Blogging for Total Novices

Blogging For Dollars - site, book and blog

RachelD4 said:

Hello

I'm approaching 40 (gasp!) & don't know the first thing about blogging, except how to read them. I'm sure there is a thread on this but I can't find it. Would someone be kind enough to point me in the direction of it & anywhere else they think might be a useful source for setting up a bog & generating traffic?

Basically I'm looking for information on blogging for totally-techno-idiots (which I am).

Many thanks

RachelD4

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Hi Rachel

I'm a blogging evangelist. I've been blogging since 2001, and call a blog a "one-minute business". It's laughably easy to set up a blog in a minute or less at blogger.

Sorry for the blatant self-promotion, but if you're interested in blogging as either a freelance blogger, or a blogging entrepreneur, my Blogging For Dollars Blog will help.

Have fun blogging.

Cheers

Angela

Does Anyone Really Read Blogs?

I've been blogging my little heart out for several months now, hoping to reach and guide newby writers and hopeful authors. But I wonder if anyone is actually reading blogs.

I know that people don't read the two newsletters we produce each month through SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network) all the way through. What would make folks stop what they're doing and zip over to your blog every 10 days or so to see what words of wisdom you have posted since their last visit?

Patricia
www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog

problogger http://www.problogger.net/ has a lot of good info

but truthfully the vast majority of people make little or no money out of their blog (< $100/mth according to a survey)

however it is easy to set up and fun to do

LOL it is LESS THAN $100 so most only make a few $$$. If you calculated the hourly rate it would be a pittance

Good conversation here. Many of us here blog for fun or the community/conversation aspects.

If you check some of the back threads there have been some other related discussions. Look for threads and posts featuring member razibahmed where he and other bloggers with a more commercial bent have discussed the topics.

Now, setting up a blog and generating traffic aren't always the same as generating revenue. So the question is how much traffic? What kind of blog? Do you want your own domain? If not Blogger is what I use, I like it. There are other options - TypePad, Live Journal, MySpace ... and many more.

Traffic is a tricky thing. I'm happy with my average of 20 odd readers a day. It's work to grab traffic and keep it. And it might not be work with a big return. Whatever you decide I caution you to do a LOT of research, don't get caught up in a scam to part you from your money for useless advice.

Dawn - wtf is a Discrumpled Prolixinator?

from blogburst:
Recently, we surveyed more than 600 bloggers, most of whom came right out of the BlogBurst network, to better understand their feelings about syndication and their blogging motivation. You can see the results of our survey of more than 590 BlogBurst bloggers here:

Here are the highlights:

#1 reason for blogging: To inform and entertain (40.5%)
45% make $0/month, 80% make less than $100/month

Make money blogging

RachelD4 said:

Cheers Angela

I'm converted!

Thanks a million

Rachel

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Hi Rachel

That's great, welcome to the instant-publishing world of blogs.

Re making money blogging, look on your blog as a PUBLICATION, like an online magazine, news resource etc.

The poster blog for making money blogging is Steve Pavlina, who's currently making $1000 a day from his blog.

It's really simple to make money blogging, but you have to know that the possibility of making money (a lot of money) is there, and then you have to be serious about turning a blog into a money spinner. Read Steve's "How to Make Money" post. It's a gem, and it will spark ideas for you.

I use my own blogs to sell products, and to get copywriting gigs, so the time I spend blogging generates healthy income.

I wish you all success with your blog.

Cheers

Angela