Blogging tips for new and experienced bloggers, blogging resources, great blogs and blog recommendations

How to Create a 'Static' Welcome Post

One potential problem with the dynamic content we provide on our blogs is that a first-time visitor can land there, feeling like they've arrived in the middle of a party and don't know a soul.  A blog might look interesting but sometimes it feels like you have to read a dozen posts before you can work out who it belongs to.

For this reason, I rather like to see a static initial post that complements the banner information and tells me what I might expect to see, and who I might meet, on this blog.

I've created a short 4 minute post that shows you how to create a static welcome post on Typepad.  Click the screen below to watch it.

As you'll see, there are a couple of things to be careful of when creating a welcome post that sits at the top of your blog.  If your blog posts are dated, then it can give the impression that the last time you blogged was in 2007!  For this reason it's a good idea, just occasionally, to change the date to today's date.

Equally, don't make your welcome post so long that it's the only post visible when people land on your blog.  A welcome post should either be two very short paragraphs or, as Chris has done, be continued on a secondary page.

I also believe that you shouldn't enable comments on a welcome post.  In my view, it's your chance to tell people something about yourself and your work - if it's a business blog - and it's not the place for other people to add their thoughts.

This however, is not a welcome post and I always enjoy reading your comments so if you have any views on welcome posts and whether you like them or not, just drop a comment in the box below.

Reporter vs Expert - Why Most Bloggers Are Stuck Reporting

The following article was written by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

To get more information about Blog Mastermind click this link:

www.BlogMastermind.com

There are basically two types of bloggers in the world - reporters and experts - and some people perform both roles (usually the experts, it's hard for reporters to become experts, but it's easy for experts to report).

If you have ever taken an Internet marketing course or attended a seminar specifically for beginners, you have probably heard about the two different methodologies. Whenever the business model is based on content - and if you blog for money then the model is based on content - people are taught to either start as reporters, or if possible step up as experts.  I'll be frank:

You Want to be the Expert

Reporters leverage the content of the experts and in most cases people start off as reporters because they haven't established expertise. Experts enjoy the perks of preeminence, higher conversion rates because of perceived value, it's easier to get publicity, people are more likely to seek you out rather than you having to seek others out, joint ventures come easier, etc.  Experts in most cases simply make more money and attract more attention.

Amazon Affiliate Links - How to find Yours Quickly

I admit it.  I have a funny relationship with Amazon ever since they sent my commission payment to a closed bank account when I'd specifically asked to be paid in vouchers.  Their willingness to lose a customer's good will over 15 spots took me by surpise.  My own preparedness to argue over this tiddly amount didn't.

I've forgiven them though a) because life's too short to hold grudges and b) because adding book recommendations to your sidebars and blog posts gives you interesting content for your readers and has the potential to make you some spare cash.

The Amazon site can be difficult to navigate though because it's so bloody enormous and having to go to the affiliate centre, log in and wade through the many options just to grab the affiliate code for one book can be offputting.

So here's a way to quickly find an Amazon affiliate text link for that book recommendation you want to include in your blog post..

Top 10 Tips from Top Blogger, Yaro Starak

I have been one of Yaro Starak's blog mentees for a few months now and he is a great guy with a wonderful monetised blog who teaches others how to make money blogging.  He certainly doesn't promise overnight success at this but he does offer fab step-by-step quality instructions (including videos and audios) to create a powerful niche blog that will make money for you.

Yaro has just today re-opened the doors to his Blog Mastermind programme and I'm happy - with his permission - to reproduce one of his articles here for you.  I'm pleased to say I'm already doing most of what he suggests.  What about you?

In every bloggers life comes a special day - the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else's blog chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader - you. Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that''s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.

Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers. These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling.

It helps if you work on this list from top to bottom as each technique builds on the previous step to help you create momentum. Eventually once you establish enough momentum you gain what is called "traction", which is a large enough audience base (about 500 readers a day is good) that you no longer have to work too hard on finding new readers. Instead your current loyal readers do the work for you through word of mouth.

Here are the tips...

Blog Writing Tips -Rockin' Bloggin' Tip 4

I used to belong to Toastmasters (public speaking clubs) and loved delivering a speech to an appreciative audience.  The tough part though was always the same:

How do I come up with an interesting subject to talk about?

If someone had just said "Marion, go away and prepare a 7 minute speech about the joys of owning a goldfish" it would have made the whole process so much easier.

It can feel that way with a blog.  You love creating a good blog post but struggle to keep thinking up new topics to blog about and fresh relevant blog content.

So how can you get other people to tell you what they want to know about your subject?  Here are three simple ideas you might find helpful:

Blog Writing Tips -Rockin' Bloggin' Tip 3

If you're like me, you love your blog and are passionate about your subject but sometimes, sometimes the writing of it feels like pulling teeth.  How can you add content to your blog as easily as possible?  How can you find enough creativity within you to keep posting week after week?

One eagle-eyed reader - Madeleine Giddens of Mad About Herbs.co.uk -  reminded me the other day that I had tackled the subject of 'blog famine' last year in my personal blog, Wry Vita. 

Here then is not just one tip but my top ten writing tips for bloggers.

It's Sunday morning and I'm blog-surfing.  Well, I'm trying to but some of my favourite bloggers are just not getting their finger out sufficiently often to keep me entertained and enlightened.  Of course they might be focussing their attention on other priorities (though can feeding the kids ever be more important than blogging?  Not in my house.)

So if the problem is blogger's block - and I well understand what it's like to gaze at a blank posting box  willing words to magically appear therein - then let me share with you my "Ten Ways to Get Over Blogger's Block"...

Blog Writing Tips -Rockin' Bloggin' Tip 2

It seems to me that many a promising blogger and half-decent writer, myself included, has stumbled on the path to blog righteousness because it can be difficult to produce good content on a regular, consistent basis.  In these blog writing tips, I want to make it easier for you to awaken your muse whenever you need her. 

This way you know that instead of staring at a blank screen willing the words to appear, you will instead be posting regularly to your blog.

Now, if your blog focuses on a specific niche, your readers will expect you to be aware of news items in your target area so that you can keep them informed of developments or share your thoughts on what's been happening.  This is a really easy way for you to create content for your blog.

Problem is you don't have time to sit and scour the newspapers and read the trade journals in fine detail.

Google News Alerts solve this problem for you and give you a really easy way to come up with fresh content that is bang up-to-date.  So how do you sign up to receive these?  Read on...

Blog Writing Tips -Rockin' Bloggin' Tip 1

After the initial euphoria of creating your blog subsides a little the main barrier to owning a great blog is the challenge of writing the content.  I'm creating these blog writing tips to give you new ideas for writing great blog content and having a blog that is proud of you.

I well remember my first blog posting.  It was a favourite recipe for a juice and not much else besides.  Still, at least I didn't contact everyone I knew saying "quick, quick, check out my new blog".

The standard first post I come across is

"Welcome to my new blog.  This is so exciting.  I'm going to be adding new posts here, maybe as often as twice a day, gosh this is so amazing, I've loads of great ideas, see you tomorrow..."

Sometimes that's the last I ever hear from them!  So if you're just starting out with a shiny new blog, this tip is for you: