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Guide to Effective Blogging

Guide to Effective Blogging

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A collection of articles by Dr. Jeffrey Lant, a self-made internet millionaire, who shares is thoughts and tips running a successful blog.

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Page 1: Guide to Effective Blogging

Guide to Effective Blogging

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Table of Contents

1. Advice on what makes business blogs work by three who know: George Kosch, Sandi Hunter andDr. Jeffrey Lant. 2. Tips for blog and other non-fiction writers. 3. How to write the kind of blog copy that turns readers into fans who cannot live without you! 4. Blogging is booming. Look who's blogging... and why. 5. Master blog article writer tells you exactly how to write articles that get read and responded to. 6. Straight talk about blogging. How to turn your blog into a money maker, with special informationfor your not-for-profit organization. 7. How a perky housewife from Minnesota gets up to 5,000 responses to her blog each and everyday... and how you can do as well, or even better! 8. The pen is mightier than the sword. Vietnam's Communist government imprisons pro-democracyblogster... and immediately shows how powerful a blog can be. 9. Would you rather stick needles in your eyes then blog? 10 Ways to Make Life Easier for Bloggerswith limited time and writing ability. 10. How to Create Blog Titles that DEMAND attention!

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Advice on what makes business blogs work by three whoknow: George Kosch, Sandi Hunter and Dr. Jeffrey Lant. by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Today , April 19, 2011, is a special day for the three members of the Worldprofit blog writing team.Today we completed writing 200 business blog articles, a project which began in June, 2010. Theresponse to these articles has been nothing short of spectacular, so we decided to discuss the reasonswhy this has occurred and what it means for you and your business blog.

1) Be clear on the objective.

We are focusing this article on blogs created by businesses. Their objective is simple: make money.No business blog should ever be created which has some supposedly "better" purpose. It's easy toforget this purpose; it doesn't take much to unfocus a blog. That's why we suggest posting thismessage prominently in your office: "It's the money, silly." A variation of this message helped BilllClinton (a notoriously diffuse individual) from going off theme and was influential in putting him inthe Oval Office. This message will also work for you.

2) Designate a good writer to produce your blog's content.

Business blog copy must be clean, clear, accurate. That means designating a writer with businesswriting experience. An experienced copywriter is perfect. They know how to write copy that sells...which is just the copy you need.

3) If you cannot find a copywriter, become that copywriter yourself.

Successful copy is based on just 4 important words:

YOU GET BENEFIT NOW.

The "you" is your reader, the person you need your blog copy to motivate to contact you.

"get" is there to remind you that copy is always about what the reader (your past, present and futurecustomer) gets from you.

"benefit" is the specific thing they get from each article you publish.

"now" is when you want the reader to respond, reminding yourself that there must always be one ormore offers in each blog issue, such offers being intended to stimulate the immediate readerresponse which must always be your objective.

4) Master search engines.

Writing business blogs means finding and using a never ending supply of data, information, researchfindings, quotations of note, etc. Blogs eat up lots and lots of information.

This means becoming expert at finding pertinent data from search engines. Surprisingly wediscovered that many business blog writers do not use and therefore do now know how to ensurebest results from search engines. That problem must be recognized and overcome ASAP.

Successful business writers know how to write articles with data "holes" in them, "holes" they canquickly fill by accessing search engines... without ever leaving the computer. Given the fact that notso many years ago, business writers had to use specialized business libraries, a cumbersome processat best, search engines have made all the difference in getting important data quickly and easily, allat your fingertips.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 3 of 31

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5) Always have a lead article, the focus of each individual issue.

We have found in practice that each blog issue should be anchored by a major article. The length werecommend is 1,500 words.

This article should be divided into two distinct parts; first, the actual content itself. Second, pertinentfollow-up details which advise your reader what is available, its benefits, and how to get it. Thesefollow-up details are crucial and must follow each article. (See below for an example.)

How long does it take for such an article to be researched, written, edited, etc.? Obviously thatdepends on the amount of research you must do, how quickly you find it, your own skills and speedas a writer, etc. However, we have found that this "anchor" article takes on average 4-8 hours.

6) Always have a "new uses" feature.

You've all heard the old adage, "sell the sizzle, not the steak". That's why you need a "new uses"feature. Select any of your products and services; then provide at least one detailed blog article onhow to get the great results from its use. Remember, people buy products too achieve results; themore practical uses you detail, the more sales you make.

7) Always include customer testimonials, particularly testimonials that provide details on whatindividual customers did and their positive results.

Customer testimonials work. Thus, make sure you always include one or more in each blog issue.And always make a point in each blog of asking your customers to provide more.

8) Have a "new product" feature... and, as above, ensure the copy focuses on what it does, that"sizzle" again.

Remember, blog copy is about making money by generating reader inquiries and sales. Your readersare glad to read about new products to the extent that the copy introducing them focuses on what thecustomer gets.

9) Set and keep a fixed blog publishing schedule.

Your readers should expect to see your blog, like clock work, on a published schedule. They shouldbe trained to look forward to it and respond. But if your publishing schedule is erratic, unpredictable,then your reputation will not be enhanced and your sales will definitely suffer. Ouch!

Once you've set the schedule, treat it religiously.

10) Always include a very special offer in every issue.

Make it a truly spectacular offer... one available to blog readers only.

Position this offer prominently. It is, after all, eye-popping.

Last words.

Blogs in general and business blogs in particular are here to stay. Businesses without them arebusinesses that suffer, having thereby circumscribed sales and growth. Make sure that isn't you.

One last piece of advice: Make your blog fun read and ALWAYS easy to respond to. If you followthese instructions, your blog will steadily grow in importance as a readily available source ofcustomers and profits. As we can tell you from personal experience, what blogs deliver will trulydelight, excite, and enthuse you. A steady stream of new customers and enhanced profits tend to dothat.... Get started today and see for yourself.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 4 of 31

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Tips for blog and other non-fiction writers. by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Do you have a need to write non-fiction articles for your blog, newsletter, or other purpose? Thenyou'll find this article timely, apt, and practical. I am going to share some tips which have stood mein good stead... and should be most helpful for you.

My writing credentials.

I have been a published author now for nearly 60 years; my first non-fiction article appeared in theDowners Grove (Illinois) Reporter and was a look at the neighborhood through the eyes of a fiveyear old. Since then, I have written 18 books and thousands of articles on a wide range of subjects. Ialso have taught expository writing at several colleges and universities, including Harvard. In thelast year I have written over 200 non-fiction articles of about 1,500 words each. You could say, andyou'd be right, that scribbling is in my veins.

1) Have a writing place, a room or even just a desk that's used only for your writing.

Have you got a place now that's dedicated to your writing and to nothing else? Probably not... andthat's your first problem. All serious writers (and by that I mean writers who are dedicated,productive and focused) know the importance of a room all their own, a room where the rest of theworld is cordially not invited. In this space -- sacrosanct to your craft -- there is NOTHING elsegoing on but what helps you write. These days that means a computer with at least a 36" screen. Theolder you (and your eyes) are, the more you'll appreciate the screen size.

Make it clear to all the world that they are not to touch, ever, a single thing in this space. ALLwriters have idiosyncratic organizational systems. Whatever is yours must be for you and you alone.

2) Have standard reference books easily at hand.

Good writers have a good working library containing appropriate reference books. For instance, Ihave standard dictionaries in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German. I use them daily... andso must you. Good writers are expert are finding just the word they need... the dictionaries ensurethey get it.

Note: Some, presumably younger, readers will argue that everything they need is available online. Itmay be a function of my age and habits, but I like the old paper dictionaries and other referencebooks. That may make me an anachronism... but a happy and productive one.

3) Set up a filing system.

You should have files for articles and books you intend to write. These files should contain ideasand research findings. Do not be casual or disorganized about these things; losing them could setyou back days or weeks and is sure, at the very least, to leave you in a nasty temper.

You also need files for all the articles you have written. Such files will contain your notes andresearch data and a copy of the final article, as well as any fan letters you received (yes, you'll getthem) and other pertinent correspondence.

4) Have a handy place for all your writing supplies.

Writers need lots of supplies, including reams of paper, fax supplies, etc. You'll need good pens, too,for editing. What you write online should always be printed out when it's time to review what you'vewritten.

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5) Select your writing time and strictly adhere to it.

Seasoned writers are methodical writers. They set the exact time they intend to write, starting andconcluding, and then proceed accordingly. In his must- read autobiography prolific Victoriannovelist Anthony Trollope made it clear when he wrote and what he aimed to produce (250 wordsthe quarter hour). He set the objective and then made sure he achieved it by being in his writingplace at the set time... and focusing exclusively on his craft and output at that time.

6) Never take phone calls or other interruptions during your writing time.

Non-writers do not understand writers and our often curious ways; no, they never have and neverwill. That's why they think of telephoning or even showing up during your essential writing time.Such people must be politely but firmly told that you never answer calls, etc. or attend to any otherinterrupting thing during that scheduled period. Life's little interruptions are severely detrimental towhat we must do, and we must be strict about controlling their access.

5) Write daily.

There isn't a day that goes by, not Christmas, Thanksgiving or the 4th of July, that I don't write.Thus, by adhering to a strict schedule, I produce about 325,000 publishable words each year. What'simportant, however, is not the quantity of words produced but their consistent quality... and the factthat not a single day ends until the quota for that day is finished.

I live in an academic community where there are lots of experienced and even more aspiring writers.When one identifies himself to me, I always ask what he's working on now, when he expects tofinish it and when he finished his last writing project. The answers provide irrefutable proof as towhether the person in question is a writer... or merely a dreamer. Writers write... more importantlywriters write daily.

6) Learn to use the search engines.

As a prolific writer, I spent in earlier years a great deal of time in libraries garnering necessaryinformation. Nowadays, with up-to-the-minute data available online at your finger tips, I hardly everset foot in such an archaic place. The key here is knowing how to use search engines, the "cardcatalogs" of the Web. Here are some tips:

a) never limit your search to a single search engine. Different search engines can and do producedifferent results.

b) never restrict yourself to one search term. Brainstorm different search queries; they will producedifferent results.

c) Print the data and documents you discover as soon as you find them. What you find today maynot be there when you return.

d) Do your search engine researching during time you are not writing. Searching is not onlynecessary; it is actually fun and relaxing.

7) Set up a blog where you can showcase your work.

If you have a blog, use it. If you don't, set one up at once as a useful place to showcase your work.

A blog gives you, unlike all previous writers, the opportunity to tell the world who you are andshow them what you can produce. It should be well-written, simply but eye-catchingly presented,and always timely.

Last Words

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 7 of 31

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Writers are special people; we have a privilege that most of the world can only imagine: the need,the obligation, the absolutely necessary task of seeking truth, contemplating what we find, thenwriting about it in the clearest, most honest way we can. In the process we touch people's lives,inform them, change them, improve them. There is absolutely nothing more essential and morerewarding than that.

Now, with this article in hand, you are ready to perfect yourself as a writer and the process thatproduces just the words you want, just when you want them; for that is the last of today's advice.Toset a deadline for all your writing tasks... and stay focused so you achieve it...

... Which is what I have just done... finishing today's article on time and the right length, too. In afew minutes it will be posted online, the next step to helping it wend its way to you. Thus we luckyscribblers change the world, one word, one article, one reader after another... people who make adifference every day and gladly so.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 8 of 31

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How to write the kind of blog copy that turns readers intofans who cannot live without you! by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

This is an article for people who want to be smart bloggers! Bloggers who change lives! Bloggerswho get people to sit up, take notice and say, "Wow! That guy is right! That guy is on the money!"Bloggers who don't just want readers...

... but fans who sit next to their computers waiting for your next blog post.

In this article I am going to show you the secret to becoming a producer of "must read" copy.... andbecoming, in the process, a person who goes way beyond having readers... instead creating fans.

400,000+ words in the last year.

This article celebrates achieving a "personal best" goal for me... a goal I challenged myself to makeone year ago.... and which I have, with the publication of this article, now achieved. I wanted to seeif I could write at least 400,000 words of copy in 365 days; not just drab, undistinguished,pedestrian copy either, but copy that's timely! Intellectually distinguished! Lyric! Insightful! Yes,the kind of copy that stops people worldwide in their tracks and forces them to sit up! Take notice!And pay attention... because they just couldn't bear to miss a single word!

And I am pleased to tell you that this is precisely what has happened! My blog, where you can findall my articles, now generates millions of hits and a stream of gratifying comments from peopleworldwide who feed my ego and make my day.

This is me!

And it can be you!

1) Tell stories.

The greatest communicators on earth -- Jesus! Abraham Lincoln! Mark Twain! were story tellers.They used the power of stories to make things easy for their audience to understand... and to drivehome their points, no matter how difficult and complicated.

You must become a story teller, too, not just a finder and disseminator of facts. Facts alone don'tmove people. Mere facts don't capture minds. Facts, no matter how important, don't touch hearts.But stories do... they always do... and that is why your blog posts must rely on stories that capturepeople and leave them begging for more...

2) Today's successful article starts with yesterday's motivating "heads up".

If you want readers today, titillate them yesterday. You see, the power of yesterday is to enticereaders today.

People will only be moved to the extent that you move them. If you want readers tomorrow... thecrucial process of exciting them starts today.

"Tomorrow! A story of love! Power! Treachery and despair! A story that will move you! Outrageyou! And, if there's a tear in you, cause it to fall! All coming tomorrow to a computer near you!"

This'll get 'em!

3) Write short sentences where every word counts.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 9 of 31

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Thanks to the marvelous technical tools writers have nowadays, most don't write; they "typewrite",in the withering phrase of Truman Capote. He was masterful, and he knew that writers could killtheir points, their stories and their readers by pouring out too many words and sentences straining todigest them.

Don't make this mistake.

Look at the sentence length in this article... short, punchy, easy to take in at a glance...

Your sentences should move accordingly.

Moreover, prune your articles mercilessly. A sentence that exceeds just a few words is a sentencesmothering itself. And dead sentences will never move live people.

4) Short paragraphs give a story the air and space they need.

Today's readers are restless readers. They are overwhelmed with information... but have the samenumber of hours in a day as Caesar. In short, they are looking for a reason to put your copy down...never to be picked up again.

Short paragraphs and airy lay-out forestall this tragedy.

Look at this article... short, often real short, paragraphs with pages that look inviting, easy, notprolix and hard.

Contemporary readers demand ease... and if you don't give it to them, they walk... fast.

5) Make your people real, not caricatures.

The reason volumes of commentary don't work is because its authors create card board characters.They then laud the characters they like and demolish the ones they don't. Not only is this unfair...but it makes for lousy copy.

What distinguishes the best commentary is the way you handle people whose opinions you may notonly dislike, but actually abhor. Do you give them the courtesy of presenting their point of viewfairly, objectively, honestly... or do you want just a cheap shot that not only misrepresents thepeople you're writing about... but proves you're a writer not worth reading?

This point is worth elucidating because it's one too many commentators miss.

One reason writers like writing commentary is because it turns them from word peddlers into gods,omniscient, all-powerful, always right, never wrong, with the ability to access every human heartand brain at will.

Such people of course become insufferable in short order.

Your job as a commentator is to be sure you have done everything possible to ensure that all thepeople you write about are presented without prejudice, honestly, completely, with sincerity andwith care.

This does not mean you necessarily agree with their positions or actions. It means you intend to giveyour readers the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... even if you strenuously disagree.

Only when you have done this can you in good conscience and to best effect proceed to youropinion. Because only if you have allowed even your most pernicious characters their say... can yoursay be meaningful, insightful, and worth reading.

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Use these recommendations.

The best commentators can have enormous influence... which is why you must use yourcommentating position wisely, not least by producing copy that moves your readers, with everyword you write.

These suggestions will help.

By using them you will produce copy -- starting today -- that changes your readers' outlook, opinion,point of view, one apt word at a time. When you do this not only will you have a legion of readers,followers and fans.... but you'll deserve them!

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 11 of 31

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Blogging is booming. Look who's blogging... and why.By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

I feel lucky to be alive and on the cutting edge of what is fast becoming The Age of Blogging... andyou should feel the same way.

And if, by some chance, you don't know what a blog is and how it works for your benefit, you arelucky again; I'm going to reveal the true importance of blogs and some key observations on how toderive maximum benefit from them.

Why blogging is sweeping the 'net and the globe.

Consider this.

The history of machine publishing begins in 1454 with the preparation of what became known as theGutenberg Bible. It took over a year before finished copies were available. This was thought to be --and was -- a great advance; hitherto books had to be copied by hand, a process that resulted in manyerrors, of omission and commission.

Printing the Gutenburg Bible was a laborious process; as a result today just 21 copies are known.

Over the centuries publishing developed.

Books were easier to print... there were many more publishers to print them (thereby increasing thenumber of opinions and points of view available).... and in due course publishing advanced to wherebooks could be universally distributed and available.

But all this, important as it was, was as nothing compared to the most signal advance sinceGutenburg himself.

This is the blog.

A blog is the publishing marvel which enables any person anywhere to post and distribute anymessage they want any time they want. It expunges the middle man, called the publisher, from thepublishing equation and enables the new publishers -- you! -- to set their own agenda and make surethat their message is written just so... and distributed worldwide within minutes.

The implications of this development are staggering. Until just the other day (in historical terms), toget your message out to the world, you either had to persuade a publisher or his designatedrepresentative (an editor) to publish your article... or you had to establish your own publication withall the expense and uncertainty that entailed.

These days the process is radically different.

Subscribe to a blogging service. Write your message. Update your message as necessary anddesirable, even daily.

And, always and forever, keep building your subscriber lists so that more and more people see whatyou have written.

No longer must writers cringe like Uriah Heap before publishers; you, not they, control your contentand can shape and refine it to the satisfaction of a single individual -- you! This has never happenedbefore in the history of mankind and is an event of the highest significance for our species as awhole and the crucial availability and distribution of information.

So, who's blogging?

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 12 of 31

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So, who's blogging?

Powerful institutions are not always known for their ability to move quickly, understanding changeand working at once to use such change to their advantage. But the advent of the blog has causedmany to leap into this brave new world. One of many examples is Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley,Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts, a prince of the Church, beloved of the Pontiff.

O'Malley has become one of his Church's "go to" guys in the pedophile priest scandal and its relatedsexual issues. Like other Church leaders, I suspect O'Malley has been grievously unhappy about theconstant drumbeat of terrible press his beloved church has attracted. You can imagine his eminence'seyes popping as he learned about the blog and grasped its implications. He probably jigged about hisoffice...

O'Malley no longer needs to submit to the impertinent, probing questions of pesky reporters andtheir insistent editors. Instead, he can shape and nuance his message just the way he wants it, to thevery last comma. This is an unadulterated benefit for O'Malley... though not necessarily for truthsince those pesky reporters authority figures do not like... are the means of digging, digging anddigging some more; now they would be, to a significant degree, cut out of the process. TheO'Malley's of the world can breathe easier.

Recently (June, 2011), O'Malley used his blog to deal with a nasty issue that had parishioners ofevery hue very angry indeed. A liberal priest (no, not a tautology) had announced a "liturgy tocommemorate Boston Pride 2011," an annual celebration of the city's gay, lesbian, andtransgendered community. Conservative Catholics were enraged, many of them blogging theiranger.

This, then, had the result of haviing the mass "postponed" (church-speak for "it won't happen untilhell freezes over, if then"). This, of course, had the predictable result of angering the liberals... andcausing their blogs to erupt in a frenzy of vituperation.

What's a poor prince to do?

In years past, his eminence would have been forced by the hostilities of his brethren to go before themedia and submit to questioning. That is not a thing princes like to do; in fact they abhor thisprofoundly irritating and degrading event of lese majeste'.

Now they blog... now no one ever sees them sweat... because they no longer sweat at all!

O'Malley, thanks to his growing proficiency as a frequent blogger, dealt with this more thantempest-in-a-tea-cup when HE wanted, how HE wanted... his blog carefully nuanced to his liking. Indue course, working behind the scenes, with the message completely his without having to botherwith reporters, the matter was solved.... at least this time.

Not as smart: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

Whereas Cardinal O'Mallley got the point about blogs and their utility, the Archbishop ofCanterbury, senior cleric in the Church of England, did not. In the most recent (June, 2011) issue ofthe "New Statesman" magazine, his grace lashes out at the Conservative - Liberal Democratcoalition, which came to power 13 months ago. Williams was appointed in 2002 by Labor PrimeMinister Tony Blair.

Willams, way behind the technology curve, missed a grand opportunity not merely to get hismessage out to a worldwide audience far larger than the readership of a single magazine, but to growhis list (something no serious blogger can overlook).

He opted for the traditional paper method... and that instantly limited the effectiveness of what he

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had to say. Had he, instead, set up a blog and posted his message there... his readership would haveexploded and he would have added a host of new readers to his blog... where he could have workedearly and late to convert them to his often irritating point of view.

His grace will learn, however; he really has no choice. No "leader" of any kind does. For all, foreach, it's "blog or atrophy and die." The same applies to you... which is why you must blog today,tomorrow, forever, or create your own irrelevance and obsolescence. a state of affairs you wouldreally not relish.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 14 of 31

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Master blog article writer tells you exactly how to writearticles that get read and responded to. By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to spend some time with you and provide the detailedstep-by-step information you must have to get the attention of the people on your list and get them torespond -- and rain well deserved compliments on you and your notable blog work.

Let's dig right in; there's lots of ground to cover.

1) The purpose of blog articles.

Know much about space travel? Here's a crucial part that astronauts pay a lot of attention to: the heatshields that protect a space capsule returning to earth. Without these shields the capsule and thepassengers within would be fried. The same thing happens when you mail ad copy and nothing butad copy to your lists. Recipients will get plenty angry plenty fast. They want more from you thanjust ads, and if they don't get it, the unsubscribe link is near at hand.

Blog copy is essential because it keeps subscribers on your list by giving them a good reason forstaying on your list. In short, like those heat shields, this copy protects the list and keeps it whole,growing, profitable.

2) Don't publish random articles.

Give your articles increased weight and importance by creating them as part of an ongoing series.When you write good copy, copy of substance and value, people not only want to read it... but theywant more, lots more, from you, a person whose articles and opinion they come to respect.

3) Number each article and announce that number along with each article.

As I write (August 6, 2011), this is my 312 article in the series. You want people to know that, notleast because they will want to find and profit from the other articles in the series, all the otherarticles. Furthermore, as your list of articles grows, so will your reputation and perceived standing.In short, you will be an authority, a commentator of renown and repute.

4) Write your blog articles to a certain length, and stick to it.

My daily blog articles (which I produce free for blog owners worldwide) are all approximately 1500words in length. That is three single-spaced pages. This length gives you ample space to develop anarticle on any given theme. It is also a convenient length for readers, not too long or demanding;crucial features in our time-pressed days. Once you have developed your format, you will soon startthinking in terms of your available space and will find it easier and easier the more you write toconceive and write articles of that length.

5) Always search for and brainstorm new article subjects.

I am on a dizzing blog article creation pace: one 1,500 word blog article per day. This is achallenging schedule for even the most experienced writers. That means I need 365 article subjectsper year, challenging indeed. But even if you decide to write just one blog article per week, you'llneed 52 subjects to write about, nothing to take for granted.

When you write blog articles, you are always and forever in the business of finding hot new articlesubjects. To start, get the major metropolitan newspaper from your area; (for me that's The BostonGlobe)... and a pair of scissors. Now sit down and review this newspaper with a new eye; an eye

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that's seeking interesting, timely, readers-will-love-this subjects.

Make time to cut these articles from the publication. Don't fall behind with this crucial task. In mycase, I review and cut out three times a week, more if at all possible.

Keep a good pair of sharp scissors at hand. Look at each article in each edition to see whether anarticle on that theme or subject would fit your blog. If so, cut at once and make sure to dateeverything you cut out. That's a must.

Then deposit what you've found in a large drawer... this is the article subject compost heap and it isessential. In it you will find subjects you will surely want to write about... and subjects you'rewatching, to write about at some future date. Cut liberally; you can be sure one day you will have nosubject readily at hand. Having all these ideas will then pirove very useful indeed.

6) Select the next subject you'll write about, gather the information you need to do so.

The creation of articles of substance, articles that draw continual kudos from your readers, is a directresult of knowing where to look for the information you need. The better you become at thisnecessary task, the better articles you will produce and the faster your reputation grows, too.

Start by doing a search at any search engine (I prefer Google) to see what information is available.Where you are writing an article about a breaking news item, don't just check the availableinformation, also pay close attention to the time the most recent material was posted (e.g. "7 hoursago"). This is essential for keeping what you write ahead of the news cycle. For timely articles, thisskill is required.

Then visit the Wikipedia. The Wikipedia is one of the most ingenious and necessary tools everinvented. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't use it, finding and printing the invaluableinformation I absolutely must have do my work... one aspect of which is studding my articles withthe facts therein so amply provided. This source is crucial.

You will also need to visit the websites of article providers such as Associated Press, Reuter's,Bloomberg, etc. They are a terrific source of article subjects and timely data.

7) Brainstorm articles.

You and your lifetime of education and experience are also valuable sources for articles. Keep a padat the ready, or an Internet file, where ALL possible article subjects can be listed. Never, ever relyon forgetful memory for such subjects. Write them down at once.

8) Set a precise date for finishing all articles.

I write and blog my articles daily. I have a precise time of the day when the deadline for the nextarticle MUST be met: 8 a.m. Eastern time. To do this I find all the data I'l need the day before andreview it before bed time. Then I am awake and drafting, editing, then finalizing the day's article by3 a.m. Eastern time; that is not a misprint! I have found the silent hours of the (usually)uninterrupted night the very best time to write, not least because I am wide awake and full of beansat that time. You'll find the schedule most suitable for you; set it, adhere to it religiously. You willfind if you do that your brain and body will be willing to work at that time, and that is a greatbenefit.

9) Keep individual files for every article you write.

These files should contain all the printed information sources for this subject as well as all yournotes and each draft. Everything pertaining to this article (including the compliments readers emailyou) must be kept, not least because you may very well decide to write follow-up and related

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articles for which current data will be most helpful.

Last words.

Blogging is the future of the Internet; that is absolutely clear. And for blogging to work, and your listto be protected, superior blog copy is a must. Now you know how to produce it.

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Straight talk about blogging. How to turn your blog into amoney maker, with special information for your not-for-profitorganization. By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Friend, have you got a blog yet? If not, you are not falling behind, you ARE behind. You see, a blogis a critical tool for making money online, whether you are selling products or need to raisedonations for your not-for-profit organization.

What is a blog?

A blog is a conversation between you and your customers and donors. It enables you to present yourmessage clearly, precisely, with the unfiltered emphasis solely on what you want these folks to knowand do. When you blog, you call the shots and determine just what you want people to know andjust when you want them to know it. When you blog no one can intervene in what you say or howyou say it. It is 100% you, 100% of the time. The trick is knowing how to use this incrediblecommunications device and power for maximum results.

Non-Profit organizations and the blog.

If you're running any kind of not-for-profit organization establishing a blog and using it to educateyour supporters and donors is a must, especially now when the world is going through a particularlybad economic patch and many of your donors may be cutting back on the gifts which are essentialfor you doing your important work. When such periods occur (as they regularly do) you need to beeven sharper about how to raise money... and your blog is an absolutely essential tool for doing so.

Donors want to know where their money goes.

If you want donors to keep giving to your organization, then you must tell them just what you needthe money for... and inform them as you spend it. Blogs are ideal for this.

Say you're in the business of providing services to the elderly. Without a blog you are very limited inyour ability to inform your donors. With a blog, the sky's the limit.

Your blog should contain

1) precisely what you are doing.

2) why it's necessary.

3) what you would like to be able to do.

4) how much that would cost.

For not-for-profit organizations a blog becomes a way to talk simultaneously about the results you'regetting... and the crucial tasks you could undertake if you had more funds.

Here's the formula:

1) We have raised (dollar amount).

2) With it we are doing (specific activities).

3) We need to raise (amount).

4) Which will enable us to do (more specific activities).

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4) Which will enable us to do (more specific activities).

Making your blog really interesting.

Blogs that work are blogs that are interesting. Here's how you ensure that your blog captivatesreaders and keeps them coming back.

1) Focus on key people in your organization. Let donors see the people who are using the moneythey've given.

2) Provide donor testimonials. People who are considering donating will like to hear what others aredoing and why.

3) Feature the people who are benefiting from your service. They can provide valuable informationabout what you've done and how it helps.

Develop a "wish list".

Every non-profit organization on earth knows it could accomplish more if it had more funds. Useyour blog to talk about what you'd like to do... and what it will cost to do it. Break down majorprojects into do-able bits... projects should never be seen as too big and too complicated. Bigprojects should be divided into stages.

Your wish list needs to be carefully considered and presented. It should always be clear,understandable and capable of being achieved day by day, donor by donor.

Have a "we wished" list.

Here's something you've never heard before: don't just talk about what you want to accomplish. Talkabout items which have been on your wish list.... but which are now accomplished fact. When youtalk about such items, thank lavishly. Who helped you achieve this beneficial thing... who gavemoney... who gave time... who volunteered, reached out, helped? Talking about the "we wished"items gives you the chance to give the gift of recognition.

Bring crucial information to your supporters and donors.

Part of your job is to provide continuing, in-depth information on the problem your organizationaddresses. To do this keep your eyes open and keep searching for timely, pertinent information.

When you see an article that pertains to what you're doing; when an important new study comes out;when there's new information from the government, let your audience know.

You can do so either by emailiing the details or, better, simply by emailng the link to the informationwith a brief introduction on why you're sending this. Remember: any chance you have toconstructively interact with your supporters must and should be taken... this is how long-term,productive relationships are born and develop.

Share the good news... and the bad.

Remember, a blog used properly is the basis for an infinite number of long-term relationships. Suchrelationships must be honest, candid, real. This is especially true when things are bad. Open up toyour supporters about what happened and why... and what you're doing -- right now -- to solve theproblem. Believe me, I know how difficult opening up to your supporters in this way will be; youwant to be perceived as "superperson"... but you're not. You're just a human, like everyone else,doing the best you can day by day, needing the help of other humans to achieve the objectives. Thisdoesn't mean turning your blog into a psychiatrist's couch... it does mean being open with yoursupporters.

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How often should you communicate with your supporters, donors, friends and well- wishers?

As often as necessary; whenever you have something important to say to them; whenever a wordfrom you makes sense and can strengthen the relationship. In other words regularly, frequently.

How to write the best blog, in the least time.

Every organization needs a blog-meister, someone who is responsible for ensuring that the blog goesout regularly, consistently packed with all the details that you want readers to know. To achieve thisresult, delegate as much as possible.

1) If you're the sole person in your business or organization, write your blog a few minutes everyday. The rest of the day, brainstorm items you want in your blog... and keep them in your important"blog idea file." In other words, when you're not actually writing your blog, you're thinking about it.

2) Ask others in your organization to help. Ask the person who's in charge of a new product to writeup a blog post that tells why the product is important... what it does... why it's necessary, etc.

3) Ask the individual who's in charge of an important project to write an article about how things aregoing... and what needs to be done to keep things rolling along.

4) Ask an active volunteer to write a blurb on why she's so active... with a view to enthusing readersto tell you they want to help, too.

5) Use pictures and graphics to make your blog more visually appealing.

One more thing: be sure to contact me and let me know how this article and its detailedrecommendations have helped you. I'd really like to know.

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How a perky housewife from Minnesota gets up to 5,000responses to her blog each and every day... and how youcan do as well, or even better! By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. This is the tale of someone who has achieved the kind of astonishing onlineresults and amazing ongoing traffic that you wish you had. Her name is Diane Dohrn and she's oneof the handful of residents from Grygla, Minnesota (population 228)... a place that looks like asuburb of Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon... the town where all the women are strong, all the menare good looking, and all the children are above average.

For this article, therefore, I selected some music by perennial local favorite Lawrence Welk and hisChampagne Music Makers. Go to any search engine and find his signature tune "Bubbles in thewine." Sit back in your recliner and enjoy the effervescence of the lady from Grygla and a successstory that'll make you smile....with all the necessary details so you can match her already great andalways growing success.

When I first met Diane...

I first met Diane Dohrn a little over 18 months ago when she came to me seeking my help andadvice about how to succeed online. Frankly, she needed all of the assistance I could provide; shewas in a bad way just then in her life and fortune. She told me a story so typical on the 'net as to beendemic... She'd been in this opportunity; she'd been in that. She had paid out thousands and reapedpennies. She had no tools for success... no traffic... she'd never had a moment's training... and, untilmy advent, she'd had absolutely no one to assist her. And now she was desperate... with acute familydifficulties... and her own disability to contend with. In short, she had nowhere to go but... up.

At bottom, she still had two crucial advantages: 1) me and 2) her own "never say die" determinationthat I came to know so well -- and admire.

She was willing to listen...

People with problems say they want solutions... but in fact what they really want is the opportunityto vent... to bewail their lot in the world, do the "poor little me" thing... then rant and rant some more.In short they don't really want a solution... they want a willing ear to chew on. But that's not howmoney gets made. I told Diane, who came with some of these weepies, that I'd help IF and ONLY ifshe would focus on a series of online business building steps, including specific traffic buildingexercises she would need to do daily to grow the all-important traffic.

She agreed... and she kept her bargain, although it was sometimes tough for the lady when Iabsolutely refused to listen to items from the latest installment of "As Diane's World Turns..."

She needed traffic... traffic...more traffic... and even more traffic. And that was where I kept ourfocus, with lessons on the effective use of traffic exchanges, safe lists, forums, and article directorieswhere you develop crucial back links. An avid learner, she did herself the favor of listening to whatI said, asking intelligent questions, and doing the tasks. To her surprise (but not mine) she began togenerate traffic at once... and more each day. Especially as she began to understand and master oneabsolutely crucial traffic generating tool, which in due time she was to make her own traffic-generating machine. This marvel was the blog... and right from the start, it proved to be her forte somuch so that I quickly saw that Diane Dorhn was not just going to master the blog, develop hugedaily traffic from it... but become one of the true blog titans of the 'net. Now she had my fullattention, and we worked together less as teacher and student... but rather as 2 colleagues not just

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interested in how far the lady could take this.... but obsessed with the desire to raise Diane and hertraffic to hitherto unimaginable heights. We were rockin' and rollin'... Note for the blogless.

If you're an online entrepreneur of any kind, trying to get huge daily traffic, you MUST have a blog.This is not negotiable. You see, a blog is your personal communications vehicle. It enables you topresent and deliver your message. It is 100 percent you, 100 percent of the time. Say what youwant, say it just the way you want.

The key to a blog is ensuring that it offers readers the best possible content. "Content is king," BillGates famously said. That's the kind of content you must have for your blog; content that getspeople to read -- and respond. Diane was fretful about this point. She worried that she have the timeor skills to produce the high level content her blog and readers required daily. What could she do?

That's where I really entered the picture, as an essential element of her success... for you see, Iproduce the champagne of blog content, and I produce it in 27 information categories from politicsthrough ecology and just plain good stories; my content is sophisticated, readable, intelligent,timely, well written... and (most significantly) it gets astonishingly high reader response, as Dianecame to know at once; right from the start these articles (and I write a new one each day) generatedresponses... lots and lots of them.

Thus, each day Diane starts by selecting the article of the day, the article that will anchor that blogand be its focus.

Then she follows a daily regime which she has followed, refined and developed over time. It goeslike this:

1) Check Kstats first thing. Additionally check it several times each day to see the results on everyarticle she has ever blogged.

2) Prepare today's article. Select it, copy to Word. Then add all the necessary videos, links,trackbacks, pictures, etc. Diane knows that even great copy is better, more arresting, with suchfeatures. (By the way she keeps all this on Wordpad.)

3) She looks up the subject of the designated article in any major search engine. She likes to do thisso she can make an intelligent comment on the article.

4) Before she sends her daily blog (first thing each morning), she visits other blogs to get ideas forthe improvement of hers. She never assumes she has a monopoly on this subject; she looks for whatothers can tell her about her blog, the better to improve it. She told me she visits between 35-50blogs daily, to keep up on developments in the field, get ideas, inspiration, etc. I believe it!

5) She then reads through this daily blog post a couple of times looking for typos and so on. Ajournalist's daughter, she is a stickler for mistake-free copy... as a result her blog is clean, withoutthe distracting errors made by other, less careful, blogsters.

6) Her blog always contains a great offer. Diane never forgets that the purpose of a blog is to makemoney, and so she works hard on her offers... both on the ones she makes in her blog... and the onesshe makes when her readers respond. Because of the volume of her responses, she works on this forhours each day... and that really pays off...

One more thing she does...

Diane generously insists on my role in her success. She points to what she calls her "Internet bible"which contains Internet traffic, marketing and business building tips I have given her, live in myonline programs and through my huge library of blog articles. She says, "When I need a lift, this iswhere I go. They are priceless."

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That's the woman all over...

The truth is, the person who has contributed the most to Diane's success is... Diane. She's risen fromno traffic at all to getting up to 5,000 responses EACH and EVERY day, without exception. Herown personality and approach to her thousands of blog readers is what makes the critical difference.She's a small town Iowa girl and has retained the sincerity, empathy and quintessential Midwesterndirectness and candor of the heartland. Diane is authentic to her fingertips. She likes people; likes tohelp... and this shines through.

Now thousands of new people will learn about Diane and take heart if, like most online, they havehad absolutely no success. That can and should stop now... for the best thing Diane can do is makeyou understand that the huge results she has already received are fully duplicatable and can be doneoff the kitchen table. Only one thing is missing from this system... and that is the great heart of thelady herself. That is all her own... and we admire her all the more for what she does with it to help somany for she remembers her roots and the help she got when she needed it most. This is why withher blog, she has not got just readers... but friends.

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The pen is mightier than the sword. Vietnam's Communistgovernment imprisons pro-democracy blogster... andimmediately shows how powerful a blog can be. By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

If you're using the Internet to build your business and don't yet have a blog, you're making a veryserious error. Blogs are crucial for running a business, including helping grow organizations with amessage for the world. To see just how important a blog can be, consider the case of Pham MinhHoang, 56, a French-Vietnamese math professor. August 10, 2011 he was sentenced to three yearsin prison. His crime? Belonging to a banned pro-democracy group and publishing ananti-Communist blog.

The facts.

The organization Viet Tan is a US-based advocate of democracy. Pham Minh Hoang is a member.Their goal is a democratic Vietnam. Obviously the in-control Communists take a dim view of peoplewho want to make decisions for themselves and enjoy the basic freedoms and human rights we takefor granted. Anyone opposing the government and its rigid system of personal and mind control isimmediately dubbed a "terrorist" and imprisoned, or worse.

But the profound desire to live for oneself, to think for oneself, to be able to go where one wants,when one wants... is irresistible. And so the number of anti-government, pro-democracy "terrorists"continues to grow in Vietnam, even as the government engages in acts that prove just how necessarythe pro-democracy forces are, with their sublime goal of liberty for all!

The advent of the blog has proven of the utmost usefulness to pro-democracy forces. For the cost ofan Internet connection they can get their message out to the world. That message will be exactly asthey write it and want it... going out whenever they want. On this basis, Ho Chi Minh City-basedHoang started a blog and published at least 33 articles against Vietnam's one-party Communistsystem.

It was a bold action... a brave action... a gallant action that put his very life on the line as he lived hisprinciples -- until the totalitarian forces of the government found and arrested him.

Let us be clear: though Hoang was arrested and tried for his "crimes", he was lucky. He does notappear to have been tortured, though perhaps he must endure that, too, in due course.

His trial and defense.

The government's case was this: that Hoang had conspired to overturn the government, first, throughhis various blog posts; that he held membership in the Viet Tan, a recognized terrorist organization,and that he recruited others to join and subvert the government. These were the same arguments thegovernment put forward in its second high-profile dissident trial in just over a week.

Hoang told the court during his half-day trial in Ho Chi Minh City that he joined Viet Tan, which heinsisted was not a terrorist organization, in France where it is not banned. He insisted that he did notat anytime do anything to oppose the government.

Hoang, who was teaching mathematics at a Ho Chi Minh City university at the time of his arrest,said he returned to Vietnam in 2000 to contribute to his country and care for his aged parents.

Viet Tan confirmed Hoang's testimony and reaffirmed that it is an advocate of democracy andpeaceful change. The government's attorneys strongly disagreed, saying Hoang had attended a Viet

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Tan-organized course in Malaysia and was helping recruit new Vietnamese members. And there thematter of Pham Minh Hoang rests --- for the moment.

What all blogsters can learn from this situation:

1) Whether you are running a profit- or not-for-profit organization, you must establish your blog atonce.

Remember, a blog enables you to say exactly what you want and disseminate your importantmessage to your designated lists whenever you want without being censured or interferred with byanyone.

2) The more interesting and valuable your blog copy, the more frequently you can publish your blogand the more advertisements you can include.

Smart Internet marketers know that you cannot just email your lists nothing but ad copy every singleday, no matter how worthwhile what you offer. The people on your list will quite simply not toleratethis and will signify their strong disapproval by unsubscribing.

Blogs solve this problem by providing your subscribers with excellent copy that is timely,substantial, and of demonstrated interest. Thus, you are able to blog to your list daily -- and publishfar more ads, thereby reaping additional profits while simultaneously ensuring long-term readers andrelationships.

3) Blogs should be personal, always writing directly to and always for your subscribers.

The best blogs give you the opportunity to establish ongoing interactive communications with yourreaders. This leads to essential long-term relationships; you know your readers/customers and theyknow you.Thus, when you say something, they pay close attention, including the products yourecommend and sell. People accept and act on your recommendations, because they know you, andtrust you.

4) As a blog publisher you have influence that grows with the quality of your information and thenumber of your subscribers.

Once you've established your blog you are no longer "just" an-emailer. You are a card- carryingmember of the most influential group of people on earth, publishers. Act like it!

Your job is to motivate, enthuse, urge, educate, train, excite, and support through the articles,information and, yes, even the ads you publish.

Last words.

We are now in the earliest days of blog creation, maintenance and development. Smart blogsters, andthere are thousands of them, are doing today the steps which will guarantee them a lifetime of profit(for for-profit organizations), donations (for not-for-profit organizations), and influence for all.

These days for the blog are like the early days of the settlement of the Western United States andCanada. There determined pioneers saw nothing but opportunity and regarded the necessary work ofachieving it as nothing more than what was essential for profits and success. They felt exhilaration,excitement, and privileged to be in that position and so grew their empires with a song in theirhearts.

You do the same.

And as for Pham Minh Hoang, my heart and prayers go out to you, a true hero of our often selfish,vulgar, scam-ridden Internet age. You are using this great technology for a worthy cause, the

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betterment of your nation and its storm-tossed people. We hope for your prompt release andcontinued dedication to the great cause and what you have already given for it.

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Would you rather stick needles in your eyes then blog? 10Ways to Make Life Easier for Bloggers with limited time andwriting ability. Ok, you know you are supposed to blog. The marketing experts agree that blogging consistently is asure-fire way to get your site well indexed by the search engines and get those oh-so-importantbacklinks for your site. But let's face the reality. Coming up with fresh interesting blog content 365days a year is darn difficult. You know it's important but getting started is so hard. You understandyou need the value that blogging provides from search engines gobbling up your content. But how? !How do you come up with fresh blog content and find the time. Here's some ideas to make your lifeeasier but also to get better results for your efforts.

1. Blog about what you know or are passion about so the words stream from your keyboard ratherthen having to struggle to spit out the words and put sentences together. It's always easier to talkabout something you know or care about or that is controversial then technical or dry topics.

2. You don't have to be an expert (unless you really are an expert and offering expert content on aspecific topic). Write about specifics if you can, generalities if you have to, but write aboutsomething!

3. You don't have to be a blogger who writes with grammatical perfection. Your English teacher isnot reading your blog. Stop thinking that the world is going to judge you critically if you misspell aword or don't know all the rules of grammar. Of course you want your blog to be as good as it canbe, but don't let the quest for perfection make a 20 minute blog post take you hours to complete.

4. Ideally, to get the most benefit from search engines indexing your blog, you want to blog abouttopics related to your products, service or business. But that can be really tough to write about justone subject every day. Try spacing out your blogs so that some are on topic for your purpose, whileothers are off topic, or about current events. Add in your Resource Box at the end of every post (seepoint 7 below).

5. Keep your blog posts short. Keep your blog to the point, itemize, organize, number points if youhave to. Do what you have to do make it easy and quick for you to write and easy and quick for yourreaders to digest. Sometimes less is more.

6. Let the world around you be your inspiration for blogs topics. This can include songs, newspaperheadlines, nature, current events, your pets, other bloggers, daily happenings in the course of yourlife, things your kids say or do. Get the idea. There are NO limits.

7. Always, conclude your post with a Resource Box or Author info section with every blog. Why?So that your contact info and identifying information is tagged with EVERY blog post and nottucked away on an About page. Ensure that your Resource Box includes your name, contact details,areas of expertise, and link to your site or landing page. It is also a good idea to weave your optimalkey words into your Resource Box. This way the key words you want people to find you with areassociated with your blog, your name, and your company. This proves beneficial if you write aboutsomething not directly related to your business, products or services, you still get the benefit of thekey word content about yourself, and a backlink to your site, or landing page.

8. Sometimes it helps to start with a really catchy Blog title. Take a lesson from the newspapers.They construct clever eye-grabbing attention getting headlines to draw you in. Start with a reallybold, in your face, descriptive or reaction provoking headline to get immediate attention. The letyour content come forth from the headline.

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9. Set a goal to blog on a regular basis. If you can't blog every day, then do it every Monday,Wednesday and Friday. Set exact dates and times that work for you. If you don't you will alwaysfind some other distraction to convince yourself is more important. Set a goal, stick to it, do it!

10. Make the most of the time you have spent on your blog by then tweeting it, posting it to LinkedIn, adding to your Facebook profile and other social media sites. Maximize the power of the timeyou spent blogging by utilizing social media to spread the message to other sites. You can useautomated tools to do this to save time. Include links to your social media sites on your blog itself foreven more exposure.

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How to Create Blog Titles that DEMAND attention!If you are going to spend the time it requires to blog then you want to make certain your time is forthe maximum return.

You want readers right? You want your blog to be shared in social media right? You want moretraffic so you earn more money right?

Smart bloggers who earn considerable revenue from their blogs, know it's critical to havewell-thought blog titles.

Here I share some critical points about writing blog titles so you get noticed among the millions ofblogs out there.

For effective blog titles do this:

A great blog title gets the readers attention then draws them in so they actually read your blog.Remember, some web sites, readers and devices like cell phones and iPad aps, show only the title ofyour blog. Your introduction or summary of what the blog is about may not even appear so yourtitle better be instantly eye-popping and interesting. If readers see only your title, and your title islame, you are less likely to get readership. Instead make your title catchy, one that immediatelyconveys what the blog is about so readers think you are click-worthy. Be sure that your title is notword-heavy but is clear and obvious. Readers what to know right away what you have to offer andif its worthy of their precious time to read. When you read my examples below you will get a betterunderstanding of what goes into a Blog Title that DEMANDS readership.

Creating blog titles that will get indexed by search engines, and read by people.

When creating your titles you want to use as many key words related to your blog content as youcan. Before you even start your blog post, think about who you want to read this post and what keywords are relevant to your purposes and to your audience. If your blog is targeting a specificaudience, try to work that into the title so your title speaks and says to the individual - HEY README! If you want people to read your blog who are looking for specific key words related to whatyou offer, work those key words into the title.

Consider that people are busy, often they prefer short, easy to read blog posts. Ensure if you can thatyour blog title relays this by summarizing what you blog includes.

Don't compromise the value of your key words by being too creative in your title, make sure they areincluded in your title. With Google recently announcing that fresh content contributes to higher pageranking, you want to make sure if your blog is about a trending topic, a news event, or breakingnews, that it gets scanned first. You can help this happen by integrating the most obvious key wordsin your title so your blog gets scanned by Google and other search engine bots.

Finally, an important reason to give some thought to use of key words within your Blog title is this.If you have any type of monetization on your blog, such as Google's Ad Sense, the key words youuse will trigger specific related topic ads to appear on your site. This is beneficial to you, as ads thatappear on your blog are more closely matched to your Ad Sense ads which offers you somewhat ofan advantage for potential earning through clicks on the ads that appear on your blog.

Convey what your Blog is about with a smart title.

In your Blog title, say exactly what your content is in an enticing way. If you can find a clever wayto shock, or make someone take notice within your Blog title, do so. For example, offer 7 Tips, or 10Strategies, or 10 Ways to Drop 10 Pounds. This style of titling is a good way to convey that your

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blog is brief but includes valuable information. For some blog titles you may find it helpful toconvey a sense of urgency so readers gets the feeling they will miss out on some really good, juicyor helpful information if they don't read it. Celebrity gossip and Hollywood bloggers are particularlygood at dangling carrots (celebrity names with a hint of scandal) within their blog titles to attractreadership.

You may be thinking to yourself, WHOA! She is asking for a lot to be incorporated into a simpleblog title! Yes, I am but it is easy if you know how to do it, you will get better at it as you go andyour results will reward and motivate you. It's for your own good - really. To help you get started,I've included 6 examples of effective and less effective blog titles below.

Example 1

Strong : How to grow roses that make your neighbours green with envy. Weak: How to grow roses.

Example 2

Strong: 7 Sure-Fire Ways to get rid of allergies for good! Weak: Allergies: a problem experiencedby 30% of Americans

Example 3

Strong: The TOP 10 BEST Hotels in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Weak: Going to Moose Jaw,Saskatchewan? Here's our picks for the best hotels.

Example 4

Strong: 5 Strategies That Will Triple Your Sales Today! Weak: Looking for ways to increase yoursales? We have what you need to know.

Example 5

Strong: Why Herman Cain can kiss the Presidency good-bye! Weak: US Presidential candidates, alook at who's running, the favourites and the predicted losers.

Example 6

Strong: 10 PROVEN Ways to Shed Weight FAST! Hollywood Celebrities do this, you can too!Weak: If you really do want to lose weight, we can help you.

See, it's not so hard. Spending a few extra minutes to think and tweak your Blog Titles will get youmore readers, more traffic and more revenue!

**** What do you think? Do you use catchy titles for your blogs? What is your experience?

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Guide to Effective Blogging

Page 31: Guide to Effective Blogging

ResourceAbout the Author Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc., providing a widerange of online services for small and-home based businesses. Dr. Lant is also the author of 18best-selling business books.

Republished with author's permission by Tim Ricke http://BizBuildersCommunity.com.

http://www.BizBuildersCommunity.com Copyright Tim Ricke - 2012 31 of 31

Guide to Effective Blogging