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3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business

3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business
I am going to show you 3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business.

These are commitments that you will want to stick to.

After all, the success of your blogging business depends on it.

How To Boost Your Business

First of all, what is your business?

The sweet thing about blogging is that it doesn’t really matter.

Blogging can help boost any business.

  • Blogging Business
  • Online Marketing
  • Professional Practice
  • E-commerce

Toggle the AUDIO to “on” (lower right) to listen in…

Any business that needs clients and/or customers can get a big boost from blogging.

That’s because blogging gives any business the opportunity to educate and entertain their prospects.

Way back in the 1970’s, legendary retailer Sy Syms ran a series of clothing commercials boldly announcing that “At Syms, an educated consumer is our best customer.”

The idea was this.

Instead of trying to trick people into buying, why not educate them into HOW to buy?

Syms built a retail clothing empire applying this simple principle.

And you know what… it still works.

Build An Audience

People don’t like to be “sold to.”

They want to be respected and listened to.

People want to know that YOU know what THEY want.

Even more, they want to know that you can deliver it to them.

Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic

That’s really what makes blogging such a powerful business model for any business at all.

It puts you above the “selling” hype and lets you be an educator or entertainer instead.

You give people information to improve their lives, and they become a loyal audience, readership or following.

Building and nurturing an audience can boost your business to far greater heights than

  • brute force lead generation
  • traffic driving campaigns
  • list-building tactics
  • landing page promotion

3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business

Remember when you made your New Year blogging resolutions?

They probably included some variation of these things…

  • Blog better and more often
  • Get more blog traffic
  • Convert more blog visitors into subscribers and buyers

Well, here we are.

Today.

Early on into the final quarter of the calendar year.

How are you doing with keeping those New Year commitments?

Related: 6 Steps To Improve The Conversion Rates Of Your Blog Posts (Forbes)

For my Indian followers, we’re just about up to Diwali.

That’s another time for new starts and new commitments.

New Years and Diwali are two exciting times of the year.

They both mark a time when you make new or renewed commitments to building your business.

So whether you’re starting your new commitments or trying to wrap up your old ones, here’s what you need to know.

It’s Time For You To Get This Right

There are 3 blogging commitments guaranteed to boost your business.

You have to be working on all 3 of these.

Now is the time to get focused on these 3 things, if you haven’t been sticking to them.

If you’ve just been too overwhelmed or fearful to be getting this right…

Or, if you’ve simply been less than determined in your efforts…

It’s time to get this right.

Related: Increase Sales In 2017 (Big Commerce)

You see, this is how you get from your “Point A” to the dream goal of “Point B.”

But don’t get lost along the way.

You can’t just start drawing a line from Point A until you are perfectly clear on the exact path to Point B.

Get Some Help Along The Way

If you don’t know how to do each of the 3 things I’m about to outline, then get some help.

Do some research or even buy some courses to learn the things you don’t understand.

If you want to get to your Point B faster, without all the expense and frustration of figuring it all out by yourself…

Hire a coach.

I always tell people this is the fastest way to accomplish your goals.

And it’s the best way to make sure you even reach them.

Find someone who knows their stuff and is good at teaching it.

Sure, I do this kind of coaching and mentoring.

Special: Learn More About Donna’s Top Tier Mentoring Program

It’s not critical you hire me for your coach, but I do urge you to work with someone that can help you get from your Point A to Point B.

Doing it all by yourself is just not a great way to go, and more often than not it simply ends up in failure.

So, now, let me tell you about those 3 blogging commitments guaranteed to boost your business.

1. Blog Content Planning

Many bloggers get preoccupied with producing content.

Writing blog posts is a major part of blogging, of course.

But you can’t just write a lot of “stuff.”

It’s not just about blogging once a week, or 3 times a week or whatever.

Don’t focus on the quantity of blog posts you are publishing.

I say this partly because new blogging clients and students of mine commonly want to know this more than anything else…

“How often should I blog?”

Related: Blogging To Convert (Browser Media)

Not a big question.

And it’s not the big kind of commitment you need to concern yourself about.

You need to focus your blogging authority, not quantity.

Build Authority

I want you to think of your Point B, your end-game, your Big Goal.

What do you want people when they get to your blog?

Buy something?

Join your team?

Subscribe to your list?

Hire you to do something?

Make an appointment to come see you?

Something else?

Well, you can be sure that they’re not going to do any of those things unless they first come to regard you as an authority in your niche.

So, you first need to think about what you want people to do.

Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic

For example…

Let’s say you are a personal injury attorney.

Do you want people to call you about their auto accident injuries?

Okay, so here’s the thing about that.

Nobody wants to call you about auto accident injuries unless they think you’re a legal authority.

Question: So, what are you going to blog about?

Answer: Anything and everything that positions you as an authority in personal injury recovery.

That’s how you get to be seen as an “authority” on the topic.

By writing about it every which way, inside and out, upside and down.

Planning Your Blog Content

Now that you know what you need to be an authority in, you can plan your blog content.

Every blog post you write should point to some aspect of your expertise.

To use the above example, you want to plan each blog post to address some aspect of personal injury from a legal perspective.

What kind of injuries might people have?

How did they get them?

And, how can you, as a lawyer, help them get compensated for their injuries?

Now, just think of what YOUR niche is.

Consider what YOU want people to do.

Finally, plan your blog content to illustrate

  • that you are an authority,
  • why you can be trusted, and
  • good reasons for your readers to take the actions you want them to.

Don’t just fill your blog with content.

Fill it with strategically planned content.

3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business

Read the above article on ProBlogger… https://problogger.com/creating-blog-content-plan-2017/

 

2. Content Marketing

“Audience Building” has replaced “Lead Generation” as the main purpose of blogging.

You don’t need leads anymore, you need audience.

Even more, you need a loyal audience.

You see, getting “leads” and “prospects” isn’t the big deal it once was.

You can buy leads with Facebook ads, or pull them in from YouTube videos.

But it means nothing if they don’t become part of your audience.

When I talk about you “audience,” I’m talking about people who are really connected to you.

I’m talking about people who are eager to

  • read your next blog post,
  • open your email messages,
  • download your ebook, and
  • jump on your webinars or live streams.

These are not people just sitting somewhere on a “list” in the shadows of your business.

They are people who have come to know and trust you.

So, they are interested in everything you do.

Related: Psychological Principles That’ll Improve Your Homepage Conversion Rate (Neil Patel)

They are not “a target audience”… they are YOUR Audience.

And as such, they are the basis of your entire business.

These are the people who will hire you, consult with you, and buy from you.

Get In Front Of Your Audience

But where do get this audience from?

Well, you need to put your blog right under their nose.

Make sure they can’t miss it.

Remember, you have carefully planned your blog content to showcase your authority, right?

So now, you have to get that message in front of your audience.

Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic

But first, of course…

Find out where your crowd is.

Then, make sure they see your content.

Link to your blog posts inside of carefully targeted Facebook groups.

Publish videos on YouTube that encourage people to visit your blog.

Post Pinterest images that tease people into wanting to learn more about you by visiting your blog.

Be Persistent

Content marketing does NOT mean linking to your blog post once a week.

It DOES mean, referring people back to your blog every single day.

Don’t soft pedal it.

Go full steam ahead.

Make sure you are putting out your content

  • all the time,
  • as much of it as you can, and
  • everywhere you can reach the people most likely to be interested in what you are doing.

Be Consistent

Don’t just engage in this kind of content marketing sporadically.

Do it according to a clearly defined schedule.

That’s right.

Make the commitment to share your content at specific intervals of time.

Then, stick to your commitment.

If your audience only sees you here and there, now and then, they won’t take you seriously.

And they won’t follow you.

That means, you lose the opportunity to build a loyal audience.

What’s your favorite television series?

  • The Walking Dead?
  • Law and Order?
  • Something else?

I’ll bet you can’t wait until the next week’s episode airs, right?

Well, what if the producers only broadcast episodes once in a while, whenever they felt inspired to?

What if they aired 3 episodes on week one, then 1 on week two, then took 3 weeks off, then came back with 2 more?

They’d probably lose you as a fully engaged, loyal audience member, wouldn’t they?

Same thing goes here.

Make a content marketing schedule designed to build your audience and keep them engaged.

Stick to your commitment.

3. Convert Visitors Into Buyers and Clients

So, here’s where so many really good bloggers just drop the ball.

They publish great content and marketing it ferociously.

It actually results in lots of people going to their blog and reading it.

Many of those people read every single blog post, join their email list, and become regular visitors to their site.

But there’s one problem.

And it’s a big problem.

Their blog does not do a good job of converting visitors into buyers or clients.

Related: Improve Your Conversion Rates (Jeff Bullas)

Now, let’s talk about television again.

You know that there’s only one reason that broadcasters create TV shows at all.

To air commercials, right?

I mean, the whole purpose of entertaining an audience is to be able to sell something to them… a brand, a product, other television shows… whatever.

A problem that too many bloggers struggle with is that they keep entertaining their readers…

but don’t know how, when or where to place the commercials.

Conversion Rate Optimization

What they are lacking is a good CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) plan for their blogs.

Well, what I’m finding more and more is that the “beat the clock” method of conversion is old.

In fact, it’s pretty much dead.

Special: FREE Guide… 4 Things I Did To Build My Blog Using Only Free Traffic

Now, what I mean by “beat the clock” CRO is this.

We have all heard that people only spend so many seconds on a site before they click away.

So, in order to have a chance to convert visitors into buyers or subscribers is to keep them on your site as long as possible.

In other words, you need to grab their attention before they leave.

You have to “beat the clock” and intrigue them before they bounce.

I know there is some truth to the Bounce Rate concerns many bloggers have.

But, again, I think it’s outdated blogging model.

Play To Your Audience

When you keep trying to get casual “click-ins” to stay on your blog, you are playing up to desperation.

You are sucked in by fear.

Fear of losing a prospect, a reader, a subscriber and a customer/client.

But stop playing up to desperation.

Play to your audience, not to fleeting browsers.

When you get used to blogging for your loyal audience, you don’t need to stand on your head to get them to stay on your blog.

You don’t have to employ tricks and tactics to try to get them onto your email list, or to click on an affiliate or sales page link.

They are your loyal audience.

You don’t need to “convert” them into anything.

Just live up to your promises to help them solve their problems and improve their lives.

They’ll take the actions you need them to.

Not because you convinced them to.

But because it’s in their own self interest to.

Complete your promise by delivering and over-delivering.

Replace your “conversion” thinking with a “completion” mindset.

Buying, subscribing, joining and all the other desirable actions your readers take will be a natural response, not a forced “conversion.”

This all requires, of course, that you have a loyal audience.

So, we have come full circle, haven’t we?

top tier coachingLearn about one-on-one mentoring with Donna…

Now, I’d like to hear from you 🙂

What are your biggest blogging commitments?

And, of course… are you sticking to them?

Are they boosting your business the way you want?

Let me know.

I’m anxious to hear from you in the comments section.

Hey… don’t forget to share this article with your social media crowd!

Thanks much.

-Donna

 

 

Donna Merrill
Donna is a well known blogger and creator of "Blogging Magic" - an intensive guide to blogging. "Blogging Magic" is for beginners who are trying to figure out how to bring their blogs to life with tons of visits, comments and social media interaction. It's even for advanced bloggers looking to reach new levels of authority and engagement with their audience.

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47 Responses to 3 Blogging Commitments Guaranteed To Boost Your Business

  1. Mohit
    Twitter:
    November 19, 2017 at 9:06 am #

    Blogging is not as easy as people think and staying committed is crucial…Content is the most important thing and planning to write content regularly is one of the things which every blogger needs to focus upon. Donna great to be on your blog after a long time.
    Mohit recently posted..9 Crucial Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Fail : Know SolutionMy Profile

  2. Maria Tayler
    Twitter:
    October 27, 2017 at 2:28 am #

    Hey Donna,

    Thanks for sharing these great tips with us. you have very well written about how we can boost our business. According to my perception, social media plays an important role to enhance your business. You don’t need to get upset If you have a small following on social media, you just need to have some patience and promote the brand.
    moreover, don’t just view social media as a sales tool, but as an open line of communication. Communication is the best way to build genuine connection. we should use it as a personal touch point to our audience.

  3. Donna Merrill
    Twitter:
    October 22, 2017 at 10:16 am #

    Hi Jitendra,

    Our main objective is to convert our visitors into buyers but we have to have it in our hearts that we first will solve problems for our visitors.

    Then our content will be of help to them, and in return they can be some of our most valuable customers.

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Welcome – How Is This Blog Different?My Profile

  4. Jitendra Vaswani October 18, 2017 at 9:16 am #

    Hey Donna,

    Again this is another great article. I totally agree with the point that most bloggers publish great content and market them like crazy but aren’t able to convert visitors into buyers. This is because they are trying too hard on this. What one needs to do is produce relevant content and solve people’s problems by giving them the best solution. And this is how visitors will automatically convert into buyers.

    Thanks again, for sharing this incredible article,
    Have a great day ahead.

  5. Mark
    Twitter:
    October 17, 2017 at 8:34 pm #

    You really nailed it Donna!

    And then some.I really like your advice, of pointing out
    how whatever our end game goals are, with regards to
    our blogging commitments.

    They are far more likely to happen, provided we’re
    building an extremely loyal audience and not just trying
    to gain or generate semi engaged subscribers.

    Thus is such a potentially profitable, yet ever so subtle
    shift, which has to made and maintained asap.

    And if we fail to do, we’ll definitely continue to struggle,
    primarily because we’ll be working in our business, and not
    on it!

    Thanks for sharing some really eye opening insights
    Coach! And I definitely picked up some much needed insights, on your
    as well!
    Mark recently posted..Marketing Mistake:Three Things Newbies Often Do They Really Shouldn’t!My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 22, 2017 at 10:15 am #

      Hi Mark,

      Indeed, we have to build a loyal audience first. Then when we are known – liked and trusted, can we offer a product and/or service.

      Glad you had some good insights from this article Mark.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Welcome – How Is This Blog Different?My Profile

  6. Prince Akwarandu
    Twitter:
    October 17, 2017 at 6:29 am #

    Hi Donna

    The secret is simple: more commitment, more commisions.

    Let me draw the tyres. Getting approved for Affiliate Marketing Programs is quite easy than the Almighty Google Adsense. I’m striking from the affiliate marketing end. Though the commision may be little when you don’t strive hard to promote the brand or product using your referral id what happens? You may never get small or more commisions.

    This is the same way in blogging. To get more commisions from blogging we need the blogging commitment tips you listed here. From audience building to be consistent with the craft and more. Remember the one secret above – more commitment, more commisions.

    Thanks for sharing Donna:)
    Prince Akwarandu recently posted..25 Pro Bloggers Blogs To Get Blogging Inspiration Right NowMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 22, 2017 at 9:34 am #

      Hi Prince,

      I like what you have said: more commitment, more commissions. So true!

      From the affiliate end blogging is 80 percent good content and 20 percent sales. But let us not forget the sidebar, the embedded “Click here for…” and the pop ups that can boost sales.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Welcome – How Is This Blog Different?My Profile

  7. Vishwajeet Kumar
    Twitter:
    October 15, 2017 at 10:21 pm #

    Hello Donna,

    Blogging has evolved so much in recent years. It is now become one of the most powerful business tool. Content always plays an important role in developing your blog and gain some quality readers. Persistence and consistency is really very important to become successful in blogging. Thanks for sharing these beautiful tips here.

    Have a great day 🙂
    Vishwajeetim
    Vishwajeet Kumar recently posted..How to Create a Social Media Marketing Plan from ScratchMy Profile

  8. Mitch Mitchell
    Twitter:
    October 15, 2017 at 8:11 pm #

    Hey Donna,

    I agree with all the points you made, but I’m kind of missing out on the last one. I’ll explain…

    Although I always say that I write for myself first, a very close second is my audience, the people who stop by consistently. I love having new visitors, but it’s those folks who visit often that I absolutely love as readers.

    However… I think that no matter how well you aim your content to those folks who come often, it really comes down to the product one is marketing more than the visitors…. which is probably where I’ve failed.

    I’ve had products I’ve marketed that weren’t my own creation that were geared specifically towards the audience that was visiting… so I thought. How many sales did I get? None! The only thing I’ve ever sold was one affiliate product… one ever… and it was a product that I’d bought myself and still market off my site that protects people from email scams and such. I even wrote an article or two about it! lol

    That’s why I mainly market my own products. They may not play to the audience that visits my IJS blog, but they certainly play to the visitors to my leadership blog… the group that doesn’t usually pay for such things. Oh well… lol
    Mitch Mitchell recently posted..Writing – How Important Is It For Your Business?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 18, 2017 at 9:47 am #

      Hi Mitch,

      If you have a good audience and a loyal following then you’re always going to do better selling your own products.

      Anybody can sell the same affiliate product and pretty much everybody does.

      It does not distinguish you as unique.

      But when your crowd see something that YOU have developed to help them solve their problem then they’re far more likely to buy it from you.

      Maybe one of the reasons that people who are interested in what you do …. are not buying what you sell … is that the product or service you’re selling them is not really what they need.

      The key here is to really tap in to what people need and want.

      What can you offer them that will improve their lives even if in the tiniest way.

      That’s when you start seeing conversions.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  9. Lesly T Federici
    Twitter:
    October 15, 2017 at 6:51 pm #

    Awesome as usual my friend. I think creating a presence, focusing on building it is paramount. Everyone (just about) is online to be noticed in one way or another – especially those that are blogging. The blog is the hub, the hot spot for people to get to know you. But it’s not your business. The business is what you’re offering. It takes time to sort this all out and there’s no one way to do it. One has to choose the path that resonates with them and not try to do all of what you mention at once = overwhelm. For me, learning the tools, being creative in using them while showing others how without spending lots of money, is important to me, as well as promoting others. All your points are so right on.. I always learn something new, thank you
    Lesly T Federici recently posted..Vinton Samms And The Growth Of His BusinessMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 18, 2017 at 9:31 am #

      Hi Lesly,

      It is so necessary to create that presence. But we have to create one strategically. What do we want people to know about us and what we can do for them is the first question we must ask ourselves. But making these commitments and trying not to miss a beat is important.

      You are so creative and always seem to be showing us how to use certain tools of the trade without going broke! Thanks for that my friend.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  10. Joy Healey
    Twitter:
    October 15, 2017 at 4:56 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Just WHERE has this year gone??? Oh dear. However, it’s been a year of progress in my business although never the straight upwards line we hope for. Gentle trend in the right direction, with a blip or two, is a better way to describe it.

    So…. consistent blog posts, I’ve more or less managed this, despite a challenging year family-wise. But I know I’m not the only one. What I am doing now is accepting more guest posts and also keeping a few draft posts scheduled in advance so that I can at least APPEAR consistent in case of family emergencies! I know there’s no way I could manage daily blog posts; weekly takes me long enough! It’s not the writing – it’s the promoting etc that’s time consuming.

    Great analogy about the TV serial posting at random times. How annoying would that be? Yet there have been some blogs I really enjoy reading – but when I get there they haven’t posted for weeks.

    As Chery was saying…. “leads” haven’t been useful to me. Some of them aren’t even “names”, whereas my blog visitors feel like friends.

    I know I need to work harder on “conversions”, BUT without appearing too salesy. So that will be my focus for the future.

    Joy Healey – Blogging After Dark
    Joy Healey recently posted..Leadership Training: Learn Communication SkillsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 18, 2017 at 9:28 am #

      Hi Joy,

      It is so great that you do have drafts of blog posts because family emergencies do rise. I do the same thing myself so I don’t have to get all anxious if something happens. It does relieve tension.

      Glad you like the analogy about the TV serial.

      I do agree with you and Chery because “leads” come and go, but blog visitors do feel like friends.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  11. Edward Thorpe
    Twitter:
    October 15, 2017 at 3:14 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Insightful blogging and business advice. Also, some great comments from your audience.

    But, the best thing about this post is how you managed to make your points within the post. You must be an amazing coach! Thanks,
    Edward
    Edward Thorpe recently posted..2 Delicious Peanut Butter RecipesMy Profile

  12. Chery Schmidt
    Twitter:
    October 14, 2017 at 3:17 pm #

    Hey Donna! Awesome post as usual my friend! I just loved your advice here-> You don’t need leads anymore, you need a loyal audience. Wow! Oh so true! I purchased a solo ad a while back and received over 500 leads from this, but come to find out…… NONE of them really know me! None of them open my e-mails! None of them read my blog posts! So I do agree! Leads are no good if they are just on your list to be on your list!

    Loved your video as well, you are such a natural..

    Great Share!
    Thank You!
    Chery :))

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 18, 2017 at 9:23 am #

      Hi Chery,

      I don’t like “leads” as much as a good following. People that make that commitment to opt into a newsletter or any other email we have to offer. In return we make a commitment to give more information to them than we do on our blogs.

      I have to say that I do get a good open rate and a nice percentage will start engaging when it comes to my emails. These things make me happy!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  13. Hassaan Khan
    Twitter:
    October 14, 2017 at 1:39 pm #

    Hi Donna!

    I love this blog post. The opportunities are limitless. I believe a lot of bloggers, who struggle to figure out the right formula for making money blogging, don’t consistently try things out.

    Maybe, 9 out of 10 strategies fail, but if the tenth works out, it may change everything for them.

    You’ve explained the importance of commitment, for instance, keep in touch with the subscribers and consistently promoting content on social media. I 100% agree with you.

    Thank you so much for writing such a useful blog post.
    Hassaan Khan recently posted..How I Increased Blogging Productivity in Just 2 MonthsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 18, 2017 at 9:21 am #

      Hi Hassaan,

      I am so happy that you loved this post.

      Indeed, the opportunities are limitless. To monetize our blogs will take commitment and also a good strategy. But it comes down to giving….sharing the knowledge we have with others.

      We learn something…we share it. It is a commitment that we, as bloggers and/or marketers must do.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  14. Gaurav Kumar
    Twitter:
    October 14, 2017 at 10:29 am #

    Hi Donna,

    Your commitment to your blog shows in your content. Converting visitors into buyers or subscribers is something where most of the bloggers face a hard time.

    But when you have to offer something which attracts your readers then you can easily convert them.

    Thanks for sharing.
    Gaurav Kumar recently posted..5 of the Worst Ways to Make Money OnlineMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 15, 2017 at 9:15 am #

      Hi Gaurav,

      Whatever we offer to our readers has to be something we know that will help them in their business. Also, if we know our target audience, we can set up ads in order to monetize.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  15. Elise Cohen Ho
    Twitter:
    October 13, 2017 at 12:43 pm #

    HI Donna. I really appreciate your tips all fo the time but this post really spoke to me at a time I needed it to. I especially like the advice of “every B blog post should point to some area of your expertise.” I feel like I need to sit with that one for a bit and look at things through those eyes.
    Elise Cohen Ho recently posted..Money Saving Travel TipsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 15, 2017 at 8:52 am #

      Hi Elise,

      So good to know that something spoke to you in this article. Indeed, we have to point to some area of our expertise. So sit with it a while and I know you can look at it from that point of view.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  16. Ravi Chahar
    Twitter:
    October 13, 2017 at 12:41 pm #

    Hey Donna,

    I have always believed in the power of consistency and providing the quality content. And building your personal brand always helps. That’s the reason I use LinkedIn.

    With the power of social media, you can spread your blog post which can make your readers stand for a longer period of the time.
    I am glad to read the tips you have provided.

    Thanks for sharing with us.
    Enjoy your weekend.

    ~Ravi

  17. Susan Velez
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2017 at 11:00 am #

    Hi Donna,

    Great tips and like you, I love planning my content. I actually write down all the upcoming blog content ideas on Google Drive. I couldn’t imagine posting new content without having a plan or content strategy.

    Persistence seems to be the name of the game. Finding your following is not as easy as everyone makes it seem. It takes a lot of hard work every day.

    This month, I’ve decided to really stop spreading myself too thin. I am focused on really learning Pinterest because there is where I am getting the most traffic and engagement.

    To tell you the truth when I first started using Pinterest, I didn’t have a plan. I was just pinning anything and everything. I’ve made it a point to really sit down and learn the platform.

    Just like blogging, it takes time to learn and see results. Seem like persistence is everywhere, without it, we won’t succeed.

    Thanks for taking the time to share this.

    Have a great day 🙂

    Susan

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 15, 2017 at 8:36 am #

      Hi Susan,

      I think its like that with every social media platform. We do what we enjoy and then come to find out we have tons of followers there. So, learn everything you can about Pinterest and how to monetize it. Thank you so much for sharing!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  18. Marquita Herald
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2017 at 6:41 am #

    Excellent advice as always Donna. I’m a planner by nature so that’s a big deal for me. I use a simple spreadsheet and at any time I can glance at it and see every post I’ve published this year (actually I have records of my posts back to when I started ERL) by title, category, and date. This not only helps me to make sure that I don’t get stuck on a particular topic (which I can easily do) it also saves my sanity when I do my annual blog audit because I will sometimes change titles and images and if there’s a substantial update to the information I’ll republish the article.

    I especially like your point about playing to your audience. I am so grateful that many of my subscribers feel comfortable communicating with me and respond so well to periodic surveys. That really helps me to address their wants and needs in a way that keeps them engaged.

    Thanks for your advice and inspiration!
    Marquita Herald recently posted..Who Get’s To Decide What’s Impossible?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 13, 2017 at 10:30 am #

      Hi Marquita,

      You are such a great planner. Wow you actually have records of your posts when you first started ERL!!! You are good!

      It is so important that we communicate with our subscribers and you are doing an outstanding job of it.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  19. Lisa Sicard
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2017 at 6:24 am #

    Hi Donna, wow, you filled my head with stuff this a.m – first off DSW, I need some fall shoes soon! LOL.

    I have to work more on building my blog as a little shop to help small businesses grown their online presence and sales. I have to think more like that – having the right tools and info for them as well as my services more front and center.

    I’ve been focusing on more of being that person of an authority with posts all about what I’ve learned and know and having contributors added to the mix for that same reason.

    I recently did a webinar as a guest for SMhack and I thought after I could do this for my own blog and business too. I’ll be doing a Twitter chat soon with them hosting and giving away a free product. Which reminds me of a flash sale due for my eBook as well.
    I need to really get organized with a calendar and help me to stay on track. I will not wait til January, I will start TODAY with that one after watching your video and reading this post today. Thanks for the inspiration TODAY! (love GOOD Karma too!)

    (Hope we can get together before the year ends too – I was in Maine for a day this weekend but was sick with a cold and didn’t want to pass it on!)
    Lisa Sicard recently posted..9 Facebook Marketing Mistakes to Avoid Today At All CostsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 12, 2017 at 5:15 pm #

      Hi Lisa,

      Yes, shoes are important lol. I go to DSW and can burn my credit card like crazy.

      Yes, think of your blog like a little shop filled with products (the things you can teach them) Make a list and see each item as another thing on the shelf.

      You are a person of authority already. We all know that but you need to see that yourself. You are very knowledgeable and if you package your knowledge correctly, there will be many buyers on line.

      Ooooo your eBook…Don’t wait to January do it ASAP. Get that datebook and live by it. This will help you stay on track.

      Too bad you weren’t feeling well when you were in my neck of the woods 🙁 I’m sure we will catch up soon.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  20. Shantanu Sinha
    Twitter:
    October 12, 2017 at 1:51 am #

    Hello Donna,

    Great shout over here 🙂

    This very model is wanted by almost every blogger on the Earth. The concept of blog content, building networks and ways to engage customers into buyers is the win win situation one can have in the blogging arena.

    As the new year is on the door step, I was thinking to get some make over with my sites and the ways I create awareness about my site. We should always prepare ourself for some new challenges. That’s how things happen in the real world.

    Surely blogging is job which requires our commitment. One can not carve out success if they are not committed towards their work.

    One of the major things to do in blogging, if we want to attract more traffic, is to build our e-mail list strong. This process can really turn our visitors into buyers.

    Thanks for the share.

    Shantanu.
    Shantanu Sinha recently posted..13 Content Marketing Trends Happening NowMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 12, 2017 at 5:09 pm #

      Hi Shantanu,

      Blogging like having a day job is a commitment. If we were working a job, we would have to commit to being there certain hours on certain days of the week. So why not see our blog as the same. It is the way to get things done. Showing up every day and completing tasks at hand.

      Indeed, life happens, but we have to overcome those obstacles as soon as we can.

      Building our e-mail list is a must! This is where we really can engage with those who opted in because of their interest. These people on our list deserve the very best we can give. Then, we can eventually turn them into buyers.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  21. Ryan Biddulph
    Twitter:
    October 11, 2017 at 4:43 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I am digging each commitment.

    Doing each thing persistently and consistently, backing your actions with the right energy, makes all the difference in the world.

    I saw more of a shift with my blog and business when I was all in. Being all in is fun most of the time and because we are human beings, sometimes it gets a wee bit uncomfortable, but if you commit no matter what – while being flexible, short term wise – things will grow and expand and your business will grow and expand too.

    It’s like having a long term vision that keeps you committed day to day, yet pulling back a little bit here and there when it is time to refresh, to recharge your batteries. The balance feels delicate at first, then as you see success and experience the sweet passive nature of prior actions, which grow your business now, you learn how to rest, leverage, and how to keep your success flowing over the long haul.

    Persistence wins; especially on the content marketing front. Linking to other bloggers, promoting your stuff and promoting other bloggers through social pays dividends over months, and years. Gotta keep at it to see results, and fabulous results they will be for your blog and business.

    Thanks for sharing the rocking advice Donna.

    Ryan
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..13 Things You Probably Did Not Know about Successful BloggersMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 12, 2017 at 5:06 pm #

      Hi Ryan,

      As we ourselves grow and expand, it always reflects on our blog and business.

      Having that long term vision does keep us committed, but we do need to take our breaks and do what we love doing besides our blog.

      Persistence always wins hands down. Promoting not only our stuff but others is always a win win. I’m so grateful I learned that lesson when I first started blogging. It helped so much.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  22. Kathryn Maclean
    Twitter:
    October 11, 2017 at 2:36 pm #

    Hi Donna,
    This post about how your commitment to blogging can boost your business is just what I was looking for.
    I blog about offline and online business. A story about what is going on with your business with plenty of pictures is the way to go today.
    Really nice video about this subject. You are so natural now with video. It comes with practice, like anything else.
    I know you have been a blogger now for a long time. Your blog posts are always good.
    Thanks my friend for this. I am posting it on my Facebook page for my local area businesses.
    Kathryn Maclean recently posted..Do You Blog for Business?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 12, 2017 at 9:36 am #

      Hi Kathryn,

      Thank you for posting this on your Facebook page for your local area businesses. I do appreciate that!

      Images and video is the big trend as of this writing. We have to keep up with latest trends in order to be up there with our competition. I may look natural on video but I do get stage fright five seconds before I start lol.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  23. Freddy G. Cabrera
    Twitter:
    October 11, 2017 at 2:34 pm #

    Hey Donna!

    This is an awesome post on blogging commitments!

    I like how you’ve explained the important parts of building a successful business with a blog. You definitely HAVE TO be persistent and consistent with all the necessary work.

    I’d like to say; building a successful blog is not for the weak minded (just being brutally honest here). You gotta persevere through the downs, because that’s where you start from and sometimes that is where you end up. Those who just keep on moving forward are the ones you see succeeding.

    Blogging for profits is a journey and it is a real business that requires a lot of time and effort.

    One of the most important things, I would say, is to make sure you are building a subscriber’s list (email list) and that you are always looking to optimize your conversion rates.

    Thanks for sharing all these helpful tips Donna!!

    Cheers! 😀

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      October 12, 2017 at 9:33 am #

      Hi Freddy,

      We do have to be persistent and consistent no matter what we are going through personally. I know I will have some “down” days but have to show up….just like I would if I had a Job. We cannot let things interfere with out goals. We have to keep on pushing no matter what.

      And yes, I do agree that to be a successful blogger is not for the weak. If we are blogging for profits it will take time. We have to be realistic and know that in business, it takes time no matter what business one is in.

      I know some major off line businesses that are biding their time doing what they have to do for two to three years before they get a successful return. Then they sell it to a huge company. I can’t mention names because I do know the inside scoop as their “intuitive mentor” but we all have to know the deal of how business is run.

      I do agree that the most important thing for a blogger to do is to keep on building that list! That is where we can really connect with others.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Too Busy For Personal Growth?My Profile

  24. Cori Ramos
    Twitter:
    October 11, 2017 at 12:11 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Thank you for sharing these great tips with us. This is the model I follow for Not Now Mom’s Busy. What I’m working on now is my other website, which is going to be my official business site.

    I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching lately. I’m in the process of making some changes and these really opened my eyes to what I need to do with this site.

    I wasn’t going to blog on there but after reading this, I realized that would be a mistake, especially if I want to build an audience and hopefully get more clients that way.

    And I was shooting for the new year to roll things out but like you said, the time is now. 🙂

    Thank you for this – it really clarified things for me and now I know what I need to do. 🙂

    Hope you’re having a great week so far!

    Cori
    Cori Ramos recently posted..How to Start Your Own Homebased Micro Call Center BusinessMy Profile

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