Use Social Networking to Bring Traffic to Your Network Blog
Many busy network bloggers avoid some of the social networking communities because they feel all the time spent socializing and networking takes away from other things. It’s why I didn’t get involved with FaceBook and MySpace and why I was reluctant to try Twitter.
I use these networks more now to help promote radio segments for BlogTalkRadio than I did as a blogger. I have to tell you, they work. Yes they take up more time, but not much. I’m noticing great traffic through Twitter, our BTR Yahoo Group and yes, even MySpace and FaceBook. For me, I spend at least an hour a day at social networks - but that’s what I’m paid to do. As a blogger you don’t need to spend near as much time, though it’s in your best interest to stop by at least once or twice a week.
Here are a few ways you can promote your blog using social networks:
- Twitter: Send out a tweet to your follows with links to your blog.
- Facebook - Every now and then when you have an especially big post, send it out as an “event” on Facebook and invite your friends to take part.
- MySpace - Update your MySpace blog with links to your regular blog posts. Add fellow bloggers as frinds.
These are just three simple things that together take minutes at a time. The more social networking sites you take part in, the better your chances of driving more traffic to your blog. My only issue is that I’m afraid of being too spammy which is why I try to balance out the promotion with fun and conversation.
Try adding social networking to your blogging schedule, all you need is an extra 15 to 30 minutes a week - if that. Make sure you have plenty of friends to follow and vice versa. Then come back and tell me if you noticed a difference in traffic. I’ll bet the answer is yes.
Blogging through your mid-life crisis
Some might say I’m too young to have a mid-life crisis. In fact I was told that earlier today by a pal. Still, doesn’t it seem like lame stuff happens in waves?
I’ve been blogging poorly for two weeks now; something that I don’t normally do. At least, not since I started blogging years ago. If a bunch of life issues come crashing in on you, and you’re a blogger, it’s hard, at least for me, not to transfer that negative energy to my blogs. You can’t really do that. It’s not cool for your readers.
I used to have a job out in the real world; you know, the kind of job where you actually go into an office, see co-workers, hang out with clients, and so on. Now it’s just my computer and I, hanging in my home office. If I get down, there’s no one to distract me. It’s easier to dwell on what’s happening in my life.
That said I’ve been considering my options over the last two weeks. What can you do when life seems to be interfering with your blogging gigs?
What you can do:
Take a break: You can sort of take a break, or at least blog less. I tend to over blog at all my gigs (except one). By over blog, I mean, my client wants four posts a week, but I’ll do triple that to increase traffic. The last two weeks, I’ve been blogging the minimum. This is an ok short term solution.
Take a total break: I know a couple of bloggers who have had something icky happen and they ask their clients for some time of. I don’t consider this an option for me, but if you have a super big problem, it’s probably better to take the time off and regroup.
Think positive: Easier said than done, I know, but you can try. Everyone has lame stuff that happens, but everyone also has good stuff that occurs as well. Make a list of good things going on, in spite of the bad - slap it up on the wall. Stare at it.
Get out: I spend a lot of time in my home office. Yeah I leave, but not as much as I should. As a blogger, it always seems like you could be posting somewhere. Forget about that extra post you could do, and head out to lunch with a pal; go to the park, go inline skating, do something that doesn’t involve your laptop.
Exercise: The one good thing about my mini mid-life crisis is that I’ve pumped up my exercise routine. Seriously, I’ve been exercising two hours a day - no joke. My brain wouldn’t concentrate on blogging these last two weeks, and since I’m not just going to sit around, I’ve been working out more. It’s helped a lot. Being active will make you feel better and really reduce stress.
Prioritize: Paid gigs first. Personal gigs second. Your personal blogs might suffer some, but they don’t put food on the table. If you only feel like you can work a little, drop the least important stuff first. Another option is to drop the most stressful gig you have. If something has to give, it may as well be a gig you’re not as fond of.
Wait it out: Every crisis has an end point. Really. Do all the above and sit tight. Things will get better. I was feeling pretty down two weeks ago, but it’s all sort of swirling away at this point. If you can’t get it together after a few weeks, if life issues are really affecting your work, you should perhaps speak with a counselor. Don’t wait it out forever or lose work over life; you’ll only feel more down.
Have you ever felt like a bad blogger due to life issues? What do you do to work through it?
How Network Bloggers Can Benefit from Conferences
Did you know there are many conferences you can attend to network and learn? SOBcon, BlogWorld Expo, BlogHer and SXSW are just a few. There are conferences popping up every month, it seems, to connect the Web 2.0 generation. This is a very good thing.
Here are a few ways you can benefit from attending conferences:
- Network - Spend time talking and sharing ideas with other like-minded people. I came back from last year’s conference with a pocket full of business cards as well as an army of new friends. These friends and I have traded guest blog posts, interviews, and ideas.
- Learn - There are classes for all levels of bloggers. Learn everything from adding fun and creative elements to your blog to social networking to traffic building to monetization.
- Discover - At BWE last year I learned about some great tools to help me take my blogging to a new level. I discovered Twitter, Windows Live Writer, Red Lasso and BlogTalkRadio.
One network blogger told me she wanted to go to SXSW but felt it was for “hardcore” bloggers and not for bloggers for hire. Conferences are especially great for freelance bloggers because you learn the tips and techniques needed to succeed: How to bring in traffic, how to build community, business and blogging - these are all areas beneficial to network bloggers.
Granted they’re expensive, but they’re also a tax write off. See if there are any blogging or social networking coferences in your area. Attending locally means you’ll only have to pay the cost of admission. The reason I enjoy conferences such as these is because I get to talk blogging and social networking with people who get it.
I’ll be attending and speaking at BlogWorld Expo this year. How about you?
Catch Me on BlogTalkRadio Tomorrow
Many of you have been asking questions either here or via email regarding BlogTalkRadio. If you’d like to learn more about what it is I do at BTR and how it works, do listen in to BTR Insider tomorrow, July 10th at 4:00 pm EST.
Various hosts will be calling in to give their tips for putting on a great show. If you’re looking to take your blog to the next level will radio, you’ll want to listen in.
Also if you can’t make the live broadcast, you can catch the stream or download on demand immediately after.
Here’s the link again for BTR Insider.
Do You Have A Dream Paid Blog Topic?
If you could choose a paid dream blog topic, which blog topic would that be?
I’m lucky; I’m paid to blog about most of my favorite topics already. However, I also wouldn’t mind blogging about single parenting, because it’s something I think about every day. I don’t however, have the time to start a single mama blog on my own. I’d have to find a paid single mama blogging gig.
I actually applied for a single mama blog gig not too long ago; but the potential client didn’t think I was single enough. He said I wouldn’t work because I wasn’t divorced single, just single. I said, but I was never married, how could I be divorced? I’m still a single mama. He said, being a divorced single parent is different, because it’s legal, women relate to that better than never married singles.
HUH? I swear, some people.
Anyways… no big, because I can’t help people like this anyhow. Still, single parenting would be my dream topic of choice in a paid gig.
What about you? What do you wish you were paid to blog about?
Holding Value as a Writer
First I want to say hello to all the NBT readers and a big thanks to Deb and Jennifer for inviting me participate.
Over the last several months, I’ve missed being in touch with my entrepreneurial and work at home side.
Recently I was approached with an issue that, to be honest, I wasn’t sure about. So often, I don’t trust my gut instinct because, well, I have been known to be wrong. And later, I find I often wish I had trusted my instinct.
A writer that I’ve grown to admire and have watched increase in value over the last couple of years wrote to me for advice. The advice was on what to charge for freelance writing. When the details were sent to me, I couldn’t help but notice the offer included some requirements that I would personally not feel comfortable with.
The offer was not only for lengthy articles written rich in specified keywords but they were requiring the articles be submitted to an ezine article warehouse.
Something about that doesn’t settle so well with me.
Forgive me if I’m wrong and by all means, if I am, please feel free to tell me so. But it seems to me if a person values their writing and wants to keep the value of their freelancing high - they shouldn’t allow their name and content to be victimized as duplicate content around the web.
I liken this to a celebrity or sports figure keeping the value of their signature high by not pandering it at every stop. Sometimes you just have to say no.
If you aspire to become a well paid writer, you must realize that you are the prize. You can name your terms, your price and conditions under which you will write.
I’ve written articles that are quick, easy and do not have my name associated with them for $10 - however, when I’m putting my name on the line, the terms become far more defined. I’ve learned that by taking pride in my name and my expertise in some areas - I can easily quote a price of $40 - $100 per article and get it.
Blogging for a Living: Is it Better to Work at Burger King?
Though they’re an awesome place for networking, I rarely visit writing and blogging forums anymore simply because I don’t have that kind of time. The other day however, I noticed traffic coming to my Freelance Writing Jobs blog from the Absolute Write Water Cooler. I popped in for a visit. Someone was looking for a blogging gig paying “fast”. Now, I can write a whole post about that inquiry alone, but instead I’d rather quote one of the responses:
Start your own blog, for love.
Put on Google ads, or a paypal donation button, or blogads.com. But blog for love, not money.
Some bloggers make a living at blogging. Most … don’t.
If you need money now, get a job. Burger King is hiring.
What the heck? Does this person not realize many people earn an admirable living blogging - and even support a family? I think Jennifer and I are proof of that. Sure blog for love, but don’t be afraid to blog for money too. If I didn’t start looking into paying blogging opportunities, I might not have landed my wonderful full time community manager gig. Blogging is the future of business. More and more corporations are hiring bloggers and social networkers to help promote their businesses. To tell someone not to blog for money is lame, wrong and is from someone who is clearly misinformed. Do blog for money. You might not make a mint at first, but it can lead to bigger and better things. Trust me, I know.
Now, I know many who scoff at network base pay because it’s low to start, but I wonder if these same people would turn up their noses at four figures a month with the same base plus traffic bonuses. Plenty of network bloggers earn thousands of dollars each month. I had one client who paid me several thousand dollars a month to update a couple of blogs on a regular basis. I think that’s a little better than a fast food salary. And yes, it pays fast. More traditional forms of writing pay sporadically - on publication or acceptance, whenever that may be. Blogging pays at the end of each month. Some private clients pay once a week. So I wouldn’t put on that fast food apron just yet.
Do blog for love, but don’t turn up your nose at blogging for money. It can lead to a very good living. Just ask Jennifer, Gayla McCord, Chris Garrett, David Peralty, Liz Strauss, Lorelle VonFossen or any number of well-respected professional bloggers.
Feel free to testify below!
Unofficial International WordPress Day
Hey, I had no idea, but today is Unofficial International WordPress Day. I noticed this before July 1 ended, so I can officially post about it. Oh, and yes it is still July 1 where I am. I’m one of those weird bloggers living in the Northwest. It seems like all my blog pals live on the East Coast… But I digress.
Oddly, earlier today I got into a lengthy discussion with a client about why I can’t stand Drupal as a blog platform, which believe me, is about four posts in itself, so we won’t go there. I’m trying to get said client to switch to WP, because I think it’s the most blogger friendly of all the platforms I’ve worked with. I also think that when it’s set up correctly, it’s a very nice reader-friendly platform.
Since I’m a big old fan of WordPress, but not the only blogger on the planet, I thought I’d put the question out there: Which blog platform do most of your clients use? Which is your favorite? Would you turn down a blogging gig if a client used a platform you hate?
I lied. That was three questions. Feel free to pick and choose.
Do you need to hit enter to be a good blogger?
This is sort of a blog chain of events. Last week I posted Do You Need A College Degree to Blog? Then Deb posted a reply of sorts; Do You Need to Be a Good Writer to be a Good Blogger?
I was thinking about Deb’s post, because the things that bug me about blogs, so much so that I quit reading, usually have less to do with the actual writing quality and more to with personal annoyances. If a post has some misspelled words, I can overlook it. Being a fan of weird random dashes, even when they’re not necessarily correct, I don’t mind oddball punctuation. If thoughts are sort of fuzzy, but the blogger still makes their point, or better yet makes me laugh, I’ll hang.
If a post has so many misspelled words that you can’t follow, or constant question marks where periods should be, yeah I likely won’t stick around, but I don’t see this too often.
What annoys me is when a blog is not user friendly due to lame little things. For instance, I HATE when people don’t hit enter. I expect spaces. Trying to make your readers blind, by making them scan walls of text for meaning is not cool, and I won’t do it.
I don’t like when people can’t be bothered with inserting links. It takes less than five seconds to insert a link. Stuff like http://www.lameblog.com looks so bad in a post. Why not just insert the link correctly. Non-inserted links don’t always drive me away, but they make me think twice about revisiting a blog.
Lastly, I hate all the darn acronyms in posts. I say this all the time, because frankly, I don’t even like them in emails. It looks lazy to me to use stuff like ROFLMAO, MTF, BF, and so on in a post when you could use words. Also, some of them make no sense (SOTMG or YBS for example). I don’t enjoy having to look up insane acronyms to see what you mean, and I won’t. I don’t mind acronym use in post comments. I think they’re ok if you’re talking about your mean MIL or an ASAP situation, but that’s about it.
These issues force me to leave a blog and never return. What about you? Is there something that bugs you more than lackluster writing skills?
Hello My Name Is: Spam
About 2 weeks ago I attempt to comment back to a reader at one of my WordPress blogs. I post a decent size comment, hit enter, and I’m popped up to the top of the blog. Weird; that never happens?
I scroll down and don’t see my comment. Hmmm. I try again and nothing. I feel uneasy, but all blogs have issues from time to time, so I head over to another one of my blogs, post a comment, and the same thing happens. Now I start getting a little nervous. I go to one of my favorite blogs that I don’t write and try to leave a comment - the same thing. I seemingly can’t leave comments anywhere.
Right away I do what you should not do about a blogging issue; I panic. I note that other people seem to be able to comment, so it must be me. In fact I thought it was my computer, on which I had recently downloaded some new software. I figured I messed up my computer somehow, so I try a system restore. I know; that makes no sense since it was an internet, not an actual computer issue, but as noted I panicked and was in the middle of a bad week to begin with. Of course system restore did nothing. Next I try posting comments on Blogger and Drupal platform blogs; which by the way I can do, so now I’m totally confused.
Finally, a very nice b5media co-worker tells me that maybe Akismet is sending me to spam. Well, finally an idea that actually made sense. This is why it pays to post issues at forums where other (more clear-minded) bloggers can suggest ideas. I check my spam comments and there I am, all spammy.
I email Akismet a support ticket and in a day they fix me up. That is until yesterday. The same thing happens; I can’t leave comments on any WordPress blog in the blogosphere. Do you know how frustrating this is for someone who spends most of their time either posting to or commenting on WordPress blogs? Pretty darn frustrating. If blogging is a huge part of your world, and you’re declared spam, it’s sort of depressing.
In any case, since this happened to me, and someone else I know, I figured I’d bring it up. Maybe save you some panic. If you’ve always been able to leave comments before, and suddenly can’t, maybe you’re also part of a system glitch. In this case head to Akismet and hit their contact form. Someone at b5media has also suggested emailing tech support for not only Akismet, but your blog network as well, which is another smart move.
Has this ever happened to you; twice, in the same month?
