{"id":6034,"date":"2013-07-25T09:16:47","date_gmt":"2013-07-24T23:16:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordconstructions.com.au\/blog\/?p=6034"},"modified":"2016-02-23T16:19:25","modified_gmt":"2016-02-23T05:19:25","slug":"learning-problogger-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordconstructions.com.au\/blog\/2013\/07\/learning-problogger-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning from Problogger experts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of listening to the Problogger webinar<\/a>. It was not on a specific topic (well, no more specific than blogging anyway!) but was a three person team (named below)\u00a0answering questions.<\/p>\n

\"elements<\/a>

Learning how to run an effective blog<\/p><\/div>\n

As always, I shared various tips from the webinar on Twitter<\/a> as I listened, but I am also going to share a summary of those tips here.<\/p>\n

Writing out my notes helps cement the ideas in my head, for one thing, but I also like to share information\u00a0 to help others so this post is a win-win!<\/p>\n

Blog content<\/h2>\n

Obviously, a blog offers little value if it doesn’t have any content so this is a crucial aspect to cover. Shayne and Darren both agreed that content is the priority – you can adjust the layout and visuals of your blog if need be, but poor content really limits the success of your blog.<\/p>\n

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  1. Create content to show your expertise\/credibility relating to your goals<\/a>. So if your goal is to get more\u00a0coaching clients, write content that shows you are a good coach and\u00a0how you can help people<\/li>\n
  2. there are many advantages to adding content to your site consistently, especially when your blog is new<\/li>\n
  3. it is ok to ask for help, including in blog posts and on social media,\u00a0as it builds engagement<\/li>\n
  4. create a reader profile<\/strong> so you know who you are writing to\/for. And figure out where they are online so you can go there, too.\n
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    1. test where your readers are – try different social media platforms, etc<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    2. grow your reader base by helping people. Become a resource for them, do things like answer relevant questions on Twitter\/Facebook<\/li>\n
    3. featuring others is a good way to engage with people and build interest (and therefore readers!)<\/li>\n
    4. be\u00a0 honest to develop trust<\/strong> – for example, the carryology blog<\/a> gives honest product reviews, even of competitor products!<\/li>\n
    5. generally, adding opinions and personality to blog posts results in more engagement and loyal readers – it helps differentiate you from others covering similar topics<\/li>\n
    6. SEO knowledge should inform the way you write, not drive it<\/strong>. So yes use keywords in your content and titles<\/a>, but don’t focus on SEO – focus on your readers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      And always remember that blogging success can take time so hang in there and don’t give up too soon!<\/p>\n

      Advertising on your blog<\/h2>\n

      While not all blogs have advertisers, for those who do want this income option a common question is whether to get direct advertisers or use something like AdSense<\/strong>. Here are some of the comparisons from the webinar:<\/p>\n

      \"Small<\/a>

      Accepting advertising can make you money<\/p><\/div>\n

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      1. \u00a0using AdSense can turn off other advertisers\u00a0 – or they will just rely on AdSense to get onto your site (so you share the profits!)<\/li>\n
      2. you need a decent amount of traffic to get direct advertisers paying you. Personally, I think the amount of traffic needed is less for a very niche blog or if the blogger has some connection so advertisers can be sure the blog will pick up.<\/li>\n
      3. in the early days, expect to contact advertisers rather than waiting for them to approach you. And continue this even when you have advertisers approaching you!<\/li>\n
      4. you have less control with AdSense so less desirable ads may be shown on your site – and may therefore be part of\u00a0 a first impression for a new reader. Remember you may not even see the ads your readers see, especially as Google is targeting ads at people’s past browsing history more and more.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Moving beyond blog posts<\/h2>\n

        Many bloggers have found their blog has led to other opportunities – and many make more money and gain credibility more from those extras. Of course, many other bloggers are happy to just blog or use the blog to support a business.<\/p>\n

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        1. if you are thinking of using a freebie to entice people to sign up\u00a0for something or subscribe to a newsletter<\/a>, plan ahead. For instance, if you expect to sell eBooks<\/a> in a year or so, don’t start giving away an\u00a0 eBook now as an enticement. Once someone has received a free eBook from you, they are less likely to want to pay for one later (although hopefully they will have seen the value in your eBook!)<\/li>\n
        2. while good writing is always a good thing<\/strong>, remember that your sales page is not just about the writing or describing what is in the eBook (or other product information) – it has to induce action (ie buying!)<\/li>\n
        3. a blog can be a great testing ground and experience for writing eBooks. There was a lot more about eBooks in the webinar but I think that can wait for another blog post!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Who or what is Problogger?<\/h2>\n

          Problogger is a website about blogging (what a surprise!) started by a Melbourne man, Darren Rowse. Darren and the site have gone on to be well recognised as blogging authorities, with a range of blog posts, eBooks, webinars and the annual ProBlogger conference<\/a> (and virtual conference attendance<\/a>) to help other bloggers learn and develop.<\/p>\n

          Today’s webinar was hosted by Darren and included Shayne Tulley and Jasmin Tragas. Shayne manages Problogger’s marketing and website design\/development – and has a one week old baby – while Jasmin produces the eBooks and live events for Problogger.<\/p>\n

          Between them, this trio has a lot of knowledge and they generously shared some of it with us today.<\/p>\n

          Additional resources<\/h3>\n

          Some other information gained from today’s webinar included:<\/p>\n