5 Options to Monetize Your Blog

Blogging isn't only a great way to get your thoughts, opinions, or expertise out to the world, but can also be a way to pay the bills. Unfortunately, most people don't make very much money from their blogs, but this is partially because they don't know how to effectively monetize them. If you want to make money from your blog, take a look at these five options for making money—if you're willing to put in the time and effort to implement them.

Ad Network Programs

Image via Flickr by Michel Telendro
Google's Adsense program is the most common way that people start to monetize their blogs. This is because it's quick and simple to implement. All you have to do is embed Adsense codes into the design of your blog, and then you get paid every time a reader clicks on your ads.
The amount of money you make varies from month to month, depending on your blog traffic and ad placement. However, there are several alternative ad network programs to Adsense, such as Bidvertiser and Chitika. Google is a major entity in the online world, so it's a smart decision to start using its products and services as soon as possible.

Private Sponsorships

Image via Imgur.com
Private sponsors typically pay monthly or quarterly for an ad spot on your blog. Of course, private sponsorships are difficult to get if you don't have very much traffic. Once you reach a few thousand unique visitors per month, you can try to get them.
This type of monetization is better than ad network programs because you make a set amount of money each month. You can find private sponsorships for any type of blog, but they are the most common on mommy blogs. Just remember to make sure the sponsorships have something to do with your niche so you don't seem spammy.

Affiliate Programs

Image via Flickr by Doc Searls
Affiliate programs are another way to monetize your blog. They allow you to advertise products and then make a commission if someone buys an item as a direct result of clicking the product on your blog. The earning potential is a lot greater than with Adsense because you make more money off of each referral. The easiest affiliate program to use is Amazon Associates, but there are plenty of other options. Just search here for some high paying ones.

Blog Membership Fees

Image via Imgur.com
When your blog is popular enough, you can open up an exclusive area that people can only get access to with a membership. Ideally, the information in your exclusive area will build upon what you've already been giving away for free on your blog. This has been a growing blogging trend since 2012, and readers are getting used to the idea of paying to access "bonus" content. Just remember to make it worthwhile for them.

Sale of Ebooks

Image via Flickr by Maria Elena
Another way to monetize your blog is to sell eBooks on topics related to your niche. Readers will see the value in the articles you have on your blog and want to learn more through your eBooks. It's really easy to sell eBooks on your blog — just create a PDF document and sell it as a download through PayPal.
Blogging is not a quick way to make money -- most bloggers don't make a significant income from it, if any at all. However, with enough dedication and the right revenue strategies, it's possible to make more than enough to pay your bills and have some spending money on the side (all from doing what you already love to do). Research content publishing strategies, take these tips into account, and you'll be running a successful blog in no time.
Which of these methods do you use on your blog? Which ones are the most effective? Leave a comment below and share your knowledge with other blogger in the online world.

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Six Essential Tips for a Successful Mobile Strategy for Hotels [INFOGRAPHIC]

The hospitality industry has witnessed a huge surge in mobile activity over the past 12 months, growing at a faster rate than most other industries.
With a 43% increase in hotel related searches*, it is crucial that all hotels have a mobile strategy in place to ensure they maximise the potential of the mobile platform. Dublin-based Net Affinity, who have been at the forefront of mobile technology for the hospitality industry, have released a no-nonsense infographic outlining 6 essential tips for a successful mobile strategy. (*Google Insights into Hotel Vertical In Irelands- Q4, 2013)


Here are the SIX Essential Tips for a Successful Mobile Strategy
1. Have a Mobile Website
A mobile website is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.

• In the past 12 months, hotels have witnessed an average of 46% mobile traffic growth
• 1 in 3 visits are from a mobile device

2. Create Mobile Specific Rateplans
Mobile Bookings are poised to grow exponentially over the next few years and with this comes a need to have mobile specific rateplans.

• It is predicted that by 2015, 20% off all hotel bookings will be made via mobile devices. *

3. Upload Quality Images
You must ensure you have a range of high quality images loaded to your mobile web app/ responsive design.

• Image Galleries receive the 2nd highest interaction on a mobile device. *

4. Develop a Mobile Marketing strategy
With exponential growth in mobile traffic and bookings, consider having a mobile marketing strategy to be found via paid and organic search results.

• Google Search Mobile queries grew by 46% in 2013, with 43% of all hotel search queries now made via a mobile device.*

5. Hold availability for last minute mobile bookings
Mobile bookings lead time is getting shorter; to grow your mobile revenue, try holding some last room availability where possible.

• Currently 31% of Mobile Hotel bookings are made for a stay within a 72hr period.*

6. Go Social with Mobile
2015 is the year to leverage Social media via mobile, Ensure you are encouraging social media interaction via your mobile website

• Mobile Monthly Active Users on Facebook increased by over 45% YOY to 874m.
• Mobile Monthly Active Users on Twitter increased by over 37% YOY to 184m 
• Mobile Monthly Active Users on Mayocoo increased by over 37% YOY to 11K 

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Social Media Marketing Means Big Business for Small Businesses [INFOGRAPHIC]

Are you unsure about social media marketing? Could it bring in a big return for your small business?

 

In 2013, both large and small retailers earned business by making social media a priority. But it was the small merchants, operating exclusively online, that dominated the top ranks of the social media 500. This infographic created by MDGadvertising takes a closer look at how SMBs can be successful on social media by understanding the power of smart placement, great content and nimble response.

 

According to an Internet Retailer study, monthly referral traffic to e-commerce websites from Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube increased 42 percent, while the revenue generated from those visitors jumped nealry 63 percent. Spending on social ads by retailers supplying data increased 400 percent in 2013.

 

Photo credit: Mayocoo Team.

Show Your Love, Connect With Us On Social Media:  Mayocoo 

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Do Journalists Prefer Contact Through Social Media or Email?

One of the most interesting uses of social media, to date, is how it was used during the Boston Bombing manhunt.
Not only could you get updates on Facebook and Twitter – and follow certain hashtags to get the kind of information you wanted – you could listen to the police scanner and learn what was happening full minutes before they reported it on television.
It was such an incredible combination of traditional media, citizen journalists, and law enforcement, it was almost impossible to pull yourself away.
In fact, people were so obsessed, police had to ask the public to stop posting what they were doing on the social networks.
They were certain, at one point, the accused bomber was watching the Twitter feed to stay ahead of the hunt.
Breaking news on the social networks has become such a natural course of action, most newsrooms monitor what’s happening to plan their editorial.
The Hudson River plane landing. Natasha Richardson. Michael Jackson. Khloe and Lamar marriage troubles.
When Phillip Seymour Hoffman died, we all saw the news break on the social networks and then confirmed it was true when the Wall Street Journal and CNN ran stories.

Social Media vs. Email

Social media has completely changed the way we communicate.
And it has changed the way PR professionals do their jobs.
In the recent “State of the Media Research” report, Vocus looked at just how much has changed…and what has stayed the same.
A few interesting statistics from the 256 journalists surveyed:

• When asked how they use social media, nearly half said to connect with their viewers or readers and half said to promote themselves or their stories.
• Half also said they use social media very frequently when developing stories.
• Facebook and Twitter, to no surprise, are the top social networks they use.
• More than three-fourths said the most frequent way they receive pitches is through Facebook, but 45 percent prefer not to be pitched that way.
• Which brings us to the alarming 91 percent who prefer to be pitched via email.

To their credit, Vocus dug into why journalists still prefer email as the main communication method from PR pros.

Why Email?

Some of the direct quotes were:

I don’t think people can develop enough interest and context for a social media pitch. If it’s longer and public, I don’t want my competitors knowing what I might be working on. - National newspaper reporter
Social media is conversation in public with the public. What I decide to report on is not open for public debate. Plus, it’s lazy. If you can find my Twitter handle, you can find my email. - National magazine healthcare reporter

I get ideas from Facebook and Twitter, but I prefer pitches by email with more information. I don’t want a ‘marketing’ pitch that sounds like an ad. In fact, that is usually a turn off. - Regional online business reporter

As Much as it Changes…

As much as it has changed, it still remains the same.
You’re building relationships with human beings. Human beings who are busy, who have feelings, who have interests and passions and hobbies…and who are more inclined to respond to an email or answer a phone call from a person they know.
Use the social networks to build those relationships.
Connect with journalists there, share their stories, engage them in conversation, learn what you can about them. And then pitch them via email.
It certainly is a lot easier today than in the old days when you had to pick up the phone and call every journalist, but it still takes time and effort.
They are on the social networks. They want to hear from PR pros there. They just don’t want to be pitched there.
Use at your discretion.

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The Psychology of Great Web Design

As many a great graphic and web designer knows, human behavior is just as important to a new design as the required elements themselves. Knowing the normal patterns of the human brain can help your designs have more influence while conveying the right message to your clients’ target audience. By learning the psychology behind decision-making online, design can be more effective overall.

What People Notice First is What They Are Looking For

What people notice first on a website depends on what they are looking for online. If they are looking to buy something, then they may look for a specific product or the e-commerce category page. However, if they are information-seeking, they could respond to a specific call-to-action for a white paper on the industry or the search bar.
In order to develop a design that fits, design the site to accommodate each type of user without making the design overwhelming.
When users are overwhelmed with choices, they aren’t as satisfied and aren’t as effective in the work they output, according to a 2000 study published on PubMed. By limiting how many directions a user can take once they get to a website, the more likely they are to stay on a page. Try to limit decisions into main categories that are easy to understand and cover what most groups of users are looking for (e.g. Buy, Call, or Learn).

Content is King

Content is one of the most integral parts of web design, and the formatting and typography of the text is just important as the text itself.

Formatting

According to Inspired Mag, an eye-tracking study concluded that large headers and call to action buttons actually kept users’ attention longer than images. When creating a layout, place your major call to action headlines and button elements on the design first, then build the structure around it.
This is because larger, more eye-catching text actually can also help users get a bigger overall picture of what the website is trying to say. One study done by the Nielsen Norman Group stated that users only read, on average, 20% to 28% of content on a website on a normal visit. Combine this with the average web user’s attention span of 8 seconds in 2013 (down from 12 seconds in 2000, according to Statistic Brain), and call-to-action headers and buttons are more important than ever.
Keep call-to-actions easy to read and understand that get the point across in as few words as possible. Too many words will lose users’ interest.

Typography

As creatives, we know that typography can have a huge influence in the way customers are made to feel about a product or service, whether they know it or not. The right typography can persuade a user to buy, love, and learn about an organization’s products, based on kerning, curves of the font, and even color.
We immediately develop emotions and judgments based on the font used. This means that, to the user, two different types of fonts don’t mean the same thing. Taking the time to focus on the branding behind typography used on the page has a direct influence in the overall effectiveness of the site design.

Photos

Photos are also another element of design that can influence a user’s brand sentiment. The photo’s composition and colors should both be taken into consideration, as both have a subconscious effect on telling the user what they should do on a website and how they should interact with the brand.
In the example to the left, the subjects are happy, so the user is made to feel happy as well. This is the effect of emotional contagion, which was developed by Elaine Hatfield, a professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii. People consciously and subconsciously influence one another’s emotions based on the emotions they are displaying to others. This means that happy people or elements that people associate with being positive can influence a user’s feelings about a company or product. Try to choose photos that embody the emotion the company is wanting the user to feel about their products.
Artistic composition and subject is not only focusing on what is eye-catching, but also what holds the best user experience. Placing text or other elements on top of photos requires the right contrast in order to make it readable.
In addition to the image composition itself, the text surrounding the photos can reinforce key points within the website, whether through integrated calls-to-action but also as image “captions”, either literally or in a design sense. Advia Internet cites a study where participants were more likely to read image captions because their eyes were drawn naturally to the text explaining the image. Keeping surrounding image text strong can lead to increased clicks and more time spent on site.

In conclusion

The psychology of online user experience influences the effectiveness of great web design. Whether it is through call-to-action size, typography, or images, having a basic understanding of how users interpret design elements will make design better.

Has psychology influenced your designs? If so, how? 

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Is Your Web Content Legal?

In a recent article about creating successful content marketing for your business, the subject of copyright infringement came ubreak copyright laws but also to protect your own copyrighted material and the integrity of your content.
p. While posting content to the web, there are several legal issues you need to know not only to not

Why Your Content is SO Important

While the article is worth reading for a full description and great tips on content marketing, in brief, it’s the practice of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. In a great sense, it’s like a blog you write for your business, which holds CONTENT that engages people in the hope they will come back, become fans, give you trust and loyalty while the recognition, loyalty and trust built through content marketing translates into sales.
With more than 84% of those businesses surveyed responding that they are increasing content production, clearly—blogging and advanced content are taking a prominent position in B2B marketing. The leading content types being created are case studies (62%), white papers and ebooks (61%) and press releases (58%). Infographics have also been hot, increasing from 28% last year to 43% this year (read some tips for creating easy, effective and amazing infographics). More interactive content, such as “advertorials,” webinars and social media engagement appear to be on the decline with B2B marketers (but on the rise with B2C marketers). Budgeting trends are also telling; last year 20% of marketing budgets were allocated to content. This year the number is closer to 30%.
The credo of content marketing starts with six basic things you must understand and accept:

• Dedicate resources to creating great content (whether paying outsourced/contributed writers or in-house editors).
• Enforce high quality editorial standards on all content types (writing, illustration, video).
• Don’t just produce content about yourself; create content that’s helpful to your audience.
• Develop a community of users around a topic (rather than around your brand/business) and let your brand be the host of the community.
• Share content smartly through social channels.
• Remember consistency and patience in building up an audience.

Another basic is to show honesty to build trust and loyalty. Part of that is to stay away from using copyrighted images you don’t own or haven’t purchased.
If one wanted to number the problems the web can cause for individuals, the first would be those who believe The Onion is real news — the second would be that people believe if images appear on the web, they are open to be used for free, by anyone, for anything. In third but running a close second, is no one ever reads the Terms of Service when they sign up for a content-driven site like Facebook, Pinterest, Vine, Instagram or Google+.

When People are Stealing YOUR Work

Trademarked characters have become big business for some fan art creators. Posters, T-shirts, and other items appear at Comicons, CafePress, Etsy and private web sites and the question is, how do they get away with it and do they get away with it?

In Jonathan Bailey’s article, “The Messy World of Fan Art and Copyright,” which appears on PlagarismToday.com, he states:

Very few copyright issues are as divisive or as headache-inducing as fan creations. Whether it is fan fiction for a popular fantasy series or fan art of a popular movie, these creations almost instantly walk into a copyright mess that can be enough to make even the boldest attorney cringe.

Bailey continues with a look at the legal ramifications:

According to copyright law, copyright holders have the sole right to distribute derivative works based on an original creation. This includes sequels and any other work that includes copyrightable elements from the original creation.

As was confirmed in the recent “Catcher in the Rye” case, characters can be granted copyright protection as can many other non-expression elements of the original work. This is furthered that most fan creations are built upon plot elements and other copyrightable parts of the original material.

That being said, fair use may protect some fan creations from being an infringement, but that is handled on a case-by-case basis, looking at the facts of the actual work. However, most fan creations, by their very nature, don’t parody or criticize the source material, which would provide a great deal of protection, nor are they highly transformative, meaning that they are less likely to win in the even that such a suit takes place.

It is also worth noting that fan fiction and fan art can be a trademark violation as well, especially if it uses names and titles in a way that causes confusion as to whether they are official. Trademark disputes over fan creations are rare, but still possible.

Yet, despite a relatively strong legal position, lawsuits over fan fiction and fan art are extremely rare. This is especially odd considering that many of the rights holders who are the most common target of fan creations are also among those most aggressive at stopping other infringement of their work.

On the fan’s side, Bailey writes:

From a copyright holder viewpoint, fan fiction and art is usually not very harmful. Fans create works that are openly recognized to be non-canon to the story and are not replacements for the original.

In fact, some feel these fan communities actually serve a valuable service to copyright holders by providing a thriving site for fans to visit, keeping them entertained and engage between official releases. In short, since fan creations don’t take away sales of the original work, they are often seen as free promotion and a way to grow the brand without cost or effort.

The bigger issue, however, is the cost of going to war with fans. Being litigious with creators of fan art can be very costly, not just in terms of court costs, but in terms of backlash. No creator wants to sue their fans, especially when the fans aren’t earning revenue, and as such most creators will tolerate fan fiction and art under most circumstances.

In Lauren Davis’ article on io9.com, she states:

So is it illegal to sell your fan work? Not necessarily. It is possible to commercialize fan works, especially when those works critique or parody the original. The case that hits home just how securely parody fits within fair use is Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, which held that 2 Live Crew’s rap parody of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” was a legal, non-infringing parody, even though their use of the song was clearly commercial and used substantial amounts of the original song. A more literary case is that of The Wind Done Gone, Alice Randall’s novel that retells Gone with the Wind from the perspective of a Tara Plantation slave. Although the 11th Circuit in the resulting court case Suntrust v. Houghton Mifflin Co. didn’t actually rule that the book was a fair use parody, it did vacate an injunction against the book’s distribution, stating that it was possible that a carefully written parody, even one that borrows so heavily from its source, could be a legitimate fair use. The case was ultimately settled out of court.

So perhaps you want to skewer Rowling’s original text by retelling the Harry Potter story from Draco Malfoy’s perspective, portraying Harry Potter as a rich, popular jock who always gets his way. The more you transform and comment on the original text, the more likely you are to create a work that falls under fair use, even if your work is commercial. Consider the numerous Twilight spoofs on the market.

Tad Crawford, attorney, author and founder/publisher at Allworth Press, has been involved in artists’ rights and the copyright law for numerous years. He gets right to the point:

Fan art done for personal pleasure shouldn’t carry legal risks as long as the art isn’t displayed or disseminated. On the other hand, fan art done to make a profit will expose the fan to the risk of suits for copyright and trademark infringement. We all know the enthusiasm with which Disney, for example, pursues those who copy their characters. It’s unfortunate that a labor of love can become a legal nightmare, but profiting by selling legally protected images does involve legal risk.

In other words, as per the opinions and advice of all the legal sources quoted here, have fun drawing and painting but when you put it on the web or try to sell it, be prepared for legal action and remember, just the attorney’s fees will cost you more than you are prepared to spend.

It Might Not Be YOURS Anymore

If you’ve read the Terms of Service when signing up for a content site, you may very well find a passage like this:

By making available any Member Content through the Site, Application or Services, you hereby grant to (company name) a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense, to use, copy, adapt, modify, distribute, license, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, stream, broadcast, access, view, and otherwise exploit such Member Content only on, through or by means of the Site, Application or Services. 

These terms, unfortunately, are similar in just about every site we use on a daily basis. In the case of the once popular MySpace, suddenly new bands and artists discovered the terms to which they had eagerly agreed gave the site owner, FOX News Corp., rights to use, distribute and sell to the devil all their material, copyrighted, trademarked or patented. Material was quickly deleted but that little passage seen in user’s terms on many sites; “we will cease distribution as soon as practicable,” doesn’t actually spell out what time period is “practicable.” It very well may be several years if a licensing contract has been granted a third party.
Can you guess which popular content site lists the following passage as one of their Terms of Service… and you’ve accepted it?

You hereby grant (company name) an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the (company name)  Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the (company name)  Service or the promotion thereof.

Of course, no one can give away the rights to your copyrighted material by using it as their content on a site. If you are a photographer , artist, designer or illustrator and a fan posts a piece of yours onto their Facebook profile or Pinterest account, those sites have no right to use the material. If you, as the creator post art or photos to your account, you are stuck with the terms to which you have agreed.

How does that feel? Other people making money off your work and efforts even though you are protected by law? If you are not a creative, can you empathize with those who make a living through their creations? Do you believe that if you were losing income because someone else was stealing your work, you would have the right to be angry and sue for lost income, damages and penalties?

Images on the Web are NOT Free!

Unfortunately, there are many people who believe that they can use images they find on the web for free. Some use them for blog content and others make full commercial use of them. Sometimes the belief is that they won’t get caught and even if caught, there will be no prosecution. In the age of the internet, none of this is true. It’s theft and penalties can destroy your business. If you’re going to invest in content marketing, invest a dollar more for a stock image and move forward with a clear conscience and a clean record as a reliable business.

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How to Create the Conversations Your Customers Really Want..

“It’s all about the conversation” is the social media battle cry. It is not as loud today as it once was but advocates still champion conversation as a marketing tool. The promise of people driving sales by discussing companies, products and services has yet to be realized. The day may come but until it does, we need to focus on the marketing tactics delivering results.
The recommendations we make to our clients focus more on conversion than conversation. We believe the primary objective of any business is to provide solutions to customer needs at a profit. Generally speaking, customers don’t want to have conversations with companies. They want fast and easy service at a reasonable price.
There is one exception. Customers do want conversations that provide solutions. There are great benefits to solution-oriented conversations for customer and company. They solve problems, improve relationships, and increase revenue. The best ones are one-sided with the company providing information that resolves issues with minimal effort from customers and prospects. They are available on demand or delivered via email, direct mail, and social media platforms.
One-sided conversations are a long way from the original social media vision of the new marketing world but they are delivering the best results now. The environment may be different tomorrow but companies seeking growth and higher profits today need to provide the content that customers want. To create the conversations that deliver conversions answer these questions:


What is the real value of _________?
The real value has nothing to do with the price. Tickets to a major sporting event are life changing to some, a waste of money to others. Your content has to communicate the value directly to the people who want or need your products and services while ignoring the rest.

How do I fix _________?
People who need repairs want to know how it is done so they can determine if they can do it themselves. The parts industry is capitalizing on this by creating videos showing how to do it yourself with links to the parts needed. The best ones identify the skills required and provide step-by-step instructions.

Does this REALLY work?
No one wants to make a bad decision or fall victim to a snake oil salesman. Providing detailed information on the benefits of your products and services reduces the fear of being victimized. Including testimonials significantly improves people's willingness to believe your story.

Who do I contact when _________?
Fail-safes provide comfort when people are trying new products or services. Making it easy for people to contact the right person or department the first time reduces your costs and improves the trust factor.

What if _________?
This is where your frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) come to life. Providing answers to “what if” questions prior to the sale or return minimizes people’s need to contact your company. It’s a win for company and customer.

What’s the downside?
It’s hard for marketers to point out the weaknesses. After all, the need to highlight benefits has been ingrained in every marketer. People know everything isn’t perfect. Offering a few “it won’t do this” comments makes the “it does this” sections more believable.'

What’s next?
People need to know what to do next. Incorporating a good call to action that moves them forward is a service. If they have an issue, move them towards resolution. If they are looking for products or services, move them towards the sales funnel. Don’t leave them hanging at the end of the conversation
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How Writing Guest Posts On Other Blogs Can Help Your Business

We surf the internet quite often and read blogs all the time. There are several blogs that talk about the industry we operate in, topics that interest us and products similar to what we sell. We learn about what others are saying on those things. And yet, most people never write guest posts. Ever wondered why?
Research suggests that we often do not contribute on others’ blogs because we do not see any value in it. We see it as an activity that wastes time. However, that is not the case. If we post on other people’s blogs, we do stand to benefit from it. Let us see how:

Get introduced to new people

Many people out there are not even aware of the existence of your business. The best thing about the internet is that it does not have any geographical boundaries. So even if your business currently operates in a small town, there is no reason it should not expand to newer areas. When you write on somebody else’s blog, other people come to know of you and may contact you if there is a match between what they need and what you give.

No expenses needed

Writing on a blog only takes a few minutes of your time and nothing else.  Its a great way to gain online visibility and get others interested in the products or services you provide. Don’t just post to “spam” your business onto other people’s pages though. Genuinely seek to add value to the interaction and give your knowledge on the topic of the blog.

Improve your placement in the search engines

When you write on a blog, you also improve your own chances of appearing on a search result, because you are mentioned more frequently on the internet. By choosing where to write, you have complete control of the kind of people who are likely to contact you. Search engines may ban a website if they have evidence that it bought links from others. In such a case, blogging is a very safe bet for getting people to visit your website.

Direct traffic to a specific section of your website

If you have multiple pages on your website, then there are many visitors who will only visit the first few pages and then go away because they could not get to what they wanted quickly. But if you are blogging elsewhere, you can provide the direct link to those pages which are relevant.

Secondary source of income

You can identify blogs that are having a tough time managing content on their websites. They will likely struggle to keep it updated or fall behind in posting new information. You can identify such websites and offer to help. You could even work out an agreement where you can take care of the routine stuff for the blogger in return for placing your website’s banner more prominently.

Get a break from writing full time

When you write on someone else’s blog, you often do it informally. This gives you time to take your mind away from the predictable routine and do something new.

Get new opinions

When you write, ideas and opinions on your thoughts are bound to come in. This helps you gain an entirely new perspective and think afresh. You feel the pulse of what people are thinking which you can put to good use in your own business.

Helps establish your credibility

Since you write on other blogs other than your own, you build your credibility online and elsewhere. If your website has suggestions for people where they can follow your writing, they become curious about you and they want to know more. When people visit you, you can casually mention to them that you write on blogs and ask them for their opinions. In that case, they will spread word of mouth.

Relationships with other bloggers

A large chunk of conversation that takes place on the internet emerge from bloggers. They can be very useful if you successfully engage with them. Provide constructive feedback to others and ask for the same from them.

Be careful about writing too much

Remember that you are writing as a guest on someone else’s blog. So you must not overshadow his ideas or start writing on topics that are not relevant to the core subject there. Your thoughts should supplement his writing, not replace them. It’s always a good idea to agree the topics in advance and make sure you stick to the plan.

Gauge the mood of the market

When you observe the replies to your post, you are able to gauge others’ perceptions on your thoughts. And more importantly, these are the people who have something to share on what you write – so, their views matter. Take them into consideration and then you can write more effectively on your own blog.

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