So you want to create a blog for free. Then you’re in the right place. By the end of this post, you’ll know the best way to get started. You’ll also know some actionable steps to start making money with your free blog. So let’s do this. Listen to episodeAlong with each post, there's a detailed podcast episode. You should listen to it. Why? Because I think it's cool, and I think you should think so too. Oh wow. Look at that play button. The benefits of bloggingIt should be no surprise that I love blogging. I mean – the name of my blog is “Become a Blogger”. Blogging has literally changed my life. It landed me my dream job as a University professor in a doctoral program. I was able to leave that job to become a full-time blogger. And today, I travel the world and get to teach what I’m passionate about. I’m also able to spend more time with my family than ever before. And this is all directly or indirectly the result of my blogging. Blogging has lots of benefits, so it’s no wonder you want to start your own blog. Why I don’t normally recommend blogging for freeIn just a minute, I’m going to lay out a clear path for you to follow to be able to create a blog for free. But before I do that, I have to give a disclaimer. While it’s possible to create and grow a successful blog for free, it’s not what I usually recommend. Here’s why. If you’re trying to build a business, you want to use the tools that will set you up for success. While it’s possible to start a free blog, you won’t be able to take advantage of many of the tools I recommend. These tools can be things like plugins that expand the functionality of your blog. Or even tools for enhancing your visibility in the search engines. Also, you want to present yourself in a professional way, which includes having your own domain name. If you’re blogging to build a business, it takes an investment to maximize your potential success. Three reasons to start a free BlogThere are times when starting a free blog can be very beneficial. Here are some of the cases where I recommend doing so:
If one of those three reasons apply to you, then keep reading. WordPress vs Wix vs Weebly, etcThere are a number of free blogging platforms out there. WordPress, Wix, and Weebly are some of the more popular ones. I’m often asked which I recommend. My answer is unequivocally WordPress. While Wix and Weebly make it very easy to get started, I can’t recommend them for a few reasons:
Why you should start with WordPressWordPress is where you should start your free blog. It’s relatively easy to use and sets you up for success. Over 30% of all websites run on WordPress for many reasons. Here are a few:
Also, even if you start with the free version of WordPress, it’s relatively easy to upgrade to your own self-hosted WordPress site. This means that you can easily transfer all your work if (and when) you decide to step up your game. If you’re gonna start for free, you might as well start with the best. And you might as well leave the possibility open to easily upgrade to the best of the best. Build your email list with MailChimpYour email list is one of your most valuable assets as a blogger. There are many email marketing services out there. I recommend GetResponse for people who are getting started. While it’s VERY cost-effective, it’s not free. Fortunately, MailChimp does offer a free version of their service for up to 2K subscribers. Start an account, create your list, create a lead magnet and add a form to your blog. That way, you can start growing your email list. How to make money with your free blogWhen it comes to making money with your free blog, you have similar options as with a paid blog. Here are some of the things I recommend:
Essentially, making money with your free blog works relatively similar to making money with a self-hosted blog. Provide a solution that people are willing to pay for and you’re headed in the right direction. Be ready to move when it’s timeIf your goal is to build a business with your blog, you will eventually need to upgrade. Once you’re comfortable with the free stuff and you want to step up your game, check out my free Idea 2 blog course. It’ll help you get started and on your way to building a successful blogging business. And if you have questions in the meantime, feel free to ask them in the comments area below. Resources/Tools
The post How to Create a Blog for Free appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26884/how-to-create-a-blog-for-free/
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Do you want to know how to write a blog post that rocks? Wish you could create the kind of content that Google loves? Want your audience to just go on about how awesome your content is? By the end of this post, you will have a framework for creating awesome blog posts. Listen to episodeAlong with each post, there's a detailed podcast episode. You should listen to it. Why? Because I think it's cool, and I think you should think so too. Oh wow. Look at that play button. If you prefer to read, or want the show notes, here ya go . . . Why good writing is importantYou’re a blogger and you create content. Maybe you’re the kind of blogger that focuses on video content. Or maybe you focus on your podcast with the show notes being the only written content. Written content is still at the core of what blogging entails, especially for educational blogs. Here’s why:
But here’s the thing, if your written content is not good, it won’t satisfy the searcher. And Google will use that data to determine how to rank you. Step 1: Understand the searcher’s intentWhen someone goes to Google and searches for something, there’s a specific intent. If I go to Google and search for “How to start a blog”, it should be obvious that I want to start a blog. If I search for “Chia seed pudding recipe”, you know I’m about to hit that kitchen up to make something awesome. Always think about the person doing the searching. What exactly are they trying to accomplish? And how can you create the perfect content to help them do that? Once again, Google pays attention to what people do after landing on your blog post. If they engage with it because it gives them what they want, Google rewards that. But if they come to your site and leave to continue searching, that’s a signal that you’re not delivering. Also, if you answer their question or solve their problem, they will be more likely to check out your other stuff. Step 2: Analyze what’s already out thereIf you want to deliver value to the person that’s visiting your post, it’s a good idea to see what’s already out there. Do a Google search for the phrase someone would type into Google to find your post. What comes up? Check out the top posts related to that search phrase. What are they covering in their posts, and more importantly – what’s missing? Think about it from the perspective of the searcher. If there’s anything you can add to the conversation that adds unique value, make sure to include it. Step 3: Gather your researchWhile it can be good to write something off the top of your head, it’s good to have actual data to support your content. When you quote research or other experts in your field, it increases your credibility. You aren’t just a random person with random thoughts. You’ve done your research and are adding value by shedding light on that research. Also, doing research will give you new ideas for what can be included in your post. Step 4: Start with an outlineI used to love just writing and seeing what comes out on paper. Unfortunately, sometimes the result of doing that isn’t as coherent as I’d like it to be. That’s why I like to start with an outline. By doing, I’m able to think through the direction I want my post to go beforehand. And if I need to make changes to the flow of the post, I can do that before writing the content. It saves a lot of time and helps your content to flow better. Step 5: Flesh out the articleNow that your outline is done, it’s time to flesh it out – add the meat to the bones. Get to writing, and create that work of art. The goal here is simple – deliver on the value you promised in the title. When your visitor finishes reading that post, they should feel like you answered the questions they had. And in a perfect world, they don’t need to go anywhere else to get more insight into that particular problem. Step 6: Revisit/Write the IntroductionYour introduction is such an important part of your blog post that I find it better to work on it last. Now that the article is written and you know the full context, focus on the introduction. Create a compelling introduction that gets the visitor to think – man, I have to keep reading. Here are some things you can try:
Step 7: Use Grammarly and Hemingway App for EditingThe last thing you want is for your awesome content to have grammatical errors or to be not well structured. Yes, I know – Microsoft Word has spelling and grammar checking abilities. But they suck in comparison to these two tools. Grammarly is great for checking your grammar, but it also does other things. It has features like vocabulary enhancement, writing mistakes correction, contextual speech checker and more. And the Hemingway App does a great job at helping you simplify your writing. One thing I’ve found is the better we get at something, the easier it is to overcomplicate it. So get to writingThere you have it. Those are my seven recommended steps to help you write a great blog post. If you follow these steps and create something awesome, let me know by linking to it below. Tools/Resources:The post How to Write a Blog Post that ROCKS! appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26846/how-to-write-a-blog-post/ Writing a bio is hard. You have to knock ’em dead with two or three dazzling sentences that show you’re a likable, credible, and accomplished expert. When readers read your bio, they must believe you’re the answer to their prayers — a superhero who will swoop in and solve the big problem keeping them awake at night. No pressure, right? Here’s the good news: Learning how to write a bio that dazzles readers doesn’t require feats of strength or the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. No, all you have to do is keep reading. Because in this post, I’m going to show you a simple three-step process for writing a bio readers will adore. But first, we’ll look at a few short bio examples that make readers run for the exits. Let’s dive in. The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)#1: Making It All About You
I’m Jill — a free-spirit with a passion for quilting, bird watching, Tai Chi, and calligraphy.”
Thanks for sharing, Jill. But do I really care? Nah. It’s confusing, I know. “Bio” is short for biography, which suggests it should be all about you. But the main purpose of your author bio is to show your audience how you can help them solve their problem with the skills you bring to the table. So, it’s not about you, Jill. It’s about them. What to Do Instead:In this post on sensory words, using almost the same number of words as Jill, Kevin gives us just enough information about himself to tell us what he does and how he helps his audience.
As the Editor in Chief at Smart Blogger, Kevin J. Duncan helps readers learn the ropes of blogging, hone their writing skills, and find their unique voice so they can stand out from the crowd.
It’s clear, precise, and focused on the outcome, not on Kevin. He uses phrases like “hone their writing skills,” and “stand out from the crowd,” which directly target the deep-rooted desires of aspiring writers. He speaks their language. Here’s another tip: It’s usually best to write in the third person, as Kevin does in the above bio example. It’s more professional. #2: Writing a Condensed Resume, or a Laundry List of Accomplishments
John Brown is a qualified personal trainer with a sports medicine degree from Fremont College, as well as professional certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Your bio is not a dumping ground for your career path and qualifications. It’s a tiny elevator pitch that’s selling you as a credible solver of your reader’s problems. So don’t list every degree you have or talk about your first job out of school. Readers don’t really care. They only care whether or not you have the solutions they are looking for. What to Do Instead:Your bio should only include details about yourself that directly relate to your audience’s problem. Think about your career, education, and skills, and then carefully select the most pertinent facts that are going to impress the audience you are writing for. Like this:
Jessi Rita Hoffman is a book editor who helps authors get their books out of their heads and into print. A former publishing house editor-in-chief, she has edited books for Donald Trump and bestselling/award-winning authors. Visit her blog for writers here.
Jessi tells us the most important thing about herself (that she is a book editor), and what she can do for her audience (get their books into print), while establishing her credibility (“best-selling,” “editor-in-chief”). Everything she mentions is designed to appeal to the audience she’s trying to reach. #3: Sharing Irrelevant Details or Stuff You Think Your Audience Should Care About
Joe Brown is a content and affiliate marketer with a passion for snowboarding. When he’s not at his computer, you can find him at his nearest half-pipe, or maybe on Twitter @joeb, where he likes to tweet about his pet python. Alternatively, try his email at [email protected], and he’ll probably shoot you back a list of his favorite origami folds.
This sample bio is from someone whose expertise is content and affiliate marketing, although he hides it well. Much like your degrees and career path, your audience doesn’t care about your hobbies, passions, and personal philosophies either, unless they directly impact the problem they’re trying to solve. What to Do Instead:As mentioned earlier, only share the details that your audience will find relevant. If you’re mad keen on knitting and you’re writing for an arts and crafts blog, then go ahead and mention your passion. It’s relevant. But don’t tell them about your cat, unless Fluffy can knit too. #4: Trying to Cram Too Much InOkay, so you’ve managed to include only relevant details about yourself, so you’re safe. Right? Not if you included too many of them. Like this one from Jo. She’s had an impressive career, but her bio feels endless:
Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger with 20 years of experience in accounting, international banking, and financial planning. She started as a trainee bank teller in Little Rock, Arkansas, before completing her accounting degree and climbing the corporate ladder at Citibank. More recently, Jo decided to follow her dreams and leave the safety net of her six-figure salary to start her own coaching business.
This is way too much information. Writing your own bio can be hard. Sometimes you’re too close to the subject matter to realize what’s important and what can be left out. But your bio isn’t the place to share your entire life story. You need to be picky. What to Do Instead:With some careful pruning, the real gems hidden away in Jo’s bio can be given center stage:
Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger and coach with 20 years of experience in the high-powered world of international banking and accountancy. Jo is on a mission to help everyday families build sustainable wealth, stop stressing about their financial security, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.
Go through your bio word by word and ask yourself, “Does this bit of information make any difference to my audience?” If the answer is no, take it out, and limit your bio to two or three sentences. #5: Being Overly Formal (a.k.a. Boring)
Joe Jones is an accomplished marketing consultant who specializes in the field of physician practices. He works with medical centers and practitioners to maximize their online real estate, garner new market segments, and engender business growth.
If you’re anything like me, you had to read this bio more than once to get a sense of what Joe does. It’s way too formal. Most people will just glaze over this. What to Do Instead:Instead of using stilted words and phrases like “maximize their online real estate” and “engender business growth” Joe missed a great opportunity to make himself stand out from the crowd by creating a point of interest. Perhaps he could have started with something like:
“Joe Jones is an expert marketer who can take your medical practice from queasy to fighting fit…”
Do you see how that might grab a few more eyeballs, cut through the noise, and make an impact with his target audience of doctors? #6. Being Vague (or Overly Woo-Woo)
Cecile is a life coach and devoted mom. She loves day breaks and giving things a go. She is passionate about her fellow humans and wants to be their inspiration for growth, as they find their way through the dark to their true self.
Hands up, whoever doesn’t have a clue what this person is talking about. What does she do? How does she help solve my problem? Why should I be interested in her? You need to avoid ambiguous phrases like “inspiration for growth” and “find their way through the dark.” These phrases might have a nice ring to them, but they mean very little to your reader. They’re too open to interpretation. What to Do Instead:You don’t have time to beat around the bush in your bio. Get straight to the point. Like this:
Cecile is a qualified self-development coach who is passionate about helping professional women develop the skills and self-assurance they need to take control of their working lives. Download her free guide, How to Quit Your Dead-End Job Without Risking Your Income, and open the door to your dream career today.
In two sentences, Cecile tells me everything I need to know about what she does and how she can help me. No fluff, no messing about, and a juicy opt-in bribe to seal the deal. The 3-Step Process to Writing a Click-Worthy Author BioSo now you can see where you might’ve gone wrong with your bio after you started your blog, and you’re dying to write a new version of it. But how do you ensure your next bio won’t commit the same blunders? Easy. Just follow this simple three-step process to write a bio that your ideal readers can’t resist clicking. Step #1: Introduce Yourself with a BangThis is where you tell the audience who you are and what makes you different (while avoiding the common blunders we’ve just discussed). You need to spark their interest and curiosity and get them to say, “Tell me more.” Let’s start with this example from a blogger in the personal development niche.
Sue Smith is a self-help writer and coach with a degree in psychology…
This tells me what Sue does, but it’s rather dull and same-y in a sea full of personal development blogs. There’s nothing here to set her apart or pique our interest. Let’s give it a twist:
Self-help writer, Sue Smith, is part social scientist, part agony aunt, who…
That sounds a bit more interesting. Sue manages to appeal to her audience on different levels by sounding educated, professional, and personable at the same time. Describing herself as an “agony aunt” downplays the more clinical “social scientist.” I’m curious to know more, and it certainly makes her distinctive. But there’s another angle Sue could take:
Sue Smith is a certified psychologist who specializes in beating social anxiety.
Now, this one is more similar to the first example, but the difference is that it adds more credibility — “certified psychologist” sounds much more credible than “has a degree in,” which suggests she’s fresh out of college — but it also sets her apart more. She has a specialty, which gives her ideas on the topic more weight than others. If you suffer from social anxiety, you’d want to listen to the expert on it, right? Compare also:
Sue Smith’s books on beating social anxiety have won her international acclaim. She has been featured as an expert on Psychology Today, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Good Morning America.
This version goes even further in establishing Sue’s credibility. Not only has she published multiple books on the topic of social anxiety, but she’s even been featured on some well-known media channels, adding social proof to her expertise. We’ve talked before about not delivering a laundry list of accomplishments, but if you have specific accomplishments that make you stand out, those are worth including. Here’s an excellent bio example that both offers a point of interest and adds credibility:
Jessica’s outside-the-box approach to business plan writing has helped her clients collectively raise almost $50 million in financing to start and grow new businesses. Sign up for her 5-part business plan training series for FREE here so you can get your business plan done and get your money sooner.
Jessica doesn’t just say she’ll help you write a business plan, she mentions she has an “outside-the-box approach,” which immediately makes you curious what that approach is. Then she steps it up even more by mentioning her approach has collectively raised $50 million in financing. That’s nothing to sneeze at and creates instant credibility. It’s an excellent bio that will absolutely pique her audience’s interest. Step #2: Call Out Your Audience and Say How You Help ThemRemember, this isn’t about you, it’s about what you can do for your audience. So you need to define who they are and what problem of theirs (their key fear or desire) you can solve. You should aim for both a logical and emotional connection. It’s tough, but do-able. Let’s take Kim, a blogger in the parenting niche:
Kim’s passion in writing is to inspire other parents to not just “hang in there” or “make it through” but to thrive. She does this through blogging at kimbiasottotoday.wordpress.com and speaking.
By using language most parents will relate to and zeroing in on their fears, Kim makes a strong emotional connection. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the practical (logical) solution Kim offers. Note: Of course, Kim’s bio would be even further improved if she linked to an incentive rather than her homepage. More on that in the next step! Here’s another example:
Jessica Blanchard, registered dietitian and Ayurvedic practitioner, helps busy people re-energize with super simple food, yoga, and wellness strategies that work. Grab your free 7-Day Plan and learn to eat, move, and live better in ten minutes a day.
Jessica clarifies immediately who she helps (busy people) and how she helps them (by re-energizing them through food, yoga, and wellness strategies). You must be absolutely clear about this. If readers can’t identify themselves in your bio and see you have the solution they’re looking for, they will move on. Step 3: Offer an Irresistible Reason to ClickYou’ve told your audience who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. You’ve impressed them with your credentials and sparked their curiosity. They’re ready to move to second base, but they need that last push. An irresistible reason to click through to your site and sign up. You need to offer an incentive. Take a look at this bio:
Henneke Duistermaat is an irreverent copywriter and business writing coach. She’s on a mission to stamp out gobbledygook and to make boring business blogs sparkle. Get her free 16-Part Snackable Writing Course For Busy People and learn how to enchant your readers and win more business.
Boom! In 46 carefully curated words, Henneke tells us who she is, what she does, how she can help, and then gives us a gold-plated reason for parting with our email address. Her free report is 16 parts, but it’s “snackable,” which makes it sound very easy to digest. And it’s for “busy people,” which shows Henneke understands her audience. She promises results and cleverly relates this back to her own blog, Enchanting Marketing. Unfortunately, we can’t all steal Henneke’s bio, but we can use it as a fine example of how to write our own. Ready to Write Your Best Bio Ever?Writing a bio like a superhero is simple, but it’s not easy, so give your bio the time it requires. You should brainstorm several options for each of the steps. Bios are hard to craft, but they are also one of the most effective pieces of marketing you can create when you get it right. You now know how to write a bio your audience will love. They’ll want to know more and they won’t be able to resist your free offer. They’ll see you as a credible, personable problem-solver. Their problem-solver. And they’ll click through to your site, ready and willing to hand over their email address to their new blogging superhero. You.
About the Author: Mel Wicks is a seasoned copywriter and marketing strategist who helps bloggers and entrepreneurs put the “OMG! Where do I sign up?” into everything they write. Download her exclusive Fill-in-the-Gaps Cheat Sheet for an Instant Click-Worthy Author Bio.
Note: For a handy visual reminder of the six bio blunders you can download or share on your own website, check out the image below: Embed This Infographic On Your Site: The post How to Write a Bio Like a Superhero (Easy 3-Part Process) appeared first on Smart Blogger. from https://smartblogger.com/how-to-write-a-bio/ Google is the king of search. And fortunately, they give us some pretty advanced SEO tools to help us drive traffic to our blogs. But most people struggle to understand how it all works together. By the end of this post, you will understand how Google Analytics and Google Search Console can help you grow your traffic. I’ll also dig deep into some simple strategies for using this data to grow your business. Listen to the episodeAs usual, each of my posts has a podcast episode that goes along with it. It covers everything in this post and goes into a few extra details. Go ahead and click play below to listen. Also, consider subscribing in iTunes. Why this is ImportantWith all the changes happening in Social Media, more and more bloggers are focusing on SEO. Traffic from Google is coveted because if you do a good job, it can result in lots of traffic. Unfortunately, most bloggers add Google Analytics to their site and MAYBE submit their sites to Google search console, and that’s it. They never look at the data, and if they DO look at the data, they don’t do it in a way that makes it actionable. But Google wants to serve up the best results to the people who are searching for things. It makes them more money when they do this well. And they’ve given us FREE tools to help us know exactly what we should be doing. If you use these tools well, the result can be a lot of organic, targeted traffic for your blog. With more traffic, it’s easier to grow your business. Let’s go into the differences between these tools. What is Google AnalyticsGoogle analytics is a free service offered by Google that allows you to analyze your traffic. It tells you all of the following (and much more):
The way it works is fairly simple (while being quite complex under the hood). When you add your site to Google Analytics, they give you some code. Once you add the code to your site, they are then able to track EVERYTHING. At the most basic level, it will track the general activity on your site, including a lot of the things already mentioned. As you get more advanced, you’re able to specify what exactly you want Google to report on. For example, you can set up goals in Google Analytics. This is your way to tell Google to register certain actions (i.e. bought your ebook) as a goal to track. Once you do that, you are starting to unleash the power of Google Analytics. What is Google Search ConsoleGoogle search console is also a very powerful and free service offered by Google. It allows you to “monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google search results”. While fewer bloggers use Search Console than Analytics, it is such an important tool if you want to increase search traffic. The power in Google Search Console is that it tells you exactly what you’re ranking for. It also tells you exactly where you’re ranking in the search engine results. The ConceptThere are many tools out there for doing keyword research. In many cases, you’re trying to find new keywords to target. The idea is to see what people are searching for and create content to answer their questions. In the ideal scenario, you find something with lots of searches and little competition. But there’s another way that’s often overlooked. Instead of looking for what are potentially great keywords to target, focus on what’s already working. Both Google Analytics and Google Search Console have ways of giving you this data. Let’s look at how you can use them for growing your business. How to Use Google Analytics for Business GrowthI love me some Google Analytics because of the wealth of data that’s in there. Every so often, something shows up in there that surprises me. For example, the most popular post on my blog is a post on how to vlog with your smartphone. For some reason, that post really took off on social media and then started getting lots of organic traffic. When I first noticed this, I checked out the blog post. While the post was well-written, it didn’t lead anywhere that had an impact on my business. So I decided to make some tweaks. I didn’t have a lead magnet that would make sense for the post, so I decided to add in some Amazon affiliate links. Since then, I’ve been earning money from that post on a monthly basis. By making a few tweaks, that added to my bottom line. Here’s what I recommend for you. In Google Analytics, go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages. Look at what your top-visited pages are and optimize those pages to align with your business goals. Here are some possible things you can do: Doing one or more of these things will help you grow your business. How to Use Google Search Console for Business GrowthAs a blogger, you probably have a specific niche you’re blogging about (hopefully). As you create your content, you will be covering different topics within that niche. That’s great, and what you should be doing. Eventually, you’ll start ranking for different keyword phrases. And as your site authority increases over time, you will start unintentionally ranking for things you didn’t necessarily target. In many cases, you will rank for topics you don’t care to rank for. However, in some cases, you will rank for things you want to rank for but without even trying. Here’s an example. According to Google Search Console, I rank for a bunch of keywords related to Terms and Conditions for bloggers. The only reason I rank for those phrases is that I have Terms and Conditions on my site and the word Blogger is in my site name. I never tried ranking for those phrases. However, people that are searching for those phrases are great prospects for my business. Google is telling me that it’s easy for my blog to rank for those phrases because I’m already ranking without trying. It would make sense for me to create a detailed blog post that shares resources for creating Terms and Conditions for your blog. I remember seeing the same thing when I had my biology blog. With all the content I had on my site, I saw that I was getting a lot of traffic for searches about the kidney and urinary system. This was the result of just mentioning it in one post. But the blog had a lot of authority in that space and started ranking for that (and many other phrases). If I were still working on that blog, I would create an entire series on the urinary system and I know it would get a lot of traffic. So here’s what you should do: Let’s wrap this upWhat I covered in this post isn’t anything revolutionary. But it can be powerful for the growth of your blog if you do it consistently. I’m going through this process right now and am looking forward to sharing the results with you in a future post. Take home lesson: Focus on what’s already working. Focus on your strengths. The more you do that, the stronger your blog will become. And the more you align those activities with your business objectives, the stronger your business will become. Let’s do this! Resources/References:
The post How to use Google Search Console and Analytics for Business Growth appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel. from https://www.becomeablogger.com/26830/google-seo-tools/ It’s harder than ever to be a successful blogger. That’s a fact. So the question then becomes – are we seeing the beginning of the end for blogging as a profession? In this post, I take a hard look at the industry and share my thoughts. Keep reading. Listen to the episodePerhaps you’d rather listen on the go. If so, you’re in the right place. Just hit play below or subscribe on iTunes. Change is InevitableA few weeks ago, I did a post about Social Media and Blogging in 2019. The premise of that post was that Social Media is changing and bloggers need to adapt accordingly. Facebook has made huge changes resulting in less organic exposure for publishers. And other social networks have followed suit. The word algorithm has been the thing that so many bloggers fear. It’s easy to point the finger at social media and blame them for the decline in traffic many bloggers have seen. But it’s unfair to do so. As someone whose livelihood has been teaching people to blog, it would be dishonest of me not to point out the other changes that continue to happen. Change is inevitable. And the first part of adapting to change is fully acknowledging what those changes are. My Responsibility to YouAs someone who has been teaching people how to blog, my sense of responsibility has been awakened. My online business is 100% responsible for the financial state of my family, and that’s something I take seriously. If blogging dies, that part of my business dies with it. But more than that, I have a responsibility to you. You follow me for information about blogging. And while I have been focused primarily on educating you, it’s also my responsibility to keep you informed. By keeping you informed, I’m also equipping you to be better at what you do. And I want to rise to the occasion to help you make better decisions. So what has changed with blogging?One word – Google! Google is such a great resource when it comes to finding info online. Whenever I want to know how to do something I go to one of two places – both owned by Google. The Google search engine and YouTube. With those two powers combined, I can take on the world. But have you noticed anything different with Google over the years? Especially on mobile devices? In the past, when you do a search in Google, you used to see a bunch of links to sites and a few ads. That was all. Now, when you go to Google and search for something, a lot has changed. Let’s look at an example. I generally rank second on the Search Engine Results Page for “how to vlog with a smartphone”. But now number two means something different. Here’s what you see before you see the regular old sites. A Video Featured SnippetThis is often the case when someone searches for “how to” content. If there’s a relevant video, Google often displays this front and center in the first position. People also askJust in case you didn’t find what you’re looking for, Google often shows other questions that people are asking. The idea is that if many people are asking these other questions, you may be interested in the answers. Other VideosIn addition to showing one big video featured snippet at the top of the results, it also shows other recommended YouTube videos. Recommended ProductsThis shows a list of some of the top recommended products related to your search. Good ‘ol fashioned search resultsFINALLY, after showing all that, you see the regular links to websites, including a blog post from my blog. But to get to my #2-ranked site, there’s a whole lot of scrolling that needs to be done. Other Featured SnippetsThe featured snippets referred to above are only some of the ones that show up. It varies depending on your search. You can also see lists, definitions, tables and others. The Other Side of GoogleTo add to everything covered so far, there’s another side of Google search that’s growing. I see it every day because it happens in our home. Even my 6-year-old son is using it, and it’s called – Google home. A popular question my son loves to ask is – “Can we ask Google?” And no – he doesn’t mean going to the browser and typing in a query. He literally means “ask Google”. Ok Google, how far is Michigan from Florida? And our Google Home device responds with an answer from a website. Now we have the answer and we never had to visit the site. Yay for us, boo for the site. What is Google’s Goal?The answer to this question should be obvious – to make money. How do they make money? The more useful they are, the more money they make from advertising. And in the last few months and years, Google has been scraping content more to display directly in the Search Engine Results Page. What this means is that in some cases, even though the content of your site shows up in search, people won’t click through. They get the result and move on. Or they ask Google assistant and never even have to see the results. So is Blogging Dead?This is something I’ve been wrestling with recently, and my answer is no, but . . . It is changing for sure. With every move a major corporation that determines our traffic makes, there are signals. In the case with Google, there’s a lot that we can learn from looking at what they are doing. Google used to be just an index of mostly written content. That’s no longer the case. Now the Google Search Results is way more dynamic. It includes video, images and other snippets. And with the Google assistant growing in popularity, bloggers will live more and more in a world where people get their content without getting to their blogs. Leslie, What Should We do?With all that said, where do we go from here? What should we, as bloggers, do? My answer – Let’s do what Google is doing! They have redefined what it is to be a search engine. It’s time for us to redefine what it means to be a blogger. In the past, a blogger was seen as a writer. Someone who creates written content for a blog. But blogging is way more than that. A blogger is someone who creates content to help others. A blogger writes. A blogger creates videos. A blogger is a podcaster. A blogger is an educator. A blogger builds a community. A blogger builds a business. A blogger builds a brand. A blogger builds a media company. A blogger is a thought-leader. Will the real bloggers please stand up? Because if we don’t, we’re gonna fall by the wayside as Google continues its mood swings. Will there be a day when bloggers no longer write? I don’t think so. But will writing be enough? I definitely don’t think so. Should we be concerned about the changes Google continues to make? Absolutely! We need to pay attention and adapt accordingly. I’m more excited today about what it means to Become a Blogger. Because for those of us who stick around, we get to be a part of what I believe will make for a better internet. Resources/References:
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ABOUT MEHello I am Claude 32 years old. I have been doing internet marketing for 7 years and successfully running 3 e-commerce stores. I like to share tips with people aobut online business. Archives
August 2019
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