How To Create A Business Strategy For Your Blog
One of the most critical things when doing online business with blogging is to create a strategy for your blog. For most people, this either makes or breaks their success online. As they say: “You cannot hit a target you cannot see”. And the same applies as much to hunting as to online business.
Those people who think they can remember all the ideas they generate in their head for whatever period of time are mostly wrong. It is much faster and more efficient to achieve success online, when you keep track where you are now and where you would like to be in the future.
But the important part is to decide HOW you want to get there. Therefore, I advise you create a blog business strategy.
So, how exactly do you develop a business strategy for your blog?
Define Your Market
Why did you want to start blogging in the first place?
Is the topic you are writing on your passion, hobby or interest? Do you enjoy to write content for your blog?
Or, are you doing blogging because you think it’s one of the easiest ways to establish yourself as an expert in a certain niche?
Is blogging only an idea to get the quick dollars. “Make money online with blogging“, as they say.
This needs to be absolutely clear to you. If you are not so certain about why you blog in the first place, maybe evaluate whether you REALLY like blogging. Nor do you want to waste your time doing something you don’t like in life, nor do others like to read poor content. So, make sure you define your purpose for spending time blogging.
Know Your Target Audience
Another really important point here, when defining your market, is to know your target audience. Most people, who are just starting to build a business online, ignore or overlook this incredibly important factor.
Now, there are several ways to do this, but why not imagine your ideal customer? Yeah, just imagine how would he look like when you met him? Give a full description of him. Starting from the top down to the bottom. But what’s much more important is that you know your customers’ age, demographics, passions or problems, their level of income etc.Spend some time thinking about this subject and I advise you write it all down as you’ll find it useful later on.
Choose Your Place Of Expertise
People who are new to internet marketing often don’t quite know what is their expertise. Either you are in the “weight loss” niche because you find it interesting or you’re in the “PC games” niche because you like computer games, it doesn’t matter. The thing that matters, though, is that you want to be an expert in it. Not pretend to be an expert!
There is a huge difference.
You have heard it a billion times: “Follow your passion and the money will follow”.
Yeah, right!
What they didn’t tell you is that you need to work hard to get money in whatever niche you’re in. Then the money will follow. And the key is to become a trusted, credible and authoritative expert. The “go-to guy” if you like. This is job to do – gaining knowledge in the field you choose online. Be it “car auctions”, “fitness” or “internet marketing”.
Tailor Your Message Correctly
After you are absolutely sure that you want to be an expert in the “X” niche (and I mean ABSOLUTELY), then you need to tailor your message to the audience you want to target.
You need to have at least some kind of differences or world-view compared to your peers or competitors in your niche. You cannot re-hash all the content that is already out there online and expect to be successful in internet marketing. It’s also much easier to write about your own experiences than to make a massive research and then re-hash the content. But be clear about your expertise in certain topics and expand on those.
How Will You Generate Traffic?
You already know there are many different ways to get traffic to your blog. I’m not going to give you a list of all the possibilities you have to drive traffic in this post. But the important thing is that you choose the traffic strategies or tactics that you want to give a try. And then give them a try! Don’t steer away from the highway you have chosen.
It’s absolutely CRUCIAL to choose only a handful of traffic sources and learn those in depth. It will save you a tremendous amount of wasted time if you stick with only 2-3 traffic sources than trying 1,2 and then the next day – 3,4,5. The third day – 6,7,…etc.
You could pick something like guest blogging + forum marketing + link building or video marketing + JV + banner ads. You get the point. The reason for choosing only 3 traffic sources you want to discover is that you can actually focus on those.
If you have 3 different niches and blogs and experiment with 10 different traffic sources all alone, how do you focus on anything?
How Will You Monetize Your Blog?
Of course, you want to also monetize your blog. What is then the point of being in internet marketing, right?
Well, you need to be sure of everything regarding the monetization process. You need to visualize in your mind the process which begins with the random or not so random visitor on an external website and ends with making a sale. All the marketing and selling techniques must be absolutely clear how you’re going to convert a cold visitor.
The fundamental process involves some kind of traffic source->blog->affiliate product or traffic source->blog->email subscription->promotion in email, or traffic source->squeeze page.
Do I Need To Build A List?
Most IM newbies and even some seasoned internet marketers will argue that you don’t necessary need to have a list. They say that their business and income is stable and very predictable. But I would say that it almost never is so. What I’m going to say, though, that acquiring a list is hard work in many cases but the rewards you get later far outweigh the work you put in.
A list is actually your only real asset online doing internet marketing the way most people do. Is a #1 ranking on Google for a KW a true asset? I would say that it isn’t.
Google can make updates almost overnight and your website can fall down to position 3 or lower. Nobody can predict that, but there’s a big possibility. Nothing is as valuable as the relationship with your customers. If you’re going to make a lot of money in internet marketing, then it will most probably happen having a somewhat big but responsive list.
Random people who don’t quite know you won’t make you rich online. You need to literally be friends with everyone on your email list.
About the author: Ray Wilson gives away all his proven top secret SEO strategies the “gurus” are hiding from you for FREE. His simple underground traffic system (with the newbie in mind) can be found here. Check it out!
Category: Blogging
About the Author (Author Profile)
Shiva Chettri is the editor and owner of Netchunks, a premier blog about Webmaster and Blogging Tips. He intends to make the web a friendlier place by sharing stuffs and articles which will help other webmasters and bloggers to becomes successful. His other interests includes Web Designing, Wordpress and Music of almost every genre. Send +Shiva an email at admin@netchunks.comSubscribe
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Great suggestions. My biggest issue is valuable content and of course the traffic generation. How often should a business blog and where do you advertise that blog?
Twitter: netchunks
says:
I am sure by how often a business blog you meant to say how often should a blog post be written at a business blog. Well, that could answer by regularly, here regularly could signify twice a week or more. It could also depend on the size of the business and your business niche, if you have a large or medium business than it is better to hire a blogger or writer who could write daily for your blog. And for advertising there are a lot of places in the internet where you can submit your business blog.
Shiva Chettri recently posted..Subscribers/Readers Base – Fake Or Real?
Now a day, there are many websites having a large collection of sms about birthday, festivals, occasions, holidays, greetings for example: smstroop, you can find almost all kinds of sms at this platform.
Twitter: massimod07
says:
Must really have something more to be a winner on the internet, not just a good sales page guadagnare online (to make money online) many thousands of dollars a month, everything goes a lot of details, and everything is designed and targeted to clients who enter into that particular web page.
Shiva, thanks for the advice you gave me in this post.
I completely agree to this point -Is a #1 ranking on Google for a KW a true asset?
keywords keep falling and rising over times. So you really can’t depend on it for traffic sources.
On the contrary:
We can’t ignore the importance of keyword ranking. It is an asset for those who want to tap new visitors through SE . You can’t ignore the strength of keyword ranking for your blog marketing strategies.
I believe that before starting any business defining the target audience is very important. It helps design each and every strategy of the business. Identifying the target audience is of chief importance.
Twitter: netchunks
says:
Yup Leoner, you got the hammer straight to the nail. Indeed one has to research what and whom they will be targeting before starting any business and business blog. Thanks for the comment.
Shiva Chettri recently posted..SEO Tips Which Can Implement in your WordPress Website
Twitter: freedownloadbuz
says:
Choosing the right niche has always been more important… while one has to also look onto the kind of market ..
Free Download Buzz recently posted..Download Beauty Pilot to Enhance Images with Quality Editing
Shiva, would agree completely that rehashing content is unlikely to be successful. There is so much material floating around, that the odds of your site attracting much traffic in “worn out” topics are low. I’ve been working on creating odd content. Your advice on lists (versus high KW ranking) is echoed by every web expert I have read.
Astro Gremlin recently posted..How to Be a Superhero Part 2
great article ray…you are absolutely right when you say we all need to make a good responsive list. i will surely remember these guidelines for a successful blog marketing . I’ve been working on creating odd content. Your advice on lists
Twitter: Mix Twist
says:
Good article with well defined definition of targeted audience and traffic both are necessary to establish a Good blog and business online. Nihce are the very important aspect of ensuring your success.
Jass recently posted..Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0 LCD Display Google Android Mobile
Twitter: webmaisterpro
says:
Definitely this is a way to go. A good idea is not enough anymore and planning and analysis are critical part for successful business online.
Carl recently posted..Finding the Best SEO Reseller Program
Twitter: ifhamkhan
says:
Researching the audience is very important in any business. After all it depends on hard work. Good tips here thanks for sharing
Ifham khan recently posted..Fast folder eraser-Delete folders fast
very nice and useful suggestions here! i want to give a try to the method of generating traffic; i’m going to work with 3 traffic sources, i also want to try it with more, but i’m afraid it would be too much, as you described it.
Cindy recently posted..Toothache home remedies and natural cures
Excellent tips… thanks for sharing…
perfect article for new bies like me… The best idea is not enough anymore and planning and analysis are critical part for successful business online.
That’s an informative post, but why does there seem to be two “About the author” sections here? From different people?
Twitter: designscreation
says:
It’s always essential to target your potential market rather than wasting time on useless markets. The more strategic plan you have the more quickly you’ll attain your success.
Aanchal recently posted..Web Design company India
This is really very nice post, all information given in this blog very useful. Generate traffic is very important to success of blog business.
Twitter: crysislevel
says:
great article ray…you are absolutely right when you say we all need to make a good responsive list. i will surely remember these guidelines for a successful blog marketing!
Thanks Shiva for guiding on this topic. Blogging is really a good occupation and you can earn money online but it s also true that you have to analyze yourself whether you have passion regarding writing and if yes then what is your era of expertise.
Twitter: Jajodia_Saket
says:
Great info man, we should also not forget Social Media even those bloggers do use it but then also for those who new to it. Thanks for sharing..!!
Saket Jajodia recently posted..How To Copy, Edit And Share Webpages Online With Bo.lt
That’s why before you start a blog you need a kind of business plan where you will write all the points of blogging and the amims of cours what you want to reach and why. It will help you to see the aim of blogging in general and you will get rid of many truobles in future.
Never know blogging is a business before reading this post and not even know there are even strategy for blogging. Thank for sharing, I think I should re-plan for my blog. Once again, thanks for your tips.
Tan recently posted..Post-Operative Neutropenic Fever
Selection of the right niche has always been more important… It’s always essential to target your potential market rather than wasting time on useless markets.
Twitter: swamykant
says:
Great article. You are right. Without defining the market, we cannot get success in blogging.
Thanks for share.
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Thanks for showing the way. Loved this. Been meaning to start my own blog as well, so this is nicely appreciated.
For running a successful business we have make some business strategies some business innovative ideas to make the business growth. This is a brilliant blog for get the ideas.