Here at Social Web Q and A, we explain the advantages of starting your own blog. But since it’s easy to get up and blogging in a matter of minutes, millions of people have taken the plunge. The challenge now is not getting online, which used to require a lot of technical know-how, but attracting attention and making a real influence.
The blogosphere is filled with countless abandoned projects—once-promising blogs that slipped into oblivion as their owners lost interest or became discouraged due to lack of progress.
Looking for blogging advice can be a dangerous game. Due to the popularity of blogging, there are thousands of products out there that promise to skyrocket your traffic, build a social media empire, or even make you a fortune while you sleep. Many of these products come from unscrupulous marketers who make misleading claims or advocate outdated or spammy techniques. And since blogging is such an emerging topic that seems to change every day, traditional publishing hasn’t had time to catch up.
How, then, can you find real blogging advice and defy the odds by starting a blog that stands the test of time and builds real influence?
I stumbled onto a blog called Think Traffic several months ago. The founder, Corbett Barr, seemed like a really smart guy. He denounced the empty promises of the marketers and promoters described above, and instead told the truth, at times painful, about what it takes to build a successful blog. To get anywhere, first and foremost, you need truly epic content. Once you have that you need a strategy for promotion that works, which is often far beyond the scope of other self-proclaimed social media experts.
How did I know I could trust what Corbett had to say? It was easy. Some online entrepreneurs offer nothing on their site but an aggressive sales letter outlining the thousands they’ve made before pitching some product. Others simply rehash the same dull blogging tips that don’t even begin to scratch the surface of achieving real success.
But on Think Traffic, I combed through the archives and read post after post of well-crafted advice complete with actionable steps, detailed case-studies, and above all, transparency. I saw the level of engagement in the comments section, the active Facebook community, the video tutorials and interviews.
By reading Corbett’s blog I learned some great strategies for building influence. In fact, there’s enough free content available on Think Traffic that would do a great deal of good for any blogger. But recently he’s put together his knowledge into a comprehensive blogging course called How to Start a Blog That Matters (affiliate link).
The course is a 90-day action plan that teaches the proven formula Corbett has used on both his own blogs and those of his clients. Its content is spread over 13 weekly lessons, which are a combination of text, checklists and video. Topics covered include content planning, how to launch your blog, building a thriving audience, and expanding your reach with new media formats. Overall, the course contains over 8 hours of video and 30,000 words of blog-building knowledge and advice. There are also some special bonuses available from other big names in blogging.
If you’re just blogging as a hobby or to share your thoughts with your family and close friends, this course would be overkill. But if you are looking to launch a new project and maximize your success, or reinvigorate an existing blog, I strongly encourage you to check out what Corbett has to offer.
thanks for your useful post.