How to Promote Your Blog in 2019: 9 Creative Strategies

Whether your blog is brand new or already established, you can never have enough traffic.

Seriously…

I work at an SaaS company called Ahrefs, and even though the Ahrefs blog pulls in over 200k organic traffic every month, we still experiment with ways to promote our blog and bring in more traffic.

Because let’s face it:

It’s 2019. Simply sending an email blast to your subscriber list doesn’t cut it anymore.

But don’t fret.

If you’re stuck coming up with new ideas for how to promote your blog, here are 9 tried-and-tested tactics that have worked for us.

Let’s dig in.

#1. Work with Podcasts

Let’s start things off with the buzzword of the year: podcasts.

Thanks to their flexibility (you can listen to them while you’re at work or when you’re on the go), they’re the most popular form of audio content.

They’re also widely available on services like iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.

Some quick facts:

• Over 44% of the US population has listened to a podcast;
• They’re extremely targeted, with multiple podcasts covering every niche imaginable;
• Their audiences are incredibly engaged.

Ahrefs has had great success with sponsoring podcasts (paid advertising) as well as guesting on them — that is, sending a member of our team to be interviewed on a show.

Here’s an actual comment from a new customer and blog reader of ours:

For sponsoring podcasts, think of this tactic as a type of influencer marketing.

Your job is to sell your blog to the podcast host and the podcast host’s job is, in turn, to sell your blog to their audience.

How to Promote Your Blog by Sponsoring Podcasts

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If you have the budget, sponsoring podcasts is a great way to promote your blog. Here’s how you do it:

Step #1. Do Your Research

Create a list of podcasts whose audiences are a good match for your blog. If you have no idea where to start, here’s a tip:

Try using a specialized podcast search engine like Listen Notes. Browse the shows and pick your favorites.

Step #2. Make Contact

Once you’ve created a list of targets, you’ll need to contact the podcasts and inquire about sponsorship details.

What are their pricing packages? What dates do they have available? Are there any gotchas?

Prices can range from $50 to $5,000 and beyond per episode, so work within your particular budget.

Step #3. Iron Out the Details

This includes your ad copy, delivery, and any other deliverables like your blog’s logo and elevator pitch.

In my experience, organic reads do much better than “scripted ads.”

The goal is to get the podcast host to sound like a fan and regular reader of your blog.

Step #4. Wait for Your Ad to Air

If anything is off, be sure to let the podcast know as soon as possible!

How to Promote Your Blog with Podcast Interviews

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If you’re strapped for cash (or simply don’t want to do podcast advertising), another approach is to appear as a guest on podcasts.

This is usually free — unless you’re approaching extremely-popular podcasts, which tend to charge a one-time appearance fee.

The catch is you’ll need some kind of credibility to your name. In other words, you’ll need to convince the podcast host that you’re someone their audience would love to listen to.

The process for this is similar to the one detailed above:

Step #1. Create a Target List

Use Listen Notes or a similar tool to create a list of podcast targets.

Step #2. Check if They Accept Interviews

Often, podcasts will explicitly state on their websites whether or not they accept interview requests.

And if they don’t accept interview requests? Ask anyway.

Send in your pitch and convince them you have lots of value to add.

Step #3. Follow the Host’s Lead

Every podcast will have their own process. Some may want to do pre-interviews, some may want to work on a rough content online with you, and some may want to just “wing it.”

Whatever the process, remember to be courteous and respectful — you’re a guest, after all.

Just don’t forget to mention your blog!

Editor’s Note:

Appearing on podcasts is one of our favorite promotion strategies here at Smart Blogger — as evidenced by our appearances on EOFire, James Altucher, Duct Tape Marketing, the Write Podcast, and Loz James’ Content Champion.

Just make sure you’re prepared:

• Show up early to the interview so the host has time to do a sound check.
• Don’t use your phone or your laptop’s built-in microphone; instead, invest in an external microphone. Quality and price points vary, but you can get a simple microphone that plugs into your computer’s headphone jack for the price of a medium pizza.
• Use headphones to cut down on echoes.
• Turn off all notifications and, if you can, shut your door to minimize background noise.

#2. Republishing on Medium

Sure, you can publish tons of absolutely amazing posts on your own blog.

But if you never extend your reach, whether it’s by growing your list of email subscribers or boosting your number of social media followers, your audience will be limited.

So what do you do if you don’t have time to create promotional content and extend your reach?

Try this:

Republish your existing posts on blogging platforms like Medium.

Your content will be seen by a whole new audience — some of which will then visit your blog and discover all the great content you have to offer.

For example, look at this blog post I published on the Ahrefs blog last December:

It got 463 shares and 43 comments — very decent engagement considering the fact that the topic likely didn’t appeal to our blog’s core audience (people interested in search engine optimization).

In a bid to push the post out to a wider audience, we republished it on Medium. It turned out to be a fantastic decision.

Here are the stats as of March this year:

That’s 13.6k views in total, with 22% of readers actually finishing the whole post.

Plus, the Medium publication of this post averages a steady trickle of 10-30 readers every day.

Note: For the SEO-conscious among us, Medium uses canonical tags when you use their republishing tool. So no worries about duplicate content issues.

How to Republish on Medium

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Medium has made the process of importing and republishing content super simple. Here’s how you do it:

Step #1. Choose a Post to Republish

Ideally, pick one of your top performers (since it’s already proved it’s popular).

You can use a tool like Ahrefs’ Top Content report in Site Explorer to see which of your posts have the most shares on social media.

Since they’ve proven themselves on social media, these posts are the most likely to resonate with audiences beyond your blog’s existing one.

Editor’s Note:

Though they aren’t nearly as detailed, there are a few free tools to track social media shares if you aren’t an Ahrefs customer.

As an example, SharedCount.com lets you copy and paste URLs of individual posts; however, they only show counts for Facebook and Pinterest:

Step #2. Import Your Post Into Medium

Enter the URL of your post into the Medium import tool and hit “Import”.

Step #3. Publish Your Post on Medium

Follow Medium’s guidelines to format and polish your post, then click “Publish”.

That’s all there is to it!

Further Reading:

• How to Get More Traffic from Every Post by Republishing on Medium
• Medium for Marketing: How to Get 1,000 Followers and 46,287 New Site Visits in 30 Days

#3. Smart Social Sharing

I know, I know.

It’s 2019, and promoting your blog posts on social media is by no means a new strategy.

BUT — there’s more to social media promotion than pasting a link and clicking a “Tweet” button.

Here’s an example of the success we’ve seen from smart sharing on the Ahrefs Twitter account:

Pretty impressive, right?

Here’s another example:

These tweets received amazing engagement, but we actually spent very little time creating them.

We achieved this ROI by working smarter, not harder.

How to Promote Your Blog Using Social Media (Smartly)

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Here’s our process:

Step #1. Brainstorm Ideas and Organize Them

The great thing about social media content is it’s all fleeting. Even if an idea is a flop, it’s easy to turn the page and try the next idea.

But to make the most of these (admittedly fleeting) opportunities, you need two things:

1. A large list of ideas;
2. A method for grouping similar ideas into categories.

To brainstorm ideas, get a pen and paper (or launch Google Docs, Microsoft Word, etc.) and jot down things you would like to try.

Get as creative as you want.

Think memes would be popular with your audience? Write it down. Believe infographics or inspirational quotes could be successful? Write them down. Believe posts or tweets on Topic X or Topic Y could receive high engagement?

(You get the idea.)

By listing all of your ideas, you’ll then be able to group them into categories. This will help you track which categories are successful and which are not.

Step #2. Craft and Publish (and Monitor) Your Content

You can use social media management tools like Buffer and MeetEdgar to schedule your content and keep it running automatically.

Once your social media posts begin making their way into the wild, you’ll be able to track their progress.

Do some receive more comments, while others receive more shares and retweets? Are some more popular in the mornings, while others receive more engagement during the evenings?

All data, both good and bad, will help you in the next step.

Step #3. Review the Results

After an appropriate amount of time has gone by, hold a review.

Drop the categories that didn’t perform well. Keep the ones with potential and refine them.

You want to focus on the categories your audience likes and tweak them.

Do they like emojis, or do they gravitate towards a more “serious” tone? Do they like infographics, or long chunks of copy with statistics thrown in?

And so on.

From here, keep repeating steps 1-3 until you’ve locked down the type of content your audience loves.

And once you’ve figured out what they love, keep giving it to them.

Step #4. Advertising (Optional)

If you want to try advertising, the above process will save you some serious money.

Pick your top organic performers from Step #3 and put money into promoting them.

Since they’ve already proven themselves to be popular, this is a safe and effective way to buy ads to promote your blog (without wasting time and money on losers).

Further Reading:

• 10 Simple Twitter Tactics That Will Get You More Traffic Today
• 9 Ways to Go Viral on Pinterest and Get an Avalanche of Traffic
• How I Got 532 Subscribers in 43 Days Using Cheap Facebook Ads

#4. Create Roundup Posts

The perks of this strategy pretty much sell themselves.

Here’s what happens when you publish a good roundup post:

• First off, it’s easy to write since most of the content is created for you;
• You make new and powerful connections within your industry;
• Thanks to those connections, you gain access to new audiences;
• Your post naturally gains backlinks and social shares.

So… what’s a roundup post, anyway?

Here’s an example:

Essentially, a roundup post features a compilation of answers to a single question, ideally by established experts in the field.

A great roundup post adds immense value to readers since they offer a range of expert opinions in one place.

Plus, they tend to bring in lots of traffic since the experts featured in them will often share the post with their own audiences.

What’s not to love?

How to Create Roundup Posts

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Here are the basics of roundup posts so you can create your own:

Step #1. Craft Your Question

Don’t take this step lightly.

If you ask too much of the experts you’ll be polling, most won’t have time to participate (even if they want to). And if you ask a question they’ve heard (and answered) a million times, most won’t be interested.

Your question needs to be clear, succinct, and something that will appeal both to your readers and the experts you’ll be asking to participate.

Step #2. Create a List of Influencers

Once you’ve crafted your question, it’s time to create your influencer wish list. These are the influencers (“experts”) you’ll be asking to participate in your roundup post.

Since not everyone will respond to you, reach out to significantly more experts than you need.

For example, if you need 20 people for your roundup post, reach out to 40 experts (or more).

Remember:

A roundup post is only as good as the people you feature. While it takes exponentially more time and effort to get a response from a more recognized name in your industry, it’s likely worth it.

With that said, don’t expect the Michael Jordans of your industry to respond to your outreach — try to find people with a reasonable level of influence who aren’t complete titans.

Step #3. Reach Out to the Experts

You can use specialized tools like BuzzStream or Mailshake to streamline the entire outreach process by making it easier to hunt down email addresses, batch send messages, and conduct follow-ups.

Quick tips for the message you send:

1. Keep it short;
2. Keep it genuine.

Step #4. Follow Up (But Only Once)

There’s a chance your first email will slip past the expert you’re trying to reach. After all, they’re very busy and likely receive dozens (or hundreds) of emails every single day.

This is why sending a follow-up email is helpful:

However, please don’t follow-up more than once — any more than that and you’re just being a nuisance.

Step #5. Compile Your Responses

At this point, you’ll have a bunch of answers ready to sift through. Now all you need to do is turn them into a cohesive post.

Try to find trends in the responses and sort them into sections.

Next, add your own introduction to each section, as well as your opinion on why certain trends occurred.

This is how you put your stamp on the roundup post and make it your own.

Step #6. Publish Your Post (And Tell the Experts)

Once your post is published, it’s time to let everyone know about it.

Email everyone who responded to your outreach emails (whether they ultimately contributed to your post or not) and thank them for their time. Include a link to your post, and be sure to send them well-wishes.

You can also ask them (politely) to share your post with their audience, but this is often implied.

Editor’s Note:

Want to let influencers know your post has been published and promote the post at the same time? In addition to emailing them, tag the influencers on Twitter too.

#5. Advocate In-Person

While all blogs are digital in nature, your promotional efforts aren’t limited to the digital world alone.

It might be a step (or ten!) outside your comfort zone, but try this:

Approach a local event in your niche and pitch yourself as a speaker.

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world or how big the event is — it could even be a small meet-up session.

The idea is to reach out to new people and give the work you do a huge visibility boost.

How to Promote Your Blog by Speaking at Events

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If you’re interested in this advanced promotional tactic, here’s how to get started:

Step #1. Shortlist a Few Events or Meet-Ups You’d Like to Attend

If you’re not sure where to start, look around on Reddit, Facebook groups, or Slack groups and join some communities in your industry.

Chances are good people are organizing and promoting events in these communities.

Make a list of potential targets, underline your favorites, and move on to the next step.

Step #2. Pitch Yourself to Event Organizers

When pitching yourself, propose some topics that you’d be comfortable speaking about and explain how your content will add value to their audience.

Hopefully it goes without saying, but you should know these topics very well.

Note: If you have no experience with public speaking, it’s a good idea to start small. Save the conference keynote speeches for later.

Step #3. Craft Your Presentation

Try to deliver as much value as you can and position your blog as a great resource. This is also a good time to promote your social media accounts, which are ideally already geared towards driving traffic to your blog.

Just be sure not to make it all about you. Your job is to teach, to impart your know-how to others.

And when you’re able to do this well, promoting your blog will happen organically.

Step #4. Speak

Show up to the event, deliver your speech, meet lots of new people, and enjoy converting some new readers!

Editor’s Note:

To improve your chances of landing speaking engagements, make sure you:

• Have a website (aka your business card);
• Create a 2-3 minute demo video (aka your movie trailer);
• Acquire a few testimonials (from people willing to vouch for you).

There’s a lot more to it than we can unpack here, so be sure to check out Grant Baldwin’s post How to Get Speaking Engagements. In fact, browse his entire website, The Speaker Lab. It’s chock-full of helpful information.

#6. Integrate Your Blog with Your Product

Most businesses have blogs that are completely disconnected from their main product.

If you blog for a brand or business, why not align your messaging and integrate your blog posts directly into your UI (for software products) or in your product descriptions and previews (for e-commerce)?

This lets you direct traffic over to your blog and gives your customers a more seamless experience.

How to Fuse Your Blog and Product

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For software products, one way to notify people of your newest blog posts is to include a (preferably unobtrusive) in-app notification.

Here’s what it looks like when using Ahrefs:

Click the bell icon and we display a simple drop-down menu listing all our newest content.

So simple, but so effective.

If you have an e-commerce website and your blog posts are educational in nature, you can promote them directly on your homepage.

Beardbrand does this beautifully:

Another way to do this is by scattering in individual links and excerpts of your blog posts wherever they’re relevant. This is how Mr Porter does it:

Time to get creative!

Editor’s Note:

Here’s one more tip that’s missed by a surprising number of business websites…

Include a prominent link to your blog in your website’s navigation menu.

Ahrefs, MeetEdgar, Elegant Themes (affiliate link), and many other smart businesses feature their blogs in their navigation, which helps drive traffic to them.

Here’s how Quuu (affiliate link) does it:

In other words:

If people have to hunt to find your blog ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE, you're doing it wrong.Click To Tweet

#7. Collaborate with Other Blogs

Creating content in collaboration with another blog means you’re able to tap into each other’s audiences and can promote yourself to a whole new set of blog readers.

You can even split the work!

Here’s a post that Ahrefs did with Buffer, a social media management tool:

How to Join Forces With Another Blog

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Fair warning:

Collaborating with blogs significantly larger than yours probably isn’t in the cards. However, collaborating with a site similar in size is definitely doable.

Here’s how to get started:

Step #1. Find Opportunities in Your Niche

Look for opportunities to work with blogs within the same niche as yours.

Start by approaching bloggers you have an existing relationship with and ask if they’d like to collaborate. You should leave cold pitching as a last resort.

If you have no idea which blogs to approach, Ahrefs offers a nifty trick:

In Content Explorer, enter a relevant keyword phrase in your niche.

Set the “published” filter to “Last 12 months” and the “Language” filter to “English”. Next, highlight the “one link per domain” option.

Finally, you’ll want to set one more filter: DR (“domain rating”).

The higher this number, the more authoritative the website; however, the more authoritative the website the harder it will be for you to get the blogger’s attention.

In the screenshot below, we set the DR to 40:

This will pull a list of active blogs in your niche.

From here, just sift through the possibilities and pick the ones you’d like to approach.

Step #2. Make Your Pitch

The process is pretty similar to advocating in-person: you need to make your best pitch.

Focus on explaining why you want to work with that particular blogger, as well as how collaboration will benefit them.

Feel free to suggest a couple of topics you feel would work well.

Step #3. Create

Creation time!

Finalize your content with the blogger you’re working with and remember to stay prompt and gracious throughout.

This is not the time to get pushy or rude and make an enemy out of a would-be ally.

Step #4. Publish and Promote

Promote the post to your newsletter and social media accounts. Make sure to tag and give credit to the other blogger too.

Further Reading:

• Bloggers Unite! A 10-Point Guide for Blogger Collaboration
• How to collaborate with other influencers
• How to Collaborate: Examples, Tips & Tools for the Ultimate Influencer-Sourced Content Asset

#8. Repurpose Content Into Other Formats to Reach New Audiences

You’ve spent all this time and effort to create amazing content in the form of blog posts.

Why not get more out of the same piece of content?

Since your customers hang out in multiple places online and have their own preferences when it comes to content formats, you should try to reach audiences beyond blog readers.

And you do that by repurposing your content.

How to Repurpose Your Content

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Some examples:

• Turn your blog posts into SlideShare presentations;
• Take a small section of your blog post and reimagine it as an infographic;
• Convert your blog post into a YouTube video.

Or, do it in reverse.

We published a YouTube tutorial on WordPress SEO. It has over 20,000 views and 70 comments — not too shabby.

We decided to turn it into a blog post. Here’s how it performed:

By re-creating our video in written form, we were able to reach an entirely new audience on an entirely different platform.

And the best part?

We didn’t have to come up with fresh content for the post. We took what we already had and created something new with it.

Further Reading:

• 7 Ways You Can Repurpose Your Old Blog Posts to Get More Traffic
• 11 Clever Tips to Repurpose Content

#9. Monitor Online Conversations for Opportunities to Promote Yourself

People talk about all sorts of things on the Internet, including your niche.

If you monitor these conversations, you’ll get lots of chances to slide into the discussion, add value, and (subtly) promote your blog.

Here’s a pretty meta example of this tactic in action.

I once mentioned Talkwalker alerts in a blog post I wrote, and an employee commented on the post to provide the link:

How to Monitor Conversations for Promotion Opportunities

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Tracking online conversations is surprisingly easy. Here’s how you do it:

Step #1. Set up Your Alert

You can use a free tool like Google Alerts, or services like Talkwalker Alerts and Ahrefs Alerts.

For Ahrefs, go to Alerts, Mentions, +New Alert, and enter your keyword you’d like to track.

What these tools do is send you an email every time a keyword is mentioned on the web.

From there, you can simply follow the link in the email to find out where you’ve been mentioned.

Step #2. Carefully Monitor Your Mentions

Whether your mention comes in a blog article or a forum discussion, look for suitable areas where you can add value.

For example, if you’re a food blogger and you receive an alert for a discussion of a restaurant, it’s your time to shine by talking about your own experience.

However, a word of warning:

It’s extremely important not to shoehorn yourself into conversations.

If you’re clearly only there to advertise your own blog, people will catch on pretty quickly.

So, be sure to link to your own blog strategically, and only after you’d added value to the discussion.

Editor’s Note:

You can also track mentions using Twitter’s advanced search.

For example, let’s say I wanted to find every English-speaking tweet in 2018 that mentioned Jon Morrow by name:

Twitter’s advanced search results would return a veritable smorgasbord of tweets:

Cool, right?

Use this feature to find keywords and mentions that matter to you, roll up your sleeves, and then get to work. The applications are nearly limitless.

Over to You

If you sometimes find yourself lying in bed at night wondering, “how do I increase my blog traffic?”, I feel your pain.

I did my best to stay away from the more common methods of blog promotion, so hopefully you found something new to try.

Of course, not all of the tactics we discussed will be suitable for, or will work for, your blog and your particular niche.

You’ll need to experiment and find what works for you.

When it comes down to it, marketing is always about experimenting — experimenting, failing, and going at it again and again until you succeed.

Now, go forth and get that traffic!

About the Author: Rebekah does marketing and writing for Ahrefs. She doesn’t sit still for long, so catch up with her on Twitter.

The post How to Promote Your Blog in 2019: 9 Creative Strategies appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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Ghostwriting 101: How to Get Paid Big Bucks As a Ghostwriter

You want to make money as a writer, right?

You’ve told everyone on Facebook (including your weird aunt) that you’re available to write. You’ve been writing guest post after guest post to showcase your talent and get your name out there. Maybe you’ve even landed a few jobs already. (Good for you!)

But then a potential client emails you with the question, “Do you offer ghostwriting services?”

And you’re stumped.

Maybe you’ve heard of ghostwriting. Maybe you have some idea what a ghostwriter is. Or maybe you wonder if it involves ouija boards in some way.

You don’t want to look like an idiot by emailing back to say, “Err… what do you mean?”

That sounds like a good way to send your potential client running for the hills.

But don’t worry — I’m about to tell you everything you need to know about ghostwriting, starting with…

Table of Contents

1. What IS Ghostwriting?
2. But Why Would You Let Someone Else Take Credit for YOUR Writing?
3. The Counterpoint: Why You Might NOT Want to Be a Ghostwriter
4. How to Become a Ghostwriter
5. Ghostwriting 101: A Quick Recap
6. Will You Give Ghostwriting a Try?

 

Back to Top

What IS Ghostwriting?

You might already have some hazy ideas about ghostwriting. When I first heard of ghostwriting, I thought it was just used for celebrity memoirs.

It turns out memoirs are just the tip of the iceberg. Ghostwriting is everywhere — from independent authors using Kindle Direct Publishing to popular bloggers using WordPress.

So what is it?

When you ghostwrite, you let someone else put their name on your work. That is, you don’t get any credit — at all.

Typically, the person who commissions the work will own the copyright, which also means they can modify or republish the work in any way they see fit.

So why would someone hire a ghostwriter? Are they too lazy to write their own stuff?

Not necessarily. People hire ghostwriters for many different reasons, but the most common ones are:

• Their business has grown so much that they no longer have time to write (all) their own material.
• They have a wealth of expertise or an exciting story to tell, but they don’t enjoy writing or they’re not very good at it.

It’s nothing new, either: ghostwriting has been around, in one form or another, for centuries.

To give you a better idea what being a ghostwriter may involve, my own ghostwriting has included:

• Taking a rough draft, editing it heavily, and expanding on it where necessary.
• Taking a blogger’s rough notes and transcribing them.
• Putting together short, functional blog posts (e.g., announcing a new podcast).
• Taking an assigned topic and very brief outline, then writing a post.
• Writing a post based on a title and nothing more.
• Coming up with ideas, getting them approved, then ghostwriting the posts (though this is rare!).

As you can see, ghostwriting has a spectrum from something akin to an editing relationship to writing a piece from scratch.

And it’s growing in popularity.

The demand for ghostwriters is so high it’s now taught in schools — California State University, Long Beach offers a Ghostwriting Professional Designation Program led by Claudia Suzanne.

Of course, I’ve only ghostwritten for blogs.

Authors like Roz Morris have written whole books as ghostwriters, which is a far more involved process that includes extensive interviews with the client.

Back to Top

But Why Would You Let Someone Else Take Credit for YOUR Writing?

Assuming you want to build up your own brand as a writer, why would you want to be a ghostwriter?

After all, you won’t get any of the credit. Your name won’t appear anywhere on the piece, and you probably can’t tell anyone you wrote it.

So why do so many writers ghostwrite, and why do so many love it?

Well, because there are major benefits:

Benefit #1: Being a Ghostwriter Pays Exceptionally Well

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One huge reason to be a ghostwriter is money. Ghostwriting tends to pay better than regular freelancing.

After all, having your name attached to your words is valuable for you as a writer. When you have a byline, you can use that piece of work to showcase your talent, build your reputation, and potentially attract new clients.

So it’s appropriate (and standard practice) to increase your fee to compensate for the loss of these advantages.

There’s no exact rule of thumb for how much extra you should charge for ghostwriting over regular freelancing. Personally, I tend to increase my fee by about 15%–20%.

On top of that, once you’ve established a ghostwriting relationship with someone, it often results in ongoing work for you. Most people want their writing to be consistent, so it makes sense to stick with the same writer.

In other words, you have consistent work at a higher rate than usual. That’s quite a plus, isn’t it?

Benefit #2: Ghostwriting Lets You Develop Closer Relationships with Big Names in Your Field

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As a ghostwriter, you’ll normally work quite closely with your client. You may be privy to their rough notes or mind maps, or you might interview them on the phone or in person.

Chances are, you’re also focusing your ghostwriting on a particular area of expertise (especially if you’re writing for a blog).

This means you’ve got a brilliant opportunity to get to know and be affiliated with someone well-established in your field.

You’ll find that you get valuable insights into the “behind the scenes” of a top blog, or you get a clearer idea of how a big-name author works and thinks.

This may be eye-opening! It could give you some ideas for how best to move forward with your own business when you start your own blog.

And as you build up closer relationships, or even friendships, with your client, they might share your other work on social media, bringing you a lot of extra traffic. (Several of the people I ghostwrite for have supported me in that way.)

If you ever need a favor or need some advice, there’s a good chance they’ll be very happy to help.

So much of blogging success depends on getting a helping hand from other bloggers — particularly those with a large audience and a great reputation in their field.

Ghostwriting brings you into close contact with exactly those people.

Back to Top

The Counterpoint: Why You Might NOT Want to Be a Ghostwriter

There are a couple of big concerns that writers have about ghostwriting:

“But surely that’s not ethical?”

“But why should they benefit from my hard work?”

“But what about building my platform?”

These are real, valid concerns. And for you, they may be deal-breakers.

So let’s dig into them.

Objection #1: “When You’re a Ghostwriter, You’re Helping Someone Fool Their Readers — That’s Unethical”

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When you’re a ghostwriter for someone, they pass your words off as their own.

Which begs the question…

Is ghostwriting ethical?

The authors who hire ghostwriters certainly think it is! But not all writers or readers agree. Many feel that some types of ghostwriting are more ethical than others.

For instance, think about these two scenarios, which are on opposite ends of the ghostwriting spectrum:

1. A big-name blogger hires a ghostwriter to write an e-book on their behalf. The blogger talks to the ghostwriter for an hour and provides a detailed outline. Once the e-book is complete, the big-name blogger reads it, edits it, and puts his or her name on it.
2. A big-name blogger hires a ghostwriter to write an e-book on their behalf. They give the ghostwriter free rein to come up with the topic and outline, and they don’t supply any help. When it’s done, the blogger puts his or her name on it without giving it a second look.

Personally, as a reader, I’d feel comfortable with situation #1. The thoughts in the e-book belong to the blogger, but the ghostwriter has helped shape them.

Situation #2, however, seems a lot thornier. As a reader, I’d feel cheated by that.

I’m buying the e-book because I want the blogger’s expertise — not that of a ghostwriter I don’t know.

If you’re thinking of ghostwriting, you have to make up your own mind about what is — and isn’t — ethical. Where would you personally draw the line as a ghostwriter, if at all?

For more thoughts on the rights and wrongs of ghostwriting, check out Patty Podnar’s post Is Ghostwriting Ethical?

Also, Amanda Montell’s Your Favorite Influencers Aren’t Writing Their Own Content—These Women Are is quite eye-opening about some of the less ethical practices in the ghostwriting world.

Objection #2: “It’s Too Painful Watching Someone Else Get Praised for YOUR Work”

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It may sound silly, but not getting recognition for your writing can be quite painful — unbearable to some.

I have to admit that, as a writer, it can sometimes sting a little to see a blogger receive lots of lovely praise for a post that I wrote every word of. And I’m not alone; many writers find themselves missing the attention and craving the recognition.

It’s no fun watching someone bask in glory that should be yours.

But think of it this way: All that praise is a sign you did a great job. You can be proud of that, and you can feel confident you’ll get hired again!

Also, as ghostwriter Roz Morris points out in an interview with whitefox, it’s not just ghostwriters who go unnoticed by readers:

There are many unsung heroes in the creative industries, and ghostwriters are only one of them. Editors can also make a huge difference to a book and are rarely credited.

So, if you can’t stand watching someone else take the praise, that’s okay. Many writers feel that way. But maybe we should also keep things in perspective.

Objection #3: “Ghostwriting Keeps You from Building Your Platform”

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Even if you’re okay with someone else getting the praise, you may still oppose the idea of letting them take credit.

Some writers feel that, to become a successful freelance writer, you need to take credit for every powerful word you write and create an impressive body of work with your name on it. They believe that ghostwriting is essentially a waste of time.

After all, when you’ve got a bio (or at least your name) on every blog post you write, each of those posts helps raise your profile. You’ll be bringing in new readers and potentially new clients through your work — without any additional marketing.

This is essentially the argument that Demian Farnworth puts forward in The Brutally Honest Truth About Ghostwriting:

The first thing every writer should ask is this: What do you want to accomplish as a writer? Is building a personal and visible platform important to you? Will it help you in the long run? If you have to ghostwrite to make ends meet, fine. But beat a hasty path out of the business as soon as possible. It’s your turn to run the show.

I certainly think it’s worth putting some serious thought into how best to make ghostwriting work for you. It might be that you want to solely focus on your own platform (heck, you might even hire ghostwriters of your own, some day down the line!).

But there’s no shame in taking ghostwriting jobs to generate a steady income while you build your platform. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can do both at the same time.

Ghostwriting takes some focus away, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.

By the way: We’ve created a handy visual summarizing this post that you can share and embed on your own site. Check out the image below (click to see a larger view):

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How to Become a Ghostwriter

If you’ve been nodding your head while reading this post, you’re probably wondering…

“Okay, but how do I become a ghostwriter?”

Answer:

The same way you become a freelance writer.

Here are the keys:

#1. Build Your Content Creation Skills

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If you want to be a ghostwriter, you have to learn how to create quality content. What’s this mean? It means:

• Mastering content frameworks
• Learning how to write solid headlines
• Knowing how to support your points with examples
• Keeping your readers emotionally engaged

…and more.

Nothing will impact your ability to earn real, tangible income as a ghostwriter more than your ability to create amazing content.

So, if you don’t know how, learn.

Further Reading: Check out our resource How to Write a Blog Post – The Ultimate Guide. Once you’ve mastered the basics, read How to Create Content People Will Still Remember in 5 Years’ Time.

#2. Learn the Ins and Outs of SEO

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If you can create content that will rank on Google, clients will pay you.

Happily.

Heck, they’ll throw money at you.

So how can you help your content rank on Google? By learning all you can about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and applying what you learn to the content you create.

Further Reading: Don’t know SEO? Brian Dean has a great guide that will help you learn the basics of SEO fast.

#3. Build an Awesome Portfolio of Sample Content

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Ideally, you’ll have three levels of portfolios:

1. A portfolio that shows you know how to write,
2. a portfolio that shows you’re a subject matter expert of a given topic, and
3. a portfolio that shows documented success for clients.

But when you’re just starting out, you need to focus on the first level:

A portfolio that proves you know how to create a decent piece of content.

If you don’t already have your own blog or website, create an account on a free blogging platform like Medium.

Two or three sample posts are enough, and you can get started right away.

#4. Find Your First Paying Client

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In the early days, finding those first few clients will be difficult.

Even with solid content creation skills, SEO know-how, and a great portfolio proving you know how to write, finding paying clients without word of mouth and referrals won’t be easy.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Keep checking job agency postings.
2. Pitch to software company blogs like HubSpot, Sumo, and Ahrefs.
3. Do as much self-promotion as you can, including mentioning your ghostwriting service in the byline of your blog or Medium posts.

It’ll be a slow process at first, but once you get those first few clients you’ll be set. Do a great job, make your clients happy, and referrals will happen.

Further Reading: Bookmark this giant list of content marketing agencies. It’ll come in handy.

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Ghostwriting 101: A Quick Recap

We’ve covered a lot, so let’s review:

What Is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is when a writer (“ghostwriter”) is hired to create a piece of content for a company or individual, who will then publish the work as their own.

Do Ghostwriters Get Credit for Their Work?

Ghostwriters are paid to let someone else put their name on their work — they do not receive any credit, and they usually cannot tell anyone they wrote it.

Why Do People Hire Ghostwriters?

There are numerous reasons why someone would want to hire a ghostwriter, but two big reasons are time restraints and a lack of desire (or ability).
 
Regardless of their reason, parties who choose to hire ghostwriters do so because it’s advantageous. (They’re getting something out of it, in other words!)

What Are the Benefits of Being a Ghostwriter?

There are two huge benefits to ghostwriting:

1. Exceptional pay, and
2. business relationships.

Because they miss out on auxiliary perks like bylines and having their name attached to the content, ghostwriters are usually well compensated.
 
Also, ghostwriting brings ghostwriters into close contact with bloggers, authors, and influencers with large audiences. These connections can sometimes be worth more than the commission itself.

How Much Do Ghostwriters Make?

It varies from writer to writer, but an increased fee of 15% or more from their standard freelancing rate is reasonable when ghostwriting.

What Are the Typical Objections to Ghostwriting?

Those who throw shade at ghostwriting typically do so for one of three reasons:

1. Ethical concerns,
2. not wanting to see someone else get credit for their work, and
3. the worry ghostwriting will keep the writer from building up his or her own platform.

We’ve covered each of these objections in detail. Whether any of them are deal-breakers is up to you.

How to Become a Ghostwriter

The process is very similar to the one for becoming a regular freelance writer:

1. Build Your Content Creation Skills
2. Learn the Ins and Outs of SEO
3. Build an Awesome Portfolio of Sample Content
4. Find Your First Paying Client

In short:

1. Learn how to create awesome content,
2. learn the ins and outs of SEO so the content you produce can rank on Google,
3. create a portfolio of 2 or 3 posts that prove you’re a good writer, and
4. pound the pavement so you can secure those first few paying clients.

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Will You Give Ghostwriting a Try?

Ultimately, ghostwriting can be a little divisive.

Some writers feel — passionately — that readers deserve to know exactly who wrote the words they’re reading. Others feel building your platform is too important to let someone else take credit.

But ghostwriting is a good way to make money as a writer.

And it doesn’t mean your platform is off the table. You can be a ghostwriter and have a writing career under your own name. Many writers, including me, simply use ghostwriting as a way to supplement or support their writing passions.

Personally, I think it’s worth it.

Only you can decide whether it’s right for you.

About the Author: Ali Luke blogs about the art, craft, and business of writing at Aliventures. If you’re interested in going further with ghostwriting or any type of freelance writing, check out her epic post: Freelance Writing: Ten Steps, Tons of Resources.

The post Ghostwriting 101: How to Get Paid Big Bucks As a Ghostwriter appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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21 Blogging Milestones on the Path to World Domination

It’s okay to admit it.

That deep, dark secret you don’t want anyone to know.

That thought which keeps you up night after night.

You want… to rule the world!

You want to dominate your industry and be the envy of all. You want the house in the Hamptons and the spoils that go with it. You want two appetizers with your entree.

But you’re afraid.

You’re afraid of what others will say when they hear about your dream. You’re afraid it will seem too big — too crazy. Just like you’re afraid of what the waitress will think if you order onion rings and chicken tenders.

But mostly?

You’re afraid because you don’t know where to begin. You don’t know how to go from where you are as a blogger to where you want to be. You don’t know how to get from here to there.

The good news?

Just like eating an elephant, you don’t do it all in one bite.

World domination — or any major blogging goal — is a journey you take one milestone at a time.

For a handy visual of the 21 blogging milestones (that you can share and embed on your own site), check out the image below (click to see a larger view):

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<!—– Copy and Paste This Code Into Your Post —-><a href=”https://smartblogger.com/bucket-list/”><img src=”https://smartblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/21-blogging-miletones-infographic.png” alt=”21 Blogging Milestones on the Path to World Domination” width=”700 px” class=”noa3lazy”/></a><br><a href=”https://smartblogger.com/bucket-list/”>21 Blogging Milestones on the Path to World Domination from SmartBlogger.com</a>

 

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Why Bloggers Need Meaningful Milestones

When you break large tasks into small, manageable ones, what once seemed big and scary isn’t as daunting.

Renovating your entire home? Start by painting a room. Training for a marathon? Walk to the end of your driveway. Want to start a rock band? Get a guitar and start practicing.

Blogging isn’t any different.

Your journey as a blogger is filled with incremental milestones. They start small, gradually increase in size, and culminate with you owning sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads.

Want 10,000 subscribers? Start with 100. Want to quit your job? Focus on making your first sale. Want to be Jon Morrow’s best friend? Get him to notice you.

These milestones comprise your bucket list. They highlight what you’ve already accomplished, what you’re striving toward next, and what still lies far ahead of you.

To help you in your quest, here are the 21 major blogging milestones (and how to reach each one).

Ready? Let’s dive in.

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#1. Starting Your Blog

You’ve been talking about doing it forever.

You’ve been reading blogs like Smart Blogger, Blogging Wizard, and Be A Better Blogger for months.

You’ve been planning, scheming, and daydreaming about starting a blog for so long that people have started to worry about that glazed look in your eyes.

So don’t you think it’s time you finally did it?

How to Start a Blog

• Simple. Read this: How to Start a Blog in 2019: Research Reveals 20X Faster Method. It’s Jon’s epic guide that’ll teach you everything you need to know.

What to Do Next

Once your blog is up and running, it’s time to start writing.

But first, savor this moment. You’ve already accomplished more than many wannabe bloggers ever do…

You’ve started a blog. You did it.

Now…

Let’s get to work.

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#2. Writing Your First Blog Post

Bloggers blog. It’s what we do.

So once you’ve setup your blog on WordPress, Medium, or wherever, it’s time to make this whole “blogging thing” official.

It’s time to write your first post.

How to Write a Blog Post

• Don’t know where to begin? Check out our in-depth guide.
• Pick a great headline. Your posts should have unique, attention-grabbing titles. And don’t be afraid to throw in a power word or two.
• Write irresistible subheads. No sense having a great headline if your subheads are flat and boring.
• Write with clarity. Avoid redundant phrases and empty, flabby, filler words.
• Master WordPress. Save precious time by learning tips, tricks, and hacks for WordPress.

What to Do Next

After you publish your blog post, it’s time to promote it.

Share it with your friends and family on email and social media. Email it to your subscribers too (if you have any yet).

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#3 Getting Your First Tweet

Getting your content shared on social media for the first time is a big milestone.

Each time your posts are tweeted, pinned, or liked, your content is exposed to new readers.

These new readers are potential email subscribers. Potential customers. Potential allies in your quest for world domination.

How to Get People to Share Your Content

• Make it super easy to share your posts. Sharing buttons for Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, etc. should be easy for your readers to find.
• Make sure your posts are worthy. If you write posts that change your readers, they won’t be able to help themselves — they’ll have to share them.
• Be tweetable. Use short, quotable messages in your posts.
• Share it yourself. How can you expect others to share your content if you don’t?

What to Do Next

Be friendly and appreciative. When someone shares one of your posts, thank them. In addition to being good form, this act of gratitude will increase the likelihood they’ll share your posts again in the future.

To boost the number of shares you receive, try using interesting images with embedded headlines as the featured images in your posts. Be sure to choose a relevant picture, or one that creates curiosity.

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#4. Receiving Your First Blog Comment From a Stranger

It finally happened.

The moment you discover someone other than your mom is reading your blog.

Your first comment from a stranger.

It’s the first sign you’re engaging a real audience (not just friends and family).

The first indication your words are striking a chord with readers.

The first evidence you have what it takes to succeed.

How to Get Blog Comments

• Make it as easy as possible for visitors to comment. Don’t do anything to discourage engagement.
• Visit other blogs in your niche and leave inquisitive, insightful comments. Many bloggers will return the favor.
• Join relevant Facebook groups. People are down on Facebook these days, but being an active member of one or two Facebook groups is an excellent way to let prospective readers know your blog exists.
• Give people what they want. Answer questions readers want answered, and they will comment.

What to Do Next

Were you raised in a barn? Thought not. So once you’ve received a comment, respond to it. Continue engaging with your reader.

Next, visit their blog and leave them a comment. If they don’t have a blog, thank them in an email.

True, this level of dedication will be difficult once you’re receiving dozens of comments.

But in your blog’s early days? There’s simply no good reason not to go above and beyond to express your appreciation.

After you’ve received a few comments, it’s time to implement strategies to further boost your comment count.

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#5. Gaining Your First Email Subscriber

“The money is in the list,” says every blogger (even if nobody has asked them).

It’s cliché, but it’s true.

Email subscribers are far more likely to read, share, and engage with your content than someone who simply follows you on Twitter or “likes” you on Facebook.

Email cuts through the noise.

A person might receive a few dozen emails in a day, but they’ll receive several hundred (or more) tweets from their followers.

If you want to reach the top of the blogging mountain, you must build your email list.

And it all starts with that first subscriber.

How to Get Email Subscribers

• Sign up for an email marketing provider. MailChimp has a free version, but if you want to send autoresponder emails, you’ll need the paid version or go to another provider like AWeber or GetResponse.
• Prominently display an opt-in form. Once you have your email list, you need to put your opt-in form front and center where readers can easily find it.
• Have a compelling call to action at the end of your posts. A focused CTA will increase the likelihood readers will subscribe.
• Update your email signature. Include a link to your opt-in form in the signature of your outgoing emails, as well as your posts in blogging forums.

What to Do Next

Make your new subscriber feel welcomed.

When someone subscribes to your list, your welcome email should be warm and inviting.

Encourage them to ask you a question. Tell them to follow you on Twitter and say hello. Give them a link to an unexpected freebie bonus.

(But don’t do all three at once — you might scare away your only subscriber!)

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#6. Getting Your First Backlink

Search engines love backlinks — they help them discover how pages are related, and in what ways.

Landing a high-quality link from a relevant website is great for SEO and results in more search engine traffic flocking to your website. And who doesn’t want that?

When a website links to yours, it’s effectively telling Google, “This dude is cool. He’s with me.”

Want to rule the world? You need Google to think you’re cool.

How to Get Backlinks

• Create Massive Value Content. Epic posts are commented on, shared more, and linked to more often.
• Implement a link building strategy. Broken link building, community site link building, and other tactics are out there for the blogger willing to roll up their sleeves and make them work.
• Pound the proverbial pavement. Email outreach is time consuming, but it can be a highly effective method for acquiring backlinks — if you do it right.
• Take it to the next level. Try advanced strategies like link reclamation and reverse image search.

What to Do Next

Keep going.

Numerous untapped backlink resources are available to bloggers willing to tap them. And if you don’t, your competitors will.

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#7. Reaching 100 Visitors in a Single Day

In your blog’s early days, visitors are scarce. Occasionally, you’ll wonder if anyone is reading your blog.

But slowly, little by little, your numbers creep higher and higher.

And then it happens.

The day your blog reaches triple-digit visitors. The day your hard work begins to pay off. The day you get your first taste of power.

Intoxicating, isn’t it?

How to Get Blog Traffic

• Promote on social media. Keep sharing your content on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Use hashtags to widen your reach.
• Promote daily. While you shouldn’t publish daily, you should most definitely promote every day.
• Concentrate on beginner-friendly traffic-generation techniques. Videos, infographics, and the like don’t work for beginners the way they work for established bloggers.
• Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Poor navigation, lots of ads, and a mobile-unfriendly design will alienate your readers and make them bounce from your blog.

What to Do Next

Implement strategies to keep readers on your blog longer. This increases dwell time, which is another way to get Google to like you.

Linking to other posts on your blog, embedding videos, displaying related posts, and encouraging readers to leave comments are all effective methods for keeping visitors on your website.

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#8. Receiving Your First Piece of Fan Mail (Well, Email)

This is strange.

You receive an email from a stranger, but it has nothing to do with male enhancement or an unexpected inheritance from overseas.

It’s an email from a reader. And she’s telling you how much she enjoys your blog!

Your first “kudos” email from a reader is a big milestone for bloggers, and those who go on to rule the world receive many of them.

(Mine may or may not be printed, framed, and hanging from the walls of my office.)

How to Get (True) Fans

• Be authentic and approachable. Let your readers know you’re a real person.
• Be helpful. Make it clear to your readers you want to help them (and not just promote yourself).
• Make interaction the norm. Respond to the comments of your readers. Acknowledge them.

What to Do Next

Reply to the email. Thank your reader for contacting you, and try to answer any questions they may have asked.

But don’t stop there.

Follow them on social media. Visit and comment on their blog. Subscribe to their list, if you like what you see.

Your response will make a lasting impression in the mind of your reader. Don’t waste it.

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#9. Getting Your First Negative Blog Comment

After weeks of praise, attaboys, and well-wishes, you receive your first negative comment.

You try to laugh it off by making a “these are where the tears would be if I could cry” joke, but it doesn’t work.

You’re confused. Hurt. Maybe a little angry. (Plus, your spouse quickly reminds you of the time you cried like a baby watching Field of Dreams.)

Don’t let it get you down. As you gain in popularity, criticism is inevitable.

Consider it a badge of honor — every popular blogger receives negative comments.

It’s proof you’re on the right track.

How to Reach This Milestone

• Find your unique voice and stand out. Don’t be another me too blogger — be distinctive and memorable.
• Be a troublemaker. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo.
• Keep doing what you are doing. Haters are gonna hate. Just shake it off.

What to Do Next

As much as you would like to respond to the negative comment with a barrage of sarcastic wit and venom, don’t do it.

Delete the comment, ignore the comment, or respond to it in a professional manner. But whatever you do, remain calm. Don’t let the insults fly.

Others will see how you respond, and it will leave an indelible impression of you in their minds.

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#10. Landing Your First Guest Post

Sooner or later, you’ll discover that commenting on other blogs and making friends on Twitter will boost your traffic only so far.

You need to reach new audiences.

As the marketing crowd would say, you need fresh eyeballs on your content.

In other words, you need to write a guest post.

How to Kick Tail as a Guest Blogger

• Find your target. While it may seem like a good idea to write a post and then find a blog, it’s better to select a blog first and tailor your guest post around their audience.
• Thoroughly read the guidelines. Make sure you know what’s expected of you, and avoid making dumb guest blogging mistakes.
• Proofread! Take the time to properly proofread and edit your posts before submitting them.
• Stay positive and persevere. Sometimes you have to contact your guest post target two or three times before getting accepted. Persistence often pays off.

What to Do Next

Your job isn’t finished once your guest post is published. No siree, Bob.

You need to promote the post on your social media accounts. You need to email the post to your mailing list (even if it’s small). You need to respond to any comments readers leave on the post.

And, most importantly, you need to thank the blogger or bloggers who gave you the opportunity to write for them.

Guest blogging, as much as anything, is about the connections you can make. Backlinks, traffic spikes, and a bump in email subscribers are all nice.

But establishing a long-term connection with an influential blog owner?

That’s worth its weight in gold.

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#11. Getting Featured in Your First Interview or “Expert Roundup”

When people see you repeatedly mentioned on other sites via interviews and roundups, their perceptions of you change.

Yesterday, you were just an attractive guy or gal oozing talent but drowning in anonymity.

Today, you’re a freaking rock star.

You’re no more knowledgeable than you were moments earlier, but suddenly your powerful words carry more weight with readers. That’s because someone they trust just called you an expert (or treated you like one).

To reach world-leader status, others must view you as an authority. They need to consider you an expert in your industry.

Participating in interviews and roundups is a great way to make that happen.

How to Become an Influencer People Want to Interview or Quote

• Create an awesome About Me page. Tell your story, share testimonials, and be sure to mention you’re available for interviews.
• Help A Reporter Out. Sign up for HARO and you can receive multiple emails each day listing people who are looking for quotes from experts.
• Make your Contact page easy to find. Don’t have one? Create one.

What to Do Next

Take advantage of the networking opportunities an interview or expert roundup creates.

If you’ve been interviewed, respond to those who leave comments. Engage with them. Give them a reason to visit your blog.

If you participated in a roundup, you now have some common ground with the other bloggers who participated.

Follow them on social media. Tag them when you tweet the roundup. Send them emails saying how much you enjoy their blogs.

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#12. Hitting Your First 100 Email Subscribers

Finally.

After having single- and double-digit subscribers for what seems like forever, you finally reach 100. One hundred individuals decide they want updates from you.

These first 100 subscribers are arguably your most important.

They’re the ones who found your blog in its early days.

They’re the ones who decided to follow you before you were popular.

They’re the ones likely to be your biggest supporters as you rise through the ranks and vanquish kingdoms.

How to Get More Email Subscribers

• Be a broken record. Keep finding reasons to mention your mailing list.
• Give something away. Entice readers to subscribe to your list by offering something of value. And the sooner you have an opt-in bribe to offer, the better.
• Promote your opt-in form on social media. Add an opt-in form to your Facebook page. Link to your form in your Twitter and LinkedIn bios.
• Ramp up your guest blogging. With a little planning to maximize results, guest blogging is an excellent method for building your email list.

What to Do Next

Why not survey your subscribers? You’ve built a small tribe and it’s time to discover what they think.

Find out what kind of content they want you to create, and what kind of content they wish you would stop creating.

To encourage participation, turn your survey into a contest.

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#13. Seeing a Post You Wrote Go Viral

Wow. That was unexpected.

One of your posts takes off. It goes viral, as the kids say.

At its simplest definition, a viral post is one which has a life beyond your own promotion of it. As such, it gets considerably more clicks and shares than your typical post.

And, as a result, your blog receives a nice (if temporary) bump in traffic.

Even if it’s short lived, a viral post means more eyes on your content. And that’s just what a prospective world ruler wants.

How to Go Viral

• Create share-worthy content. If you want a post to go viral, it must be worthy.
• Use social metadata. The better your posts look when shared on social media platforms, the more likely people will share them.
• Be visual. Use stunning, shareable images in your posts.
• Use an intriguing headline. Jon’s Headline Hacks has some great tips for headlines that go viral.
• Make it easy to skim. People read only 28% of blog content. Make your content easy to skim, and you greatly increase the chances it could go viral.
• Create list posts. According to a recent content marketing case study by Backlinko and BuzzSumo, list posts (like the one you’re reading now) get an average of 218% more shares than “how to” posts.

What to Do Next

Since the bump in traffic is only temporary, you must capitalize on it. You must turn as many of those visitors into subscribers as possible.

Make sure your call to action is clear and singularly focused. Offer a content upgrade for users who subscribe.

Use one of the dozens of available WordPress plugins designed to help you boost your subscriber count.

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#14. Getting Mentioned or Followed by an A-list Blogger

When Bob the bellhop from Bolivia mentions you on Twitter, a small handful of people will see it.

That’s nice.

But if John Lee Dumas, Pat Flynn, or Jeff Goins mentions you on Twitter, a small army will see it.

That’s even better.

When you’re mentioned or followed by an A-lister, it means much more than a small bump in traffic.

It means you’ve made it onto the radar of someone with influence.

How to Connect with Influencers

• Link to A-listers in guest posts you write, and let them know about it. Most will be appreciative, and many will share your post with their followers.
• Buy their courses or services. Want a sure-fire way to get A-list bloggers to notice you? Give them money! As an added bonus, you’ll benefit from their vast experience.
• Reach out to them. Identify the bloggers of influence, and put your content directly in front of them.
• Ask them to participate in expert roundups. Participants in roundups almost always share them.

What to Do Next

Just as a couple should keep wooing each other even after they’re married, you should continue doing the things which caused the A-list bloggers to notice you in the first place.

Keep sharing their content. Keep leaving comments. Keep engaging with them.

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#15. Hitting Your First 1,000 Email Subscribers

Now we’re talking.

Around the time you hit the 1,000 subscriber mark, your emails begin to carry more weight.

You’re able to generate traffic for new posts simply by emailing your subscribers.

Even better?

You can begin making real money from your blog.

As a rule of thumb, you should be able to make at least $1 per subscriber each month — more if you really know what you’re doing.

How to Get Even More Email Subscribers

• Have a dedicated landing page. You should have at least one page focused on one thing and one thing only — getting people to sign up.
• Say yes to pop-ups. Yes, some people find them annoying. But they work.
• Harness the power of webinars. They create a sense of urgency, but without being “salesy.” Plus, you can run one even if you have a limited budget.
• Do more guest blogging. In case you haven’t yet picked up on the theme: strategic guest blogging is a solid strategy for gaining subscribers. Gaining traffic? Not so much. But gaining subscribers interested in your blog’s topic (assuming you’re guest blogging for relevant audiences)? Absolutely.

What to Do Next

It’s time to think about monetizing your blog.

Affiliate programs, sponsored content, digital products, and consulting/coaching sessions are common methods for making money with your blog.

And speaking of those last two…

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#16. Successfully Selling Your First Product or Consulting Session

You tried your hand at sponsored ads. Maybe you even had a little success with them.

But eventually, you aim higher.

You decide to offer your skills as a coach or consultant.

Or maybe you decide to create your own digital product because you like the idea of unlimited income potential.

Whatever the route, the desire is the same: to pad your wallet with twenty dollar bills.

How to Reach This Milestone

• Know your audience — intimately. To be a successful coach or consultant, you must know your audience, what they need, and how you can help them.
• Choose a topic you know inside out. If you’re writing an e-book, pick your topic wisely.
• Repurpose content. If you have been blogging for any length of time, you have a collection of archives begging to be republished as an e-book.
• Master the art of ethical persuasion. Focus on benefits rather than features.

What to Do Next

Don’t rest on your laurels.

Once you’ve created your first product or course, create a sales funnel with an email autoresponder series.

Then start working on your next product.

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#17 Reaching 1,000 Visitors a Day

When you reach 1,000 daily visitors, your blog will be perched at a level many bloggers never see.

Your blog has momentum, which means your email list starts to grow on its own.

You’re selling more products and services.

Your social media shares are increasing too, which is bringing even more new visitors.

Your hard work is paying off. “Soon,” you say to yourself before laughing maniacally.

“Soon.”

How to Get More Traffic

• Strategically promote on social media. What gains traction on Pinterest won’t necessarily gain traction on Twitter, right? When promoting, always be mindful of the platform you’re using and adapt accordingly.
• Become a SlideShare master. For many bloggers, SlideShare is an enigma. Unfortunate, because you can easily repurpose content with SlideShare and bring in thousands of new readers.
• Think outside the box. Communities like Triberr and websites like Quora offer bloggers additional avenues for driving traffic to their sites.
• Start taking SEO more seriously. Ranking for keywords and optimizing your blog for Google (and Bing) are a must to take your traffic to the next level.

What to Do Next

Resist the urge to publish more often. Even though you receive traffic bumps on the days you publish, your time will be better spent on promotion.

If anything, scale back on your blogging and focus even more time on promotion.

For example: targeted advertising. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others offer bloggers the ability to advertise and bring in additional traffic to their sites.

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#18. Reaching 100,000 Visitors in a Month

When you reach 100,000 visitors in a month, you’ve reached a level of success most can only dream of.

At this level, practically anything you try can be lucrative.

How to Boost Blog Traffic

• Pay to extend your social media reach. Quuu Promote lets you get tweets and shares from real people with real followers.
• Dedicate yourself. Mastering traffic generation takes time.
• Start accepting guest posts. Neil Patel grew the KISSmetrics blog to over 400,000 readers a month by publishing content that mainly came from guests.
• Use split testing to optimize conversions. At this level of traffic, even small tweaks can make a big difference.
• Try new delivery channels. Launching a podcast allows you to reach a different audience than the one on your blog. So, too, can the creation of YouTube videos and SlideShare

What to Do Next

Dig into Google Analytics and learn how to make the most of its data. Discover which topics and posts are performing best, and optimize your blog accordingly. Identify your most important traffic sources, and adjust your outreach efforts.

And if you haven’t started monetizing your blog yet, you’re leaving real money on the table each month. Get started!

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#19. You Hit 10,000 Email Subscribers

As Jon Morrow likes to say: 10,000 subscribers is the “magic number.”

With 10,000 subscribers, publishers beat down your door to give you a book deal.

With 10,000 subscribers, you could make a full-time living as a coach or consultant.

With 10,000 subscribers, you can easily sell a course you have created.

In short, earning a six-figure income from your blog is entirely realistic when you have 10,000 subscribers.

It’s arguably the most important blogging milestone.

How to Supercharge Your Email List

• Lure Amazon e-book buyers to your opt-in page. At the end of your Kindle e-book, offer a bonus chapter to readers who come to your website and subscribe.
• Use Facebook’s Lead Ads. It’s an opt-in form embedded inside your Facebook post.
• Create content upgrades for all your most popular posts. Bonus material customized to individual posts can significantly increase your conversion rates.
• Use Facebook ads in tandem with Facebook opt-in pages. In a case study, one blogger was able to add over 17,000 subscribers in six weeks using Facebook advertising to funnel readers to her Facebook opt-in page.

What to Do Next

Look for ways to improve your email open rates. It doesn’t matter how big your list is if nobody bothers to read your emails.

As your list grows, and your humble blog starts to look more like a viable business, you may need to trade your email provider for a more sophisticated solution, such as Infusionsoft that can handle e-commerce and relationship management as well.

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#20. Finally Earning Enough Money to Quit Your Day Job

It’s the dream of most bloggers.

Being able to quit your job and blog full-time means you’re able to quit the rat race. It means you can set your own schedule, pursue your passions, and spend more time with your loved ones.

It means you’re the boss.

How to Quit Your Job

• Charge premium prices. This allows you to devote more of your time, which means your premium price comes with premium service.
• Outsource certain tasks. Time is money. And when you reach a certain level of success, your time (and money) can often be put to better use.
• Promote affiliates. In addition to high income potential, affiliate products require zero investment.
• Create joint ventures with other popular bloggers. Build a product together or just make it attractive for them to promote your products.

What to Do Next

Don’t quit your job just yet! Instead, create an exit plan.

Decide what kind of financial buffer you’ll need just in case things get tough. Your buffer will depend on your risk tolerance and personal situation, but a good rule of thumb is three to six months of salary in the bank.

Use the time leading up to your departure to ensure your blog is running smoothly by the time you quit.

Automate everything you can. Create processes to ensure you can work as efficiently as possible. Because when the paychecks stop, you don’t want any additional drag.

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#21. Achieving World Domination

You did it.

They said it wasn’t possible, but you made it happen.

The world is your oyster. You’re the master of your own destiny.

And it’s all thanks to your blog.

Now it’s time to take a vacation. Maybe even move to paradise. Heck, you earned it.

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So What’s Your Next Big Blogging Milestone?

You realize they’re yours for the taking, right?

The niche you want to dominate?

The house in the Hamptons?

The sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads?

They’re all out there… just waiting for you.

They’re waiting for you to decide, “Today is the day I’ll make my dreams come true.” They’re waiting for you to stop reading and start doing.

So, don’t just sit there.

Work out where you are on the list and what you must do to hit that next big milestone.

And let’s do this thing.

Because the world isn’t going to rule itself.

About the Author: Five years after first writing this post, Kevin J. Duncan’s dreams of quitting the rat race, blogging full-time, and world domination came true when Jon invited him to join the Smart Blogger team as our Blog Editor.

Never give up, folks. Never, ever give up.

The post 21 Blogging Milestones on the Path to World Domination appeared first on Smart Blogger.

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