How to Use Online Marketing to Make Your Blog Your Business
Studying online marketing to start “Blogging for profits” has long been one of the most interesting subjects I’ve ever come across. To me, things like online marketing and blogging to make money aren’t as simple as people make them sound, but they are intriguing.
“Just write great content that gets targeted visitors, and sit back and relax!”
The first part of that statement can be true, but I don’t plan on ever “sitting back and relaxing.” I’m a business builder; an innovator. My dream is to build something from nothing, whether it be a brick-and-mortar business that’s around long after I’m gone, or just a website that people actually visit for help and advice. The goal behind blogging for me was always to provide a simple, unobtrusive outlet for my ideas, thoughts, and imagination, but if I ever want people to sit up and take notice, I need to invest in learning some online marketing.
The problems started when I began to make some money with it.If you know me, you’ll know that I’m whimsical, capricious (yes, that word is in my daily vocabulary…), and spontaneous. My approach to all things blogging was for a long time, “I’ll do it when I feel like it… Maybe.” As I’m approaching an interesting intersection in my life, I’ve come to realize that maybe it’s time to crack down and take it to the next level. I’ve been pretty serious about it for quite some time, but I’ve only recently begun to treat my blog as a business in and of itself, and so I’ve only recently begun to think (and act on) small business online marketing principles. Here are some of the things I’ve done using social media and online marketing to make the “blogging thing I do” the “money making thing I do:”
- Systems. I bark a lot about systemizing every process possible, and blogging and online marketing are no different. If I didn’t set up a schedule for my posts every day, I wouldn’t ever release new content. Having systems in place helps me concentrate on building my business one “brick” at a time–opening me up to new opportunities and possibilities for my online marketing efforts.
- Plans. No longer will I run blindly into the night–I have specific goals for myself, my online marketing strategies, and my blog(s), as well as deadlines. Having (and following) these schedules and plans proves to yourself and those around you (readers, family, friends, etc.) that even though you may not be creating passive income now, you’re taking your job seriously.
- Measuring sticks. I call these “dipsticks” mainly ’cause it’s a funny word. Makes sense, though–if my blog is a car, I want it running smoothly, and I need to be able to measure what I’m putting into and taking out of it. I measure things like visitors, traffic, ad revenue, etc. Check your dipsticks, but not every time you fill up–put a system in place that tells you when you need to measure. Being a stats addict only takes you away from building your online marketing campaigns.
More than anything else, I needed to change my mindset. While this blog certainly isn’t the place to talk about personal development/personal growth issues, there are a great many out there that are. Take the time to read a few pillar articles on personal development if you struggle with procrastination, desire, drive, confidence, etc. I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel for my baby-step goals, and each time I reached a goal, I’d increase the distance to the light–celebrating these little victories paid off: I was able to continue to drive forward to the bigger goal of using blogging and online marketing to sustain myself in a more passive way.
How does this apply to your online marketing efforts? Other than borrowing from my experiences, I hope you can boil everything down to this:
Steps to make your blog your business:
- Picture your blog as your business. You go to work everyday, right? Well then, every time you site down, make something happen. Strive to complete one online marketing task every time you get behind your desk, or write one post, or whatever you consider “getting something done.”
- Write out your goals. Enough said–do it. It’s an amazing, liberating experience to really find out what your goals are.
- Plan your income streams. So many newbies I’ve talked to expect someone to start handing them checks one day–even with AdSense, you’ll need to plan how you’ll make money. Google may not be around forever (heaven forbid!), so do you have experience as a consultant? Can you write/sell eBooks? Can you sell affiliate products? A good combination of all of these methods is a good way to envision your site’s monetization. There are real ways to make money from home, but you’ll have to do the legwork and learn the ropes!
- Detail your online marketing campaign. Once you know how you’ll make money, you need to get your product (your blog, website, whatever) in front of people’s faces. Online marketing isn’t necessarily difficult, but it can be overwhelming and a good place to start learning and applying principles is my weekly newsletter.
- Plan your exit strategy. I’m in the weird position of having some great content that people have paid me to write, but I can’t sell my real estate. There’s only one other guy with my name who’s Google-able, and he sucks at singing anyway. The point: if you plan on selling your blog/website, pick a domain that you could sell…
- Stick to the plan. Whatever your goals are for your blog, know them from day one and stick with it. Use social media methods and online marketing to get where you want your small business to be. Shoot for the moon, but be ready to settle for halfway there. As I like to say, it’s halfway to somewhere you’d never have gone anyway…
I hope my rant hasn’t been too much banter about nothing. If you’d like to drop me a line, you can do so in the comments or by contacting me directly!
Related posts:
- Online Marketing Basics: 10 Ways to Drive More Traffic to Your Blog
- Online Marketing for Your Small Business:
Bridging the Gap from Offline Marketing - Online Marketing for Your Small Business: Networking and Social Media
- Promoting Your Business: Free Marketing With Social Media
- 10 Online Marketing Tips for Offline Businesses
experience