Blogging is a much under-used tool in the Web 2.0 and social media arena and individuals and companies that do not use it are missing out on a powerful tool. By way of an explanation I want to draw your attention to a blog run by Julie Cliffe-Jones - Lanzarote Information – which went from zero to generating a full time income in 12 months. The case study is writen by Julie’s husband Mike, better known as @mikecj on Twitter and who runs the blog Mike’s Life and anyone who knows Mike will be familiar with the written style and lack of hype.
One of the great things about Mike is that he is not a bullshitter, but tells it exactly how it is, warts and all. Successes, failures, inspirations, cock ups – they are all grist to the mill as he talks you through the whole adventure month by month. With typical candour he says: “If you’re reading this in the hope of discovering the get rich quick secret to blogging then you might want to stop here. We haven’t discovered it. We wanted to create a
blog that would generate a decent living income for one person inside a year, and we did it! We didn’t discover how to get rich quickly and without hard work. This document will tell you what we did and how we did it.”
For the terminally impatient Mike spells out step by step how they achieved:
• Wrote 2-3 posts every single day, with good quality, original content
• Worked hard at social media to make connections with lots of people
• Commented often on other blogs in similar niches
• Stayed totally up to date with what’s happening in relation to the niche
• Offered advertising on the site at sensible prices
• Worked hard at providing quality affiliate offers for our readers
• Created a membership program for our special readers
What is useful for new bloggers is the admission that in the early days the number of visitors to the blog was not awe inspiring, familiar territory to any new blogger who sits at the computer after the first few posts and shouts “Hello, is there anybody out there…?” They key factor in the growth of the blog is there in February – 600 posts, that’s a lot of writing in the first few months, plenty of content that gives the impression the blog is established and the author knows what they are writing about. Lengthy pieces demonstrating knowledge of the area are offset with shorter, newsy bits.
Mike is also brutally honest about how they staggered through the advertising maze – side ads, affiliate programs, banners, Google Adsense, Chikita – Mike and Julie have tried them all, sorted out the wheat from the chaff and find something that, for them, has the perfect balance of income and integrity. To add value Mike and Julie started the membership site which provides substantially more than the main, public area for a membership fee. For this they have access to a members’ forum, a classified ads section, the ability to receive special offers and they can even order mugs and T shirts with the blog logo – clever branding.
The case study makes fascinating reading and demonstrates what can be achieved with inspiration, perspiration and a focused dedication. Of course it will not suit every niche, but the hint is to look at the overall approach and adapt it to your area of expertise.
You can download the case study free of charge here.
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