22 isn’t normally a significant number, neither is 31…until now. More on that in a moment. ATTENTION BLOGGERS: If you believe that blogging is a way to make money online but find yourself frustrated, perhaps you need some encouragement. Perhaps you could be doing it better, or maybe you are doing it wrong altogether. Perhaps the real issue is, you don’ t have a solid marketing plan. Today’s post reviews a resource designed to help emerging or struggling bloggers develop or refine a marketing plan and move a site toward profitability. Good news, this guide comes from one of the trail blazers in the blogging industry, the folks at Problogger.net, Darren Rowse. I’ll share several of the steps outlined in this guide, what I like, what I don’t like, and if this is for you.
Review of The Bloggers Guide to Online Marketing
We talk bit about blogging here, as it is a significant spoke in the wheel of driving traffic. It is also clear that blogging is an area many struggle with when it comes to building a lasting online business. So when I had an opportunity to review Problogger’s latest guide, I agreed.
Disclaimer:
13 PDF files, 7 Excel spreadsheets, 1 PowerPoint, and 1 Microsoft Word document (support for Mac files too). As I began opening the files, I found them to be professionally laid out, and clear in what they were communicating. See for yourself here.
What the Bloggers Guide to Online Marketing Contains
31 Steps to a Profitable Blog:This is laid out in the main eBook. It is more of a master blueprint that is obviously born out of years of experience. Throughout the book Darren and his “Ninja” reference different files contained in the download.
What I Liked
The layout of the guides are professional and oozes Problogger branding. The content is what makes the guide valuable. The templates and worksheets referenced throughout the eBook are well thought out, and really puts marketing meat to the readers developing marketing plan.
Highlights from The Bloggers Guide to Online Marketing
- Step 3 suggests creating customer personas. This helps you understand who your target audience is, and what their main issues are.
- Steps 10 and 11 talk about getting email enabled. Email marketing is key to any online businesses success, Problogger shares tools, and clear examples of what good converting webforms looks like, some guidelines to consider in your email marketing and what to avoid.
- Step 14 talks monetization options. There may be a few in here you’ve not thought of.
- Step 17 talks products. Organizing, planning, and launching them (step 18).
- Step 26 shows you how to run a competition. Inviting bloggers to understand logistics and to start small.
What I Didn’t Like
Two points here.
A Video. Darren does well on camera, and I think it would help reinforce my decision as a buyer if I saw him on my computer welcoming me to the book and thanking me for the order. It’s not so much that I don’t like the fact that he left out a video, or that I was even expecting it, rather that it was a missed opportunity to connect with me as a customer.
The welcome video could be transcribed into the beginning of the book, with a link to the actual video if the reader wants to watch.
Master Document Map. One of the things this product does is provide the all important clarity for bloggers who need a marketing plan. In keeping with that, as useful as the supplemental documents are, it could be overwhelming for some. A document that illustrates where the documents/templates/worksheets fit in the big picture could resolve this. Perhaps with a page reference for each place the document is mentioned or highlighted in the guide.
The supplemental documents themselves could offer this in reverse as well. As mentioned in Step 14 page 64 while also directing readers to the “Master document map” document.
Is the Bloggers Guide to Online Marketing for You?
Every marketer is at a different place. If you don’t have a blog or website, no ideas for a blog or website, no desire for a blog or website, and have no money to spend, that’s ok, you are earlier on in the process. Pass on this, and instead signup here on the site for our MarketersFAQ free report.
However, if you are at a place where your monetization is stuck, and you need to explore new ideas for implementation and can handle the current $49.99 cost (half price during the launch period), this is a great guide, and can make for great evening or weekend reading. Get your copy of this guide here.
In the end 22 nor 31 aren’t such significant numbers.What’s significant here is the quality of good marketing information in those 22 documents and 31 steps which can serve as a business blueprint for bloggers for years to come.
Some Advice if You Choose to Purchase this Guide
Darren and his team are very smart and seasoned professionals. It’s obvious they poured themselves into this and made it an excellent product. As a reader, take time to process the information.
Don’t expect to implement everything right away, rather take time to understand the guide, and then prioritize what you will implement by when. The money isn’t in the knowledge, rather in the careful action taken with that knowledge.
Get your copy of this guide here.
Image credit: Cambodia4Kidsorg
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Hi, my name is Travis Campbell, I operate this site. One way I can extend what I've learned marketing online over the years is by writing about it here... and helping you along the way.
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