Blogging isn’t easy. There is a massive blogging proletariat working way too hard for way too little. If your only aim is to share your voice with an online journal, or open the doors of your life to your family and friends, then you need not consider the upcoming thoughts. 

Most blogs fail. Getting started and getting going are two different things. If you aren’t prepared for the long haul, you will more than likely confront frustration, fear, and discontent. There are already too many abandoned blogs swimming in a sea of forgotten bytes. Before you launch a blog in an endeavor to earn online income, consider the following things:

1. Sharpen your voice. No one wants to read boring text that offers little. A blog that does nothing to stand apart is a blog that will eventually be abandoned to orbit like a forgotten satellite. If blogging is your business, you want people to hire you. People are hired because of the trust they instill and the personality they project.
2. A successful blog requires massive commitment. There are posts to write, emails to answer, and comments to watch. The experience can sometimes feel rather unforgiving. If you are not ready for a consistent commitment of time, your blog will more than likely flounder. It takes time to groom a blog it to it’s fullest potential.
3. A successful blog isn’t an island. Blogging is about community. You must be willing to understand and interact with the fellow bloggers around you.  Even the best blog isn’t enough to account for other requirements, such as social media and online marketing. If you are unwilling to learn the basics of internet traffic, a blog may leave you feeling disappointed.
4. Be original. The same ideas are bandied about with abandon all across the Internet. This is perfectly understandable, but you must do everything you can to be more than an echo. Repeating the same information is fine, repeating it in the same way is not. Everyone has their own voice, make sure you are willing to use yours.
5. Be patient. Successful blogging is a process not an event. Lightning quick technology has made us believe in lightning quick success, but such is a false idol that will only have us finding failure.

Anyone can start a blog, and anyone who wants one certainly should. Just be clear with your intentions and allow them to pave your path to the proper commitment.

Sean

Sean can be found writing for himself at Writer Dad and others at Ghostwriter Dad.

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We’re thrilled to finally show you the first info product produced by the Blueprint.  Details are spilled in the video above.  Be sure to check it out and see what we’ve been spending the last three months on.  You bloggers are gonna love it!

Also included in the package is a comprehensive collection of blogging bookmarks.  It’s a single file, easily imported into either Firefox or Safari, gradually gathered by Eric over a period of half a year.

The PreLaunch price is $29, but that will only last until Friday at which point we will pull the product from our virtual shelves.  Upon its final launch, it will be available only at the regular price of $49.  So be sure to get grab the complete blogging kit while it’s still the price of dinner for two (not including tip).

Oh, and did we mention it comes with FULL Email support?

The BB Team

Click the button below to purchase your kit.

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Though lightning fast, the black and white of boring text can be an impediment to effective online communication, at least when compared to the visual seasoning found in a wayward gesture, roll of the eyes, or sheepish grin. However, clear articulation is a must if our road to success will wind through the weaving roads of the internet. 

Five basic principles for effective online communication.

1)  Get it Write!

When communicating online, take advantage of the strength of the written word while trying to avoid its flaws.  Treat online writing as if you were passing a hand written note on decorative paper, rather than a careless email peppered with abbreviations and unfinished thought.  Whether writing a post or drafting an email, take the time to orchestrate your thoughts and ensure your words gleam with the precision of your intent.

2)  Know Your Point

Effective online communication means being clear with your message and getting there swiftly.   Keep your ideas organized and concise.   Take the time needed to look over your work and avoid unorganized or confusing thoughts.  Clarity, grammar and spelling all matter.  As in all writing, it is sometimes difficult to discern the intent of another. Write for an audience and never assume they know the nuances of your mind.

3)  Follow Basic Netiquette

Though siblings, on and offline writing are not twins. There are new rules for this new medium, with brand new lexicon to match. Despite their many differences, there are tried and true do’s and don’ts that will give clarity to your thought and help you achieve effective online communication.

• Always treat others with respect. Don’t say anything online you wouldn’t be comfortable saying directly to someone’s face. Don’t allow the distance of the keyboard to dictate your bravado.

• Give others the benefit of the doubt. You would want the same. If you’re uncertain of  tone, assume the best unless you have a definite reason to believe otherwise.

• State your perspective with confidence, not arrogance. No one likes a know-it-all.  You can be confident in your voice while allowing plenty of room for the outlook of others.

• Don’t tear down others to elevate yourself. Good manners can’t be bought.  Treating others with the courtesy you would wish to receive is an essential ingredient of effective online communication.

4)  Be Genuine

Every minute online, is another sixty seconds that can be spent to strengthen your online fingerprint.  Every line you write casts a brighter light on what makes you an individual.  Each answered email, tweet, or post is another opportunity to show the online community precisely who you are.  Use your most authentic voice, it’s the one your community most wants to hear.

5)  Be Humble

Be willing to admit mistakes.  We all are constant learners.  Don’t be afraid to admit those things you do not know.  You might be surprised how many people are willing to reach out and offer their hand.

Written communication has its limitations; the lack of body language and intonation can make us uncertain of an author’s intent. However, there are advantages to the written word that verbal communication cannot match. We create our identity from the words we write. It is up to us to crystallize our thought and bring order to our message.

Building a robust online community is like building a door to greater possibility.  Effective online communication is the key to unlock it.

Sean

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