As I read article after article, subscribe to list after list, and interact with people on social networks, it seems like this is the most sought after piece of information. What is the “secret”? How can I make money with my blog? How do I beat the system? Today, I am going to lay it all on the line, and tell you my thought on these questions. What I am about to tell you isn’t a big secret, so you can’t sell it (although some do try), and you probably won’t walk away from this post with information you haven’t already heard, I didn’t come up with any of it on my own. Also, I am not listing these in any order of importance either, there should be a balance.
So many times I read articles telling you to comment on “do-follow” blogs (there really isn’t any such thing as “do-follow”, it simply means that rel=no-follow tag has been removed), go to “do-follow” forums and post links in your signature, add your site to directories, spin articles you have already written to make them seem “original” and send them off to article submission sites, etc, etc, etc…
I am not here to tell you that these tactics won’t help you get links. What I am here to tell you is it won’t help you sell anything. If you were to spend as much time on your content as these people tell you to spend linkbuilding, you would probably have content people actually wanted to link to without you trying to game the system to get a link. If you spent more time working on an actual marketing plan, or product development, video marketing, or launch materials than you do trying to beat some system you probably don’t even understand, you might actually get somewhere when your product is released, or you market an affiliate.
Don’t misunderstand me here, I comment on plenty of blogs, and I am active on a few forums (and yes I have a few links in my signature), but balancing the time I spend commenting or interacting in a forum is important to my overall plan. I look at this time as marketing, promotion, and networking, not linkbuilding. As a matter of fact, I don’t really have a linkbuilding plan, directly (will explain more about that later).
Article marketing and directory submissions have never performed well for me. I know there are plenty of people that swear by it, but I haven’t gotten any results from it myself. Once again, there may a place for that type of marketing where it would help to drive traffic to a money page, but I think my time is better spent working right here (and on my other sites) to obtain my goals. Don’t believe me, just ask one of those big name people we all follow, do you think they waste time trying to game the system by getting links through article marketing or directory submissions? No, they had much better things to do with their time.
I recommend guest posting for building links. Guest posting is a great way to get links naturally, it is also a great way to expand your readership (anyone interested in guest posting just drop me a note in the contact form). Most times you can get a couple of links with your preferred anchor text in the post or in your bio of a guest post. I have also recommended linking out to other resources for gaining links. I know it sounds odd, but it works. Linking out to other articles will usually create a trackback to your site (if you link to an actual article and the author allows trackbacks), it also notifies the author you link to letting them know you linked to them, this brings attention to your site. And, finally, I recommend writing content that people want to link to, they feel compelled to mention on Twitter and other social sites, etc, etc…
No matter where you look, it always seems to point back to content. The real secret is right there, in your content. Is your content useful? Does it solve a problem? And even better, if someone finds your site through a search or other links to your site, will they find what they were looking for, or will the content be lacking the information to help them? Is your content there to truly help someone with valuable information, or are you just trying to game the system and make a few bucks.
I am a firm believer that you are never off the clock, unless you are sleeping. I am always networking, no matter where I am or what I am doing. Building relationships with people is a huge part of building a brand. Some relationships built through networking become working relationships, others may become customers, some networking relationships may even turn into joint venture possibilities. I met a guy the other day in a restaurant that is a regional manager for a major manufacturing company. They have products that I may be interested in building a niche site for in the future, we talked, exchanged information, and I will keep that information for future reference if I decide to move forward with my idea, plus he invited me to play golf, and I have a hard time turning that one down!
The point is, even in your offline time, selling yourself, branding your image is important. More important than trying to find the “big secret” that doesn’t exist.
Some days I will end up doing nothing but research. Information is knowledge, and knowledge is more powerful than any links you will get trying to game the system. Knowledge can separate you from the rest of the field. I actually enjoy doing research, it can be almost addictive to me at times.
Balance is still important, and I am not always good at the balancing act. Spending time researching your colleagues (some people call them competition), learning writing techniques, marketing, and many other topics for research will most likely benefit you much more than researching the “big secret”.
This can go along with networking, but being accessible is huge. Are you out there, answering questions, interacting, building relationships? Become accessible, respond to emails, reply to Twitter followers, create conversation. These things all help to build a brand, and to network with others. Make sure you are using your ability to communicate in all forms available to you. Use Social Media to your advantage, use blog comments to create interest, use forums and chats to get involved.
I have a group of guys/gals that I communicate with on an almost daily basis as a group. I also have individuals I communicate with privately (I do most of this on Skype), and others I may interact with on my blog or on Twitter. Whatever the means you have available, be sure to take advantage of it.
Most successful online marketers are everywhere you look, building a brand, getting name and face recognition. So, spending time being accessible can have huge benefits as you grow your brand.
There you have it, my big secret is out. There are other great and powerful methods to help you, these are just a few. Just remember, if you try to game the system, not only will you lose in the long run, most likely your readers are already losing. Let things happen naturally, as they were intended to happen and you will get better results in the long run (remember the tortoise and the hare?).
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I mostly agree with what you say about blog commenting for link.
I say mostly because one still needs to do some “heavy lifting” in terms of link building work when your start a site / blog from scratch. Blog commenting is a time consuming but relatively easy way to get links as long as you respect the blogs (and the authors of the blogs) you are commenting on. I believe that blog commenting can play a major role in the success of your blog / site if you are genuine enough.
It’s a waste of time if you are trying to comment spam. Most self-respecting blog owner will not publish “great article” type comments coming from new commenters.
Participating to discussions is also a great way to be appreciated. Don’t just leave a comment and forget it. Reply to the authors or other commenters who took the time to agree or disagree with you.
.-= Tom@Accountant Web Design´s last blog ..15 ideas that will get links to your accountancy practice website =-.
@Tom@Accountant Web Design, I agree, I went out and started commenting on blogs before I even started this site, promoted my name and face. When I went live here, I got comments and readers from day one. But I wasn’t doing it to get links, I did it to get involved in my niche community and for branding/promotion. Cheapest advertising I know is to get out there where your potential readers are and get involved in the community.
.-= Keith Bloemendaal´s last blog ..Are You Setting Yourself Up For Failure? =-.
Keith,
I agree with you on the comments. I never understand why some people comment great post and run off. I delete those all the time. I see several established bloggers doing those all the time. They sometimes leaves those on my site and kill right away. I guess thats why they dont comment on my site much…
As for backlinking, guest post are great, the more authority they have the better.
What are your feelings about using sites like blog engage, digg, MMO, and stumble to get backlinks or even free directories?
.-= element321´s last blog ..Guest Post: On-Page SEO Tips =-.
@element321, I am not big on Digg or Stumble, I do use them occasionally but never got good results from them, and the links aren’t anything to write home about either.
There are a few good bookmarking sites that actually link to your article, Blog Engage is a good one, and I have been checking out BloggerDen recently too, looks like digg, but has categories that fit a blogger/tech niche better.
Just like anything else though, these things may drive some traffic, but is it converting traffic? That is the real question to ask, can you convert any of that traffic to a sale, click, or subscriber. If so, then yes.
.-= Keith Bloemendaal´s last blog ..Blog Tip: Keyword Research =-.
Yep, building genuine relationships and building unique and useful content are my major forces of the blogging crusade. I haven’t found my balance, and I hope I’ll never find it. Just dive deep into your blogging ventures and do what you want to do !
.-= Mars Dorian´s last blog ..How to Maximize the Impact of your Brand =-.
@Mars Dorian, Hmm, sounds a little scattered to me, but if it works for you…
.-= Keith Bloemendaal´s last blog ..Make Money On Twitter: Ethical? =-.
Great tips Keith! With anything, consistency is key so if you really want to do well, you’ve gotta keep going at it, learning effective knowledge (like this blog), and implementing when possible. When you can do that, you can and will become a success in my opinion.
.-= Mike Stenger´s last blog ..20 Resources To Crush It In Social Media =-.
I agree Keith. I think everyone knows the answer is ultimately great content, but few people are willing to put in the time and effort to produce high quality content.
But once you have great content, you still have to attract new visitors. I’m still learning how to do this myself, but I have increased the traffic to my site about 3,000% in the last month. So now I am taking my content to the next level.
Do most of your new visitors come from search engines?
.-= Chris Roane´s last blog ..101 Killer WordPress Plugins that Kick Ass =-.
@Chris Roane, Yes, most “new” visitors here come from search, it is increasing every week as I am targeting specific keywords. Overall, most visits here are by referral right now, but as the site grows and my SERP’s increase, more search visitors are coming by.
.-= Keith Bloemendaal´s last blog ..Are You Setting Yourself Up For Failure? =-.
@Keith Bloemendaal, I wish I knew what you know about kw research, I’m about to give up on it altogether.
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..UPDATED: Theme Customization Part 3 – Banner Advertising NOT for Sale! =-.
Keith
Classic example of looking at the tools are out there and determining what works best for you and the blog overall. Comments are great not only for the backlinks but as they are sort of like forums in the sense that we can comment and also reply to other comments from other readers. There are many people that come to know each other from commenting which is what social media is all about. Yes, a web presence and optimization are important but being around and talking and talking and talking goes a long way. People want to talk to people as we have seen in the forums where we meet up. A lot of good conversation is had as there is no selling, competition – it is a group of people who talk and share ideas, knowledge and are always willing to help each other.
The secret to success is doing what is right for you and your company and along the lines, building relationships along the way.
@SuzanneVara
“I look at this time as marketing, promotion, and networking, not linkbuilding.”
The best line in the article. From day 1 I’ve concentrated on the human aspect most; writing to promotion and all in between.
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..UPDATED: Theme Customization Part 3 – Banner Advertising NOT for Sale! =-.
@Dennis Edell, It really shows in your comments everywhere I see you!
Nice share. For an average blogger like me, these things are very helpful. It has changed my views about building backlinks. Thanks for sharing.
.-= Yvhes1104@Virtual Assistant´s last blog ..Virtual Assistants’ Guide to Better Marketability =-.
I’m with you brother, I don’t have much of a link building plan and to be honest the best way to get through traffic is guest posting, get one published on the right site and you’re golden
.-= TheInfoPreneur´s last blog ..Top Sites That Will Bring You Free Traffic =-.
I never had, and don’t have, a link building plan. But when I started out I commented on a lot of blogs – I never (intentionally) do the whole ‘comment and run’ style of comment, you know, the horrible ‘great post’ comment or even worse, I’ve seen ‘:)’ comments before.
I also did quite a few guest posts and without really thinking about it, suddenly found I’m getting a lot of traffic and so on.
Regarding search engine traffic, I get very few deliberate visitors, judging by Analytics that is, but then I have a humour blog, so unless I let rip a Chuck Norris gag I’m not sure what I can do about that!
.-= Mo´s last blog ..The Rolex and the Unhealthy Zorro Obsession =-.
Hey Keith,
I’m just beginning with the ‘blogging business’ myself. The points that you’ve brought out are very true and should be helpful in building a great blog of my own.
Thanks for the informative read!
.-= Ganesh Iyer´s last blog ..Viperchill – A Blog You Should Definitely Check Out =-.
I always believe Guest posting is a good way to promote a site but usually high PR site don’t usually accept guest article from new player and that’s where dofollow link play a role. However, one have to adjust their time smartly as sometime promoting take over quality writing.
.-= Arafat Hossain Piyada´s last blog ..Minimize all inactive windows using a single key with Activator =-.
@Arafat Hossain Piyada,
It’s both a number and time game. Remember, EVERY blog done right will gain rank eventually; it doesn’t have to be right when you post.
.-= Dennis Edell @ DirectSalesMarketing´s last blog ..Would You Like a FREE Banner Ad Position? =-.
I am back as had papers and once again you have listed down some various important stuff here and even I am also looking towards link building. You have rightly mentioned that link building and networking is really important.
@Suhasini, Glad to see you back!
Keith, I always find useful information here and today is no exception.
I’ve submitted a few articles to Ezine Articles and got some traffic from them. I get some traffic from commenting and some from guest posts.
I think it’s too early to say which works the best for me as I use all of them. I guess it’s mixing as much stuff as you can to drive traffic and build links.
.-= Matthew Needham´s last blog ..Challenge: Save £1000/$1000 in 30 days =-.
@Matthew Needham, Also, different methods will work differently for different niches. In the home improvement niche (which I am also in) directory links and forums can provide great traffic that converts into sales. The key is to spend the time it takes to test what works the best for your application.
Thanks for the compliment on my content. I get by your site occasionally too.
.-= Keith Bloemendaal´s last blog ..Dell 23inch Monitor Review =-.
Keith, it sounds like strong content and guest posting pretty much sums it up. What about for a brand new blogger that only has a few posts so far? Should I build a solid base before trying to guest blog?
.-= Joe@Carpet Cleaning Websites´s last undefined ..Response cached until Tue 23 @ 12:14 GMT (Refreshes in 23.84 Hours) =-.
@Joe@Carpet Cleaning Websites, I would recommend building a base before trying to get guest posts, but it never hurts to try if you know someone that is apt to accept one from you.
@Keith Bloemendaal,
I have heard some say (not many, mind you) that they would start guest posting either as they were building their blog or before they even had one, just to start getting their name and face/logo out there.
I don’t know if I would consider this a waste or not. I mean the bio box would either have no links, or a social link of some kind like twitter.
.-= Dennis Edell @ DirectSalesMarketing´s last blog ..Would You Like a FREE Banner Ad Position? =-.
I’m with you on article submissions – I really went for it with them quite early in my business, and achieved very little.
Good, common sense stuff here – your revelation of “The Secret” is spot on. The only thing I’d add to that is a whole lot of really, really hard work!
.-= Mike CJ´s last blog ..How to leverage Facebook for traffic =-.
@Mike CJ, YES, YES, YES! Hard work is the backbone of success in the internet marketing world!
Right on Keith! What does one or even 10 links mean when you have 1k or 10k other links? It’s being involved in that conversation that will bring you readers. Good stuff dude.
.-= Brendan @ Online Marketing Consultant´s last blog ..Who does everyone think they are? =-.
I think that if you have a blog, then it is what you need.
Tell people about something, someone is advertising, to somebody else for something else.
Personally, I think so.
Here I have a blog about my travels, but I can not share them with people, because somebody would write that this is spam.
A hoster will also kick