Can You Build A Great Blog In 31 Days?
Image Source: sxc.hu
As we speak, the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog or 31DBBB is in its 11th 13 thday (will be updated periodically) and topics covered have been:
- Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blog: In this post Darren explains what an elevator pitch is and why is it important for bloggers followed by the task of writing an elevator pitch for your blog. He makes it easier by even showing you how to write an elevator pitch.
Note to self: Hmmm, what’s my excuse of not having an elevator pitch for my blog? - Write a List Post: Here Darren gives 8 reasons why lists are very popular and lists out the task for the day which as you may have guessed is writing a post list. He gives examples of types of list posts and recommends sharing the list via comments on his post (smart move).
Note to self: I need to write a list post but what shall I write about? - Promote a Blog Post: In this day’s post, I think Darren makes a good point about promoting individual blog posts instead of the blog itself. He lists out 11 ways to promote your blog posts including internal linking, article marketing and social media.
Note to self: Apart from social media and internal linking, explore whether the other options are viable every time I write a post. A checklist of sorts? - Analyze a Top Blog in Your Niche: Success leaves clues and Darren recommends identifying and doing an in-depth analysis of a successful blog in your niche in terms of content, reader engagement, design, monetization, traffic and SEO with two important caveats a) do not become obsessed and b) do not copy.
Note to self: Whom do I admire in my niche? Identify and then analyze their blogs? - Email a Blog Reader: Here Darren shares his strategy of paying personal attention to readers who leave comments on your blog. Three ways of doing this – a) email the reader, 2) leave a comment on their blog (provided they have left their blog address on the comments) and 3) comment on your own blog which shows that you engage the readers.
Note to self: Thankfully, I’m doing what Darren recommends and I’ll continue to do so as this blog grows bigger and bigger
- 27 Must Read Tips and Tutorials for Bloggers: Nice list of 27 tips and tutorials as Darren spreads the link love to other notable bloggers like Seth Godin, SEOmoz, Skellie, Chris Garrett, Yaro Starak, Shoemoney, Maki, Liz Strauss, Daniel Scocco and Chris Brogan.
Note to self: Read the articles and make my own action items. Plus have a goal to get link love from Darren. - Write a Link Post: The objective of this day is to write a link post (see Day 6 on how Darren wrote a great link post) and he explains why it is important to link out before wrapping up 6 types of link posts to consider.
Note to self: Is this post considered a link post? - Interlink Your Old Blog Posts: Internal linking is very powerful for SEO purposes but Darren goes a step further
by giving other reasons to interlink to your older blog posts with practical examples of how to interlink.
Note to self: Set aside time periodically to interlink especially when the blog grows in size and stature. - Join a Forum and Start Participating: Forums are places where your potential readers gather so harnessing the power of forums makes sense. Darren gives three good reasons to join forums with links to two great posts on the power of forums.
Note to self: Start harnessing the power of forums that I have identified. - Set Up ‘Alerts’ to Monitor What is Happening in Your Niche: Darren gives 5 concrete reasons to monitor your niche and shows how to create a Google Alert before ending with a word of caution on ‘over monitoring’. I have found that monitoring Technorati as well as Twitter to be useful in addition to Google Alerts.
Note to self: Write a post teaching how to create a unified alert combining Google, Technorati and Twitter using Yahoo Pipes. - Come up with 10 Post Ideas: Coming up with blog ideas daily can be a major pain and to counter that Darren recommends using older posts as a base and extending it further using tools like mindmapping.
Note to self: Use FreeMind for generating ideas. - Develop an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog: The idea here is to build from the previous day’s task and come up with a weekly schedule. Darren talks about two methods to come up with a weekly schedule based on frequency and theme.
Note to self: Weekly theme is something I should consider because it’ll give the blog some coherency. - Take a Trip to the ‘Mall’ and Improve Your Blog: The idea is to disconnected for sometime and then find inspiration for blog ideas offline. I know a lot of bloggers shudder at the thought of being offline
Note to self: I’m going to the mall on Monday.
