This post has been submitted by Karen Andrews from www.miscmum.com
I am no stranger (nor are you, probably) to how the wider media sometimes depicts bloggers: as closeted wannabees who add to the rise of ‘faux journalism’. Books are currently being published on the subject.
This could understandably contribute to any beginner blogger’s self-consciousness; especially those who are staring at their ad revenue reports, wondering if any money is every going to start showing up.
I used to be bashful when I talked about my blog. Not anymore. Why should I be? I’m proud of it. I’m proud of what it catalogues; thoughts, my goals, even my ambitions.
No doubt you feel the same about yours, too. But any hint of shyness, or pause, when you talk of your blog is hardly going to attract readers. Or advertisers.
Recently, I migrated from Blogger to WordPress; a rather stressful time for me, for I was deathly afraid that over a year’s worth of work and effort would somehow evaporate into nothingness (luckily, it didn’t). I had several reasons for the change; the main ones being I was a little tired of the limits of Blogger, and I wanted a purer control of my own writing and ‘brand’, for lack of a better word.
When I discussed my plans with non-bloggers, they all asked me “Why?” Why change? Why bother? What’s the difference?
I replied, “I just felt like it was time. It didn’t feel comfortable anymore.”
Granted, this was rather a drastic change. It needn’t be. Standard templates only need to be tweaked slightly to give yourself the opportunity to individualise (and hence ‘validate’) your blogging status. This mightn’t be important to some people; for others it just might be the chance to assert their creative will, and this newly found confidence can lead them on to loftier plans.
And sometimes stamping your own blogging status begins with how you speak about blogging in the first place.
Here’s my challenge:
- Put your blog’s URL as part of your signature in your email (if you haven’t already).
- Mention it in conversations.
- Enter blog carnivals.
- Do what you can (short of spamming, naturally!) to spread the word of your blog.
What are you waiting for?
Help sell your blog to the world. Isn’t it worth it?
Like you I just migrated my blog from blogger to wordpress and have no regrets. WordPress offers so much flexibility and you have more control of your blog and postings. Makes you want to write more quality content stuff for your readers. Hope that some of you can vist it and offer some comments since I am still in the final stage of migration. I also have the wordpress installation contacts just in case you are interested too.
Work At Home Ideas and Opportunities
There are more to what you can offer in your blog. Free stuffs does certainly help. but it is what the readers are looking for, if you can provide what the users/readers of your blog are looking for then certainly one can sell one’s blog.
In my case, i use:
1) My nickname in my messenger
2) email signature
3) blog comments
4) referrals from friends and associates
5) i also had my visiting card to people who are interested when i take pictures
“– When your friends ask for a tip which you already have in your blog than message them the link. When this happens many times than they will start liking your blog.”
Compuworld is so right! I was shy to talk about my blog to my real world friends at first, but so many times in conversations, I can say, “You know, I just wrote a little about that the other day, you should check it out!”
I have also submitted my articles to printed newsletters and local newspapers and have gotten a wonderful response from those I know.
Another thing I have done is to fill a need that wasn’t met with my Mothers and Daughters Blog Carnival. Make buttons to promote your events like carnivals, etc. Many people who won’t put you on a blogroll yet will display a nicely designed button.
Wonderful tips, as usual Misc Mum!
The only problem I have with blogging is that you need to continually work hard in order to sustain a regular income
is there a better way?
Speaking of blog promotion, I meet regularly with consumers and professionals alike. I have screen-shots of my weblog that I print out and pass along as I meet with individuals throughout the day. Though my blog is fairly new in that I switched platforms and I don’t get much by way of comments, I get ample traffic and generate leads through this approach!
What I would like to do next is gather some business cards much like the one’s in the picture portrayed at the beginning of this post.
All the Best!
Ricardo Bueno
thanks for the tips I’m new and hoping to cash some money so if you click on my name or go to my website that would be a plus. again thank you.
nobody reads my blog :smile:
Good thing in promoting your blog is to attend to discussions in social bookmarking sites, blog comments, put signature on forums where you post.
I need all the info on sellings blogs I can get, never thought about selling them. sounds like a great way to do promotions.