for now…. I really hope everybody is enjoying the new Blueprint report and the video. If you haven’t gotten it yet, you can opt in and get immediate access. And, if you HAVE, I’d love to know what you thought.

OK, about 2011. See, one of the reasons I decided to make the nutty manuever of doing a prelaunch right smack over the holidays is because I wanted to actually open the doors right about the turn of the year. In fact, I can tell you that the Blog Masters Club will reopen on the 5th of January. I want people to get off to a good start for a new year, dontcha know.

But, this isn’t just about Blog Masters. It is about making the most of 2011 no matter what.

As I stated in this article, it is time to shit or get off the pot. You can either keep on playing business, or you can actually do it. And, if you are already taking this seriously and running a real business, then it is time to ramp it up a notch or two, huh?

There are a few trendlines I’m watching as we head into 2011…

• More and more people are paying attention to the Internet as a way to make a buck (with the economy as it is). This means more players, which means those who start now, take it seriously, and stop screwing around will be better off for it.
• People are more cynical than ever. Building trust and providing value are more important than ever, and bloggers are in an IDEAL position to do that if they know some marketing skills on top of that (which is what I teach inside Blog Masters, BTW).
• Our mediums are adjusting. Every year, somebody proclaims blogging as dead. They’re consistently full of crap, but there is one thing that IS true – it isn’t about the BLOG. It is about COMMUNICATION. And, more and more, you’re going to see some of that communication switch to social media and to videos. VIDEO is already huge, and is just going to get “huger” (yes, I made up a word just now). We, as “bloggers”, need to not necessarily define ourselves as bloggers, but as “content marketers” or “content providers”. And, yes, even though the word “blog” is in the Blog Masters Club, trust me, I teach with this perspective in mind. This is not a course on how to blog.
• Big sea shift to mobile platforms. As content providers, we need to pay attention to this. More and more people will be accessing our stuff via smartphones and tablets. Iphone will likely see an explosion after the rumored Verizon launch, and Android phones are going to become a commodity like today’s Windows PC. You want to make sure your content is portable and syndicated. You might even want to explore the use of apps in 2011, and start testing your blog for display on mobile platforms, RSS aggregators, etc.

In all, I recommend that you take a piece of paper, a Google doc, an Evernote note – whatever floats your boat – and sit down and make some plans.

Real plans…. not “new years resolutions” which usually end up dead as a doorknob after a few weeks.

Take a bird’s eye view of what you see happening, both in the external world and your own world, and make plans to move yourself closer to your ideal scene. Form a picture of what your IDEAL would be, then look for what you need to DO to make your life look like that.

A few suggestions I might toss at you might be…

• Focus on building your foundations, your skills, your knowledge. This is something that isn’t subject to inflation or deflation. It stays with you, and empowers you to be self-sufficient and, yes, make money.
• Start cutting out things that waste your time or which offer low ROI. For example, I think a lot of bloggers need to realistically rethink their usage of Twitter. The platform has its uses, but it isn’t the best thing since sliced bread and, compared to other things you could be doing, is pretty damn close to a waste of time. What is sucking up YOUR time? And how are you going to change it in 2011?
• Build up assets. An asset is a thing of value which has a lasting value and will deliver value to you over time. When you’re building a business, online or offline, you need to think about your staying power. A tweet has no staying power and is forgotten in 5 minutes. A blog post has longer shelf life. A PDF report has even better shelf life. A video series behind an opt-in or membership site paywall… that has a lot of staying power and delivers value to you long-term. Think about this when you decide what to produce and how to spend your time.

I have a new project I’m going to be working on after I’m done relaunching Blog Masters. It will ultimately be a new product. And one, incidentally, that I’m quite likely to give new Blog Masters students access to with no additional cost if you take quick action after the 5th of January. But, that product is going to tackle head-on “big picture” stuff, elements of strategy and mindset.

I’ll tell you more about that when the time is right, but for now…

What are YOU going to do to make 2011 kick ass? How are you going to hold yourself accountable to do it?

Perhaps you may find that Blog Masters Club may play a role in that for you. If so, I look forward to working with you. Yes, more details about the Club will come out over the coming days (if you’re not really sure what it is).

Today, I just wanted to drop a normal blog post. During a launch, usually my blog is all about the launch campaign, but I was getting itchy to write something today. Tomorrow, I’ll be launching a brand new PDF essay I’m calling “Blogging Myths”. So, I’ll see you tomorrow.

Yours in Blogging Success,
David Risley