Do you blog?
It was my cousin asking this question. "Of course" I replied. My weblogging started in November 2001.
Blogging is hot - it's got the online crowd buzzing. A personal publishing form of online journalism, the 'blog' has become a medium to share anything you may care to.
But I was an 'off-and-on' blogger. To me, a blog was like a bad tooth. Y'know, you can't help seeking it out with your tongue. But when you find it, "Ouch!"
My blog was like that. Each time I set out to make a success of it. And after a week or two, backed down, beaten.
Until I discovered the secret that helped me crack the code! Now I enjoy blogging - because I know how to do it right.
"What's your business model?" I asked my cousin.
He stared at me blankly. I tried again.
"How are you going to profit from your blog?"
He looked at me as if I was mad.
"What do you mean 'profit'? Blogs aren't profitable!" he exclaimed.
I smiled quietly. Of course, that's what everyone says - including the 'gurus' of online marketing.
But I knew better.
"Yesterday, my blogging earned me $170" I said.
His look said it all. "Liar"
"I'm not kidding" I continued. "I can show you thirty ways to profit from blogs."
"Name THREE" he countered.
"Well, you could ask your blog community to make a donation every now and then."
"Hmm... that's a thought. But why will they give me money?"
I explained how he should make his blog valuable to visitors, involve them in his agenda, so that they'll be happy to participate in his ventures and support them.
"You could use a direct selling model to earn money. By including a powerful sales letter for your product or service, specifically focused on the benefits a buyer will get from it. Add a way to order - and hey, presto. You're set to make a tidy profit from your blog."
He was now listening carefully, nodding his head in agreement.
"Or you could get paid for displaying ads targeted to your visitor's interests."
I was on fire now. Explaining the steps he needed to take to create value on his blog. Telling him how to make it appear valuable to users. Showing him exactly how to leverage his experience at blogging into money in the bank.
When we finally finished a couple of hours later, we made a list. I had suggested exactly THIRTY THREE ways to profit from a blog.
My cousin was ecstatic. "You simply MUST tell others about this."
A book about profiting from blogs - now that was a *cool* idea.
I spent some time looking for other books or resources teaching profitable blogging. Zilch. No one else was telling people about these powerful secrets!
Then I found this on another blog:
"The problem with books about blogs is that as I read them I want to comment, more than any other kind of book. Well, how do you do that? Will these books be on the Web? Will they have paragraph-level permalinks?"
Flashbulbs exploded in my mind.
Why not a book on blogs that's *ITSELF* a... blog ?!
The result is my blogBook,
Now YOU can annotate or remark on any of these ideas or tips. Share YOUR experiences or reservations about them. Post any modifications or tweaks YOU feel will make them more effective.
What will emerge? The resulting 'composite' blogBook, annotated with reader comments, will be far more enriching and valuable than my own writing.
PLUS - I can keep adding to the blogBook as and when I find, hear about or use a new Blog Profit Idea! This blogBook will be a living thing that grows and morphs over time...
The lowly weblog has been many things for many people. Today it has also become a publishing format for electronic books. Only time will tell if it's here to stay. Until then, keep blogging - profitably!
