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What Blogging for Fun Taught Me About Blogging for Profit

This guest post is by Becky Canary-King of Direct Incorporation.

There’s really too much to say about the benefit of a good blog for your business. A well done blog can bring in new customers, establish yourself as an expert in your field, open up communication with your clients, and support your SEO and marketing.

Recently I discovered that the blog I write for fun about body image issues has a higher Google page rank than my company’s blog! Of course, we get a fraction of the web views, but without pointed effort, I managed to make my personal blog keyword rich, get lots of backlinks, and ranked high in Google’s page rankings. Now that I’m writing for my company’s blog, here are the lessons I’m taking with me:

Pick a specific topic

Be specific. Want to be a catch-all related to everything about your industry? Great. But you’re going to have a lot of competition, and major competitors with more resources and established viewers. Instead, focus on what you do best, the niche area that you have a unique perspective. What is the blog that only your company could write?

Establish your credentials. Let your readers know why they would want to hear from you about the topic. Just the fact that you are selling the product or service is not necessarily enough to gain your reader’s trust. Sharing your education or career path is a quick way to add credibility; but it’s not the only one. I never got a degree in “Body Image Sciences”, but my genuine interest in the topic makes me a credible source to readers.

Collaborate with other blogs

Know your part in the blogosphere. Read other blogs on your topic! Getting to know what’s already out there helps you establish where your niche will be. You also get a feel for what readers on the topic are interested in and can borrow some tricks on what works.

Comment and share. Guest post, link back, comment on other blogs. All these actions convey your interest in the topic and establish your unique point of view. Blogs can act as a community of learners, experts and interested parties. Join in enthusiastically!

Interact with readers

Let your readers know what they can expect. Doing a series is a great way to get readers coming back for more. Or pick a day when you write on a certain topic, or have a certain type of post. Personally, I do a body positive music post every Friday, featuring a song or two I enjoy. I have been linked back to as a place where you can consistently check out body positive music.

Encourage and ask for feedback. Trying to get commenters on your blog can be really frustrating at first—it normally doesn’t happen automatically, but keep at it! At the end of every post ask questions or encourage them to give you feedback on the topic. Respond to comments right away with a real response, rather than just a thank you. Readers are a great resource for your blog, so let them know they are valued.

Now get writing!

Becky Canary-King is an Account Manager and Press Contact at Direct Incorporation, a company focused on providing a more economical and efficient alternative to using a law firm for common legal/entrepreneurial issues. She is passionate about women’s empowerment and blogs for personally for Happy Bodies, and professionally for Direct Incorporation’s Blog, offering tips for the first 6 months of your small business.

About Guest Blogger
This post was written by a guest contributor. Please see their details in the post above.
Comments
  1. At the end of the day, I think most people really want to relate to each other. My posts that are more personal in nature get more comments, hits, etc. than the clever little articles that I write about random topics. It’s hard to write the personal stuff and put it out there for judgement but it will grow a blog.

  2. I think it is important to maintain a passion of enjoying blogging even when you are trying to make money from the process. Honestly there better ways of making money online and blogging, so if you choose that method it is wise to have it be because it is something which you actively enjoy.

  3. yes you are right blogging for fun taught me for blogging for profit
    Today’s time when jobs are less ,,blogging gives you the oppurtinty where you can earn from it while seating at your home and without much investment…….
    I hail blogging…………

    I want to say only one thing please Think specific,,,,,Be specific and Do specific

  4. Becky – Good article and I am totally for the “Writing a Series”. I did quite a few during my initial days, after reading your article, I think I will get back with that shortly. Thanks for lot of useful ideas.

  5. bloggers and Internet marketers are [silent rock stars]. We’re just as big as U.S. politicians :-)

  6. Veronica says: 12/12/2011 at 2:59 pm

    Hi,

    I want to ask few questions. As mentioned in the blog post, that point number 2, Use Guest posts. Regarding this,
    1. do we need permission to post their blog post or article?
    2. How to ask the permission if it needed in order to post their post or article?

    Upon the question that will be answer, Thanks in advance.

    Regards

  7. That sounds quite interesting, Becky, as far as your non business blog doing better than the company site.

    I think the part about picking a particular subject and specializing in that, is of great importance. As you say, it would be quite difficult to compete if we have our site, spread out over so many different topics.

  8. So, how come you didn’t ask us a question, huh? :- )

    I recently interviewed a blogger who made that same point. Asking questions = increase in user engagement. He’s found that a regular post might get 30-50 comments, but if he asks for them: over 100. The key is to be genuinely curious about what your readers have to say.


    Michael

  9. Great points. Its funny how sometimes people who spend money to get better rankings are left out by someone doing the same for fun. Internet is unpredictable and anything is possible. Great points, its always good to read other people’s experiences. Saves the trouble of experimenting.

  10. Thanks for the great tips. HVAC is pretty easy for me to write about, but I’m definitely still working to connect with other bloggers to expand the knowledge for our community.

  11. Great tips here Becky! Interaction is very important with your readers. Many times my readers ask me questions and then subscribe to the comments. When I answer them in a timely manner, they visit again to see my answer. They also become a more loyal reader as they see that I really care about my readers. Guest posts are great too. I don’t really write guest posts myself (tho I really should) but I do get people who offer some very valuable posts to my blog.

  12. I think if you’re writing about and doing something you enjoy, it’s bound to be more interesting and readable. From experience, if you’re passionate about what you’re writing about, be it a topic that’s considered dull by most, such as accounting firms or useful, such as money-saving tips, then your post will read a lot better.

  13. I absolutely agree that for greater success in blogging, be it a personal blog or a blog to generate income, you have to find your passion and the niche you like the best. Something that you know you are good doing it. I still believe content is king, but it’s not enough if there’s hardly anyone to read it. And therefore, yes, it is very important to have a relationship with your visitors, and to engage them, and challenge them with questions and comments.

    Michael has a good point, about asking them to leave comment; the result was 100. Great idea.

  14. I just New Blogger..
    Just make new Blog and need more and more things to understand about blog..
    hmmme..
    I hope I can make blog like this great blog..
    problogger…
    ayyee…
    :D

  15. blogging should also be a beautiful labor of love in working at it consistently, while building endless online

    $ gUaP $

    !

    =)

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