Aug
28
Well, it needs to be said. I’m tired of the runaround by these internet marketers claiming to have “the secret” to making tons of money online, and then failing to deliver.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Recently, Bloggingtothebank.com had sent out an email selling a “money making blog” where they would do the setup, but you had to buy the package. Well, I figured I would see what it was all about, in the hopes that it would pan out. Instead, I did not receive my product. I contacted their customer service several times and received mediocre responses giving me the run around. Finally, I sent a nasty complaint and they replied with how they were backed up with different problems and would get to mine shortly. If I did not want the blog, I could ask for a refund. I did not want a refund. I wanted the blog. Over a month and a half later, no nothing. It’s time I said something.
So, if you see something sold by “Blogging to the Bank,” do not buy it. They’re full of shit.
Aug
25
I thought about this last night as I was reading through some blogs. I think that we need to forget about our checking accounts as bloggers, especially in the beginning of our writing careers. I say this out of a desire to emphasize mental sanity: Don’t worry about the money you’re not making from blogging and just write. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
If you began blogging because you thought it would be a good way to generate an income, great! That’s a good motivation. But what it seems that blogging world often forgets amidst all sorts of “seo practices,” obtaining sponsorships, and so forth, is that they still need to write. Sure, there are ways to help your blog gain traffic, but if your blog doesn’t have any worthwhile content, it’s going to be a lot harder to retain readers and gain new ones. Blogging is about writing and delivering original content. You have to write, whether you’re writing your own posts, or commenting on other people’s posts, you still need to write.
Even when you feel like no one else is reading, keep writing.
Jul
13
Design is a critical part of a users experience with your blog. It projects how you wish your audience to perceive your thoughts. Also, it is an important vehicle in conveying those thoughts to your audience. Sometimes in design there seems to be the strategy to “dazzle them with brilliance” by making the design as over the top as possible. Sometimes this works, but as a reader, I would rather not think about the design or theme the author chose. While there is a certain asthetic attraction to the layout, the fonts, and the colors chosen, but as a reader my priorities are to read the words clearly so as to allow for faster rate of comprehension. Put simply, sometimes I miss the simplicity of books.
So, here’s a simple question: Is your reader’s attention focused on the design and theme of your blog, or is it focused on your content?
Jul
07
Flickr is a “social photo-sharing” site. There have been all types of photoblogging sites, and a critical part of Facebook is the photo-sharing. Why does Flickr appeal to me? I like Flickr because it attracts a more photography oriented demographic. The pictures are generally more high quality, and this particular niche site encourages a participant to improve their own skills just by being a part of the community centered around this site.
User-generated content is also a critical part of the business model for Flickr. Users can pay for an inexpensive pro membership allowing them to upload an unlimited amount of photos. Essentially, users pay for the opportunity to show off their own work. As a pro member on Flickr, however, the business model is not what attracts me. It is the clean design, the easy to use interface, and the strong community it has built around itself. Oddly enough, these were also the same selling points that drew me to Facebook and away from MySpace.
Have you thought about why people might pay to use your service or products? Have you thought about your selling points?
Jun
29
There is a proverb in the Bible that says that young men perish without a vision. People undergo a slow, spiritual death in this life because they have no vision – no dream, and they float along. Sometimes it’s necessary to float, but you will only always float along if you have no purpose, no motivation to push you forward.
What makes you come alive? What would you do with your life if you only had one last go at anything before you die? What is going to set you free?
Spend your time focusing on these things. You reap what you sow.
Jun
15
Napoleon Hill taught us that we can “Think & Grow Rich”, and if our thoughts determine our reality, being rich and money are ideas. Robert Kiyosaki taught us that we should have our money work for us in order to become rich. A friend of mine once told me that in capitalism that money is simply a measure of the value of a relationship between several parties involved.
So many people work for money these days, but money is simply an idea. Perhaps we should work for an idea instead that is measured in high value – money then becomes a consequence, a product of this high value idea, and it becomes a tool to see the manifestation of this high value idea.
Jun
08
Your thoughts the product of how you perceive the world around you. Your world begins in your subconscious mind. If this is the case, then we are the ones who are the masters of our fate. We alone are to blame for our victories and our failures. Thankfully, the mind is programmable. This fact should be exploited by us – We are what we eat, so why not eat good and healthy things? Our mind needs food too, and therefore, we should be feeding our mind things that produce a victory mindset.
The End.
Frustration
I was reminded the other day that frustration after the initial setup of a blog is perfectly natural. You put all sorts of work into making sure that the blog is presentable and able to go live, and once you go live it’s pretty much out of your hands. Your work is now out in the world for all to see, accept, reject, and so forth. The more time you spend tinkering with your blog, the worse your frustration gets.
How do you manage then? Step away from the computer, go for a run, hang out with some friends, get some sleep. Come back to it with fresh eyes, write more engaging posts, and comment on other people’s posts. Connect your blog to the “outside world.” Link back to your blog, but once your blog is live, it’s time to think externally and act outwardly. Bring value to other people’s lives and blogs. Develop relationships with those around you and make their lives a little bit better.
What goes around comes around.