Coffee Break Blogging

I get asked to evaluate blogs a lot, either privately or for members of my various training programs. In this episode, I'm going to share some of the key things I look for in determining whether a blog is laid out well for grabbing attention, holding attention, converting visitors into readers, getting people onto an email list, and much more.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• The #1 priority of your blog
• The mental state most people arrive on your blog in (and how this impacts how you must do things)
• 4 of the big "no-no"'s I see people doing with their blog homepages
• The true purpose of your blog's byline and why you MUST get it right.
• Why you should AVOID most of the built-in sidebar widgets in Wordpress.
• How many people screw up their blog's navigation menu.
• How most bloggers totally screw up their about page.
• And a lot more.

In this episode, I jump into the subject of productivity and getting more done. Bloggers and online entrepreneurs are particularly prone to overwhelm and the shiny object syndrome. In order to succeed online, you've got to have yourself organized. In these 15 productivity tips, you'll discover real-world, actionable advice from the trenches to help you get more productive online - and not let all these shiny objects get the best of you.

Even though this episode doesn't solely apply to bloggers, I thought it was important to cover this material early in the lineup of The Blog Program.

... Because, if you're not organized, you just won't get anywhere with your online business. If you're overwhelmed, little will happen.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Why you should consider NOT reading very much.
• How I personally use Evernote to plan my week (and capture blog ideas)
• The solution to strategy overwhelm that usually follows reading a bunch of blogs about blogging.
• How to deal with your email.
• Why I've been a clean-freak lately (and my wife is lovin' it)
• Why a desk that you stand up at isn't as crazy as it seems.
• And a lot more.

It is time for episode #2 of The Blog Program. :)

First of all, I want to THANK YOU for your support. The response to the first episode was awesome, and your reviews and ratings inside of iTunes help propel the show into the "New & Noteworthy" section of iTunes in the Business category! The show bounces around in there, but at one point it was #2 in that section.

THANK YOU. :)

So, I'm humbled, excited... and eager to get more shows out there. So eager that I've decided to kick out episode #2 NOW. This show was recorded even before #1 was published... and I recorded it using my Blue Snowball mic just to see how it went. It sounded pretty good, with just a few minor imperfections. However, I've got my new Heil PR40 all set up, and from episode #3 onward, it will all be recorded on that. :)

Here's a quick photo of the new setup (to the right).

In this episode, I'm talking about 11 of the top blog monetization strategies for your blog. Here's the breakdown of the show:

• Introduction, and some of what I've been working on over on my tech site, PCMech.com.
• The problem with "blog monetization".
• The breakdown of the 11 monetization strategies.

Finally! This is the first session of The Blog Program - a brand new podcast with your's truly.

You can listen to it right here on the blog, or download it to your computer or MP3 player. I'm in the process of getting it set up in iTunes. Once that is up and in place, I'll be sure to let you guys know (of course).

This podcast is something that I've been thinking of doing for awhile. I went back and forth on it, but finally decided to make 2012 the year I make it happen. Of course, one of the people who was helpful in putting me over the edge on this was my friend, Pat Flynn. His SPI podcast has done very well. Pat also helped me in private with a few recommendations behind the scenes, so... Pat, thanks dude. :)

Which brings us to Episode #1. This episode includes:

• A short introduction to the show.
• A little bit about me (mainly for people who find me on the podcast and haven't been a reader for awhile).
• The step-by-step blog launch plan (I cover a LOT of info in this overview... much of it stuff I will get into more detail on in later episodes)
• A few words about what's coming with this podcast

A Few Notes On The Path Forward

Podcasting is pretty much a totally new thing for me. So, I full expect to get better at it over time. A few notes:

• The audio on this episode was pretty decent, but it was recorded on a headset mic. I am intending to equip myself with the Heil PR40 and really make sure the audio is great - especially for people who listen to me in headphones and can hear every little audio imperfection. I'll be getting all this stuff set up soon.
• The format of the show is a big experiment. The layout of it might change. Plus, I'm fully expecting to have guests on the show from time to time as well.
• The title - The Blog Program - wasn't accidental. It happened to work out really well for a podcast. But, the word "program" also refers to a step-by-step approach to executing something. And, that's certainly a huge component to what I have in mind with this podcast. Because one of the BIG things bloggers pine for is CLARITY and STEP-BY-STEP guidance. So, I'm hoping that my podcast (and I have some ideas on extending this beyond the podcast) will be that clarity... and provide some order to all the information and noise out there.