Its been just over 3 years since I became a blogger. And I have learned so so much. So much that I feel like I am constantly telling friends to start up a blog and join me.
Recently I was encouraging one of my neighborhood friends to create a blog and she had quite a few questions. As much as my intentions were to have her come over and help her get started, Phoenyx isn’t making that easy so I wanted to write a few things down to help her….and anyone else that may be researching opening their own blog.
GOALS
I think when we all start blogging we have a goal in mind and that goal can seriously vary from person to person. We are of course individuals and all have a very different reason for being online. We may be just wanting to connect with others, share a story, expand on a hobby, or the biggie that I hear quite often, create a steady income.
Ah, income.
Wouldn’t it be nice to work with home? I know it’s something many people, especially moms, dream of. To sit in our our cushy comfy house, take frequent pee pee breaks in a toilet that is cleaned more than once a month and be here to raise our kids, all while bringing home the bacon.
Cooking the bacon while bringing it home. I kill me.
As someone that creates a full time income from home, I can tell you that while the money can be good, the hours are long, you will never have to be more disciplined in your life to get things done and you do a lot of waiting. You wait for PR, you wait for other bloggers, you wait for trips, you wait for ads, you wait for products to arrive, you wait for sponsorships, you even wait for inspiration. And in all that waiting, if you are any good and take your job seriously, you are out there gunning it every minute. Your pee pee breaks are infrequent, your twitter, facebook, networking and blog lists are long, and you work hard. Nose to the grind hard.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to share this wonderful information! Definitely helps a newbie like me!
I find SEO Ultimate (on self-hosted WP) works really well for me. The key to making money “out here” is to treat blogging as a job, never cheat your reader, never lose your focus, reach out positively to everyone.
Don’t stick a stinking ad everywhere one will fit. People don’t click on flashing ads nearly as often as they click on the ‘back’ button when they see those ads. Keep your signal to noise ratio high. Signal = content. Noise = ads.
Pay close attention to the terms of affiliate networks. When your reader clicks on one they leave your site. Don’t send them away for free.
It does take a lot of work and dedication to get your blog up off the ground… and once it’s there you still have to keep nurturing it. Its allowing me now after almost 2 years to be able to stay home with the boys still, I wouldn’t have gone back to work outside of the home anyways until my youngest was in school, but it’s allowing me to help save up for a house and better my families lives. It’s amazing and with the way things are going for me I won’t have to get an outside job it looks like.
But it took me well over a year to get to the point where I am at now. So don’t think your gonna start making money ASAP.
Thanks for addressing some of my personal myths, like needing a huge following before seeking ads.
Trisha, these are great tips! I’d love to start a blog — perhaps something about the “armpit years” of middle school, where the fine art of conversation is lost (will it ever be found?) and eye contact consists of a few furtive glances from the screen-of-the-moment (iTouch, iPad, DS, Wii…)
You’ve motivated me! Maybe I will grow and become big enough to join your network
Thank you for the great advice!
Off to google scribe never heard of it, but I’m sure it is wonderful. I’ve done pretty good with SEO since your class but can always use more help:) And yes the forum rocks, very helpful and so glad I am a part of it. I’m sure I’ll be back to read this again.
I’m really inspired to start a blog, but all the terminology scares me, you have the process a little easier to understand!
thank you!
you’re amazing to write this post while in mommy mode with a newborn. Awesome info. Now go take that shower….or better…go nap with baby
I have been a blogger for a year now, and I haven’t finished reading your Post, but I’m going to read every single word because you really know your stuff from what I’ve read so far. Right now I’ve been hit by a person that has malware, and evidently bugged me too (at least that’s what Google Chrome says & I’m trying to clean it up). What a mess! People should really keep their blogs clean just out of good neighbor policy, don’t you think. Well I’m definitely following you. A very good friend recommended, and so did my daughter who is a long time blogger too. I’ll be back. I”ve already bookmarked you. Thanks for being so kind and helpful.
errrr maybe I am looking at the wrong thing…
Too bad Scribe doesn’t have a free version…
I never heard of Scribe and will have to look into that! Those are some great tips, thank you!
Great post! And thanks for telling me about Scribe a few months ago. I have LOVED it and seen a BIG difference in traffic!