What's currently your biggest blogging challenge?

My challenge? Enough time in the day!

It's not so much a challenge, really. I love blogging, have seen a great deal of success come from it and there's no shortage on topics. My challenge is not having enough time in the day to write as much as I'd like. A recent Technorati study showed that the top 100 bloggers post 10+ times per day. Even those in the top 5,000 post about 2-4 times a day. I run 2 businesses and provide the tech support & marketing for those, as well as for our clients. By the time I get some real "me" time, it's late in the evening after we've had dinner and I'm no longer in a working mood.

If anything, I might say spreading my content too thin also. I write a lot, in a lot of places ( my blog, Squidoo, forums, social networks, my own training network etc.), and I don't want to fall prey to duplicate content on any of them. So a big challenge is how and where to evenly distribute my content so that I don't skimp one area.

But what's a challenge if you don't stand up to it? Right now, I'm blogging every other day or so. I'm going to work over the next month to gradually increase that to twice a day. An ambitious feat, but not impossible (and I understand it has it's benefits). Will keep you informed!

-Ina

My Challenge is....How Do I Fit My Blogging Into My Schedule?

I know it is about time management.   I am getting much better at it!  I belong to a few social networks and the amount of mail I receive sometimes becomes overwhelming to me.  I am a creative individual  which inspired me to start my home gift basket business.  I also work in the entertainment industry!

As I develop my rhythm in organizing my time, I plan on blogging more often.  I may not be able to blog several times a day but  when I do it will be of quality.

I love blogging and it inspires me to continue creating elegant gifts for everyone.  Bloggingcan be a stress reliever for those that may not know it.

Joy & Blessings,

Karen

Blogging Content Exposure

Hello Andrea

I had recently tried to connect with you in reference to choosing the right source of blogging. I'm fairly new at blogging but I'm confident that my content is somewhat effective and educational in terms of developing mindset for effective approach of online marketing. I'm currently blogging in blogger but I'm gradually beginning to sense that third party hosting is really not your ideal approach as it limits the control that you should have. What do you suggest I could probably do in the event that I would choose to relocate my posts?

Ironal Thompson

There's nothing wrong with blogger ...

Hi Ironal -

There's nothing wrong with Blogger - in fact using blogger blogs can be an important piece of an overall marketing strategy ...

BUT - for your main content blog - you run the risk of being at their mercy when it comes to TOS. It's like building a house on someone else's property ... not the smartest move, right?

It's actually very easy to do the content moving from Blogger to a self-hosted Wordpress blog - just a couple of clicks.

Depending on whether you already have significant traffic, you'd want to weigh whether to actually move it or just continue writing in your new space and link to the old one.

Do you already have your own domain name?

It will also require your own hosting (can be as little as $5/mo) - I like these guys:
http://hosting.ideatips.net

And you can either hire someone to do your Wordpress install (I do them) or I can point you to a set of free videos if you're more of a do-it-yourself kinda person.

Does that help you some?

Andrea :)

I know how it is to be time challenged ;-)

Totally know what you mean Karen about having too many directions you want to go in an never enough time.

Especially true for people who are creative!

I've been a jeweler on and off for about 18 years and blogging was a natural draw for me too :)

Also SO don't believe that blogging everyday is a necessity. Just depends on what purpose it's intended to serve... know what I mean?

Appreciate your post!

Andrea

Ina - this link's for you :)

Hey Ina -

Don't know if you know this guy yet, but his 'blogging blueprint' link there on the right side of the page here:
http://beablogger.ideatips.net

Might be of interest to you?

hth,
Andrea

Thanks Andrea. My problem

Thanks Andrea. My problem actually isn't with learning how to blog. I'm well versed in the ways blogging. It's just time. I run two businesses, one in which I provide marketing services for others. I don't so much have a problem with finding topics to blog about or anything dealing with set-up, as I provide training & tutorials on that aspect. It's just finding the time to blog as often as I would like to. Thanks!

Time

Blogging takes allot of time! Especially if you run multiple daily blogs. I find that one human being can only moderate about 5 blogs at a time effectively. I am trying 12 right now. I will let you know how that goes.

Looking for a safe spot to jump in

Hi Andrea ( and everyone else)

Although I do host an internet radio talkshow format blog I'm blown away by the idea of finding a space to put my words out there to be read.  And on top of that to be authoritative on my subject is really a strange pair of shoes for me to try on.  I'm between getting comfortable with the idea of starting a blog (or a few) and all the new information & multiple choices that are appearing before me.  Where do you begin?  Also what'syour opinion of Blogging vs Article writing.

My biggest challenge & Blogging vs. Article Writing

First ... Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or however you do or don't celebrate. I celebrate each of you!

• Blogging - Begin with three blogs - 30 minutes per day (10 minutes per blog, 5 days a week)

         A) YourName.com - The most important online real estate you can own for your future
         B) YourPassion.com - Could be your hobby, a cause, or whatever
         C) DifferenceInTheWorld.com - Something you can comment on that can make a   difference in our world (Remember Helen Keller's quote..."I am only One. But still I am One.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.  I will not refuse to do the something I can do.")

• Article Writing - Write 1 article per week (700-800 words is the "sweet spot" that publishers are seeking) and post at Better Networker, Ezine Articles, Submit Your Article, and others.  Spend 5 minutes per day keeping a page where you do nothing but write down every idea you can think of for writing an article...don't censor yourself.  Write down whatever comes to your mind. Chose one of those topics at the beginning of each week, and spend the other 25 minutes writing on your article.  At the end of the week, you have written one article for submitting to various services.

  Ok, we all have different learning styles.  The above was for those who like bullet points, etc.  This is a little more explanation on the above.  I believe a potential solution might be to say, "Ok, 30 minutes a day will go toward blogging, and 30 minutes a day will go toward writing an article."  In that way, you can utilize ten minutes a day on, for example,  each of 3 blogs, and do that five times a week.(hey, we all need some down time away from the computer in order to rejuvenate ourselves and be most productive).  Consider blogging to be more like shorter "Twitter" type of commenting, only an expanded and a little longer, while article writing takes on a more professional tone with its style and content.  There is also a great article from www.SubmitYourArticle.com entitled "How to Turn a Blog Post Into a Free Reprint Article."  I printed this off yesterday to read this week-end.  Go to that link...it's a jewel!

  Beginning with three blogs is more than adequate ... do them well before moving to more. Your most important blog will be YourName.com.  Mine (DottiBerry.com) will go live at the first of the year as soon as I work out my "challenge" outlined below.  One blog will be YourPassion.com (in other words, what are you PASSIONATE about?).  Mine that will be coming online soon is GiveWithoutExpectation.com. (It is something we learned to do in our year-long journey across America).  Click here to read "about me" ... it is at the bottom.  Our whole motto during that year was to take the journey unattached to a specific outcome.  Why?  Because when we get attached to a specific outcome, and things don't go our way, what happens?  Well, I find it very easy to slip into fear and disappointment.  So, that is why I am putting it out there as my opportunity to continue learning...to Give Without Expectation means staying unattached to a specific outcome.  Then, no matter what comes my way, my joy is there, irrespective of the circumstances.

  Ok, back to blogging! :) ... ok, I thought this was going to be a quick comment, but I am finding myself just having diarrhea of the mouth! Perhaps some will stick for someone!  Just an opportunity to put it out there and remain unattached to a specific outcome!

  (I invite you to join my group here at Better Networker:  GiveWithoutExpectation)

  A third blog can be whatever else is "tugging at you" that you feel is important.  Today, I am very concerned about debt for people, as I realize that is the #1 reason that relationships break up in the first 7 years.  The stress is overwhelming.  So, I am going to be blogging about that, and inviting people to show up and share their stories of its impact.  For me, personally, I am feeling the crunch big time. Why?  I am a real estate investor, and I have people renting who can't pay.  Why?  They are, for example, realtors or in other professions that have been decimated by the economy.  They don't make sales...they don't have rent...they don't have rent...I can't pay that mortgage.  It gets to be pretty difficult when an investor, like myself, has multiple properties.  So, this will be coming the beginning of 2009 ... UltimateMoneyStreams.com.  You know, our society is facing a unique opportunity for a paradigm shift.  I believe that more and more people (even if they have a "steady J.O.B.) are becoming interested in how to add other streams of income.  Why? Because they are being forced to in order to simply survive.  The good part is that, eventually, they will see it as the best thing that ever happened to them, for it will be their ticket for thriving, not just surviving.

  The great part about your question is that you have just given me an idea for writing a new article called, "Blogging or Article Writing?" ...Breaking it down into "bite size" bits. Thanks for inspiring me...watch for it to be posted by end of the week! Who knows...the title might be revised, the intention of it will be intact!  In fact, just talking through it here on line is helping me! The idea is to increase your Millionaire GPS SQ (Success Quotient!).  All of this is a part of the Giraffe Principle, a way of looking out above the clutter, and breathing the rarified air in order to move beyond obstacles. This one principle will put you "heads above the rest" and allow you to avoid becoming overwhelmed with the potential tasks at hand inherent in your question. Check out my article if you are interested.

  Now...for my biggest challenge!  I hope a few people have stayed with me long enough to get to it!  My biggest challenge is that I have my own server through Verio (and develop and host websites for my clients), and need to upgrade to a V2 platform.  I am the "Vision Marketer" and development person, not the tech person.  The migration from one server to another is not something I want to tackle, and my web guy who works for me part time doesn't want to tackle it either.  Why am I sharing this?  Well, I have to do the migration to the upgraded server in order to utilize Word Press for blogging.  So, the bottom line is that my blogs have been the free ones with ads in the past and I want to change that so that I am always in control of never losing my content or the folks who subscribe by having it integrated into my own system.  And, of course, I can then offer my own ads on my blog.  So, I now have another person to contact about helping me.  Ok, so there it is! Look forward to being a part of this group!

  
  

OMG Dotti - what a friggin amazing post!

Grin - it's Christmas Day eve and I'm just popping in to check email and twit a bit.

Just wanted to say that this is an incredible post Dotti and to thank-you for bringing your energy to us :)

I'm not sure about 'having servers', but I've really liked Hostgator's service - you could sign up for their affiliate program or get a reseller account with them then sell the hosting to your clients in a package with their other stuff from you.

They are all up to speed with cpanel and Fantastico and Wordpress is just a few clicks to install. You're in for a real treat having not self-hosted WP before - the possibilities are endless!!

Love it love it :)

Great post -

I appreciate you!
Andrea

Sorry I missed this Vernon :)

You have to have a blog and articles are one way to build authority, some link juice and even some traffic if you write excellent and valuable info.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm an article slacker - so probably others can advise better than I in that direction. Post at ezinearticles.com if nothing else.

You might really have a lightbulb moment (I know I did) if you'll watch this video by Perry Belcher - he talks about using social media as "the party" and your blog as "your home" - gotta live somewhere, right?

Neat stuff!

hth,
Andrea

thanks

Thanks for your kind words, Andrea ... you know, I often hear that Christmas is for giving. Well, it is easy to forget that the easiest things to give are free ... some might think that Christmas is a strange day to be online, but I think it is the perfect day to give of our time, our feedback, any knowledge we might share, etc. And I just thought before I headed to the inlaws that one of the best things I could do was get involved in a group. Yours really hit me since I am not going to be doing my "free blogs" anymore and am thus transitioning to regular WP. I just found out about BetterNetworker last week and joined, so I am trying to catch up with the rest of you! Thanks for the feedback on servers. I do really like Verio and have had my own server with them for about 8 years. I have just been procrastinating about getting the free upgrade done and migrating from the one I am currently on to the new one. It takes some time to also make sure all the many websites I do for my clients are working properly before I had the old turned off. So, it is good that WP will only work with my upgrade. It forces me to take action! I look forward to participating in the group and learning from everyone.

http://twitter.com/CoachBerry
http://www.YouTube.com/MillioinaireSelf

Blogging

I am interesting in doing a blog, I have enjoyed the previous post. The info was very helpful,did someone say wordpress was a good  place to start?

Hi Mary - welcome :)

Hi Mary -

If you're ready to test the blogging waters - and aren't ready to invest a little in doing one that you'll have total control of (ie. buy hosting and install Wordpress on your own account), you should definitely start with Blogger.com.

Blogger is commercial blog friendly - you can have ads and links out to thinkgs that you are promoting. They do occasionally delete blogs, but Wordpress.com (where you use thier hosting/server space rather than your own) is notorious for deleleting blogs it considers not in line with their TOS and they are very clear that they are anti-mlm in particular.

So go with your own hosting or give blogger a shot :)

hth,

Andrea