Five Steps to a Successful Blog

I wrote a post on how to make your blog count but I still don’t think enough people “get” what is required to build and maintain an authority blog in your chosen niche.

I really believe anybody can have a successful blog. Let’s not forget that even the famous bloggers started off with nothing but an empty website and a far-off dream.

Here I want to summarise what I believe to be the five steps you need to follow if you want your blog to become successful and to make it clear that online fame, wealth and success does not happen overnight!

(adapted from a photograph by Annie Mole)

1. Get It Going!

The very first thing you need to do is to get your blog online so stop procrastinating and get started now!

Remember, you don’t need to get it “right”, just get it going and start building your online presence.

I want you to move away from the free blog hosting options, like Wordpress.com and Blogspot. If you are to be taken seriously online at the very least you need a blog which has your own domain name (get a .com for around $10 from GoDaddy) and hosting (Hostgator can provide this for less than $5 a month).

Whatever niche you are operating in, you need to explain why people should listen to you. Brand yourself as the expert in your niche in your very first post by telling your story.

As the old saying goes, start as you mean to go on.

(image attributed to Mexicanwave)

2. Establish Your Blog

Once you have completed your first post the next stage is to keep posting and at regular times!

You should make it clear to your readers how often you are going to post new content and then do your best to stick to it!

Write some pillar articles which are usually in a tutorial format and aimed at teaching something valuable to your readers. These posts are generally longer than your usual “what I had for lunch today” type content and are filled with practical advice other people charge money for.

You should also set up a mailing list as soon as possible because the money will come via the relationship you build with those people on your list – in time, lots of them! I use Aweber to handle this and I cannot stress how vital it is to your long term business to get it set up.

To entice people to add their name and email address to the opt in form on your blog, you need to offer them an ethical bribe – usually a free report, video or audio interview.

Clue: create something based around your pillar content and make sure you read my post on product creation.

This product doesn’t have to be earth shattering, just valuable enough so your prospects will be happy they managed to get some great content for free.

I should, at this point, tell you that you won’t be getting inundated with visitors during the early months of your blog and you will make next to no money.

This is where most people give up.

But not you, right?

(photograph attributed to neoporcupine)

3. Generate Traffic

During the early stages of your blog’s life you may start getting a handful of visitors and comments to each post if you have done any sort of promotion, e.g.

• Commenting on other people’s blogs
• Hawking your blog around on Twitter and Facebook
• Submitting your posts to social media websites
• Some of your posts may generate search engine traffic

But, now you want to take your blog to the next level and that means more traffic.

As the quality content on your blog increases, you are now in a position to guest post on other authoritative blogs in your niche.

It doesn’t matter if you are not “well known” because you have set your stall out as an expert (your first post, remember?) and the person whose blog you want to guest post on will see the calibre of your content through the pillar articles you have already written.

You have given yourself instant expert status and are in a position to open yourself up to a new audience through other people’s blogs!

Regular guest posting can generate a snowball effect to your traffic because not only will you obviously get the additional visitors from your guest post, but more people will:

• Link to your blog posts from their blogs
• Submit and bookmark your content on social media websites
• Re-tweet your content so it spread across Twitter like a virus!

… all resulting in even more visitors arriving at your blog!

(adapted from a photograph by AMagill)

4. Make Money!

It has taken you a few months  but hopefully it has been an enjoyable learning experience for you and you should now have what can be described as a successful blog.

If you have followed the first three steps then you should also notice an increase, month on month, in your income.

Remember that mailing list we set up in point number two? After several months it should now be growing into the thousands.

You can of course drive those people back to your blog by emailing them when you have posted new content on your blog but you can also pitch products, training courses etc. to them, either your own or as an affiliate.

As your readership and email list grows each month, so should your earnings.

The bulk of your earnings will come via your mailing list but you can also make additional income selling advertising space on your blog or using affiliate banners.

(photograph attributed to supernova3688)

5. To Infinity & Beyond…

The sky really is the limit as far as your blog goes.

It can grow from nothing into a powerful, authority hub and make you famous online… but only if you are willing to put the time and effort in.

If you are one of the few who have the drive to get to the stage where your blog earns a substantial income then you may be pleased to know you do not have to plough so much time and effort into it forever.

Your blog should reach a stage where growth is self-perpetuating:

• You have thousands of people on your list you can drive to new blog posts
• People talk about you constantly on social media websites
• People talk about you on their own blogs
• Your blog ranks prominently in the search engines for key terms in your niche

Of course you need to keep your blog updated with fresh content, but it’s not as important now as it was when you were first starting out. Plus, people will email you, begging you to publish their guest posts – free content for you!

With your blog constantly generating fresh leads for your business you can concentrate on even more lucrative avenues, such as:

• Guest speaking
• Hosting seminars and workshops
• High end coaching and mentoring
• Book deals

The incredible thing is - this can happen for anyone who has the passion for their niche and a will to succeed.

It all begins with your first post so start your blog NOW – what is stopping you from having a successful blog apart from yourself?