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7 Steps to Becoming a

Blogger

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Setting up a Schedule

1. Consistency

•Come up with a weekly posting schedule. •Select your personal schedule to blog.•Stay consistent. •Let your readers know.

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Setting up a Schedule

2. Schedule•Schedule your posts ahead of time to launch on your consistent days.

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Setting up a Schedule

3. Log Future Post Ideas

•Utilize a future post idea plug-in. •Log any ideas, articles, sites, news, products, people, etc, you come across.

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Setting up a Schedule

4. Draft •Create drafts in your off time.•Utilize lunchtime and in-between time to draft up starts to full posts.

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Make itPretty

1. Theme•Choose your theme wisely.•Artisteer.com•$50 AYKM? Buy it!

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Make itPretty

2. Color Scheme•Your colors reflect your brand!•Colourlovers.com•FREE!! AYKM? Join it!•Find and create

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Make itPretty

3. Theme Images•Choose an artist you like.

•istock.com•Do it right!

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Make itPretty

4. Article Images•Use a plug-in for easy adding like WP-Decorator•Flickr•Use a free site•http://office.microsoft.com •FREE!! AYKM? Use it!

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Make itPretty

5. Article Length•Good posts don’t have to be 5 paragraphs, but they can be.•Bullet!•Text can take up more or less space depending on your theme.•Divide with subheadings

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Streamline your

Workflow

1. Connect the Dots•Include links to find you

elsewhere: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn•Use widgets

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2. Plug-ins!•Analytics WP•Exclude Pages from Navigation•Page Links To•Widget Logic•WP-Table Reloaded•FREE!! AYKM? Use them!

Streamline your

Workflow

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3. Nail your Topic•Do not stray!•Stick to a few categories and terms

Streamline your

Workflow

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4. Follow Others•Follow others in your topic•Follow others you admire•Comment on their blogs•Draw their posters to also follow you

Streamline your

Workflow

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5. Quality Posts•Read more, write well•Read post-like writers: Seth Godin, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Pink•How to Write a Lot

Streamline your

Workflow

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6. Comments•To comment or not to comment?•Disable comments while you build your readership?•Ask readers to engage you in your other SM•Does it work or doesn’t it?

Streamline your

Workflow

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1. RSS

Offer MoreOptions

•Who is the RSS audience?•What makes their experience exciting?

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2. Mail Sign-up•Embed mail sign up right at the top of your page!•Mailchimp.com•Feedburner.com•FREE!! AYKM? Use it!

Offer MoreOptions

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3. Add Multimedia•Try podcasting

•Podbean.com•Try vodcasting•Youtube.com or vimeo.com•Always pair text w/ MM•FREE!! AYKM? Use it!

Offer MoreOptions

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4. Broadcast to SM•Broadcast your post links to

FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn•Schedule reoccurring posts during ‘hot’ hours•Cotweet.com•FREE!! AYKM? Use it!

Offer MoreOptions

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5. Add This•Let others broadcast for you!•www.addthis.com/•FREE!! AYKM? Use it!

Offer MoreOptions

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1. Form a PLN•Contribute to the community•Be a loyal promoter•Build and streamline your go-to-network •What does your business card say about you?

Build yourFollowers

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2. Guest Blog•Give your blogging buddies a break•Reach another audience

Build yourFollowers

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3. Engage Followers•Reply to all comments

•Ask questions•Be open to all opinions•Comment on their blogs

Build yourFollowers

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4. Work your way to important people•Be a loyal supporter

•Promote them•Engage them on their blog•Ask to interview them

Build yourFollowers

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5. Give, give, give•Create meaningful products•Give and sell knowledge•Analytics: give them more of what they love

Build yourFollowers

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AlternativeUses

1. Portfolio•Resume•Testimonials•CV•Products you’ve created

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AlternativeUses

2. Sell stuff•E-books•Templates•Lesson plans•Consulting

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AlternativeUses

3. Newsletter

•Virtual newsletter•Be a go to source for a topic•Review products•Make money advertising

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Resources

1. Problogger

•The blog: problogger.net•The book: probloggerbook.com•The workbooks: problogger.net/learn

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Resources

2. Copyblogger

•The blog: copyblogger.com•SEO: http://scribeseo.com/

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Resources

3. Dan Schawbel•The blog:

http://danschawbel.com•http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/•http://studentbranding.com/

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Resources

4. Rapid E-learning•Interested in the PowerPoint:

http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/

Connect

Connect withLeah

Leah MacViewww.leahmacvie.com@leahmacvie/leah.macvie/in/leahmacvie