5 Tips on Picking a Niche That Will Make You Successful

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Chris Lee, a full time blogger teaching all the secrets to success over at aBlogOnBlogging.com.

Throughout my career as a blogger, I’ve started many blogs in many different niches.

I’ve lost count after my 6th or 7th blog but if I have to guess, I’d say I’ve started around blogs in 10 different niches or so.

I just couldn’t understand why I get so bored with my niche after a few weeks of blogging on the subject.

But finally, after leaving a long trail of abandoned blogs on the world wide web, I’ve finally learned how to pick niches that really work – and that’s what I’ve got for you today. [Read more…]

4 Ways Your Internal Blog Can Help with Project Management

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Project Portfolio Management (PPM) is a complex yet necessary system/tool for many businesses. However, much of the time it’s only the IT team and a few select “techies” at a business that really understand why a technology was selected, how it works, how it will benefit different departments, and the like. There’s a lot of jargon involved, and it’s easy to forget that some of the most important users (like the CEO) aren’t going to want to fess up to not knowing what customer configured applications are. Luckily there’s a way to introduce PPM and dynamic applications to even the least tech savvy in the crowd (or business): Your internal company blog.

Don’t forget that your major platform for sharing information (your blog) isn’t just for your customers. It can also be used to encourage communication between departments and within your company. The tech team might jump at the chance to provide a flow chart, presentation or training session, but these aren’t always conducive to more informal “talks” on blogs. Plus, they can be intimidating if anyone (or most people!) feel like everyone “get it” but them.

Here are a few ways to introduce your latest PPM technology to everyone who need to know about it with your blog, regardless of their tech prowess: [Read more…]

Algorithms and Auto-Captions: Tips for Keeping Up with Google

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The folks at Google refuse to rest until search functions online have been perfected. As perfection is impossible to achieve, webmasters and business owners should get accustomed to Google rocking their world on occasion with new or updated algorithms and codes. Google rolls out a number of small changes on a weekly basis that tend to go unnoticed by the general public. However, when the Silicon Valley giant bothers to announce an algorithm change it usually means massive alterations are coming.

tips for keeping up with google

Such was the case with the release of Panda and Penguin in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Over the course of the last 11 years, Google has rolled out new fewer than 30 brand-new or updated algorithms that have altered the state of search on the Internet (view all Google updates since 2003 here). As it stands today, people maintain a tight focus on the Panda, Hummingbird, and Pigeon updates. What impact have these algorithms had, and why do they matter in today’s SEO climate?

Here are tips for keeping up with Google. [Read more…]

How to Avoid Getting Sued for Your Blog

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Words can never hurt you, but it can cost you a fortune.

Ask Roy Ngerng, a Singaporean blogger who is being sued by the country’s PM Lee Hsien Loong for defamation. In May of last year, Ngerng accused PM Lee in this blog of mismanaging a federal social security fund for the elderly without proof.

Lawyers of PM Lee filed a defamation suit against Ngerng, who took down the incriminating posts and issued an apology. But the lawyer rejected the gesture and pursued the case in the amount of S$5,000.

[Read more…]

6 Lifesavers for Bloggers

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Being a freelancer blogger is no easy task; after all, it’s pretty stressful not knowing when a project will end, figuring out where your next client is coming from, or making sure that you’re completing blogs in the right amount of time to lead to a lucrative hourly rate. Luckily, there’s a plethora of other professionals at the ready who can make your blogging career a little easier. Get them on your side, and on your payroll, to maximize your earnings.

There are new freelance opportunities popping up everywhere, and The Guardian is reporting on some of them, but did you know that freelance bloggers are the perfect match for other freelancers? “Freelancing” is an industry in itself, and blogging is just a small part of it. You can’t be expected to also be an expert accountant, attorney or HR specialist, so make sure you have these lifesavers at your fingertips:

1. AP/AR

Tracking your accounts payable and accounts receivable is crucial to keeping your bottom line intact. For the tech savvy blogger, there are many software options, but you might prefer relying on a bookkeeping specialist. Check out Business News Daily for tips on the best software for your needs, or find a local freelancer with a solid portfolio to take care of line items for you. However, AP/AR isn’t complete with itemizing your deductions. [Read more…]

Here Are Some of the Most Crippling Mistakes Bloggers Made in 2014 (and How to Correct Them!)

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If blogging was easy, then everybody would be doing it. Unfortunately, lots of people are doing it.

As of writing,  there are around 214 million Tumblr blogs in existence and 42.6 million posts published every month on WordPress that are viewed 409 million times. And that’s not considering the statistics of other blogging platforms!

While blogging is a fun activity for those who simply wish to write and publish stuff, blogging as a profession is serious business. Bloggers have the responsibility of not only sharing ideas and engaging with their audience, but also driving more leads and sales to their online business.

Therefore, if you’re not making enough with your blog, then you’re most likely doing it wrong. Considering that there are lots of bloggers now than ever before (and that number will only increase in the coming years), you need to cut through the noise by kicking the bad habits you’ve been making with your blog and let your voice be heard.

Below are some of the mistakes that you may have committed with your blog this year and ways on how to correct them.

[Read more…]

Stop Leaks in Your Blog Fast! 5 Ways to Keep Your Blog Visitors from Leaving

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A pipe burst is one of the most common household problem. However, that does not make it less annoying since the meter is still running when clean water is leaking from your pipe, on top of hiring licensed plumbers to fix the burst and a contractor for the damaged walls and ceiling.

The same can be said of low blog traffic despite having built up great content and shared it on social media. With this problem, you need to troubleshoot your traffic issues like a plumber would.

Below are five ways on how you can determine the source of the traffic problem in your blog to stop leaks fast!

[Read more…]

Four Ways to Boost Your Content’s Impact

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Charlotte Park, the PR Lead for ClearVoice, a content marketing platform that empowers writers and businesses to connect and collaborate in a world-class content workflow environment. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in communications, and has since spent her time working alongside PR and social media moguls to learn the tricks of the trade.

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It’s easy to have a love-hate relationship with blogging. You might have the passion and motivation to execute the perfect blog where readers can engage in conversations and build relationships. However, without the right tools and strategies, a blog can quickly dissolve into a wasteland of the massive amount of content that’s produced each day. Whether you are blogging for personal gain or for business, your content should engage readers, create conversations and eventually develop long-lasting relationships.

Accelerate your blog strategy with these four lessons. [Read more…]

5 Headline Types You Underestimate When Writing a Blog Post

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Cari Bennette, a passionate blogger and writing consultant at jetwriters.com. Cari loves surfing websites for writers and sharing her advice on various forums and blogs.

Can you guess what’s the most important part of your blog post? I know, you probably think it’s quality content, right? Quality content builds your site’s credibility and keeps your readers coming back for more. What about visuals? A pretty picture draws the reader in, right? While both are important, neither of them are as important as a good headline.

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Want some stats that quantify just how important the headline is? There’s the 50/50 rule which states that half of the time you spend writing a blog post should be spent composing the headline. And those who practice the 50/50 rule do so because of the 80/20 rule – 8 out of 10 people read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 read the post. [Read more…]

6 Creative Ways to Promote a Blog Post

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Monique Craig, a passionate blogger and marketing specialist who works for Oneflare, an online marketplace which connects customers with local service providers. Find her on Twitter and Google+.

Even if your blog post is an exceptional and highly valuable piece of content, you’ll still need to do your best to promote it and help it reach a wider audience. Going for the obvious, you might forget that there are many alternative ways of promoting your blog post that often prove more efficient than popular methods. Here’s a list of top 6 creative ways to help your share count skyrocket in no time.

  1. Niche social media

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Instead of sharing your post on sites like Facebook, Google+, LikendIn and Twitter, or posting a relevant picture on Pinterest and Instagram, consider niche social networks. Because of their popularity, Facebook and the likes will attract your competition and so your posts might gain a lot less attention than in small social networks. In niche social media, the competition is lower and audience is more focused and active. [Read more…]