Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
Blog Content: It doesn’t matter how good your blog is if no-one is seeing it! Agreed?
I spent many years being proud of my content only to find that no-one was really seeing it. VERY SAD FACE!
So, you must understand the importance of getting your Blog Content out there and into the right eyes – like having a shop where you want potential customers coming up for a look.
You want people to know about you and your quality offerings.
Especially if you want to create targeted leads, call to action conversions and ultimately SALES!
Blogging is the big thing today and everyone seems to have one. I started mine back in 2006 way before many were doing it as much.
I started on blogger and knew nothing. But I gradually started taking courses to help mine improve it’s exposure.
I studied SEO, backlinking, keywords, story lines, formatting, using images, educating others, entertaining others, providing value, creating call to actions, ranking on Google and more. And I paid for many courses and training’s to help me. I eventually went across to wordpress as it’s simply the best platform and most respected by Google and I believe still is.
Why did I want a blog though?
Initially:
- I wanted a BRANDING TOOL
- I also wanted to drive traffic to my business
- I also wanted to become an expert blogger and position myself
-
I also wanted to monetize the blog
- I also want to share affiliate offers
- I also wanted to attract Coaching clients
- I also loved writing and it was a great pleasure for me so I thought it would be a lovely area to get into
- I also had learned a great deal about life and hardship so my story would be able to help others
- I also wanted to share my books, courses and helpful tools and resources
Can you see why I started a blog?
Now it is regarded as an authority blog which pays me and allows me to write whilst I earn. So, it is a part of my business.
But how do I get my blog seen?
Where to begin; but in short it is rich with value and content, and it is organic content so Google love that. Also, I share it everywhere which is relevant. Plus I drive traffic here from other places such as Facebook, Linked In, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.
Get Your Blog SEEN! Share on X
So how do I monetize my blog?
I share my coaching, ebooks, courses, affiliate products and services and I build a list in order to drive the right subscribers to my list and there I can offer further value and sell. This may be applied to any niche also. If you bake you can share amazing images which delight viewers, also videos, and great other content to entice and attract the right types. This is where you can then offer and share various products and services which you may use yourself. In fact – I believe it is more effective to SHARE reviews of what you buy, and this way you earn commissions from your recommendations.
If you look around you will see banners, affiliate links and my products and services.
So, I never forget that I have a blogging business here. I treat it as such.
If you blog for fun then great – but what is the point in even blogging if no-one is seeing it?
So you can leverage your expertise and create a business from it if you choose to.
For me it is creating various income streams – so I wouldn’t be without my blog now – and it is an integral part of my overall strategy.
Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
Where do you begin?
Look at your true purpose from your passions when creating your blog and see how you can be the answer. – Explore this deeply and fully.
Check out other blogs in your niche and see what they are creating for you. – Look at the best blogs out there and what they do. Try Instagram.
Hire a WordPress expert. – I can help you with a recommendation with that if you contact me.
Look at your core skills and how you can bring your unique edge to something. – Think about what you do well and perhaps focus on that area.
Once you have your core subject and area hire content creators or write yourself – This will all depend upon how good you are with content creation.
Master the art by studying experts and books out there and aim to become the primary blog in your area or profession. – Master your craft.
Think about the primary objective of what you will do and why. – How will you stand out? Will you use great images or maybe invite guests to write.
As you start to build your blog our outsource it you can start creating Social media platforms to share it on. I recommend Instagram above all as it is one of the most looked at areas and by sharing great images of your blog, you can create a huge following. Create a Facebook fan page and create a YouTube channel.
Start inviting others to follow you!
Begin to build a following and fans both organically and paid if necessary. But start FREE.
There are so many people out there who would probably love what you do, IF you can position it right. This is where you will need to explore your brand identity and how this creates that direct message with your ideal reader/subscriber.
Once your blog is ready and you have a brand you can begin to share posts and even run competitions, have offers, discounts and other things where appropriate in your marketing mix. You can also hire the media to help you with your campaigns.
Get Your Blog SEEN! Share on X
Use the radio if you can and TV in order to stand out. Think about who you will be appealing to the most and be in front of them. Create ads on your blog also to earn revenue.
Think about a lead magnet also. You can see the book I give away on the top right; this builds my email list where I can then offer the products and services I use and recommend. (Oh – don’t forget to grab the free eBook its packed full of Small Business success tips!)
You will see when you read it that I deliver strategic content and more to deeply connect with my subscribers.
So, hire an expert to help you create a lead magnet. Ensure that it is highly value driven and something which your subscriber actually finds useful. Once you give it away you can capture their details, and even offer a cheap front end offer product.
This way you can monetise right from the get go.
This is not vital, but an option. From there you can grow your list and as times moves offer subscribers various ways to buy from you inbetween giving great value. If you have a contact form on your blog make sure you answer questions as quickly as you can and always respond to comments at the bottom as quickly as you can.
Post at least once a week to keep it alive and to show your blog readers that you are a person they want to trust and go to for expertise.
So, if you leave your blog for months with no action or interaction then previously loyal readers will go elsewhere. Give them reasons to stay by being present and active.
Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
Are you marketing it enough?
Here's Where I Share My Blog Posts:
FACEBOOK GROUPS/PAGES = Like minded people hang out at FB in pages and groups so be their ‘go-to’ person.
TWITTER = A high traffic area which helps your content grow in search rankings.
LINKED IN = Professional business types love to read from other experts. So be there and they will connect with you.
BLOG PINGING SITES = This blasts your URL out to certain blog sites and helps your general exposure
PINTEREST = A popular place for hobbyists, collectors, passionate creative types who love other creatives.
TUMBLR = A kind of giant blog where all can share, so you can optimize your profile there and share your posts
Are You Familiar With These Sites? Do you use them already?
If so, you will know how they work or at least be able to see what’s going on generally and get an idea about what other are doing.
Without peoples eyes seeing your blog then you don’t have anything!
You Really Want Specific Traffic! = This has to be strategically acquired through various channels.
You want Specific Readers! = This means your ideal potential ultimate clients who will buy, repeat buy, recommend you and refer others to you.
You want Specific Followers! = This means RAVING FANS who are loyal to you and your cause and love what you are doing
You have to imagine that you are the reader and to ask yourself if you would enjoy the content.
So, think about if you can provide fresh answers to their problems and weave in interesting stories and images; after all, why would your blog readers ever come back for more? And are they going to be there long enough?
We are looking for a visitor to spend at least 7 seconds at our site so you will want to ask these questions;
- Is your blog easy to navigate around for them?
- Are the colours conducive to your brand identity and message?
- Do you capture their email and have an obvious Opt-in offer?
- Is your blog FUN and engaging in both writing and imagery?
- Is it clear where they can contact you for more info?
- Have you searched keywords and applied them in the right areas?
- Are your headlines grabbing their attention?
- Are you personal enough, so they feel a Human connection?
- Will you create consistent content for your audience?
Get Your Blog SEEN! Share on X
Apart from these more obvious areas – you will need to hire an expert to ensure that the back office workings are set up right.
If you don’t understand code then do hire a person who can build your site and maintain it. I noticed that I had many broken links from over 10 years ago until quite recently, so I deleted them and cleaned up my code and links. We need to maintain a standard as this also helps with rankings and exposure.
It is also worth exploring your domain name.
You need to understand what your client wants. And what you can deliver. This has to be reflected in your URL. As you know mine is www.TheSmallBusinessGrowthBlog.com It does what it says.
But not all domains HAVE TO be like that, they can be funky, cool and fresh as long as the content reflects the core subject matter.
So, you will probably know of sites and blogs with names which are simply cool names but have no connection to the product or service.
The key with these is that you build a great reputation. With a great reputation others will begin to associate your name WITH the best option for what they want.
Here are some cool blogs with names which stand out and are very popular:
CHECK OUT THESE TOP 10 BLOGS HERE AND SEE HOW THEY ARE NAMED – Some are the persons name but others are simply cool names.
Could you see how some are very specifically named to associate with the owner whilst others are more funky fun names? So do your homework here before jumping into just using any name.
NOW HERE ARE THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL BLOGS ACCORDING TO THE GUARDIAN – This is the Guardians opinion. You actually decide. that.
So, you can start getting down some ideas about which blogs are out there and very popular; so explore them. Look at names and why they work and why they may be so powerful. Again – a name doesn’t have to be like mine here, I chose this for specific purposes to me and my readers.
Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
So you now have your new blog post. Great work!
Now it’s time to get yourself out there and start sharing.
Be consistent and regular with adding content remember and keep it simple fresh and helpful when writing.
YOU CAN INCLUDE:
> SOLUTIONS AND HOW TO STUFF
> FUN AND VALUABLE IDEAS
> FREE CONTENT AND ADVICE THAT LEADS TO A PRODUCT OR SERVICE YOU HAVE
> EDUCATION AND OPINIONS
> REVIEWS OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
> GUEST BLOGGERS WHO MAY BE WELL KNOWN
> ENTERTAINMENT
Blog Content:
Hey – have you heard about building Social tribes?
Welcome to my village!
This is where you share your Blog Content on an Epic Scale.
You can build huge loyal followings who ADORE YOU and what you do. Some call themselves influencers, leaders in their niche and they use video to really capture the attention of their biggest fans.
You only need to look at Instagram for that.
Many of the major Musicians and Movie stars are there also.
(those are fetching dresses – don’t you think?)
So, you can build your own tribe of super interactive fans who comment, follow, love and keep coming back as top fans
Now you know how to get in front of raving fans let’s look at what else you should be doing to create more of the right traffic to your blog site.
Do you have backlinks to your blog?
This is where you can add your blog URL to other sites so when others find you in these other places they will click back to your blog.
YouTube is a great place for this, as PEOPLE LOVE VIDEO!
So, make cool videos and be sure to link back to your blog by inputting your URL at the top of the video description.
Why there?
It is above the fold, so this means that when someone finds your video, they will also clearly see your URL below it.
You don’t want them to have to scramble around to learn more about you. Make it easy for them.
Also, subscribe to others blogs which are influential and add VALUABLE RESPECTFUL comments to their blogs which add value.
This will help with others find you also as will Twitter. By commenting, retweeting, liking and messaging experts on Twitter you will create a following which will gradually increase IF you can provide your own value driven content there. Get to learn your niche in Twitter and look at top users there to see what they are doing to create a connection.
Get Your Blog SEEN! Share on X
Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
Sharing Content Is Quite An Easy Task, But Are You Selling Yourself Enough When You Share?
You Have To Let People Know That You And Your Blog/Website Content Is A Personal And Useful Resource For Them.
How Can People Trust You As An Expert?
Be a Professional and show people that they can come back again and again for FREE VALUE.
Even if the value you give seems like obvious stuff to you, it might not be to readers. Create PERCEIVED VALUE, meaning that it seems and feels like a great deal of value, but it might be simple for you to create. The value increases the more you can use the right words to emphasize it’s worth.
What is an example of perceived value?
In simple terms – it is creating and delivering something which ‘to end user’ appears to worth more to them than the cost of that product or service.
They feel they are getting GREAT VALUE and a great deal more than other can provide.
Here is Investopedia’s version = In marketing terminology, perceived value is the customers evaluation of the merits of a product or service and it’s ability to meet their needs and expectations, especially in comparison with its peers. Thanks To Investopedia There – WHOLE ARTICLE IS HERE
Are you with me? So, think about what has been sold to you and WHY! Think about the feeling it gave you.
We want to feel experiences even if we are in them. It’s a bit like when we look at Holidays online, we imagine ourselves THERE!
It is the experience we want to feel in life and so, this is why when we have a vision of something it drives us to acquire that thing.
How will you drive readers to want more?
Have you heard of Vlogging?
A personal website or social media account where a person regularly posts short videos usually in a trending area. It might be reviews, makeup, food, travel or anything else.
What is an example of a Vlog?
An example would be where you add travel vlogs to the growing demand for travel-based material appearing all over the Web. So you would be adding new material to regularly update your vlog. This is where YouTube Stars have been created. Literally Millions of dollars has been made on YouTube by Celebrity Vloggers. Perhaps there are trends which are in huge demand and you can be the primary solution to that.
This is a pretty huge area now – as video is just so popular. So, I suggest that whatever you do, you create videos. Whether you wish to become the next celebrity YouTuber or a Blogger, you can create a strong brand. Videos today are a HUGE business area and they are likely to stay for many years as it is really second only to face to face interaction.
So, you hold the key to your own success.
You hold the key to your success as a leader or blogger by using your unique attributes and in what you do. Your story is a part of you, and so needs to be expressed with the world. So blogging is a great way to do so and you can be the leader in your niche.
That was a lovely break In California 11 years ago I must say! We drove North and ended up in San Jose, San Fran, The Napa Valley, Yosemite and then down to Los Angeles and San Diego via Pismo Beach and Santa Monica. Very grateful for all my trips and I was able to blog right there by the pool.
Anyway, enough of me, YOU can build a great blog from your passions and ideas and you can make that a part of your business.
In order to get it right though you will probably want to try and grow your Blog’s rankings by hiring content experts in order to create keyword rich blog posts. Don’t cut corners when it comes to QUALITY!
This is a no brainer; as you have to create those dynamic, colorful quality blog posts and become the primary choice for so many.
Plus, by treating it as a business and seriously you will gradually become organically RANKED HIGHLY.
Keep it fresh people!
You will also want to do as many PERSONAL posts about how you have discovered something new as people love to read about new discoveries, and ‘How To’ posts so others can LEARN from you and at the same time like, you, trust you and get to know you.
So, how can you become a better writer?
READ OTHER BLOG POSTS AND STUDY THE FORMAT AND FLOW
READ THE SALES STUFF FROM YOUR POST BOX
READ MORE BOOKS AND ARTICLES
READ STORIES
WATCH VIDEOS ON WRITING
TAKE A CONTENT OR COPY WRITING COURSE ON UDEMY
Start there!
It is common news that people want to learn ‘what to do’ – as they are keen to build success for themselves so you have to be able to articulate ‘how’ they will be able to do so.
Remember I talked about linking to other Blog’s. You will benefit by adding your blog to other sites like:
E-Zines
>Business Directories
>Other Websites
>Your Social Media Sites
>Niche Sites that relate to your Blog
Just Link back to your Blog content. Whether you make a video or write an article or press release always try and link back to your relevant Blog Post to increase the contents views and exposure.
This ain’t rocket science it’s just exposure. Be inspired.
When you are spreading yourself all over the web ensure that add value to wherever you place your Blog/posts, don’t create shoddy content as one bad piece can ruin your whole reputation. I remember that I used to rush posts and eBooks to get them out there, but I only had to edit them later on again as I realised that they needed checking for spelling, formatting, flow, consistency, relevance and for URLS. So I would sometimes miss vital components such as Hyper links and keywords all because I wanted to get it out. DON’T do a half arsed piece of work. It will only come back to bite you on the arse.
I know it sounds obvious:
But – try to think outside of the box and think about why others would really benefit from your content over others.
Oh and DON’T OUTRIGHT SELL TO PEOPLE as GOOGLE WILL NOT LIKE YOU and you will be out of business pretty fast!
Be the ‘go-to’ trusted source for all things XYZ.
Get Your Blog SEEN! Share on X
Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?
Confused by all this?
Don’t worry you don’t need to be an expert in all of these areas. You can hire others and ensure that you stick to your strengths. In fact I advice you do, otherwise you will burn out. Start by putting in say 1 hour per day into your blog as you build it. But first RESEARCH! This is so important as many rush into creating new blogs, but they have no idea what readers may actually want, so learn the trade and define your strategy in order to be able to stand out and be unique in a sea of noise.
Take courses on content creation if you need to – and ensure that you are the best you can be in your market area. Aim high!
As always I want to wish you the very best with your blog
Greg
If you are looking for a WordPress expert to help you build your blog the right way (recommended) then I can suggest my good friend Vicky who has many years of experience supporting the build of blogs and sites:
Vicky is at: THE WEBSITE MENTOR who also runs WordPress Happy – for all your Professional WP needs.
1ON1 FREE Passion Discovery Coaching Session With me Here:
Start Your Own Micro Business with my self study here:
PASSIONS TO PROFITS $10k P MONTH SELF STUDY COURSE
My Success Books Here:
I hope you enjoyed ‘Blog Content and Monetization: Is Your Blog Being Seen Enough?’
Wanna Share, Then Feel Free! Get out there and get creating!