It Starts Here
How To Start Writing a Blog? We all understand the power of your own personal branded blog that provides valuable content, where people want to come back day in and day out. That all sounds great but what do I talk about every day? One thing to consider is how passionate you are about a subject. I’m going to provide some very useful tips on exactly how to find blogging content for your passion, and your blogging niche.
Make Money Blogging?
Many people are coming to realize that they can make money blogging about and talking about things they enjoy talking about on a regular basis. If you are looking to use a blog as a retirement vehicle, it’s important to realize a few things. A blog is like a garden. The seeds need to be planted, they garden needs to be tended to on a regular basis.
Your blog has to be cared for, nurtured, and cultivated. In other words if you want to make money blogging, it is a marathon, not a “get rich quick” sprint.
So if you plan on making that commitment to blogging, you better be sure you are extremely passionate about your topic. So how do you know that you are blogging about the right subject? Gary Vayenerchuk is the author of the book “CRUSH IT! Why now is the time to cash in on your passion.” Gary V. has a very simple test that answers this important question.
“There’s only one test I can suggest if you want to be absolutely sure that the passion around which you’re building a brand is also a monetizable product. Can you think of at least fifty blog topics that you’re amped to write about it?” Gary Vaynerchuk “CRUSH IT!”
The reasoning behind that philosophy is simple. If you are passionate you will bring a different flavor to a subject that nobody else has heard before. If you are passionate you will bring an energy to the topic. Not to mention, if you are not amped about your topic, why would anyone else be. Why would anyone want to stick around your stale, boring blog, if you are not excited about the subject?
If you are not excited about the topic, stop what you are doing with your blog right now and pick another topic. Trust me, you don’t have enough energy to keep the blogging process going over time. OK. So now that we have that established…What are the best ways to brainstorm topics to write about?
Well, I’m glad you asked…That’s exactly what I’m going to be talking about the rest of this post. Stay tuned. I have some really cool brainstorming ideas, that will give you an endless supply of subjects to talk about, AND it doesn’t matter what niche you are in…
So let’s get started…
Finding Ideas For Content:
**Amazon.com** http://amazon.com
- Search Your Niche Word FOR DUMMIES or FOR IDIOTS
- Search the Table of Contents to Brainstorm ideas for your own content
- Example: Search Amazon.com for “Blogging For Dummies”
**Google Alerts** http://www.google.com/alerts
- Comprehensive search for any subject you want to be alerted on via email
- Stay up to date with what’s going on in your niche market
- Great ideas to write your own content
- Make connections by commenting on others Blogs
**Industry news, Event brochures**
- This is what hot in this industry
- Niche newsletters, and blogs in the industry
**Troll the forums**
- (“keyword” + forum)
- The warrior forum http://www.warriorforum.com/
- Russell Brunson Forum http://www.conqueryourniche.com/forum/nicklogantv
**Technorati.com** - http://technorati.com/
- You can think of as “google for blog search”
- Shows what’s popular and what people like
**Delicious.com** – http://delicious.com/
- Based on feedback of what people truly like (instant filter)
**Digg.com** http://digg.com/
**ehow.com**
- How to do things (keyword)
- Example “VLOG”
**mygoals.com**
- you can see what people want information on
**buzz.yahoo.com**
- all the stuff people are buzzing about
- write about it and get it out quickly
- Example: “Dancing with the Stars” If you like dancing with the stars find a way to relate it to your niche
**PRweb (press releases)**
- Press Releases can be a great way to tie in your niche to something that is going to get a lot of press
- Example: “Lead Generation” – If you have a product or are an affiliate for a product…this is a great way to compare and contrast
- Write your own blog reviewing the PR and lead them into your own affiliate lead gen. system
- i.e.. “Tribe Syndication”, “Magnetic Sponsoring”, ” The 7 Figure Networker”
My absolute Favorite Way to Create Valuable Content:
**Interviews** (can use on a ton of different media)
- Interview people in your niche
- Skype record- record on phone (camtasia)
- Turn into a transcript or transcribe yourself
- Short and to the point (30 minute video chop up into 3 videos)
- make a series of posts or series of videos
- Find interviewees (everyone is connected)
- Interview Personal contacts
- Do your personal contacts have anyone in mind that would be a good interview (get a personal introduction /email/phone/social media)
- The Tribe
- Niche membership sites
- Associations
- Ezines
- Other Resources:
- Helpareporter.com
- rtironline.com
- learningannex.com (adult eduction with a ton of authors)
( I haven’t researched but if you do …please do a video blog on this and teach me how to do it?)
Random Posts
20 Comments and Trackbacks
Helpful Nick, The analogy of a garden I’ve been using ever since I started to Blog. My sub tittle often is “My Garden of Good and Evil”. Of course meaning my life with all it warts and successes.
Who said “Paint it…Warts and all…” I like that quote. Wish I remember who said it. You are so dead on about being authentic Nelson. Thanks for the visit.
Cultivating your blog is like cultivating a garden – you can never leave it unattended:) Thanks for the helpful websites to look for popular content
.-= Glyna Humm´s last blog ..Internet Marketing and Social Networking – A Match Made in Cyber Space Heaven =-.
You are absolutely right Glyna. That’s what I’m doing right now. I realized I never responded to your comment. You are a Blog Superstar and I highly recommend anybody check out your site for important tips on Tribe Syndication, Creating your own blog alliance, and in general some valuable social media training and concepts.
Thanks for stopping by.
Great insight Nick. Not just for people who are just started a blog, but even for experienced bloggers. It’s great to have new ideas for some fresh content. I will be sharing this with all of my blogging friends. Thanks!
~Danielle Zack
.-= Danielle Zack´s last blog ..Where’s Your Magic Wand?? – Overcoming Any Obstacle =-.
I agree. I really like the amazon idea for new bloggers, and some of the more advanced brainstorming techniques for more advanced bloggers. (ie interviewing people etc.)
Thanks Danielle
Great post here buddy!
You really laid out the basic info
that someone needs to get started.
It all comes down to the basics. So
many people are looking to do other
things, but the basics are what will
get you to where you want to go.
Thanks for the VALUE!
.-= Eric Goldstein´s last blog ..Manifesting What You Want: A Process To Do It =-.
Nick-
Thanks for giving us such valuable information about blogging. You are a true leader and you make it so easy to get the correct information to put into action. Keep up the good work!
Emmie
Wow, what a great list of resources to help you brainstorm ideas. I love your idea of reading the table of contents of books on Amazon.com. That is a fabulous suggestion. Thanks for sharing your tips Nick! You are really Leading by Example!
.-= Melissa Wright´s last blog ..What I have learned from the Olympics =-.
Again, great info that can be used by all! Thanks for spelling it out so well. Don’t know which area I will start with, but now I have lots of ideas!
Thanks Nick,
Val
A very thorough article on blogging with a some really great resources. Thanks so much Nick for all the content you provided in this article! Very valuable!
.-= Michael Feil´s last blog ..Featured Interview On Tribe Building And Social Media =-.
Thanx for the reminder,
I missed out on some of them – there’s just so much too remember when you doing business on the net
.-= Mars Dorian´s last blog ..Whatever you think, think the opposite =-.
Fantastic list! I’ve seen some of these used as ways to promote your blog but never thought of using them to spark ideas for my own posts. Thanks!
.-= Teresa Ivory´s last blog ..Go-Giver Dad =-.
Hey Nick,
GREAT info here! I have a list of future article posts for my blog but they’ve all come from me. The resources you’ve provided here will be a great tool for keeping me on track and enlightening me as to what others are looking for. Great stuff!
Thanks,
Renee
.-= Renee Chase´s last blog ..My Boy of Summer – Update =-.
Ya Renee…It sounds like you pass the Gary V. Test…”Can you think of 50 blog posts to write about right now?”
I feel the same way…but it is nice to know that you have a brainstorm list in your back pocket should you need it…
Loved your post about your family…keep ‘em coming
Hey Nick~
I couldn’t agree more that if you’re truly following your passion you’ll have posts that just flow out of you, but if ever stuck, you have provided an awesome list of ways to come of with valuable content for our readers!
My favorite book for people who want to get REALLY clear on their passions is The Passion Test by Chris & Janet Attwood ~ it comes with my highest recommendations.
Thanks Nick, this post rocks!
.-= Beth Allen´s last blog ..What Would You Do If You Were Not Afraid??? =-.
Depends. Do you want to make good money, then you possess to have something unique. In case you are just looking to get some $ then post your abilities on craigslist.
Yep… There are thousands of ways to make a significant income online. If you are thinking long term, a blog is essentail. According to Ryan Deis, google has recently changed the equation on how they are ranking organic traffic. This change makes it absolutely crucial to have a blog… And further it is absolutly crucial to be part of a tribe syndication network. Why?
Google is ranking traffic based on 1/3 content, 1/3 backlinks, and 1/3 activity… That is great news for the tribe.
Almost everyone that earnsan income on the internet (even the millionaires) do so through affiliate marketing. Being successful in affiliate marketing involves knowing the formula that makes other affiliate marketers successful. For instance, autoblogging. Autoblogging has been one of the least well-known forms of making money for quite some time… particularly because it’s quite difficult to make a good auto-blog. Yet, when done right, it can provide you with a perpetual passive income with the only real work required being the setting up process. Video Marketing, and several other marketing strategies are all designed to drive traffic to your site, can be incorporated steadily in order to raise the position your site appears in the SERPs when any one searches for a term related to your site. And yet, even this can be totally automated.
Most affiliate marketers who are making decent money these days are publishing Cost-Per-Action, or CPA offers. This is because publishers don’t need to complete high ticket sales in order to get commission for a conversion.
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 5:54 pm and is filed under Blogging Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.