What has blogging done for you? 
You may or may not know how stupid some of the things you do are. Ugh!
And this post has nothing to do with your personal resolutions for the year.
When I look back at my goals for 2012, I discovered that I’d have achieved so much if I focused on this “one” thing.
What about you? Everything else you do at content marketing might be a waste of time – even though you’ve it all figured-out.
Just like blue chip firms, I took inventory of my earnings this year and how much life I’ve imparted – did I do well?
Yes, I did well – but there is still room for improvement.
As we’re about moving into 2013, you had better focus on this one thing that truly matters – because everything a blogger does is stupid.
When I say stupid, I mean an ‘act’ that’s irrelevant, invaluable and unproductive.
Who says quality content is everything?
I know this – someone or some sorts of blog post advised you to focus on quality content. We’ve been made to believe it’s all that matters online. Yes, I agree partly to that advice, but does it work like that in its true sense?
I’ve seen blogs with compelling content, but still don’t make the owner happy – in terms of earnings and receptive audience. I’m a strong advocate of good content, and you can see that from my blog posts but there is so much more.
Good content, quality or compelling content or can we call it “epic shit?” They are just the tactics used to get that “ONE” thing that truly matters.
The truth is that if you fail to create valuable content for your readers, you’d miss out on the one thing that really counts for you.
So, what’s the most important thing every blogger, content marketer and digital marketer must focus their attention on?
“Increasing your PUSH BUTTON list”
But hey, what is that supposed to mean? I know you’d ask such a question because as my custom is, I like to introduce new phrase to my readers, just to give new meaning to phrases you’ve read/head more than gazillion times.
Read along and I’d explain what I meant by that subheading phrase. And I’d like to ask you a question first:
Did you know that the success of your blog or website depends on the number of people you can reach in your target market quickly?
Don’t be deceived, if you find it difficult to distribute your blog post after publishing it, what good does it make? Why did you write it in the first place? You need readers, or don’t you?
You need to realize that reaching people who care about your blog, products and services and your opinion is the ultimate end.
But sometimes, it can be very difficult because the competition is getting hotter by the day.
Many bloggers are going back to 9-5 jobs with the hope of coming back to blogging after they must saved some cool cash in their bank accounts. Hahahah!
Consequently, every activity you get involved in must bring you closer to increasing your “PUSH BUTTON” list. In other words, adding more subscribers to your email list.
Over and over again, someone have told you that the “money is in the list” and maybe you didn’t take the statement seriously.
You know what cliché is? It’s a word or phrase that has lost its original expression or power from overuse. The truth of the matter is, adding more people to your email list can make blogging much more fun and profitable.
I’m not asking you to send affiliate offers all the time to your list, as this can result in people unsubscribing from your list – which you don’t want to happen in good instances.
Do I need Google plus or twitter?
Whether you accept it or not, social media networks are powerful platforms where you can reach the right people, engage followers and in turn enrich your business and life.
But with the NOISE flying around about social media marketing being the core, it can never be compared to email marketing.
Did you know that your facebook page is owned by Mark Zuckerburg? So many bloggers are blind to this truth and even your twitter handle is owned by (please remind me**). You can wake up tomorrow and all your followers would be gone.
Good news is, if you spend time building a email list today, it’s your asset and you’ve full control over it.
Some people have also been complaining that even though their facebook like is increasing, the click-through rate is still low.
How can you add more people to your social profile and yet, they can’t visit your blog?
Yes, you can tweet, share, pin, retweet, syndicate and do all sort of social media distribution, but they’re not the “real” thing that makes blogging worthwhile.
They’re a means to an end. The end is “Building your email list.” Ouch, there is something more I didn’t explain…keep reading…
Push button, why you need it more than your next meal 
When you capture email leads, follow up and build good relationship with subscribers, it’s a typical PUSH BUTTON system.
Because you can find a helpful affiliate offer, craft a clickable subject line and send it to your list at the push of a button.
Once that’s done, you can start taking orders and making money almost instantly.
You can also drive instant readers to your blog post; get product ideas for your upcoming project. So much benefit from your list.
When you hear that a system is push button, it means that everything is automated.
And that’s what email marketing brings to you. What a great privilege to talk about your life, business, product, ideas and aspirations inside someone’s inbox?
Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and other people’s blog including your own blog are GREAT distractions.
They make marketing tedious and most times, you’d feel like packing up – for something else. Reaching out to a qualified blog reader and potential customer is better off in their inbox.
The end goal is to build a reader-database
Content marketing has gone beyond writing articles, blog posts, product review, press release, white pagers, recording a podcast or even creating videos to promote your business – it’s about focusing on the end goal and working your way up.
Unfortunately, thousands of bloggers who produce informative and evergreen content are missing out.
They’re leaving the real ‘gem’ of internet marketing and going after fad. Of course, making money is vital and without it, you are as good as not coming online at all. But what happens after the money?
So long you still have your breath, life continues, and so does blogging and writing.
Let’s assume you tricked or used B.S. and Hype to make money online – what happens when you finish spending your affiliate earnings? As they say, “what goes around comes around.”
You can’t eat your cake and have in, as a blogger. It’s time to focus on what makes blogging tick – don’t be deceived, blogging and writing isn’t for the monetary gains alone. It’s for the change you CAN make in Your Own World.
I’ve a huge list, yet, I’ m broke!
Give me a break, email marketing isn’t all about getting subscribers to click “buy now” button. In fact, if that’s all that matters to you – you’re headed for failure. If you’ve a huge list and you’re still broke, we need to consider two factors:
- You’re faceless, unfriendly person
- You don’t know how to measure the right metric
When you’re faceless and unfriendly, your subscribers will never respond to your email messages. The reason why a lot of them are still subscribed is because they don’t have time to scroll down and click “unsubscribe” link.
Yep, people are really busy with their own businesses – so you mustn’t waste their time by being faceless. Or refuse to seek after their wellbeing.
Start by cultivating a deep communication with your list members. Remember, the goal is to create a PUSH BUTTON system so that whenever you send an email, they can click, read, and do whatever you ask of them.
This is efficient content marketing – without the noise or trying to get people to do what they don’t want to do.
The moment a reader joins your email list, a new tutorial class has been initiated. You’ve to be a teacher to succeed with email marketing.
Most people have failed, more would still fail – but those who take time to bring it to a point of “PUSH BUTTON” would smile to the bank. It’s all about relating with people in their own levels.
Stop obsessing over comments and traffic stats
Congratulations, if your blog gets comment daily – but what next?
I’m talking about real business here. In this post, I talked about one vital task that’s the ultimate – adding people to your email list and communicating with them.
But you know what? I still see a lot of bloggers who shed tears because no one left them a comment.
I’ve tried all my possible best to increase my comment counts, but it seems I’m doing it wrongly. A friend of mine said to me the other day.
What is it in comment that makes bloggers so obsessed? If you’re looking at the number of comments you’ve today or this week, it can weigh your down. Stop that right now.
Although, I once thought that comments was all that matters. Comment is not money. It doesn’t even mean that your blog is engaging as well.
It’s funny because someone who thought that he’d built a community – because he gets 60+ comments in his new posts, just launched his e-book but only 2 people purchased.
See, in the blogging world, people who need do follow links and free traffic can decide to leave comment on your posts. In fact, they can add it to their wish list.
So, the fact that you’ve thousands of people who gladly comment on your blog doesn’t mean that you’re doing the right thing.
Even after Google rolled out Panda, Penguin and EMDs, many people still want do follow links by any means possible. Bloggers can be funny at times. Aren’t they?
“ONE” important task for content marketer
Your goal should be to write good content consistently, which can encourage people to join your email list. Yes, you can still use twitter and other social networks because as I said earlier, social media is a powerful force.
Neglecting the three giants, four actually is marketing amiss. I’m talking about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
But as you tweet, share and pin photos, make sure it can bring people to your blog where they can be encouraged to subscribe to your list for more insights. Content that are exclusive to none other person – than a subscriber.
If you get 10, 20 or 100 comments on your blog post or no comment at all, don’t cower or rejoice over it. It doesn’t matter as far as effective content marketing is concerned.
Some top marketers like Seth Godin and Steve Pavlina turned off their comments to avoid distractions. You may not turn off yours, but don’t allow it distract you.
Even if you decide to leave a comment on this post or not, I’d still attract a lot of targeted traffic to it and hopefully fresh subscribers.
Potential clients could hire me as well – and that’s money for me. (Come on…scroll down and leave me a comment). Don’t you take jokes again?
Build your email list with guest posting
Since I started writing guest posts, I’ve been adding 10 – 20 fresh and real people to my email list daily. It’s my greatest asset.
Although building relationship with the few hundred subscribers can increase click through rate, conversion rate and other benefits, but we need to add more people.
Guest posting is potent enough to help you build a responsive email list. And if adding targeted readers to your list is your #1 priority, you’d carefully research top blogs – not just any type of blog.
I used to submit my informative guest articles wherever I see “write for us,” but I’ve since changed that stupid approach. You should, too.
When you submit a valuable guest article in an A-list blog that enjoys good readership, social media influence and most importantly, organic traffic, you’d benefit a lot.
Your guest post can go viral within 48 hours – sending avalanche of fresh readers to your blog, natural links, and subscribers to your list.
Optimize your landing page – do it now
You should create a separate landing page on your blog – for email capture. When you optimize it properly, with the right keywords (the minds of your readers) and write compelling content, your email list would grow very quickly.
Add an optin box to your landing page. For me, my landing page is more or less my homepage, because that’s where I collect qualified leads.
But if your theme doesn’t support adding optin on the header, create a landing page then use guest posting and SEO to reach potential readers.
Yes, you need readers, but more importantly, you need repeat readers who should come from your email list – maybe when you send your latest post or whenever they feel like.
One thing that may be easy is to capture email leads; another thing (ultimately) is to establish a connection between you and those people.
Without this, you’d still fail woefully and someone without a mailing list can be better than you – how pathetic?
Don’t be a suicidal blogger, I beg of you…
I once read a short but powerful report – it says that bloggers and internet marketers who don’t build a list are secretly committing suicide in their various online ventures. Are you one of such persons?
If all you know about is to wake up early, research, write, sell and make some money without connecting, sharing and relating with readers and potential customers on their inboxes, you’re a “suicidal” blogger. Period!
Whatever you can do to increase your push button list, start doing it today. You could run a PPC campaign if you’ve the funds.
Or better yet, you can implement effective content marketing; knowing your target audience, their needs and creating content to meet those needs.
Push Button takeaway
Phew, this post is a long one – and my back aches. But I won’t stop till you do this one thing today: Go to your blog; add a subscription box to start building your list right away.
If you need a reliable autoresponder, try getresponse for 30 days – for free. And if you’ve started building your email list already, maybe neglected it, get back and start communicating with your subscribers. You’d thank me later or never.
Did you enjoy this post? Drop me a comment or ask a question, regarding email marketing. See you at the top!