Most blogging is self-indulgent blather. But a few smart Internet marketers are making thousands of dollars with their blogs. You can, too!
Dear Friend:
Writing a blog is no big deal.
Anyone can do it.
And I do mean anyone — from grandmas and garage mechanics to poets and particle physicists.
People write blogs about nearly any darn thing — from collecting teacups to telling the ongoing story of their lives (which is usually of little interest to anyone but themselves).
However, there’s a small group of bloggers who aren’t blogging for vanity … or their health.
They have quietly figured out how to turn blogging from a pleasant but time-sapping hobby to a profit-making venture:
- John Chow started his blog in 2005 and watched it grow from making zero to more than $40,000 per month in just 2 short years.
- Yaro Starak, an Australian entrepreneur, generates $5,000 a month in income writing about entrepreneurship and Internet business on his blog a few times a week.
- Eric Nakagawa has a blog where readers can submit cute pictures of animals with captions. He has more than half a million page views per day and earns $5,600 per month — at least.
- BoingBoing.net gets 2.6 million unique visitors per month and generates revenues of over a million dollars a year.
- Jason Kottle has a quarter of a million unique visitors generating $5,300 a month in income.
But most of them have kept quiet about it. Until now.
Blogging for bucks
In our program, Blogging for Bucks, Fred Gleeck and I share with you proven, utterly pragmatic methods you can use to quickly and easily launch your blog and turn it into a money-making venture … starting in as little as 90 days!
In this audio home study program, you will discover:
- Why so many people are building their main web site using blogging platforms.
- Ideal frequency for posting to your blog.
- Is it ever a good idea to have more than one blog?
- Choosing the right domain name — .com or .net.
- Should you set up a completely separate site for your blog … or put your blog within an existing web site?
- How to write compelling blog post titles.
- What are the benefits of blogging? Why should you do it?
- “Featured Articles” on your blog — and how to use them to generate more sales.
- Why you should have Firefox Browsers installed on your computer … and add the plug-in SEO Quake.
- Which blogging platform should you be using and why?
- Blogging with audio and video posts.
- Should you allow people to place comments on your blog? What are the pluses and minuses of doing it?
- Linking from other blogs to yours and vice versa … an easy way to get more traffic.
- Encouraging discussion on your blog via comments.
- Dressing up your blog with graphics — does it pay?
- How to use keywords for writing post titles.
- When writing your blog posts, don’t OVER-DO the keyword count.
- How to find and use great content for your blog.
- Reasons to read and post to other people’s blogs.
- How to make sure your blog readers don’t think of you as an arrogant S.O.B.
- Simple but important steps to improve your blog-writing skills.
- How and why to create a persona for your blog.
- What kind of information should you share on your blog — personal, professional, or both?
- Consistency: the key to blogging success.
- If back-links are so important, are back-linking services worth paying for?
- What about Machine generated back-links? Are they a good idea? Why or why not?
- Using illustrations and photos on your blog.
- Making special offers to your blog readers.
- Different blog formats and how to choose the one that’s right for you.
- As the blog author it is crucial to decide: What ONE thing you want people to do at your blog site?
- Why content must be new, interesting and compelling for visitors to return.
- Internal linking: Should you be linking various posts to other places on your blog or web site?
- Making it easy for people to follow you on social media such as Twitter and Facebook.
- How an RSS feed on your blog can help you bypass email/spam folders and filters.
- Writing the tag line for your blog site.
- How to monetize your blog: Products, donations, consulting, writing gigs, speaking, ads, affiliate programs.
- Running Google Ad sense on your blog vs. your own ads.
- What colors should you use on your blog? Are there a lot of colors that look good together?
- How to use the “Featured Product list” to increase online sales.
- Using graphics next to feature articles.
- How should you use Testimonials on your site? Should you be doing audio/video testimonials?
- Is it a good idea to have a search tool on your blog site? Should you use the Google Site Search Tool?
- What about the various Tabs on your blog? What should they be? Can you have too many?
- Where to place the Disclaimer on your blog.
- Tips for writing killer posts.
- Using Google Analytics on site to track data. Plus: how to analyze your competition.
- Benefits of using Google Alerts in blogging.
- The most common blogging perils and pitfalls to avoid.
- And so much more….
Am I a hypocrite?
Years ago, I wrote some columns for a trade journal and then a book expressing the opinion that blogging as a marketing medium was overhyped. Have I changed my mind?
I think that back then I was dead-on accurate: people played with blogs and got all excited about them, but nobody was making any real money doing them.
The reason I changed my mind about blogging … and now recognize it as a useful marketing medium … is that blogging itself has evolved: over the years a bunch of bright people (not me) have figured out how to use blogging, once nothing more than a pleasant pastime or hobby, into a serious marketing tool.
Now with our home study program Blogging for Bucks you can duplicate their success — and make money from your blogging like they do.
My readers say it best!
“You are awesome! I will always come to you first for the products that I need. You have class, integrity, brilliance, naturally gifted, and you are second to none! I am impressed with and appreciate your prompt response.”
–Adella Pugh
“Once in a blue moon, you get the chance to meet a living legend, one of the great men who has shaped his chosen field. In my unending pursuit of powerful marketing, I came face-to-face with just such a man. Robert Bly is America’s Top Copywriter and a genius marketer. He’s authored over 70 books for McGraw Hill and others, and gets paid more per word than nearly every author in America. Like all great men, he is a teacher and mentor extraordinaire. He freely shares the secrets of turning marketing into money.”
–Dick Larkin
“Bob, your stuff is always so good that even though I’m retired now, I have to read it!”
–Gary Bencivenga
“You are someone I’ve grown to admire greatly. You share your knowledge with and encourage people in achieving their dreams, trying new things, and learning tricks of the trade. It’s a rare ‘guru’ in our world today who is thoughtful and kind enough to help up and comers find the path to success. In my opinion, you are the very best. I’m grateful to you.”
–Linda Capriotti
“During the past 20 years, Bob Bly has become one of America’s leading direct response copywriters. He has probably done more to teach other writers the craft of effective and persuasive writing than anyone else.”
–Roger C. Parker
“After considering a number of high-level marketing professionals and reflecting on the matter for several weeks, I made the decision to ask Bob Bly to share the stage with me for my Twin Keys to Wealth-Building Conference. The reason I chose Bob is because I am convinced that he can deliver more tangible value to conference attendees than any other marketing or Internet expert on the planet.”
–Robert Ringer, best-selling author
“I have huge admiration for your work. You’re one of the few guys out there selling real information — and selling it at a reasonable price! I think what you’re doing is head and shoulders above others.”
–Mark Joyner
“To me, the product promos you’ve been sending have plenty of content. I look forward to your e-mails, because they are great idea generators. When an e-mail marketing message from you comes in, I follow it to the pages and then read and digest the sales copy. That alone is a goldmine to me. I love your grounded hype-free style. People should just model your approach and they would be wealthier for it. Thanks a lot for all the good stuff you’ve created over the years.”
–Tom Varjan
“The products I’ve ordered from you have been so good I’ve recommended them to others [and] your price points are very reasonable. Thanks very much for the content, the lessons, and the model to follow.”
–Winnie Anderson
“I get great value from your free materials, so I have no problem with your commercial content coming to me too. I’ve also received good value from the products I have bought from you.”
–Helen Wilkie
“Hi Bob – I ordered your Blogging for Bucks CDs with you and Fred Gleek. Great!! helping me sort out my thinking on the subject. Thanks, great stuff.”
–Lou Vascek
Act now and save $20
Blogging for Bucks retails for $97, but for a limited time only, we are offering this audio home study program for just $77. That’s a $20 savings off the list price.
And that’s the price only if you decide you want to keep our blogging course. If you don’t, then it costs you nothing … nada … zilch … zero. That’s because you can …
… Use it risk-free for 90 days
That’s right. If, after reviewing Blogging for Bucks, you are dissatisfied for any other reason … or for no reason at all … just return all the CDs to me within 90 days.
I’ll refund your $77 payment in full. No questions asked. That way, you risk nothing.
So, what are you waiting for?
To order Blogging for Bucks on a 90-day risk-free trial basis at this special discount rate, just click below now:
Sincerely,
Bob Bly
P.S. Quick-Response Bonus! Order Blogging for Bucks today and you get, absolutely FREE, my 50-page Bonus Report — Writing for the Web: Creating Copy and Content That Generate More Traffic and Sales Online (list price: $29).
In it, you will discover:
- Do your subscribers think your e-mails are junk? Page 23.
- 10 tips for increasing online conversion rates … page 27.
- Writing copy in the internet age … page 2.
- The 3 most important things I’ve learning about writing e-mail marketing copy … page 37.
- Must a freelance writer have a web site … and what should be on yours? Page 11.
- 5 ways to capture the e-mail addresses of landing page visitors … page 46.
- How to write subject lines that get your e-mail opened and read … page 35.
- 4 easy steps to successful SEO copywriting … page 31.
- Using statistics to make your case … page 44.
- 5 steps to writing the perfect guarantee … page 40.
To get your no-risk copy of Blogging for Bucks … and your free special report … click below now:
About Bob Bly
Bob Bly is a full-time freelance copywriter specializing in direct marketing. He earns more than $700,000 a year from his writing, and became a self-made multi-millionaire while still in his 30s.
A copywriter for more than a quarter of a century, Bob has written promotions for over 100 clients including Phillips, Agora, KCI, 21st Century, Weiss Research, EBI Medical Systems, Sony, IBM, AT&T, Grumman, Crain Communications, McGraw-Hill, Intuit, and AlliedSignal.
Bob is the author of more than 70 books including The Copywriter’s Handbook (The Copywriter’s Handbook), Internet Direct Mail (NTC Business Books). He has published more than 100 articles in such publications as Subscription Marketing, Direct, Business Marketing, Writer’s Digest, and Amtrak Express.
Bob’s writing awards include a Gold Echo from the Direct Marketing Association, an IMMY from the Information Industry Association, two Southstar Awards, an American Corporate Identity Award of Excellence, and the Standard of Excellence award from the Web Marketing Association. He also taught writing at New York University.
Bob has appeared as a guest on dozens of TV and radio shows including The Advertising Show, Bernard Meltzer, CNBC, and CBS Hard Copy. He has been featured in major media ranging from the LA Times and Nation’s Business to the New York Post and the National Enquirer. He was a featured speaker at the 2006 annual conference of the National Speakers Association.
About Fred Gleeck
Known as the “King of Content,” Fred Gleeck is widely recognized as a highly ethical, no-hype marketer of information products. Many consider Fred to be one of the best (if not the best) teacher of “how to make money selling information products online.”
Fred has created more than 300 audio learning programs, e-books, software packages, and other information products, all of which are marketed online. He is the author of 15 books including Selling Products from the Platform and Marketing and Promoting Seminars and Workshops.
With more than 20 years experience as a speaker and seminar promoter, Fred has spoken at dozens of seminars and bootcamps — both his own as well as other people’s events — to thousands of attendees. He regularly presents at both the Learning Annex and the National Speakers Association.
What they say about Bob Bly’s copy and counsel
“Good things are happening. I am getting a steady stream of Trial and Demo requests from the new site. These requestors are filling out the entire contact form. The site is simpler now, and I am still working to make it even more so. I appreciate your work.”
—Jim Romano, DataForceOne
“Thank you so much for your wonderful work. It has been a pleasure working with you and I look forward to working with you on another project in the near future. You were always available, quick to answer questions and always exceeded my expectations. You truly are a gifted writer.”
—Aaron Griffith, The Griffith
Bob, again thanks for the great copy. You consistently help us reach customers with compelling, actionable content, when others just can’t!”
—William McElleney, IBM
“The feedback keeps coming in and we all agree yours was a truly helpful, useful, insightful and effective workshop. You did a fantastic job inspiring the troops and we’ve already begun applying some of the key learnings.”
—Paul Connors, Copywriting Manager, A large financial services company in the Chicago area
“Bob…your creative work, patience, and ‘partnership’ with us at IT Group has virtually propelled us to another level of business professionalism and recognition. The response we’ve received from your letters has been nothing short of tremendous. We’ve not only derived significant business from these unforgettable mailings–your efforts have sparked a creative energy within our ranks which will assist us in years to come. Thanks for your guidance and counsel.”
—John A. Fallone, IT Group International
“I hired Bob on his reputation, and found it is well-deserved. His fact-finding process in preparation to write our copy was both painless and enlightening. The final deliverables were right on time as promised, and better than expected – which is saying a lot because my expectations were high. The first time I read his copy for our project, I literally got chills down my back – he nailed it the first time. Wow.”
—Dennis Rosenberg, VP Marketing, VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc.
“Bob Bly did an amazing job with our company brochure. We are very impressed with his capacity to learn our product and to write copy so clearly and pointedly. Bob Bly is a great marketing investment.”
—Michael Manoussos, Manhole Barrier Systems
“Great white paper! I’m in favor of the entire submission. Please congratulate Bob on a great effort.”
—Michael C. Howard, Chasm Recovery
“Your Tax Loopholes ad looked great and is performing very well. Thanks for the strong copy.”
—Brian Kurtz, Boardroom
“You did an excellent job. It’s been a pleasure working with you on this project.”
—Edward Brunet, Decatur Professional Development, LLC
“Thank you very, very much for doing such a great job on the ad. I was one of those folks who would read the ads in the DAK catalog by Drew Kaplan and this was as enjoyable for me as that.”
—Chris Pickering, MeritDirect
“Bob . . . Just got the copy and advertisement you did for my new book . . . It’s great! You are good! Great job . . . you have tremendous insights into what excites and what sells!”
—Don Libey, Libey Incorporated
“In my opinion, you are the best copywriter in the software industry.”
—Judy MacDonald, Director of Marketing, Direct Response
“When I received the piece, I thought, I’ll have to skim over it now and read it later. But, once I started, I couldn’t stop! You did a GREAT job with Ken’s story. I love it. It kept me reading. I’m VERY pleased with it.”
—Craig Simpson, Ken Roberts Company
“Bob, It’s been a pleasure to work with you!!! Thank you so much! I’m very happy with the copy; I feel it will give me good results.”
—Alejandra P. Bigai, Romanicos Chocolate
“Thanks again for a great job.”
—Davis Ross, Ross Advertising
“I just wanted to thank you again for the excellent work you did for us. You are the man and I can’t tell you how much I admired your approach and service. Although I’ve never worked with a copywriter before, I think you set the standard pretty high. I look forward to working with you again. You certainly have my vote for the next round!”
—DP Jovine, Tycoon Research
“Great job – I’m always amazed at how you can boil the complex down into simple terms. It flows very well.”
—Kyle Hodgens, Capital Financial Media
Thank you for the copy. I see why you’re the expert. It’s so simple, it’s brilliant.”
—Sau Hyoung Pak, Big Machine
“The radio spots are very well done. I am very impressed with your work and copywriting expertise. We will be making the changes to the print ad as you suggested. In the future we may work with you to design a totally new print ad. Again I’d like to say I’m impressed with your services. You were prompt, informative, and definitely know your stuff. We will be recommending you to others and doing repeat business.”
—Joshua Andrews, Health Solutions, LLC
“When people get to the promotion, the promotion has a good conversion rate. In one test, it actually had a 14% conversion to sale… can’t ask for much better than that.”
—David Galland, Casey Research
“I loved the ad! I don’t see any reason for revision so I have already put through a check request for the balance I owe you on the ad. We are very excited about this one. I can’t wait to see how it does. Thanks so much!”
—Alice Wessendorf, Agora Health Book
“I show off the work that we did on lead generation for negotiation — as well as the conversion program from HMCL — as big successes.”
—Paul Szymanski, Harvard Business School Publishing
“Thank you for being very instrumental on making the launch of the wealth management book such a resounding success. It was so successful that we had to request more copies.”
–Ingrid Boney, II
“Thanks, Bob! You are awesome to work with.”
—Matt Morsa, Stock Secrets, Inc.
“I’ve spoken to a thousand copywriters over the years and Bob Bly is the best. He knows what he’s doing.”
—Joe Culotta, Natural Medicine Co.
“I am happy to report to you that your piece out produced the 4 other packages we tested against it. I want to talk to you about another project….”
—Nick Roumi, Pacific Coast Funding
“This is an outstanding letter. Really nice work!”
—Paul Szymanski, Harvard Business School Publishing
“Like the package … the tone … I think it’s excellent.”
—Bill Caskey, Caskey Sales Achievement
“We are very pleased with your copy approach because your copy seems to speak to the neurologist better than the copy in previous promotions. Moreover, your copy presses the sell better and more effectively. I really value your direct marketing copy capabilities and I’m thrilled to have you working with MedLink.”
—Jim Chacona, MedLink
“Just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for the hard work and energy you’ve poured into the Sinatra product package. You are a joy to work with.”
—Gail Diggs, Phillips Health
“Thanks again… you did a great job.”
—Caleb Cherry, Capital Financial Media
“You are a genius! I rarely love copy this much from the get-go. You hit it on the head!”
—Sara Pond, Nightingale-Conant
“The original ad insert of ‘Wall Street’s Loss is Your Gain’ continues to kick butt — pulls 12 to 15 subscriptions a week. Not bad for a $500 investment made 5 months ago.”
—Charles Mizrahi, Stealth Stocks