Blogging
7 Simple Tips For Blogging Faster [Without Caffeine]
We all know that content is important in blogging. Most bloggers are under pressure to produce more blog posts.
I’m not sure why, but I can generally produce a blog post pretty quickly. In most cases, I can write a typical post in 15-20 minutes. To me it is normal.
When I talk to other bloggers, I get varying levels of speed. Some bloggers are fast while others struggle to get even one post per week out the door. Couple into this the demands of normal life, and it is easy to conclude that time is the major bottleneck to your blogging success.
A Viewpoint on Time
The way I see it, time is completely arbitrary. It is in the eye of the beholder.
Have you ever seen a person who gets one task done in a day, then sit back, act tired and act like their day was full? I have. Grocery shopping seems to be the day’s goal. Time to relax after that.
On the flip side, you’ve got people who just get things done all day. They are fast. They are MACHINES. And others marvel at their productivity.
Same exact day. But, one person tackles the day in a completely different way.
Look at the hummingbird. The hummingbird flaps its wings 8-10 times per SECOND. Everywhere it goes, it goes fast. Another example: the common house fly. Wonder why you can’t ever catch the damn thing? Its concept of time is different than ours. We probably look like we’re moving like turtles comparatively.
So, the way I see it, it isn’t that we have a finite amount of time per day and it is a fixed quantity. It is our viewpoint of time which makes the difference.
It might be easier said than done, but I think its true to say this: Just change your viewpoint! You’re the one who makes time scarce for yourself!
Now, let’s put aside philosophy and talk about this more practically.
7 Tips For Faster Blogging
Here are some simple tips that I have found helped me over the years:
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Top 8 Mistakes Of Blogger Newbs
Every new blogger makes mistakes. I made tons of them when I got started.
Here are the top mistakes I see out there that you should avoid:
- Not selecting a market. For your blog to succeed, it needs to have a point. An online journal, where you write about whatever crosses your mind, is not conducive to growth or making any money one day. Choose a market where the people in it (a) have a motivating, emotional driver to do things, (b) you have something to contribute.
- Not interacting with others. Guess what, the secret to blog traffic is NOT posting more crap to your blog! Instead, it is in forming relationships with people, referring them to the blog, and then giving them a reason to stick around. You need to be active in social media, interact with others and build real connections. This is a people business.
- Not starting an email list. You should start your email list from day #1. A Feedburner RSS-to-email list does not fit the bill. I’m talking about a REAL mailing list where you can send them anything you want.
- Not using Wordpress. Don’t build your blog on a crappy platform. Don’t use some free blog service out there where they own your content and they could turn it off at any time. Get a real web host, install Wordpress, and build on a stable, supported platform.
- Not writing very well. Writing for a blog is very different than the way you learned to write in school. Learn how to write in a compelling way.
- Not getting a good blog layout. Serious bloggers will INVEST in a decent layout. Yes, that means pay out a little money to have somebody do it for you if you don’t know how. Cookie-cutter themes scream amateur because people see the same theme on other blogs. And amateur graphics make your blog look cheesy. You need to convince new readers that your blog is quality within SECONDS of them getting there. Trust me, a decent theme which is unique and backs up your personal brand is VERY important. If you’re not super technical, check out Headway.
- Overuse of Ads. Bloggers who wish to monetize often make the mistake of (1) limiting themselves to banner ads, and (2) overloading the site with them. Look, the reality is that banners are a SSLLLOOOOWWWW way to make a buck with a new blog. You’ll be better off just concentrating on building a solid following, then pitch relevant offers to them as your own personal recommendations. Or better yet, create your own product. Don’t be a crappy business person.
- Not Being Real. You want people to know, like and trust you. That’s not going to work out very well if you’re being fake or if you’re being as boring as an accountant watching paint dry. Blogging isn’t a college lecture (we all fell asleep in there). It is about being a REAL DUDE (or gal, if you’re not a dude).
Show some personality!
Are you still making any of these mistakes? Do you have any you want to add from your own experience?
Are Bloggers Just Crappy Business People?
The question had to be asked. In fact, a few of us were even discussing this very question when I was in Vegas for BlogWorld Expo.
Most bloggers wonder how to make money with a blog. The default answer seems to be to write a lot, build traffic, then sell ads. That blogger thinks he’s building his “business” by writing even more. Problem is, it oftens leads to this….
So, the plan is that you’ll start a blog, write a lot, write some more, get famous and then sell a few ads on the blog. Attract sponsors and cash in, right?
With so much competing noise out there, this kind of expectation would be like waiting for a blogger fairy to come out and sprinkle some problogger fairy dust on top of your head. I’m not saying it isn’t possible, but that it is an uphill fight for a new blogger who doesn’t really engage in marketing.
I think this mentality might stem from the days of the old media. In the old media, this is how they sustain themselves. Build an audience, scare the crap out of them so they’ll keep watching, and turn around and sell the eyeballs to companies who want more customers.
However, there’s a reason why the newspaper industry is failing. If you enter the blogosphere with this same mentality, you’re not going to make any money.
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How To Write For Blog Readers Just RIDDLED With ADD
Many beginning bloggers just get it wrong. They “brain dump” into Wordpress and the post is barely readable.
I wanted to share some advice with you today to help you write a better blog post.
Headline is Important
The headline is your hook in the sea. You need that hook to be attractive enough to lure the reader in and make them bite (click). So, make the headline catchy.
A few quick guidelines:
- Focus on “YOU”. And here, I mean the reader. What benefit are they going to get by reading your post? Make your headline make some kind of intriguing promise to the reader that just makes them want to click.
- Use the pattern interrupt. People surf the internet is a state of hypnosis. Wake them up by throwing them a headline which wakes them up.
- Spike their curiosity. Make them want more. People hate mysteries. They don’t like not knowing.
- “How To”… works in the headline. Immediate benefit to the reader.
- Give a reason why. For example, “Here’s why your blog traffic sucks.”. You’re giving them a reason. You’re spiking their curiosity. It is also a pattern interrupt.
Study headlines which work. It is an art, and when you master it, your readership will increase and you’ll draw them in like crazy.
Be Real
Don’t do formal writing. Let the English teachers get their jollies off on that one. It doesn’t work on a blog.
Be conversational in your writing style. Be interesting.
Shakespeare would make a crappy blogger. Don’t be that guy.
Your Reader Has CRAZY ADD
Your typical blog reader is just riddled with ADD. Those eyes are going all over the place, and they’re operating in a bored emotional tone. Boredom doesn’t work if you want to hook your reader, so your job is to move them up from boredom into some form of interest.
So, your first sentence needs a hook. Draw them in. Make them want to read the rest of your post.
In the post, you want to use sub-headlines. It allows for people to scan the post.
If you came across a blog where each paragraph was really long, you wouldn’t read it. Because you’re lazy. And so is the rest of the Internet.
Short paragraphs. Easy sentences. Words that don’t require a dictionary. And sub-headlines to allow speed-readers to size up the post as worth their time.
Also, use bullet points and lists to break up the flow of the post (where appropriate). This is the pattern interrupt concept taken right into the structure of your post. Break up the flow a little bit.
This is Communication – Don’t Forget That
Communication, for it to be true communication, needs to consist of understanding on the receiving end. Just blurting crap out there isn’t communication. Just talking to yourself and hoping others listen to you is not communication.
Talk TO them. Get them to talk to you.
Write with the purpose of being completely understood on the other end. Your job isn’t to impress them with big words to make you seem smart. If you pile them up with words they don’t understand, they’ll just use the back button and leave. And they’ll think you’re an idiot.
Have a message to communicate to the reader when you make a post. Before you hit that publish button, ask yourself “Why am I posting this? What do I want my reader to walk away with?”
If you’re not thinking about that, then you’re doing it wrong.
Now, go blog something.
The Secret To Huge Volumes of Content For Any Blogger
A common theme I hear from new bloggers is the time demands of creating so much content. Then, people like me will tell you how important it is to do videos, too, and your reaction might be…
Are you Frickin’ kidding me?
You don’t have to be the superman of writing to be a good blogger. You just need to learn how to leverage your time effectively.
Leverage is getting the absolute most bang for your buck. Or, in this case, your time. Can you make one piece of content fit many purposes? Sure you can.
Be Everywhere
You don’t want your blog to be a little island, all alone out there in the vast sea of the Internet. In real life, sole survivors die. That’s you on your blog unless you do something to get people to your island. So, you need bridges.
All of the video sites. Podcast directories. Itunes. Article directories. You want to be out there, everywhere and anywhere. You want to encompass the Internet with your brand and your message, and all of it should point back to your blog.
So, does that mean you have to make videos? Then make podcasts? Then write some articles for the article directories? And sprinkle in a little actual blogging into the mix? Of course not.
The Magic Bullet
The magic bullet is simply leverage.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking:
- Write a blog post, then repurpose it, shorten it to 400 words or so, and post it in the article directory.
- Do a video. Take the audio and turn it into a podcast. Then, get the audio transcribed. There’s a blog post. Then, repurpose that yet again, there’s one or more articles for the directories.
- Write a report? Dictate it and turn it into a podcast.
- Recording a podcast? Ustream yourself doing the podcast and invite your readers to watch? Then, post the video directly from Ustream into Youtube. Again, transcribe it into print format for blog posts.
- Do a webinar? Record it, transcribe, yada yada.
- Need a product to sell? Take your blog content which is good and compile it into a digestible product and sell it. Don’t think that is shady. All the top people do it. A lot.
You get the idea? It is all about leverage.
Lastly, get help. If you’re serious about blogging as a business, you need a virtual assistant. That person can help you with transcription, repurposing, etc. Ideally, you should be able to create the content once and be done with it. Have the rest of it taken care of.
You can blog in first gear, or you can shift into overdrive. Your call.
How a Problogger Handles Taxes
A few days ago, I got an email in from a reader with the following:
All the talk (you and others) focus on how to get all this money in a short amount of time- but nothing discussed about paying taxes on all this income.
So, I thought I would address this for everybody.
Yes, just like any other business, we pay taxes. I maintain my accounting records for the business in Quickbooks, and I have an accountant who does my taxes for me every year. I could do my own taxes if I were so inclined, but it is worth it to have a CPA do it. I am not a tax expert. I don’t follow all the different rules regarding deductions. And at the end of the day, I just hate accounting.
The taxes which would need to be addressed are:
- Sales taxes (if applicable). If I sell a physical product to somebody within the state of Florida, I collect sales taxes. I have to pay that to the state once per quarter.
- Employment taxes. I have to deduct income taxes, social security and Medicare and pay that to the tax man once per quarter.
- Income taxes. I have an S-corporation, so my income carries over to my personal taxes and that’s where I pay it.
As for any tax breaks or tax loopholes, I only apply the same basic stuff anybody else does. To my knowledge, there are no loopholes. But, I do deduct things like:
- Hosting expenses
- Cost of goods sold.
- Labor/Service costs.
- Travel expenses when I travel for business.
- Any educational/service subscriptions I pay for.
- Internet service, business phones, etc.
- Etc…
Essentially, if it is a legit business expense, I deduct it. On top of this, my wife and I have other deductions on a personal basis which helps gets the tax bill down at the end of the year as well.
Generally, I do not pay estimated taxes. Perhaps I should, however it doesn’t appear to have ever been an issue. I just pay the whole bill at the end of the year.
I personally do not set money aside for taxes. With all the deductions and everything, my tax bill has never been unmanageable for me. Plus, I try to get my taxes back from my accountant as early in the year as possible so that I have some time to prep for the tax bill (if necessary).
In general, it gets to a point where you can begin to ballpark your tax damage. I know how my income compares to the year prior, and I also know what my expenses and deductions are.
Blogging for a living is no different than any other business when it comes to dealing with the tax man.
Direct Sales: The Forgotten Revenue Stream For Bloggers?
I’m over here at BlogWorld Expo 2009 in Las Vegas. As usual, there is a monetization track for bloggers and it always proves popular. Sometimes the sessions are standing room only.
Every session, I hear the standard fare. Banner ads. Affiliate programs.
Every session, a huge line forms up at the mic for questions. Most of the bloggers aren’t making any money. They are there to learn the “secrets” of the gurus. Guys like Darren Rowse, John Chow, Brian Clark, etc.
Most sessions, it seems they completely gloss over the most lucrative form of blog monetization: direct sales.
Brian Clark gets it. His philosophy to monetization is very similar to my own. He launched Teaching Sells, for example. And Thesis. Darren is only now getting into some direct sales. John doesn’t do it, however that is by choice on his part. Most of the other panelists on the monetization track just completely miss the boat.
Advertising is NOT the key to making money as a blogger. It takes a lot of traffic to make it work. Trying to make money with banner ads is like running full speed on a treadmill and wondering why you’re not getting to the carrot on the end of the stick. Those who run fast enough can get the carrot. The rest just keep trying and never get there.
The key to making money as a blogger is thinking like a business. That means having things to sell and engaging in marketing to build a relationship with the audience and ultimately sell them your wares. You can make six-figure level income with relatively small traffic numbers when you do this.
This year alone, due to Blog Masters Club and 3DayMoney, this blog is earning a five-figure income which would rival many people’s full-time jobs for the year. This blog’s traffic is such that I wouldn’t make even a fraction of that if I were littering this blog up with ads. This blog might make me $10-$20 per day if I were using network ads (if I’m lucky). Instead, it is making me several thousand dollars per month.
And that doesn’t even include income from PCMech.com, where I use a combination of ads, affiliate stuff and direct sales.
So, bloggers! Don’t forget direct sales. It should be the FIRST thing people think of when it comes to blog monetization.
Even so, a number of the panelists fail to communicate that fact.
The 3 Different Approaches To Blogging
A blog is a pretty flexible medium. What you choose to do with your blog is completely up to you. Obviously, my approach to blogging is as a business. However, there are others.
Let me get right to the point and outline what I see as the three main sub-divisions of blogging.
Hobby Blogging
The vast majority of blogs out there are hobby blogs. A hobby blog is one where the blogger simply blogs about whatever is most interesting to him/her.
The thing to understand is that hobby blogs don’t necessarily make good businesses. The entire step of market evaluation is left out, instead going with what the blogger finds interesting. For this reason, most hobby blogs don’t make any money.
Promotional Blogging
A promotional blog is one where the blog is designed primarily as a promotional or informational device for a business.
For example, if you are a consultant, you might want to operate a promotional blog in order to provide information relevant to your expertise. The blog is not monetized directly, but you do so indirectly by using the blog to refer new clients into your consulting business.
Perhaps you make money as a paid speaker. In this case, your blog is, again, designed to promote yourself and your expertise. You monetize the blog by making it abundantly clear how people can contact you and hire you as a speaker.
Even offline businesses should explore a promotional blog.
Professional Blogging
When you blog as a professional blogger, then you are running an online business where the blog forms the crux of your lead generation strategy. You monetize through ads, affiliate marketing, and/or selling your own products.
In this case, the blog is the face of the business. The blog forms the hub of an online empire.
This is the approach that I take.
As a pro blogger, we are not interested in promoting an offline business. Secondly, a pro blogger specifically targets a market and does not blog about anything he finds interesting. A pro blogger has to stay on topic. A pro blogger often releases content in a strategic fashion so as to promote a particular product, and the methods of doing so is an entire subject otherwise known as marketing.
Being a problogger is demanding. It requires a combination of writing skills and marketing skills. It can also be very lucrative if you are in the right market and are adept at the two above skills.
So, there you have it. That’s a bird’s eye view of the different approaches to blogging.
Which do you fall in? And do you wish to make a change? What are your goals with your blog?
[Reader’s Pulse] Why Do You Blog?
There was a time when you didn’t blog. Then, something happened.
You got the itch. You decided, “Hey, maybe it would be cool to start a blog.”. And you did. You started with that first post. Like a lot of people, you probably announced to your audience of one (yourself) what your big plans were for the blog. What were they?
Did you go into it to influence people’s opinions? To vent your own opinions? To have an online journal?
Did you have dreams of being an Internet celebrity? Did you go into it solely as a business concept?
Why did YOU start blogging?
Take a moment and post a comment and let me know.
5 Tips for Quickly Creating Your First PDF Report
It is pretty common knowledge that offering a free PDF report is a great way to build up an email list and enhance your overall authority in your market.
The prospect of creating such a report is, for some, daunting.
Bloggers are told they need to write quality posts and do it often. You’ve got to be in social media. Making videos. How are you supposed to have time to write an in-depth report, too?
The important thing to remember is that this is not a reason to avoid it. The very fact that most bloggers are too lazy to pull it off means that you’re going to stand out for the simple fact that you did it and had it to offer.
So, how can you speed it up? How can you take the significance off the idea of writing a free report, make it simple and get it done?
Here are some quick tips:
I'm David Risley. I've been making my living as a blogger for over a decade. Blogging is my business and how I support my family. With this blog, I'm just gettin' REAL and telling you how this business works. 
