Written on December 5th, 2009 at 12:12 am by Darren Rowse

ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started

A Guest Post by Nathan Hangen of Making it Social.

As much as many of us want to get our blogs up and running and create an overnight success story, the truth is that having desire alone just isn’t enough. For starters, guys like Darren make it look extremely easy now, but it’s not like he rolled out of bed one morning and became an instant success. He poured hours of blood, sweat, and tears into his blogs before they became income worthy, but don’t fret just yet, help is on the way.

Even though we have to make our way through the learning curve until everything “clicks” into place, there’s no reason that we can’t shorten the learning curve so that we can spend less time wishing and more time living. By learning from our own experiences and, more importantly, the experiences of others, we can do just that. Darren does a great job of doing that here, but I’d like to present a list of things I learned the hard way, things I wish I knew sooner, and things that I think new bloggers could use to elevate their game to the next level.

1. Good design is crucial

Most bloggers don’t have a very long time to make a good first impression, and with the abundance of great content throughout the interwebs, readers try fo find ways to cut back and/or make quick decisions on which content they consume. One of the ways they do this is by judging a book by its cover. It might not be fair, but it’s reality. You dont’ have to give your kidney for a good design. There are dozens of theme providers that have both inexpensive and free themes that look much better than what was designed 2-3 years ago.

2. Narrow Your Niche

This is something that took me a long time to understand. I thought that by covering a bunch of topics, casting a wider net so to speak, that I would attract more people to my blog. The problem with that strategy is that when you do attract new visitors, you throw them off if your content isn’t consistent. They’ll wind up leaving and you’ll have to recruit new readers for every single post. So, try fishing with a spear instead.

3. Comments Really Do Matter

I didn’t take this seriously at first. I thought that my content was special enough to get noticed on its own. Boy was I wrong! It wasn’t until a few months ago that I crafted a comment policy that has helped my traffic explode. I do it by subscribing by email to a dozen or so blogs in my niche so that I’m notified as soon as there is a new post. I try to comment right away and do my best to add something meaningful to the conversation. More importantly, I come back and reply to other comments in the discussion. Do this often enough and on enough blogs and you will start to get noticed. You can’t give commenting lip service either; it is something that needs to be done every day.

4. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Your Knowledge

When you master a skill, it’s easy to think that others might be on the same level as you, which can lead you to discount the value of your skill set and experience. However, most people don’t know what you know and would to pay you to teach them. Things that might seem simple to you can look like Greek to a reader. Don’t ever take your skill set and knowledge base for granted.

5. When You Have a Blog, You are the Authority

Own It! – We blog from behind a desk and see our lives as imperfect or incomplete. However, to a customer or new reader, you have an incredible amount of authority. If you have gone through the work of publishing content, then you need to step up to the plate and own that content. Take the authority and use it. You might be a 6 or 7 (on a 10 point scale), but to that new person, you are a leader. This excites people…they want a piece of your vision. Use that authority to step up to the plate and give them what they want. Don’t be afraid to be an expert!

6. Consistency Counts

I thought I could get away with blogging whenever I felt like it. I thought I could change the topic based on what felt right at the time. Looking back through my archives, I’m almost embarrassed by the casual attitude I took with my blog. These days, I know better and I keep a steady editorial schedule (3 posts per week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) and have narrowed the topics of my content to a degree that keeps my readers feeling like they belong. Changing it up all the time confuses people and scares away good readers.

7. Have a Plan

What are you going to do when your readership doubles? How are you going to handle getting hundreds of emails per day? How will you respond to comments? How do you see your platform evolving over the next year, 2, or even 5? These are some of the questions that you need to address early and often. Your plan might not be perfect, but at least you’ll have a direction to head. There’s nothing wrong with being flexible, but allowing your circumstances to dictate your business can lead you down roads that are better left untraveled.

8. Start Networking Early!

I cannot emphasize this enough. Use Twitter, comments, and guest posting as a tool to meet new people. The wider your reach, the easier it is to get noticed. Don’t wait for people to come to you…get out and network. People love personal connections! Go to conferences and shake hands with other bloggers. You never know which contact could turn into a great guest posting opportunity, a JV deal, or a new devoted fan. Blogging is a business, and you’ve got to get out and meet people if you want to take your blog to the next level.

9. Be Everywhere

This is tied in with the previous point, but to keep it simple – try to be in as many places as you can. Use Twitter, Facebook, USTREAM, YouTube, LinkedIn, and any other social network you can. You don’t have to live there, but having a presence there is important. People need to be able to find you in as many places as possible. You never know where that next source of income or the next reader might come from.

10. Hustle

Really, it all boils down to this. If I had to give you one piece of advice, it would be that you need to work your tail off to become a problogger. There’s no secret recipe, no golden ticket…you’ve just got to work hard and treat your blog like a business. It might seem like you aren’t getting anywhere at first, but be patient and keep at it. Adjust your plan on the fly if you have to, but never stop hustling. You’ve got to love what you do…absolutely enjoy doing it every day, if you really want to quit your job and go full time. If you don’t love what you do, then stop what you’re doing and go do what you love. Trust me, the work will come MUCH easier at that point.

Although this is just tip of the iceberg, I believe that if you just learn to improve on a few of these points, then you’ll shave a tremendous amount of time off your learning curve. You still might have to learn the hard way, but at least now you’ll have the context to understand what’s might be going wrong. If nothing else works, then you can’t go wrong with #10. In fact, I’d say that’s a great place to start.

Nathan Hangen is an entrepreneur, social media consultant, and co-author of the book - Beyond Blogging.

What next?

242 Responses to “ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started” - Add Yours

scheng1

December 5th, 2009 1:00 am

Good design does not mean too many digital images, that will slow down the loading.
I can’t stick to a narrow niche, that’s why I make it a board niche, or else I bored myself to death. It’s hard to talk about making money online everyday.
Andrew @ webuildyourblog.com

December 5th, 2009 1:01 am

And don’t buy every single blogging product available. Stick with one or two, use it, take action, implement ideas, see results and then, perhaps, move on.

Buying too many can be very overwhelming.

Andrew
Liz

December 5th, 2009 1:06 am

Thanks for the post!

For me nrs. 8 and 9 proved to be the most important. But it just shows that what’s right every other professional field is right for blogging too – the more people you know, the more connections you have, the better it is.
Stephanie PTY

December 5th, 2009 1:07 am

Great list! I definitely see a lot of people undervaluing comments, so I’m really glad you included it. People don’t believe me, but I keep telling them that the biggest source of traffic when my site was young was the comments I left on other blogs. It really, really does work (as long as your comments are relevant and useful).
Dave

December 5th, 2009 1:08 am

Awesome!

This is exactly what I needed to hear right now.

Great post, i’ll share this for sure.

Thanks.
Casey Watkins

December 5th, 2009 1:09 am

#8 is my favorite tip. I love ready other blogs for tips and help with my own. Great post.
Sheila

December 5th, 2009 1:11 am

This is a keeper! As an apprentice blogger, I went with the ideal of writing about my passion, not concerned in the least about the monetizing of it. Though I am still not ready, after several months of very hard work due to many obstacles, to introduce my blog, I got a call in a different direction, and started another one. Oooh! Don’t know exactly what I am doing here, but, again, from the advice of the probloggers, have followed my passion. Merry Christmas to all and God bless you immensely. Great choice of a guest on your blog, and Darren, you deserve a medal for blogging EVERY DAY? for HOW LONG, now? You were the first problogger I read about back in July. Love ya, brother.
Aanandi

December 5th, 2009 1:12 am

Thanks for this very interesting blog. It’s a good place to learn about the power blogging can be.
I myself have developed a brand new system that also works great when it comes to make money online.
It’s called “Hack Cash” and is amazingly effective.
Good luck!
Rhonda

December 5th, 2009 1:12 am

Thanks for the great tips. We’re just starting out and appreciate the valuable information we get from others who have been there! The “patience” part is probably the most difficult!
Michael Hyatt

December 5th, 2009 1:16 am

These are all great points. One of things I wish RSS technology would allow is the ability to comment from my RSS reader. I think this would generate more comments for all of us, since our raving fans tend to subscribe to our blogs.

Good stuff. Thanks.
Ricardo Nunez

December 5th, 2009 1:16 am

This are great tips. Point number 4 makes all sense and now I know that a little better. You want a quick example “if you know how to add a youtube box to your facebook profile” amazingly, that is knowledge. I was asked twice about that in the last month . Little things that you learned in the past can help people in the future. To finish, “Hustle” hard work always will get you somewhere.
Ryan

December 5th, 2009 1:16 am

I think the “design” point is a bit more murky than it seems. There are many very successful blogs that have designs that leave something to be desired, personally, I see design as a boost. It isn’t at all necessary but it can only be benefitial in the long run.
Jonathan Frei

December 5th, 2009 1:17 am

“consistency counts” both with posting and marketing activities. I can see clear connections between my traffic and both of those activities…
s0nj4

December 5th, 2009 1:17 am

Too bad you forgot the most important thing– be human. You are a person, not a brand. The only rule worth following is the Golden Rule. One can only hustle and network for so long before it stops working. People will only respect and follow a hustler for so long as they always have one foot out the door.
Pascal

December 5th, 2009 1:18 am

As a new blogger, I am happy about that these points i know now. I won’t be worrying later as you do. :) Anyway blogosphere gets changes much more faster than before it was. I should get time machine and watch what we need in 2012(world ends :) )
David Poindexter

December 5th, 2009 1:20 am

Darren,

Your point number 3 about commenting is something that always confuses me… many bloggers speak to the importance of commenting, but fail to show how THEY do it.

How do you keep track of your comments to make follow ups for sites that don’t have a “notify me” feature?

And how much time do you devote to commenting, say, on a weekly basis?
Keith

December 5th, 2009 1:21 am

To me, #1 on the list should be CONTENT. Something so many (including myself) bloggers seem to overlook while worrying about ads, widgets, and getting links.
Kang Asep

December 5th, 2009 1:23 am

Everyone have story and you have tried many steps to be better. And I think your knowledge is so sweet to be shared.
Thanks Nathan
ChristianPF

December 5th, 2009 1:23 am

Great points – as one who has been fortunate enough to make it a full-time job, number 10 stands out to me the most. There are many ways to cut a pie, but if the hard work isn’t there is likely isn’t going to happen…
Steve

December 5th, 2009 1:24 am

Nathan – you nailed it!

Especially the hustle part. I totally agree that there is something valuable to be said about being consistently in action – not sporadic, but consistently acting in the 20% of actions that produce 80% of the results.

This took me some time to learn, but I can totally relate to what you’re saying. For instance I could blow off an entire week of blogging without it having a huge impact on my traffic. The reason?

Because I’ve built a foundation. SEO is good on my site and I’ve got some RSS readers and a healthy following in my Newsletter. I’m not saying I would blow off an entire week, but I could do that without getting into too much trouble.

All that being said this is not something I could have gotten away with when I started my blog. The reason I say that is because it would have killed my momentum and my confidence.

So to add to your list: #11 Be Consistently in the Hustle

Steve
Young

December 5th, 2009 1:28 am

To Narrow Your Niche is really important I think, since it will be more easier for you to focus on the niche and get the source from a stable way.

Take myself for example, the niche of Essential Blog is a little wider for me, including blogging tips, blog news, twitter, wordpress, etc, I think it will be better if I focus on twitter or wordpress at the first.

And I think another blog Free Nuts just fine for the niche, since it only focus on free web apps.
Anjanette aka. MommaYoung

December 5th, 2009 1:33 am

These are excellent. As a new blogger, I am always looking for advice. Thank you.
Eat Smart Age Smart

December 5th, 2009 1:34 am

Nathan,

These are great points and I have to agree with ChristianPF — it does take a LOT of work to become a problogger and you MUST love what you do or else you will NEVER be motivated enough to keep keeping on.

I also agree with comments. I had someone tell me once that comments made no difference on sales. I knew in my heart that the person was dead-wrong.

Comments means people are engaged and it’s a great way to come up with new ideas for future content.

Thanks for a great post,

Krizia
Indrek

December 5th, 2009 1:36 am

Excellent article. These pointers are really useful to a starting blogger like myself.

At one point I started commenting on other blogs and I can really say it’s worth it. With meaningful comments you can really get some good targeted traffic and it’s also a good way to start getting new friends.
Arie Rich

December 5th, 2009 1:37 am

Wow, very well written and said. I totally agree with your points. I too try to have a consistent schedule for blogging, I blog Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. My readers expect to find something new on my blog on these days and I ensure to have something on there as well. I’ve noticed that by networking in other blogs, social media and in person I have increased the comments received on my blog postings. Which is great!! I appreciate the love from my readers.

Thanks for this post!

Arie Rich
@arierich
Online Marketing Mentor

December 5th, 2009 1:38 am

“consistency counts” – I am a new blogger, and I have just posted my 12th post. I have a goal to make 1 well thought post a week for 3 months.

“comments count” – I am finaly de-lurking on blogs I have been reading for the past few years to share my comments. I liken comments to the virtual hand shaken. Have a firm non-sweaty grip.

“everywhere counts” – I am reserving my user names on every site that I find, but I really only plan to engage with a few where the audience make-up will be interested in me.

Question – Is there etiquette for responding when someone posts a pingback as a comment?

ciao
\TNSInc
Cosmin

December 5th, 2009 1:39 am

Darren

Solid points as usual. I have been following your blog back to the day you were on the .net domain :)

i have started niche blogs here and there over the years but never had a chance to focus on one full time. Now I have the opportunity focus my attention to a unique niche that experts are all agreeing will be the next thing for 2010.

I am excited to note that alot of these points you mentioned I have applied and I’ve seen fantastic results. There are a few points that I will continue to implement and I am curious to see the results.

Looking forward to other quality posts!
Kris

December 5th, 2009 1:43 am

Really good points!

Sounds like a cliche, but I really wish I had these when I started out. Anyone new to blogging should use these as their Mantra.

To be taken very seriously.
Neil

December 5th, 2009 1:45 am

You say, “Although this is just the Tip of the Iceberg” its a very good tip! Looking back at my archives, I see I am guilty of more than one of this top 10 list and better at others.

Consistency, Comments and Content are critical components to any WebBlog. The one area I see my of my Blogger biddies miss the boat is what you referred to as “narrowing you niche”.

Since there’s so much info out there (in 5 different languages) I think the more laser focused your content is, the better and more likely our readers will 1) Leave a Comment 2) Digg your post (I use share it for this) 2) Do the #1 thing you want most ~ subscribe to your RSS feed.

The one item I would add to this already useful list is to include more VIDEO in your content and make sure the vid is only 3-5 minutes max in length. Video Blogging is becoming a must have element in the Blog I visit more than once.
John McLachlan

December 5th, 2009 1:54 am

This post makes so much sense. The consistency issue and treating it like a business are my biggest roadblocks. I get so much project work that blogging takes second place. I “get” that I have to change my priorities. Now I just have to do it.

Thank you, too, for reminding me about narrowing the niche. In the few months I’ve been blogging, I already can see where I have strayed with topics. I’m getting a clearer picture now of where my focus should be.
James 'Ideas' Rayers

December 5th, 2009 1:58 am

I’ve just started a new blog and coming in at the ground level is tough. You’re advice about niche narrowing is certainly helpful, though makes me worry a little about my blog; it would be difficult to narrow my content much as it’s a very broad area.

I would say if you are able to sum up what your blog covers in one simple sentence, this is niche enough.

Extending from the point on authority: How exactly does one exert authority in their select field?
Robby G

December 5th, 2009 2:01 am

Owning the blog is very important, I agree. I realized some time ago that I really shouldn’t be writing for anyone but myself and if people don’t agree with my opinions then too bad for them. You can’t satisfy everyone, but at least you can satisfy yourself. All the points you mentioned are important, but really owning your blog and being the leader is something not everyone mentions on these blogs about blogging sites. Good job, Nathan. Cheers!
Vishal Sanjay

December 5th, 2009 2:07 am

Nicely written Nathan, when i started I never knew about Problogger, that is where I went wrong, I still repent on the time i’ve wasted till today.
Minority Fortune

December 5th, 2009 2:19 am

These are good tips, and they are commonly shared with the top bloggers across various niches. Working on each of these.
Chris | GamesMontreal

December 5th, 2009 2:19 am

Thanks Darren!

I’m starting to realize too that comments make a big difference.

I’m now trying to get readers more engaged in the comments, not an easy thing!
Dave Yankowiak

December 5th, 2009 2:22 am

Super duper list, Nathan! Seriously, I’ll be printing this out and glancing at it before each and every one of my blog posts from now on. #2 regarding your niche is especially important. Good stuff!
David Walker

December 5th, 2009 2:41 am

Thanks Nathan, for sharing your experience and what we can learn from it.
I find I should give a lot of thought to. #7; about having a plan and thinking beyond today. Not that I don’t, but it tends to get pushed to the back-burner often, what with social media marketing and all

Blogging is my passion, my job, my source of income so as far as #10 goes, I hustle like there’s no tomorrow ;)
Dan

December 5th, 2009 2:44 am

Gotta say that most of the time I see posts like this I skim over them because they are mostly fluff. This is a very well written post and one of the few that, as I read each point, I said, “Yes! This guy is right on!” Nice work.

I think point 2 is the breaking point for most bloggers. If they can understand that narrowing the focus actually means expanding the opportunity for success, they have a better chance of making it. It’s a hard concept to actually implement.
Rob Mangiafico

December 5th, 2009 2:45 am

Great top 10 list. I personally like #2 “Narrow Your Niche”. There is a fine line between too broad and too narrow, but if you focus on a specific area/topic, and you become quite knowledgeable in that area, you can really captivate your audience.

And a captive audience means more $$$ or reaching your non-monetary goal faster and more effectively.

Rob – LexiConn
Lucifer@Blog Contests

December 5th, 2009 2:47 am

When U Comment More and On More Blogs Then U are indirectly on more blog nd if u comment on ur niche of blogs from where u need audience i.e traffic then u are focusing correctly…and do blog around some topics only that u mentioned so ur niche is as such becomes narrow…btw great guest post by nathan…nd u forget one point Try Guest Posting also like u did here ;)
Michael Holmes

December 5th, 2009 2:54 am

Nathan,

Great post! Well thought out, simple and at the same time detailed.

I must admit, I looked at one post from a year ago: it was horrible!!! I mean it sucked!!! But “to live is to learn” and I am learning.

I wholeheartedly agree with # 6. I’ve made the commitment to blog every single day. I’ve been very haphazard in the past…but no more. I’ve been blogging everday for sometime and have seen great results…I will continue this trend:)

Thanks for the advice!
brian | No Debt World Travel

December 5th, 2009 3:00 am

Good points all thru this article.

Scheduling posts for days of the week is important. If you make it a habit to post something on Mon, Wed, Fri, your readers will make it their HABIT to visit on those days.

I like to follow friends and bloggers I like in Google Reader and then comment when I have something worthwhile to add. Don’t comment for the sake of commenting. You’ll look like a spammer.
Deborah Richmond

December 5th, 2009 3:01 am

Narrowing your niche is good advice. I keep my niche focused on small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to learn how to use social media to market their business. I make sure my topics are of interest to that specific reader. I ask myself all the time, is this something an entrepreneur would be interested in?

It’s easy to stray from your niche, but a focused blog means your readers will be those who are very interested in this one niche.
Nibras Bawa

December 5th, 2009 3:02 am

Point 3 – Comments really do matter?

I don’t allow comments on my blog, and i do think my content is king. I’ve seen traffic somehow. May be i’m ignorant and silly enough to say no to comments, but irony is i do comment when i see something i can relate to, and people do come. Its not like my blog is going to die without comments?

Mine is a professional blog, a zero ad, zero solicit blog with no sales pitches. And people do seem to like that approach !
Roger Ewing

December 5th, 2009 3:05 am

Great summary, thanks for sharing. I needed to be reminded of the importance of subscribing to blogs in my niche and commenting on them regularly.
best wishes,
Roger
Chris Melton

December 5th, 2009 3:05 am

These are the same things I wish I knew then and now. It’s hard to understand most of this when you start because you’ve got no idea where you’re headed.

The good thing is it’s almost never too late to make corrections and continue.

Loved it.
David Poindexter

December 5th, 2009 3:09 am

@Nibras:

I thought you were joking, but after viewing your site, I see you’re serious.

If you have no comments, and no ads… how are you making money from your blog again?

I my mind, “professional” doesn’t just mean serious, it means earning income from a blog’s value. If you don’t do that, then I don’t know how seriously you could call your blog “professional.”

Don’t take it the wrong way, I too have a personal blog that is ad free and doesn’t serve a purpose of earning income, but I wouldn’t venture to call it “professional” in that capacity.
Gary Duke

December 5th, 2009 3:13 am

Nathan,

Your points are focussed and informative. I need to carefully consider all the points, but especially 2,3, & 10. Thank you for the share.
John Paul

December 5th, 2009 3:17 am

Design is subjective, one design will be loved by some readers and some will hate it.

I think if you keep it clean and easy to navigate, then it will work just fine.

Rest of your tips are great..
Daniel Johnston

December 5th, 2009 3:18 am

These are really great tips. The first one, good design is crucial, is so true. Many bloggers spend just a few seconds before clicking a design. Most readers barely spend anytime on websites or blogs at all. The first impression is often the one that counts.

I think that the second point though, is too much of a generalization. It is normally true, but in a lot of cases, it is not. For example, in my blog, http://johnstond2015.wordpress.com/, I cover technology, not just blogging or building a website. This is because I’m trying to reach people who need help with technology in general, not just bloggers. It all depends on who you are trying to reach.

The third one, comments really do matter, is something that should be in the bloggers bible, if there was one. Even if people don’t go to your blog from reading comments, they’ll know your name, and if they eventually stumble upon your website, there’s a greater chance that they’ll become a reader. Also, you will get a lot of traffic from people who want to check you out, as well as the person (people) who run the blog will want to see where you come from and if you can add something good to the conversation.

The fourth and fifth ones are also extremely important. If you don’t believe what you’re saying is true, then why would anyone else?

Consistency is one of the most important things for building a successful blog. People prefer to read things that updated frequently, although how frequently depends on your niche.

Of course, with almost anything in life, having a plan is key. If you don’t know where you want to go, chances are good that you won’t end up there.

Networking and being everywhere are also crucial ingredients to getting noticed. The more places that you are, the better chances your chances are of other people finding you.

And, obviously, you are right when you say that content is KING! If your blog or website is empty, then why would people want to be there? Also, if your content isn’t useful, then why would people want it?

All in all, great post Nathan!
Srinivas Rao

December 5th, 2009 3:20 am

Hey Nathan,

I think my favorite part of this is the networking component. Obviously that’s how we’ve become friends and been able to help each other in our blogging efforts. I guess I actually haven’t thought about what I will do when I get 100+ emails a day, so that’s a good point. Now that I think about your commenting strategy which will probably inundate me with email, it’s still a really effective way to get yourself out there because you will always be one of the first to comment on everything.
Matt

December 5th, 2009 3:31 am

This is a great article Nathan, clear and well verbalized. I definitely need to work on a more consistent editorial schedule. Seeing as I have not posted in months… :| I got away from blogging for a bit, but now I have some inspiration to get going again! Thanks!
Samantha

December 5th, 2009 3:41 am

Hi guys

Blogger should also treat his site special. What I mean is that you must love it and of course know what you write. Consider you reader and their needs. Share something that they will gain much information. I like also the part of networking.

Kind Regards
Sam
X
Oleg Mokhov

December 5th, 2009 3:47 am

Hey Nathan,

Commenting really does work – my young site Lifebeat is proof of that. By regularly posting value-giving comments on high-traffic relevant sites, I’ve gotten most of my traffic just through that so far.

I kept reading how Leo Babauta or Chris Guillebeau recommended doing it, but was skeptical. After all, why would people scroll through and read the comments, much less click on your name to go to your site?

But lo and behold, soon after I started doing it, I got my first visitors and comments. The bounce rate was low, the staying time was high, and the quality of the early comments was fantastic (I’m still grateful and humbled by such remarkable readers that visit my site).

The trick is to not choose just any site, but one where the comment activity is of high quality. Real discussions (where the author most likely moderates them) means people actually read through and participate in the comments section. And that is what increases the chance of people reading your value-giving comment and clicking through to check out what else you have to say.

I see quality comments as unsolicited mini-guest posts.

And because what you write is relevant to the topic of the original article, you increase the quality of visitors clicking through to your site. Not only do they know what to expect topic-wise, but you gave them a preview of your writing as well.

Great other points as well. Your blog just keeps growing and improving – it seems you’ve done an excellent job turbocharging it, and I feel it’s going to go to even greater places soon.

All the best with it Nathan,
Oleg
Guna @ StartupBooster.com

December 5th, 2009 3:50 am

Great post. I totally agree with you. I always tell my readers that they should not expect to become millionaires overnight. It doesn’t happen that way. They all need to follow certain guidelines and your blog post outlines it very well.

-Guna
iHing

December 5th, 2009 3:54 am

Thanks Darren, those are well written and informative tips. You spelled it out! I have been following intuitively most of your steps and seeing results. Now I know I am on the right track. iHing
Akila

December 5th, 2009 3:54 am

This is a great post. I agree that commenting on other’s blogs are critical. I use Google Reader to organize all my subscriptions and try to comment on five blogs every day. It really has helped increase traffic on my site. And, though, I am nowhere near “problogger” status, I would add one more tip: “Have fun blogging.” I read a lot of blogs and the best ones are from bloggers who seem to love what they are doing.
LPCs

December 5th, 2009 3:54 am

Thank you. Very helpful just at this stage. Most of this I had heard. The point about stepping up to claim one’s authority, I had not. And I just went to a networking event last night, found myself talking about what I know and have learned on my style blog, and was amazed at how interested most people were. And surprised that what I took as common knowledge is in fact useful, hard-to-come-by, information. Again, thanks.
Blog Tips

December 5th, 2009 3:55 am

Good design or layout is really a factor when you’re site is new as we know that first impression lasts.Publishing great content,narrowing your niche,networking your site and having good relationships to your readers is a must factor
Baby Food Grinder

December 5th, 2009 3:56 am

A thorough post that is helpful for people who blog fulltime as professionals. But as a part time blogger I can only dream of having enough spare time to do just half of the ideas mentioned.
design by j2

December 5th, 2009 4:16 am

I don’t even know where to start in expressing what a great article this is. I’m a web designer and am regularly in contact with people who “want a blog” but don’t understand what they’re getting themselves into. I am actually emailing this link out to my blogger clients right now.

Thank you so much for putting it all out there in simple straight talk terms.

Jessie
@j2MiA
abrablog

December 5th, 2009 4:21 am

narrowr your niche. Ehm, i agree with you. That’s what i am trying to do now.
Xerox Toner Cartridges

December 5th, 2009 4:37 am

A good and excellent blogging techniques. I hope I can learn knowledge from it. I happy to know the ways of improving my blogs. I hope that many of us will see it.
Kajanova

December 5th, 2009 4:39 am

Very helpful info! I should probably take heed of #2 because right now my blog is all over the place.. but right now I’m mainly focusing on networking and rule #10, the hustle and pumping out content.

I’d just like to say, guest posters at Problogger are 100X better than the ones I see at johnchow and shoemoney. I can’t even read their blogs anymore.. even when the main author posts it just seems like a waste of my reading time. Problogger is so much better with far superior info.
Jannie Funster

December 5th, 2009 4:44 am

“a steady editorial schedule,” I agree that’s key. I’ve slacked off to posting 2x weekly and my readership has dropped a bit. I guess it just comes down to deciding what’s really important — my blog or my “real life” pursuits. Hmmn, thought-provoking for me.
Xerox Toner Cartridges

December 5th, 2009 4:50 am

With this knowledge, I know how to improve my skills and talent in commenting your article. It is very nice. And it gives me the best solution in everything.
Nibras Bawa

December 5th, 2009 4:51 am

@ David Poindexter,

Thanks for visiting my blog. Its like this, i do intend MONETIZING like every other blog at some point, but it won’t be Ads, it won’t be affiliate, it won’t be consulting or coaching. It won’t be e-books even. It will be something and that something i do will bring in revenue indirectly.

Honestly its more of a profile building exercise for me. Seth Godin writes the world’s no 1 marketing blog. No Ads in it. But the blog makes money for Seth. It always pays to blog. I’m experimenting a subtle, indirect monetization method.

Thank you for your candid comment. I appreciate it very much.
Robert Bravery

December 5th, 2009 4:56 am

Good post Nathan,
Strange and exciting that it has the sme title as a post I did a few weeks ago.

http://www.integralwebsolutions.co.za/Blog/EntryId/397/10-Things-I-wish-I-knew-and-did-before-I-started-blogging.aspx

Its amazing to see the differences and the similarities of the Two post.
Would appreciate your look see, and let me know what you think.

It’s good to look back and see your mistakes. But only if you learn from them. If you don’t then it aint worth it.
Ms. Freeman

December 5th, 2009 4:57 am

I like the Be Everywhere tip! I feel like I am being pulled in a million different directions but it is starting to pay off, that’s for sure :)
Bruce Nunnally

December 5th, 2009 5:01 am

3. Comments really do matter — I agree with your point, but I would also expand this to share that Comments should be a central focus of blogs themselves. Social media is about 2-way communication, so if you are not commenting on other’s blogs and they are not commenting on your blog, something is not going right. (I have a lot of work to do in this area).
I also resonated with 9. Be everywhere and 10.Hustle ; both speak to the immediacy of information needed and wide access available now. Also I use different tools for different purpose — facebook email for private discourse rather than twitter for example.
Affiliate Marketer's Help Desk

December 5th, 2009 5:06 am

You’re absolutely right! It’s so easy to underestimate the value of what you know. The truth is everybody is an expert at something. And don’t be afraid to share even as you learn. I’ve run into some strange obstacles, and there’s been many times when I just want to quit. But I can’t – because I love writing and blogging too much.

What I’m seeing now is that those older posts that I thought fell on deaf ears are the ones that are bringing new visitors on a constant basis.

Thanks for this excellent post.
Dean Saliba

December 5th, 2009 5:38 am

I think we would all love to have the ability of hindsight.
BWI

December 5th, 2009 5:39 am

Commenting on other blogs, #3, is valuable in so many ways. Besides visibility, and potential backlinks, just think about who is actually seeing those links. Most likely it is those that fit in your target audience.
charles

December 5th, 2009 6:42 am

wow, this is exactly what i was looking for. As a newbie blogger, sometimes i have no idea what i’m doing or always find myself wondering if what i’m doing is the right thing to do. thanks for the tips.
Matt hixson

December 5th, 2009 7:53 am

In #9 you mention to be everywhere. I would agree with this but would add another piece of advice – map out where you live and how they relate. You can quickly get lost in all the places you live and what is publishing to where. You can make it much easier on yourself by publishing certain content only once and letting the tools put that information in all the other places. Keep it simple – yet be everywhere.
Kelly McPhee

December 5th, 2009 7:55 am

I think the hardest tip to realize is that people love specifics. When I’m writing a post about an event sometimes I think it’s silly to post directions. I figure, people are going to visit the website if they want to know more because this is what I would do and people will visit a map website or punch the address into their gps if they want directions. But, I found that users really do appreciate a quick link with directions, that way they can estimate how long the trip will take. I had one reader say that they didn’t attend an event I posted because they just didn’t want to mess with looking up directions.
Panki

December 5th, 2009 7:58 am

Right on. All the points are meaningful and more informative to me. Thanks for such a nice post.
Nathan Hangen

December 5th, 2009 8:31 am

Wow, so many great comments.

Thanks so much Darren for allowing me to hang out a bit.

@David – my commenting strategy is to sign up by email to 5-10 of the most popular blogs in my niche, and another 5-10 outside of it.

As soon as I get an email for a new post, I head over and make a relevant/useful comment. The trick then is to stay involved and comment/reply to others as well. Become well-known on that space and that will open the door to more traffic and guest posting opportunities.

@Srinivas – very true. I get lots of email, and it can be overwhelming, but I found that I cannot rely on checking RSS often. I also enjoy the networking, some people might not see the value…but the connections I’ve made in just the past several months have had a HUGE impact on my business.

@Nibras – if you read the point I made about comments, you’ll see that I wasn’t at all talking about allowing/disallowing comments. I was talking about a comment strategy to promote yourself on other blogs.

@Dan – Thanks!

@Blog Tips – perfect point.
Tamara Hawk

December 5th, 2009 8:37 am

Thanks so much for this! I just did up a new website with blog in September and didn’t have a clue.
Keep up the good work, your info is REALLY helpful.
Beau Blackwell

December 5th, 2009 8:48 am

Nathan,

All great points. How about “Don’t be afraid to screw up sometimes?” I think every new blogger will probably make some pretty major mistakes, especially early on, but they’re things you can recover from.

In my opinion, it’s better to take action and start hustling, like you said, than to be paralyzed be fear or by trying to plan or analyze too much. Sometimes you’ve just got to take the leap and learn from your mistakes instead of trying to prevent them from ever happening.
Ae

December 5th, 2009 8:49 am

I have to agree with Mr. Poindexter’s comment regarding the “How” of Tip Three, particularly replying to comments on one’s own blog. Is there some sort of etiquette/expectation about replying to comments that are mostly complimentary, rather than conversational?

Sometimes I comment on blogs I’ve visited randomly, just to let the writer know their content brightened my mood, day, etc., and I don’t go back to check for Thank Yous. Do people really want an individual “Thank you” each time they comment on a blog? Or is it less about human interaction and more about generating traffic?
David

December 5th, 2009 8:50 am

Nathan,

Very concise and well-written. As one new to professional blogging, the tips will all be useful, but specifically narrowing my focus and posting consistent content. While I have been able to consistently post at least an article per week, the days vary, and I think I need to correct that with a bit more discipline.

Thanks!
Deborah

December 5th, 2009 9:11 am

Nathan, I can honestly say that this is the most helpful, succinct advice for novice bloggers that I’ve read to date. I plan to take it and run with it, starting now.
Chad

December 5th, 2009 9:13 am

#1 couldn’t be more important. I regularly land at sites with a great design, and spend more time looking around and even subscribing.
#5 is a great point, one I haven’ really taken to heart – yet. I notice it myself when reading other blogs. You’re right, it’s your site, you’re the authority, OWN the content.
Tomas Stonkus

December 5th, 2009 9:37 am

Dear Nathan:

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. One thing I started noticing that this is not unique to blogging.

You could easily take the title and apply to any industry or profession out there. I started noticing similar advice by many successful people.

That actually gave me an idea of integrating your life in such a fashion that you wouldn’t have to relearn these lessons over again.

The best thing to do would be to create values from your experiences and use them in every situation of you life: blogging, writing, working, networking, etc.

The formula to success is not difficult: the steps are the same no matter what you are doing in life. It’s just a matter of doing them:)

In the mean while, I will go out and hustle :)

Best of luck and great writing!

Tomas
David | ilcantone.com

December 5th, 2009 10:03 am

Great article Nathan. Yes I agree 100%. For me Hustle and Consistency are crucial to succeed.

See you :)
Yasmine Mohamed

December 5th, 2009 12:01 pm

Awesome!

I tried point #9 these past weeks with Twitter, and it started to work. I don’t have large number of visits but for sure visits increased with a noticed ratio after using Twitter. :)

Thanks Nathan for the post. I will try to improve the other 9 points.
Lisa Olinda

December 5th, 2009 12:16 pm

There was a great article yesterday in the Social Media Examiner written by Denise Wakeman which dealt with comments, etcetera. Your challenge to find a niche is the main item I am working on. I have so many interests it is difficult to narrow the field. Thanks for the great information.
Andrea Schneider

December 5th, 2009 12:25 pm

I love the list, very helpful and particularly like the part about not underestimating your own expertise. It can be easy to that sometimes.
Thanks.
Sarge | BeginnerBlogger.com

December 5th, 2009 12:33 pm

Good post Nathan. It’s always great seeing what people have learnt from their experiences. In my opinion the best way to learn is by doing and learning from that. Thanks for sharing :)

I would really love to see some actual numbers in regards to a good design/bad design. Like if someone did some A/B testing and showed everyone the results. I believe good design is essential to gaining more potential prospects but it would be really interesting to see some real numbers based on 2 pages that were the exactly the same skeleton wise, but had different designs.

On the commenting – I’m conducting my own commenting challenge this month. I am noticing the results already – mainly in actually connecting with other bloggers not so much getting added traffic, but that is also working too. I’ve also noticed if you comment on someones blog there is a good chance they will comment on your blog as well.

Let’s keep the discussion going!

All 10 points are QUALITY. Nice job :) Bookmarked.

Sarge | BeginnerBlogger.com
The Emotion Machine

December 5th, 2009 12:50 pm

Recently I have been working on “narrowing my niche,” and I am finally noticing some consistency and loyalty in my audience. Very crucial advice!
Dennis Dalangin

December 5th, 2009 1:19 pm

Great post!!!! A plan is probably one of the most important things in any business. It is a great tool for us to be able to use and see how we are progressing against it. As you mentioned, in the early stages, it may not seem like you are not getting anywhere, and this is where the plan is very important because within that plan, you need a way to measure your small successes.
King of Cali

December 5th, 2009 1:36 pm

I really like this post. This is some good stuff to know and think about. I just started a baseball blog. Its about all the latest SF Giants Rumors. Its hard to let all the giants fans out there know about the site. I have been trying to get traffic. I have found some ways for that by twitter and comments on other blogs. If anyone wants to take a look and give me feedback. Hit the contact us on the site and send me an email. :)

King of Cali
http://www.sfgiantsbaseball.net
Andri

December 5th, 2009 1:54 pm

Great post! Really useful for a beginner blogger like me. Yes, I do try to find my niche audience with my blog. Hopefully the result will be seen soon enough.
Farhaty

December 5th, 2009 2:12 pm

This is exactly what I needed to hear right now.

Great post, i’ll share this for sure.

I will bookmark your blog and have my children check.

Thanks.
Sean

December 5th, 2009 2:14 pm

Thanks Nathan

I think a good design is absolutely crucial. If you are serious about blogging and have a long term vision – it is worth scraping together funds for a good design.

It also helps to cement your commitment to the long term success of the blog when you have some skin in the game.

Regards
Sean
Dana @ Online Knowledge

December 5th, 2009 2:18 pm

Hem… i guilty in design. I planned a step by step design for my blog but after step two i stop because other thing attract me. I think i need go back to my first plan.
Morgan Richman - Make Money Online

December 5th, 2009 2:22 pm

A good design and usability of website help in the overall user experience.

Your visitor would love to go back to a site that is simple but usable. A WordPress blgo site is the norm these days because of its simplicity.

Hiring the services of a professional web designer/developer will help you in the long run.
Chris Franklin

December 5th, 2009 4:19 pm

If you are employed full time, I would recommend Contributing to a group blog with like-minded people rather than going solo on your own blog. Of course, you may want to blog solo for a while to establish a bit of a track record that, in fact, makes you a worthwhile Contributor to a group blog with like-minded people. That is certainly understandable.
Jim

December 5th, 2009 4:33 pm

I just started blogging last month and your advice in this article is very helpful. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. Going forward I will keep your tips in mind.
Kidberries

December 5th, 2009 5:04 pm

As a new blogger, I feel this is the post I read at right time. Thanks for sharing such wonderful tips.
Liz Hamill Scott

December 5th, 2009 5:41 pm

Thank you so much for the post, Nathan! I’m very new to the blogging game, and hope to monetize soon. It’s heartening to read #2, as I blog to a pretty narrow niche.

I’d love a more detailed breakdown of #10. I read and hear a lot about the need to hustle, but less about what that really means and how to do it. How often do you Tweet/update Facebook etc? How much time per day do you allot to social networking? How many conferences do you attend per year? Which ones? Do you attend conferences, events, seminars, etc within the realm of your subject matter? How many?
Affiliate Marketing Tips

December 5th, 2009 6:08 pm

Well i would like to congratulate Nathan for this wonderful post first. Design is something I overlooked back when I started. i really made a mess with my design by including all those banners and advertisements that when i look back now, i feel I have lost at least a 1000 loyal readers and a lot of money too
Health Mind Spirit News

December 5th, 2009 7:53 pm

Some great tips here,
I like the one “Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Your Own Knowledge”

Yes, us bloggers do have some authority. If we felt like we had nothing to share, we would never have started to blog in the first place.
MichaelR

December 5th, 2009 8:50 pm

Well I wish I knew these things before I started too but its never too late to learn so thanks for sharing this.
akhlis

December 5th, 2009 8:54 pm

Standing applause for this post! I mean it! It speaks to me. Nearly all the points are definitely unquestionably mandatory for a newbie like me to do. Knowing these things propels me to do everything better, and of course I know 101% that I’m taking my blog to the right direction, success! Nathan, you rock!
Rich Bowden

December 5th, 2009 9:19 pm

Extraordinarily good advice thank you, clearly written and very helpful to a new blogger.
Franck

December 5th, 2009 9:30 pm

I wonder if those things to know are also applicable to non blog websites?
conniew

December 5th, 2009 9:36 pm

Good info and thorough. Good blogging is making things interesting to the reader to want to come back for more. Great tip about design. Too dull is dull. A bit of color attracts readers. Dont’ want it to look like a newspaper.

Thanks for the tips….I have to come back and read this again.
I realized what a novice at blogging I am.
Joe

December 5th, 2009 10:42 pm

Another piece of advice would be to stay out of the forums. Its so easy to contract the blogger’s disease LOF (Lack of Focus)

By the way, what is “a JV deal” that was mentioned in #8?
Reza@Blogging Guide

December 5th, 2009 11:16 pm

I agree that comments are really helpful to gain your authority, and I agree too that design is important for your blog existence. Like Problogger, it has a lot of qualified comments and every new visitor will see it as a real “pro blog”.
bunchcup

December 5th, 2009 11:44 pm

Wow. that’s a very good post. I just started my website a few days back. Those are just exactly what I need. Thanks!
Laura Cococcia | The Journal of Cultural Conversation

December 6th, 2009 12:48 am

Nice, Nathan. I think I’ve hit most of your tips above – the only one I struggle with is “being everywhere.” I think with the limited time I have balancing work and blog, I definitely make it to most social network outlets, but want to make sure I’m balancing my time to comment intelligently on the blogs I love. Thanks so much for sharing with us here!
2012 Doomsday Predictions

December 6th, 2009 1:23 am

A niche blog is very crucial, I agree with that
My first blog is also too wide therefore it’s difficult for me to generate proper keywords for my entire blog :)
turisuna

December 6th, 2009 1:42 am

Wow I felt most of them in my blogging experience, especially the point of ‘Be Everywhere’ and ‘Comment really do matter’. When I started blogging, I used to hide my blog URL from my friends and never joined with any forum or social network to promote my blog, I felt shame if someone read my blog because my English was so bad he3
I was also afraid if someone gave comment in my post, I should admit that it wasn’t easy to accept criticisms he3.
But now I try to open myself, I realize if some advices and criticisms at the comment form are important for me to be a better blogger. But I hope the readers wouldn’t only criticize me, but they also want to give the better solution for my blog so I can be a better blogger in the future :)
dominique eichi

December 6th, 2009 2:39 am

Great advice ……….. will implement what is needed . Thanks
Cirodin

December 6th, 2009 3:19 am

I feel lucky to be one of the people having started blogging so late that all the good advice from the blogging pioneers, are easily accessible. Before I started up my blog, I have scoured through dozens of blogs like this – carefully studying the “science of blogging”. And now, In my first week as a blogger, I am implementing many, if not all, the tips listed in this post. Thanks!
Patrick OToole

December 6th, 2009 3:23 am

Excellent and timely. I just started my blog and I’m trying to learn as much as I can from other’s experience so I can build my own blog. “Be Everywhere” is so right on. I signed up for Twitter (@startbloggingon) and commented on a few post on other blogs and those people followed. Only a couple, but it’s two more than yesterday.
BloggerDaily

December 6th, 2009 3:35 am

Nice points! I wish I could done this when I started blogging. But I guess it’s not too late to practice them now. Thanks a lot! =)
George Passwater

December 6th, 2009 3:45 am

This is a great post on some key points!

Without a doubt, I have to agree on the last point – hustle.

“There’s no secret recipe, no golden ticket…you’ve just got to work hard and treat your blog like a business.”

This is what so many don’t understand when they build a blog. To be serious about it, you have to work at it with everything you have. If you have to work on it late at night or early in the morning, so be it. Treat it like a business and never stop hustling.

Hard work gets you to success, there is no magic pill.
Designer Aaron | wisnet.com

December 6th, 2009 4:09 am

Very interesting article. This really wants me to get a comment system on our new blog. After reading your comments I find them to as valuable as the article itself.
myBiz.lk

December 6th, 2009 4:16 am

I spend a lot of time thinking what should be the topic for my new blog. :)
Martin Casper

December 6th, 2009 4:57 am

Simple, straightforward and direct. Excellent content…thanks Nathan. Once thing that really struck me was to reinforce making comments on other blogger’s posts. I have been guilty of not doing that…starting right now, that will change. It is so important for all of us to work as a “tribe” per Seth Godin, or a family. by doing this wee show that we are truly interested in what others say. We also learn from each other and strengthen our own businesses in the process. Thanks Nathan for an excellent post, and thanks Darren for including this on your blog site.
Aqif

December 6th, 2009 5:03 am

I do agree with you Nathan Hangens when it comes to blog design. And this is why many people failed to take seriously when they first time creating their own dot com blog.

Blog design is the “first impression” to your visitors when they first time in your blog. I know some of you will say that “content first, design later”. But majority of people will agree that they will look at your blog design first.

Thanks a lot for this blog post.

To your success!

- Aqif
Clarabela

December 6th, 2009 5:19 am

#6 is a challenge for me. I need to develop and stick to an editorial calender. I always intend to post 3 times per week, but sometimes days go by with doing any writing.

My plan for the new year (actually starting in December) is to writing something/anything for at least 1 hour each day.
Nate Moller

December 6th, 2009 5:33 am

Great post! I like and agree with all the comments. I especially like these two:

1. Narrow Your Niche
2. Consistency Counts

I do small business consulting, helping people get started with online businesses from scratch. Most of my clients come in not knowing exactly what they want to do or how to go about the process of narrowing things down. I always emphasize the importance of focus when starting an online business. As you focus in on a niche, you’ll realize that what seemed like a very specific topic actually is a lot bigger once you research it out.

Consistency in blogging is also so crucial. There are only a handful of blogs I follow (Problogger obviously being one of them). The main reason I follow these blogs is because they are consistent and focused on specific topics. Granted they may go off topic from time to time but they always have a way of tying things back to their overall “Elevator Pitch”.

Thanks for the great ideas and reminders. I definitely share this article with my clients.

Nate Moller
MollerMarketing.com
Nathan Hangen

December 6th, 2009 5:57 am

@Oleg – you are absolutely right, in fact that’s how I found your awesome blog.

@Beau – great point. I’ve screwed up more than thought possible, but through those experiences, I’ve learned much more than I ever could have without just going for it.

@Sean – that’s one of the best reasons for having a custom design. If you show that your shop/blog is professional, then your audience will automatically assume that you are in it for the long run. There’s a lot of authority and trust that comes with that.
Blommi

December 6th, 2009 6:50 am

I certainly agree with the “Be Everywhere” tip. Even a trickle of traffic from each adds up.
Blommi

December 6th, 2009 6:50 am

I certainly agree with the “Be Everywhere” tip. Even a trickle of traffic from each adds up.
Lenny | Ink butter

December 6th, 2009 1:49 pm

Great post. Thank you.
weng

December 6th, 2009 2:44 pm

great advise I will use these on my blogs….
thanks
Paramendra Bhagat

December 6th, 2009 3:56 pm

I think this blog should put forth a series of shorten-the-learning-curve articles. Darren!
Arun

December 6th, 2009 5:53 pm

Great article on tips for newbies who are stepping in to blogging world.

I personally feel consistency and design are the two most important criteria to make a blog go long way.
Brandon Sheley

December 6th, 2009 6:04 pm

Great post as always, I was just thinking the other day that I need to work on my design. You’re post has confirmed that thought.

Thanks!
Chris Palmer

December 6th, 2009 8:16 pm

Great post! These are very great points and I am started to feel you on a lot of these subjects. I have Darren to thank for this ;)

In addition, I’ve RSSed your other site.

Great guest post.
Mary | Goodlife ZEN

December 6th, 2009 9:51 pm

These days you’re lucky to find a blog that still accepts comments, Darren!

I just nipped over to Dumb Little Man in order to comment -but they’ve stopped comments and so has Leo Babauta at Zen Habits.

Makes me wonder if there is a new shift in the blogging world: away from conversation and towards pure information.
Ebooks blog

December 7th, 2009 12:23 am

Unfortunatelly, I can say that I failed at tips number 1 and partly at a tip number 7. For all others I think I did at least a plausible job. Yes, I know that there is that basic judgement if you use blogger.com you will always be considered a noob or a blogger wannabe, and with wordpress you can evolve, but still I think it’s better that I took some action instead of just sitting and reading about other people’s successes.
cris

December 7th, 2009 4:50 am

Excellent post. Thank you very much for sharing these tips.
jimmy tay

December 7th, 2009 5:09 am

i have gain an understand with regarding the Consistency of your blog post. my understanding is.you can blog from two post per week to three post per week but not vice versa. blogging too much of a content might not be that good too as people takes time to digest and audience must have a looking forward mentality to see your blog rather than flooding them with contents as they have a hard time catching up.balance is the key.agree?
Parental Controls

December 7th, 2009 7:19 am

Agreed. Too many makes it look WAY too busy and can take away from content as well. Stick with less and it will make it look less spammy!
Prayer Requessts

December 7th, 2009 7:21 am

We don’t use any yet. We are waiting until visitor numbers climb. But when they do we are planning on adding just a few here and there!
Michelle

December 7th, 2009 8:17 am

really great blog post, I have just launched my new blog so will be using all of your tips :) thanks
vitamine

December 7th, 2009 2:18 pm

Thanks for the list, I have been meaning to put it on my site for a while. There are a few blogs I comment on with this plugin, I think it encourages bloggers to comment.
M.A. Romero

December 7th, 2009 2:48 pm

One of the better posts here. A few tend to be fluff or fillers but this one gets a 9 out of 10 points. In my book, #1 is CONTENT – not design. A comparison in another market I would use to illustrate this is Craigslist which an ugly duckling but the market leader in its class.

P.S. I think the search function here needs to be improved. I get far better results searching the site through Google. As an example I used this site’s search to look for ‘Headway Themes” and it came up empty. But just below the post on this page, slam bang in your face is an affiliate advertisement for HeadWay Themes. But then maybe Darren has cloaked Affliate Ads from his search box?

P.S. P.S. More and more I am seeing Disqus being utlised by bloggers (for example http://www.copyblogger.com) to power their comments section but the pros and cons of how to run comments are not raised by the post.
Cisco Networking Forum

December 7th, 2009 3:06 pm

Yes, Darren has built a good Blog and this post is extremely helpful. Thanks Pro!
Ed Troxell

December 7th, 2009 3:29 pm

Great article! It really helps you put things into prospective and see what you can do differently. Number 6 was really good and I like how you listed the 3 days. It helps to realize you don’t have to post something everyday.

What’s your story? Mixitupmagazine.com
John White

December 7th, 2009 3:53 pm

>5. When You Have a Blog, You are the Authority

As they say in Spain, “En el país de los ciegos, el tuerco es rey.” (In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.)
MAG

December 8th, 2009 2:19 am

Thanks for your tips, very useful for someone like me who just started his journey into the world of blogging. My fav is also number 5 “You have the authority”, just like “My blog, my authority”.
Jean

December 8th, 2009 4:39 am

Very helpful indeed. I am pretty new to blogging, a couple of days in fact and this information opened my eyes on many concerning issues. I fully agree with the design comment, I would imagine a reader would not pick up a raggy looking magazine to buy and read which is common sense, yet many people lack. One concern though is my consistency, I update new posts at least 4-5 times a day although early days for me there is so much I could talk about. It is not however long and lenghty articles, short and sweet really.
Thanks for this!
Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms

December 8th, 2009 5:21 am

Very good points. Personally I’ve seen my traffic grow from faithfully linking my posts on Twitter and Facebook, making a fan page on facebook too. I networked with a much more popular blogger who has thousands of FB fans and when she shared a giveaway on my blog I picked up more fans and traffic. That was a big boost for me. I also return the favor to Twitter followers by following back, as long as they are not too offensive.

I have a subdomain that I’m slowly working on about earning money with your blog. I may just have to blog about this article and link to it.

Thanks Nathan and Darren for sharing.
Ms. No Single Mama Drama

December 8th, 2009 11:12 pm

Absolutely love the list.

One I think should be on there is the power of SEO-ing your articles.

My highest viewed articles 3,000 page views or more are the ones that I at least made a minimal attempt at SEO.

Another invaluable thing is social media. For me, while I just started with Twitter, I’m seeing exponential growth (traffic) to specific posts that I’ve tweeted–you can’t beat that.
Karen

December 8th, 2009 11:17 pm

Great advice, as always Trouble is, I seem to spend more time reading other folks blogs than I do nurturing my own….still, education is a wonderful thing :)

Cheers

Karen
Kevin

December 9th, 2009 7:08 am

As I crank up my online business, these tips are well received. Thanks.

km
The Bored Ninja

December 9th, 2009 10:00 am

Good post. It motivated me to start commenting more on all the blogs that I read. See, I’ve started already =]
Ronin

December 9th, 2009 9:39 pm

great post.. very useful for a beginner, like me. Hopefully i can implement all points above. cheers
Nathan Hangen

December 9th, 2009 9:45 pm

Tomas – I like the sound of that.

AE – although thank you’s are nice, I treat comment sections almost like a forum. I like to try and read other comments before I make my own…it helps you to craft something more useful and get more replies.

Liz – Check out my twitter stream: http://twitter.com/nhangen and you’ll see I am very active, but I’m not on there all day. Same with Facebook. I have a course coming out soon that might help people with Facebook marketing.

I went to blogworld and hung out with Darren, which was fun. I also just got back from Affiliate Convention in LA. I highly recommend going to Blogworld and any others you can afford. Mostly though, it’s just trying to take part in or create your own community. Work hard and dedicate yourself before you give up.
Rejuh@playpal143.blogspot.com

December 10th, 2009 3:59 pm

Hye Great idea man… Really useful for me and new bloggers like me…………..Rocks………I am still a student in blogs…. You are teaching me a lot
Pastorkayte

December 11th, 2009 3:04 am

I love reading the things you guys write about, however here is my problem. I started blogging and was making a little bit of money everyday through adsense. Over zealous friends and associates clicked on my ads everyday. I thought this was a good thing till Google canceled my adsense account, it would be nice to have information here about what to do with monetizing your sites after Google cancels you. I now have Kontera, and a few other programs to make up for the loss but I am not making anywhere near the amount of money I did with Adsense. Do you have any recommendations.
Jerry

December 12th, 2009 7:11 am

Being everywhere (ie. facebook and twitter) is nice until people are getting enough information from tweets and facebook about your content so that they don’t even need to be on your blog to know what you are writing about. A double edged sword – approach with caution.
Aimee @ Ain't Yo Mama's Blog

December 12th, 2009 8:52 am

Great tips! I need to work on a few of those ideas, especially with comments.I find myself commenting on the same blogs week after week. I need to expand my blog-commenting horizon!
Bheem @ Many Money Matters

December 12th, 2009 4:10 pm

This post is really a wealth of information for a beginner. I am just staring blogging venture and looking out everywhere to learn new things and incorporate.

Thanks for sharing the wisdom.

Yes, it would be nice to stick to a narrow niche. But, I think you can cover related topics in a wider area and still keep readers interested. For example, if a reader is visiting your blog to read about stock trading, it is very likely that he won’t refuse content related to mutual fund investing. Just a thought. I don’t have enough track record to say this by experience.
Enda

December 13th, 2009 7:15 am

If only I had read this about 12 weeks ago.

Many thanks
Mark Ruttan

December 13th, 2009 7:09 pm

These tips are great. It is all about working hard. If you aren’t willing to put in the time, you may not enjoy the business. I am loving it and blogging has been great. When you blog, pick something you enjoy- take http://healthofmyfamily.com for example. I have been a personal trainer for 17 years and know alot about health, nutrition, supplements, and now (from being married and a parent) family, kids and safety.

Point #1 – Do something you know
Point#2 – Do it well
And enjoy it :)
Katherine Wertheim

December 14th, 2009 6:04 am

I’ve found it useful to sign off every blog I write with “If you have questions on fundraising, please write me, Katherine Wertheim…” That way, Google Alerts picks up my name and the word ‘fundraising’ which is my topic. I find it frustrating that a lot of bloggers don’t have their name and email address on their blog, so I have to go searching to find out who they are.
izdelava spletnih strani

December 14th, 2009 6:39 am

RE: Pastorkayte we had the same problem, but the account wasn’t cancelled, but instead these ‘greenpeace’ ads started to appear about africa in need, earth needing to be saved. It’s now over 2 years and still the account is ‘cleaned’. It’s frustrating.
Jimmy Harris

December 15th, 2009 2:38 am

Point 7 is the probably the most valuable for anything that you want to turn into a business and it’s the key that most people that fail at being self employed often miss. When you work for another company, your work is generally organized for you by others. If you want to get ahead in any endeavor, see it (have a vision), plan it (on paper), and work it (by hustling as you say here!) Great post!
JamieRyan4

December 15th, 2009 8:34 am

Hi, im a new blogger and this post was REALLY helpful. thanks for taking the time to post of all this information to help others
Borodino Market

December 15th, 2009 8:55 am

Love the tips, just as we are in need of strengthening our business blogging skills we have found you. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!http://borodinomarket.blogspot.com
ortlieb

December 16th, 2009 6:21 am

THe most important thing in my opinion you related on the topic :1-3-6 and 8. This are really the golden rule to become a good blogger. sure, the other topics are also very important, but these ones are the key to success.
Trina Isakson

December 16th, 2009 2:17 pm

Great list, but I’m not sure about narrowing a niche. A majority of my traffic comes from people using search engines, so niche isn’t quite as important, though a some sort of schtick is.
Penny @ Digital Media Academy

December 16th, 2009 6:01 pm

Hi Nathan,
I was thrilled when one of my associates sent me an email today, and the only thing in the email was a link to this post. It was an “aha” moment, because I’ve been developing our team with all of these social media ideas (except USTREAM which I have never heard of and will check out in a moment…) We’re getting to really know people by hanging out in the same pond! I enjoy my twitter friends and hope to meet some day. And I’m glad to have found your guest post here, I’ll hop over to Making it Social in a moment. Keep up the good work!
jo

December 16th, 2009 7:13 pm

Good points. I found by fault too that design is critically important with site or blog.
WebpageLottery

December 16th, 2009 11:08 pm

I find “Narrow Your Niche” is very important when you are a new blogger and trying to compete with all the “big players”.
Nexus One Parental Control

December 16th, 2009 11:53 pm

Content is King and Always will be I believe. Thanks for the Article.
Women with Faith Groups

December 16th, 2009 11:55 pm

I agree Content is most important, but do not forget. You need to be pleasing to the eye too. Also, ASK for comments that gets the reader more interested too.
Norman Rogers

December 17th, 2009 8:12 am

Good stuff.

I do cast a fairly wide net, but I spun off lighter stuff into one blog, and sports into another blog, and that decision has started to pan out for me.

If you have readily identifiable kinds of posts–i.e., political stuff, cultural stuff, technical stuff–then spinning off content into a new blog can work. It was much slower than I had hoped for those two sites, but here we are 5 months or so down the road and things are looking up!
Norman Hunt

December 17th, 2009 7:59 pm

This has certainly gives me some ideas. Thank you
Mahendra

December 18th, 2009 2:12 am

Yes, I agree. After redesigning my site, my traffic increased by 40% per day.
I am thankful to Mr. Kranthi of bloggertricks.com for the same since I am using the template designed by him
Stephen Vince Herrick

December 19th, 2009 6:19 am

Thank You Darren, your comments have helped me set a direction for my blog. I am a retired referee and have entered the referee niche with my blog for referees. I will use your sugestions to make my blog a better blog.
Jason Basel

December 20th, 2009 12:37 am

Great tips, really helpful. Thanks.
I’m new to the game. Thought it would be better to broaden my niche… now I know better. :)
Stephanie

December 20th, 2009 5:26 pm

I started a couponing/living thrifty blog a short while ago and I am absolutely loving it! Reading this article has gotten me even more excited about what I am doing. My one issue is getting my readers to leave comments! I will be working on that….as far as getting out there and networking, I will be doing that too. Thanks!
kashplan

December 21st, 2009 9:42 am

The basics of pro blogging is greatly covered in this article. Post gives people the ambition to keep going even when they see they aren’t gaining any ground with their blog. There’s alot more hard work out there to be done to have a successful and extremely profitable blog, but if you just stick to it long enough you definately will see results.
Tux

December 21st, 2009 6:36 pm

Excellent post, i’ve really enjoyed it.
I own a blog for months now (it might be a short time for you) but i used some of your tips by instinct and they work like a charm.

Thanks, really, i enjoyed it.
download fonts

December 22nd, 2009 11:06 am

rock solid advice. one you missed:
reading problogger!
(sucky i know, but there are a few places that really help ALOT around the interwebz, and problogger is one, Leo is another – for staying grounded if you actually do make the 6 figures…)
SEO basics

December 28th, 2009 1:12 pm

Everybody wishes they had done some things differently. Hopefully your helpful list will help some folks avoid the same mistakes. Thanks for the info.
Beck

December 28th, 2009 7:01 pm

I think a beginner blogger should work harder and post more unique and individual content if there is time and energy. Reading blogs like yours is great and educational, however the best way for the start-ups is to actually go out there and do it, again and again. I agree with you that success comes with time, not right off the bat. Good luck to everyone reading this blog, you are on the right track!
Conservative and Liberal News Debate

December 29th, 2009 6:47 am

These are excellent tips. Most people don’t realize how difficult it can be to run a successful blog.
Thanks.
Cisco Training Videos Online

December 29th, 2009 6:49 am

Thanks Pro for the excellent Advice and your blog is a good resource.
2012 Doomsday Predictions

December 30th, 2009 3:35 am

Thanks for the nice tips. I overlooked the importance of comments. From now on, I’ll start focusing to leave more comments on any interesting post I found
Kim

December 30th, 2009 5:31 am

Thank-you for saying that you need a niche! This is the reason why I didn’t start my blog two years ago, because I felt that my niche was just too narrow. But I jumped in a month ago and already have a loyal following that comment on almost every post. It really does work! Not sure if I will make money at it, but I am learning so much and loving what I do, I will work that out in time…
InspirerPost@mostlook.com

December 31st, 2009 4:44 am

Thanks, Great article!

I am new in blogging, and I agree that we should narrow our niche, since my blog is covered by a bunch of topics.
After read this article, I can’t wait to “re-create” the niche of my blog… :)

About Blog Design, I think each person has their own definition about what good design is. Perhaps you could write about “good design” on blogging that will work on the future blogosphere…
Isaac | GoBlogger

December 31st, 2009 12:37 pm

Good points D. Finding your passion is also important. Some people don’t know where is their passion. That is a duty to carry on. After finding the passion, one can work in it with his full potency. That is a way to achieve success faster, including in blogging.
David Morson

December 31st, 2009 8:38 pm

Hey, these tips are really helpful for new bloggers like me in starting their blogs. I will keep in my mind all of these tips in my bloggong and hope it will help me a lot. Thanks for your help.
akash

January 1st, 2010 4:15 am

quality content more matters than quantity content,hey thanks for your advice, i was really in need.i have started my new blog
alexGreece

January 1st, 2010 5:08 pm

thank u for this i just started and it looks very helpful! i will try to follow those :)
Ng Hong Kai

January 1st, 2010 10:57 pm

Thanks, this is a great article for many bloggers around the world.

Me as a new blogger learned very much just by reading your article.

I’ll try implementing the skills I learned to my blog and hopefully success.
AndyAndersen

January 1st, 2010 11:59 pm

Really good tips. You have taken some of the slope out of my learning curve. Really appreciate that! Keep posting more on what you have learned over the years. Cheers.
ANWC

January 4th, 2010 11:38 pm

A wonderful tips! Thanks, it is really helpful, especially for a new blogger like me.
creating blogs

January 8th, 2010 3:59 am

Narrowing niche is something most difficult task as I experience. Diverse dimensions always influence and throwing them all off because your niche is very narrow, is something kills blogger. Keep on talking about same thing with different titles and different sentences – will it add up life?
Marcus Sheridan, The Sales Lion

January 9th, 2010 6:10 am

Great article Nathan. Having recently started my blog, I found your tips very helpfu, especially the one regarding comments on other blogs;-) ….keep up the great work.
Tim

January 10th, 2010 3:43 pm

I have read a lot about blogging, usually it is the same thing over and over again. But this list has been the best yet, it is simple and gets right to the point, also an entertaining read. Thanks for sharing
my own business

January 10th, 2010 6:45 pm

thank you, many ways that can be done to achieve the goals and objectives consistent with what we want. spirit, hard work and proper technique is a way to make it easier. interesting article, learn from mistake and past time
freeblogger

January 11th, 2010 5:43 am

What a great list. I tell you, this are the things to put in place as a blogger or problogger to be.

Nathan, your number 10 (HUSTLE) sums up everything. If we truly want to become a problogger then we must hustle to do all of number 1 to 9.

Thanks a bunch!

Congratulates on the launch of your book.
abercrombie fitch outlet

January 11th, 2010 1:02 pm

Good points D. Finding your passion is also important. Some people don’t know where is their passion. That is a duty to carry on. After finding the passion, one can work in it with his full potency.
Beat Maker

January 12th, 2010 12:32 pm

Thank you for saying that you need a niche! This is the reason why I didn’t start my blog some time ago, because I felt that my niche was just too narrow. But I jumped in a month ago and already have a loyal following that comment on almost every post. It really does work! Not sure if I will make money at it, but I am learning so much and loving what I do, I will work that out in time… Again thanks for sharing..
Si

January 13th, 2010 5:30 am

Some great tips which I will definitely be following.

I’ve always had trouble narrowing my niche, and it was the stand-out point on your article. I’ve had a quite a few website over the years and always started off small with a couple of thoughts in mind, then just went wild and expanded to much. Luckily recently I’ve started learning my lesson and stopped myself doing it.
Savita

January 13th, 2010 4:57 pm

Nathan,

Thanks for this inspirational blog – I am glad I read this when we are just starting out on the blog road. I will treat it like and business and never stop hustling!
Phillip Gibb

January 13th, 2010 6:18 pm

Comments Really Do Matter – on your blog and everywhere else (part of be everywhere)
If comments are important to you then make an effort to comment on other blogs, maybe they reciprocate and become a fan :)
maybe it’s canvasing for comments or maybe it is just flare throwing all over the place – either way it creates awareness.

I am re-designing my blog, it’s great to read these “Things I wish I knew before” and think how they can apply to the redesign.

thanks
Mikes Sumondong

January 14th, 2010 4:13 pm

Hardwork…that’s the key!
Abbotsford Real Estate

January 16th, 2010 5:39 am

Great post! I heartily second ‘narrowing your niche’. It drives me crazy when a blogger tries to cover everything under the sun, when really, I come to their blog to hear about their specific area of expertise!
Jahangir Alam

January 19th, 2010 2:19 am

Hi Nathan,

What a wonderful post you have posted here. Darren is a legend and I do read his post quite a lot and do comment when I like a post.

Your post have given me some very good tips for my own blog which I am planning to make a good living from.

Presently, I am on a full-time job which I want to make it part-time and go blogging full-time. Seeing Darren and other full-time bloggers and yourself, now it looks that I am not that far with my thinking.

Thanks for the tips and information.

Jay
enrique

January 21st, 2010 6:46 am

I guess the mayor problem I’m having on my website is the be everywhere part, you know for a part time blogger is really time consuming trying to keep up on facebook, twitter and stuff like that, school and job is a priority so I barely take a look on those, but thanks for the advice.
Tom Hilborn

January 21st, 2010 7:39 am

I wish I had these blogging tips before I started. I spent a year following the directions of one “faked success blogger” and he actually taught me nothing. So I wasted one whole year. Then I find some experts who share their knowledge for free and now I know better how to blog with more success. Thanks.
Normalyn

January 21st, 2010 6:27 pm

I’m having a problem with narrowing my niche. I guess I ‘ll really have to think hard how I can do that. But, thanks anyway for this wonderful post. I really learned a lot!
Scott

January 22nd, 2010 11:14 am

Very interesting I’m going to tie some of the information into my website. Cheers!

Sbiaffiliate.com
Blog Your Passion

January 23rd, 2010 4:37 am

Yes.

Hustling is a combination of passion, drive and ambition. It answers the question:

How bad do you want it?
FeedTheRightWolf

January 25th, 2010 7:07 pm

Thanks for this post. I really enjoy your blog, it gives me an inspiration to keep going.

Sometimes I wonder if my subject – sex addiction – is too narrow and unpopular, but I will keep “hustling” and hopefully something will come out of it.
London Photographer

January 26th, 2010 9:31 pm

I agree that blog comments are extremely useful for driving traffic to sites – just requires a lot of time and involvement!
buditech

January 28th, 2010 4:26 pm

Blogging is always fascinating people has been forgetting main stream website
alhnuf

January 29th, 2010 2:18 am

So nice of you to sharing this . thanks to you .
Michelle

January 29th, 2010 3:18 am

What awesome information! I really enjoyed you breaking it down. I think the comment about “hustling” is extremely important, because you have to be active to get noticed!
Thanks for the great post!
Rudy

February 1st, 2010 3:44 pm

Interesting article, I like the topic about niche blogging. Narrowing down your niche would help you be more focused and in control to your blog. Very helpful tips, thanks.
Cisco IOS Command Reload at

February 1st, 2010 4:02 pm

Narrowing down your niche is precisely what more poepl need to do. You can hardly become a successful blogger with out it.
Conservative News

February 1st, 2010 4:04 pm

Agreed, I try to focus only on political issues and then conservative on top of that..
Prayer Requests

February 1st, 2010 4:06 pm

Having to do a blog daily is hard but actually to focus on tighter area makes it easier instead. It doesn’t really sound right but its true
Mark | SEO Malta

February 1st, 2010 10:43 pm

Consistency is a most important factor in my opinion. It’s better to post once a week, then loads of posts on one day and nothing for the following month. Visitors are most likely to return knowing when the website should be updated then randomly.
The Bible Post

February 3rd, 2010 12:41 am

The idea of subscribing to a dozen or so blogs, and then commenting as soon as a new post goes up, is an idea that recently came to my mind. Of course, this post coupled with the volume of your readership confirms that it makes sense to follow your advice on this. In other words, it is a good practice.

Moreover I like how you had mentioned that you ought to add value to the post by commenting in a meaningful way. Too many people fall short of doing this. Entering into a discussion with other commentators doesn’t only help you to become more visible to other like-minded individuals; it does a great service to the person who put up the post, as it fosters a sense of community, which is a good thing when it comes to blogging. After all, a discussion tends to encourage people to return to your blog (repeat traffic).

You know, the more I read your posts the more I am thinking that I need to start allowing comments again on all of my posts. I realize that I would be taking a risk by doing this, as I would have to deal with a lot of spammers. However, I like what I am seeing take place here, as you have a community. I would like to have that too.

Thanks!
Paul Cowling

February 4th, 2010 10:23 am

hello there, I really found your post was extremely useful and wished to say thank you very much
Brad

February 4th, 2010 10:40 pm

In reference to HUSTLE and working your tail off I like the maxim: a little extra is all that’s needed for extraordinary…..
Budget Van Lines

February 5th, 2010 5:00 am

many think the money comes easy online; however, you’re in competition with MILLIONS of other sites so you’re right, you have to hustle!
Michelle Salater

February 5th, 2010 8:04 am

Great advice, Nathan. I especially agree with your third tip; Commenting and forming relationships with relevant bloggers is an incredibly effective way to increase traffic. I want to add to your sixth tip that not only do you need to post consistent content on your blog, but you need to post high-quality content that has value to your readers.
david@davidbocock.com

February 6th, 2010 12:49 am

Blogging has been a recent addition to my marketing startegy, or should I say problogging. I’ve built numerous wordpress sites but mainly used them as content management systems and not blogs really.

When I decided to create a blog to try and brand myself, meaning it was something I would update frequently and consistently with useful content, I of course came across your site. You are the go to site for great info on how to build a proper long term blog from the start and although this is the first time I have left a comment here, I did want to thank you so much for all that you do.

It is obvious that you have a passion for this extends well beyond just doing it for the money and we are all better off for it, thankyou!
film izle

February 11th, 2010 12:44 am

I think the “design” point is a bit more murky than it seems. There are many very successful blogs that have designs that leave something to be desired, personally, I see design as a boost. It isn’t at all necessary but it can only be benefitial in the long run.
Houston Librarian

February 16th, 2010 1:16 am

I think my design is adequate, could be better. I like the advice to narrow things down a bit. I need to start doing that for my blog. I tried to tackle way too much at the start. I am slowly but surely streamlining now. Good avice overall.
The Patri0t

February 20th, 2010 7:17 pm

I will remember these, Thanks!
Stephanie

February 20th, 2010 11:26 pm

The point about finding other blogs and making comments is excellent. You cannot expect to be accepted into a community without reaching out to that community first.

I also love that you make sure to say that, in the end, this is hard work. I focus on health and fitness and I’m constantly amazed by the amount of effort put into getting around working hard.

Anyway, thanks for these! Glad I stumbled on this blog!
Audrey

February 21st, 2010 5:14 am

Scheng1 – Good point! Squidoo lenses have that kind of laser focus i.e. one subject and it does eventually get boring or, the topic is old and then you are left with an audience that will be lost. I have a Business blog that encompasses technology, innovation, etc. http://www.businessissuestoday.blogspot.com I am therefore never short of material to blog. I also recommend RSS feeders to drive traffic.
StrayArrow

February 23rd, 2010 3:16 pm

Very nice… will come back often to get tips and ideas. Thanks
Rika Susan's Juicing Recipes

February 23rd, 2010 4:58 pm

Great post, Nathan with an excellent list. Wish I had this to-do list when I started! I love the one about comments. This is something I discovered very late. I also took a while to learn not to read every e-mail I received and not to try to follow every new trail! Become picky about who you listen to, otherwise things can become very confusing.
Bob

February 25th, 2010 10:08 am

It’s funny when you look back and when you first starting making blogs, articles, e-books, etc. how little you actually knew back then. If I even knew a fraction of what I know now, I’m sure my previous endeavors would have been much more successful.
Paid Directories

February 27th, 2010 8:29 pm

I wish i would have know unless your using a wordpress your not going to become big.

That said blogger is great to start with just to get the feel of blogging.
advertising online

March 3rd, 2010 3:20 pm

When you say “narrow the niche” , i assume you mean find the highest traffic niche and stick with that?

Comments will be closed off on this post 90 days after it is published. Apologies to those this impacts but it's a regrettable and temporary measure to combat a growing comment spam problem. See our most recent posts where you can comment here.

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Written on December 5th, 2009 at 12:12 am by Darren Rowse

ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started

1. Good design is crucial

2. Narrow Your Niche

3. Comments Really Do Matter

4. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Your Knowledge

5. When You Have a Blog, You are the Authority

6. Consistency Counts

7. Have a Plan

8. Start Networking Early!

9. Be Everywhere

10. Hustle

What next?

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Written on December 5th, 2009 at 12:12 am by Darren Rowse

ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started

1. Good design is crucial

2. Narrow Your Niche

3. Comments Really Do Matter

4. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Your Knowledge

5. When You Have a Blog, You are the Authority

6. Consistency Counts

7. Have a Plan

8. Start Networking Early!

9. Be Everywhere

10. Hustle

What next?

Related Posts

Learn how to earn more using your blog

Get more traffic, income, & loyal readers

242 Responses to “ProBlogging – 10 Things I Wish I Knew when I Started” - Add Yours

Subscribe to Problogger Blog Tips

Problogger Sponsors

ProBlogger Blog Tips Poll

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ProBlogger Blog Tips Categories

Recommended Money Makers

Problogging Resources

Who is behind Problogger?

Connect with Darren