How to get 150,000 people to read your blog post in 1 week

How to get 150,000 people to read your blog post in 1 week (and how I did it)

When I started blogging in 2004, I took a good look around at other blogs, calmly chewed a cookie in my dorm room, and then vomited. There were only about 12 big personal-finance blogs back then, and yet even in 2004, I noticed the trend of new bloggers complaining about why they couldn’t get covered by the Big Blogs.

Today, I’m going to share a strategy I’ve used to get regularly featured in The Wall Street Journal and extremely high-traffic blogs like Lifehacker.
You can skip right to the detailed writeup (includes examples & screenshots), but I hope the story below is useful.
This advice can be useful for getting thousands of new readers to your blog, customers to your new startup, or to get your dream freelance job. And you can start using it tomorrow morning.
So, back to the question: Why do some bloggers get the lion’s share of attention, while others toil endlessly to write posts that virtually nobody will ever read?
On a recent forum where both new and experienced bloggers share tips for getting traffic, SEO, etc, most of the discussions were debating minutiae about meaningless changes they could make to their blog to get more readers. “What SEO plugin should I use?” one asked. “Does anyone think I should change my blog’s name???” another wondered. After 20 minutes of reading, I had to close the window because I was getting so frustrated.
Look, here’s a simple chart of what matters for getting traffic for your site.

The Guest Post Strategy

Besides writing really good content, the easiest way to get traffic to your blog is to write something interesting for another blogger who has more traffic than you.
It’s funny — when you point this out to many new bloggers by saying, “Hey, why don’t you write up something really good and send it to a bigger blogger as a guest post?” — many of them quickly make up a bunch of excuses. “Well, uh…I am really busy this weekend” or “I’m in the middle of this really interesting post on how HSBC interest rates changed!” Yes, okay.
But it’s not just as simple as deciding to write a guest post. When it comes to high-traffic bloggers, there are very specific ways to approach them so they’ll accept your pitch.
Before we get to the tactics…

Who could apply this strategy? 3 examples

Like I said, this works for bloggers and many other areas of business:

1. You’re a new blogger who wants more traffic: If you’re a blogger and you’re looking to grow traffic, put yourself in the mind of bloggers with large readerships: They’re busy, they have huge egos, and they need to constantly post new, interesting stuff to satisfy their readers’ voracious appetites for content. Could you write one piece of excellent content for them?  As an example, here were the results of Nora Dunn’s travel post earlier this week, which drove nearly 100,000 pageviews in 72 hours. I’ve already invited her to have a regular guest spot on I Will Teach You To Be Rich.
   
   
2. You want to break into the fashion industry: Or let’s say you read fashion magazines and really want to break into the industry. The magazine needs fresh perspectives, especially things that haven’t been done (think Money Diaries for a magazine, for example). How could you help them?
3. You just started a new company and need customers: How about if you’re starting a business on Christmas ornaments, and you aren’t sure how to get traffic to your website. The first thing I would do is record some interesting videos for other Christmas sites and give them away for free.

How to get hundreds of thousands of new visitors using the Guest Post strategy

I’ve written up a detailed post with the tactics for writing successful guest posts for high-traffic bloggers. This post and the writeup took me over 9 hours to write, which gives you a sense of how much time these take. But when you do it, you can get hundreds of thousands of new readers and many thousands of new customers for your business.

1.  
2. Read how: Tactics for writing winning guest posts for high-traffic bloggers (includes examples & screenshots)
3. Save money: If you like the kind of tactical tips I’m giving you, check out Scrooge Strategy, where I send out one highly tactical savings tip per week. You’ll get super-detailed tips on big wins for saving money that really work (not stupid tips on saving money on $3 lattes). Many of my customers save hundreds of dollars within the first 30 days, and there’s a 100% money-back guarantee. * Kristin Stromberg, Total savings: $2,500
   * Stacy Miller, Total savings: $660.60 by making only two changes
   * Matthew Earle: “It’s like having a smart, articulate, and inexpensive financial advisor that calls you all the time to check in.”

101 Beauty Tips Every Girl Should Know

by zaheer khan

In the world of beauty, there are endless beauty tips and rules to keep you looking fabulous. From secrets about how to style your hair without heat to brilliant ways to fix a broken compact case, the more beauty tips you know, the better you’ll be prepared to handle every situation thrown at you — and look good while doing so. In the list of beauty advice below Beauty High breaks down all those tricks to make the industry less scary for women from makeup artists, hairstylists, skincare gurus and of course, our beauty staff. Remember, beauty should always be fun!
101. “Always keep your summer makeup minimal. Minimal and sheer makeup is the way to go when it’s hot and muggy outside.” – Mary Greenwell, celebrity makeup artist
100. “The best thing to do when you go to a makeup counter is be armed with what it is you want to do.”- Raychel Wade, founder of Cheek to Chic and La Prairie’s colour ambassador
99. Use excess eye cream on cuticles. The more you hydrate your cuticles, the stronger your nails will be.
98. For smudge-proof eye makeup, take blotting tissue to remove any oil or any excess makeup from the eye area. Then, apply a small dab of cream concealer to hold things in place.
97. “A good perfume should consist of balanced blend of notes arranged in a way that creates harmonious accord.”- Alexis Bergman, P&G’s Global Flavor and Fragrance Trends
96. To prevent hair color from fading in the summer months, use a conditioning treatment weekly or bi-monthly.
95. Breakout before a big event? “Take oral cortisone a few days before the event to clear your skin”- Ava Shamban, dermatologist and author of Heal Your Skin.
94. “In order to keep eyeliner from running and smearing, opt for liner formulas that offer stayproof wearability.”- Robin Schoen, Urban Decay Makeup Artist
93. Always allow about two fingers from your nose to where blush starts.

Westend61 / Getty Images

92. “Make sure you hydrate the skin and put on a primer”- Jessie Powers, makeup artist and national educator for Make Up For Ever
91. “Balance out your shimmer. If you’re doing a shimmery eye, opt for a matte lipstick.”- Raychel Wade, founder of Cheek to Chic and La Prairie’s colour ambassador
90. Brush out your curls with your fingers to give your hair a more tousled look.
89. To make your manicure last, apply a thin layer of clear every two days. Pay particular attention to the free edge at the top of your nails, where chips usually happen, and apply extra clear polish there.
88. Wear white eyeliner in your water line to make eyes appear less red.
87. “Take a shimmery gloss to the center of your lips, top and bottom – this will attract light to your lips, making them look pouty.”-Katrina Barrion, makeup artist for Giella Custom Blend Cosmetics
86. For slicked back hair, use a hair serum.
85. For the perfect cat-eye, “select a thin liner brush that is tapered to the point.”- Pamela Taylor, makeup artist. Use a gel eyeliner for extra staying power.
84. To make your cheek bones appear higher, use bronzer under the cheekbone and highlighter on the actual cheekbone, and remember to blend. Contouring at its finest!
83. Before you blow dry, start with a volumizing spray or light gel to give the roots some lift. Pull the brush up towards the ceiling to really boost volume.
82. For fuller lips, extend the lip line using a flesh tone lip liner. Be careful not to go overboard, though!
81. The #1 reason for flaky mascara is that the formula is too dry or old. Make sure to close mascara after use to help keep its moisture. To extend the life a bit, add 2-3 drops of saline solution into the tube and swirl the brush around.
80. To fake clear skin when you notice a pimple, “Apply tea tree oil as soon as you spot it”- Stephanie Flor, makeup artist.
79. During summer, “Its easy to forget that feet can get sunburned. Be sure to apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 50 when barefoot”- Dr. Leslie Campbell, DPM.
78. For acne-free skin, look for a cleanser with salycilic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
77. When choosing a red lipstick, you just want to remember to get one that looks good with your undertone. If you have a warm undertone, then go for warmer reds, and if you have a cool undertone, then go cooler.

Ruth Hornby Photography / Getty Images

76. Sunscreens that claim to provide “all-day protection” and “water resistance” are not reliable; don’t be fooled by these claims and reapply all sunscreens at least every 2-3 hours.
75. When self-tanning, use a tanner with a guide color. “It will give you instant color before the effect and it will show you exactly where you put the color and where you may have missed”- Sinead Norenius, founder of Beautisol.
74. “If you’re afraid of red lipstick, I love putting it on and then blotting it off to wear it as more of a stain”- Pat McGrath, makeup artist. Another way to make it less intense? Apply with your fingertip instead of straight from the tube.
73. For the summer months, you don’t want to be caked down in foundation, so try a tinted moisturizer or BB cream instead.
72. Use blotting papers to manage oil and shine in your T-Zone, “which are also great for cleaning up around the eyes”- Rebecca Restrepo, makeup artist.
71. The antihistamines in allergy medicine dry out the skin, so skip heavy foundation during allergy season. Instead, use a tinted moisturizer.
70. To make curls last, make sure hair is completely dry before you begin with the curling iron. Also, use a heat protectant spray with hold on damp hair to keep hair protected.
69. To make a zit go away faster, don’t pick at it. The bacteria on your fingers will create more redness, and any attempt at popping will make things worse.
68. Use an exfoliator to get rid of dead skin, but limit yourself to 2-3 times a week so you don’t dry out your skin. Use a gentler scrub on your face and a coarser scrub on the rest of your body.
67. Always wash your makeup off before bed. “That morning-after look has never been a good one, for anyone”- Rachel Adler, beauty director at Beauty High.
66. “Too much bronzer is a nightmare for pale skin”- Jason Ascher, resident beauty expert for Barneys New York. Opt for an illuminating cream or light powder to get a glow.
65. Pick a sulfate-free shampoo, as sulfates can be harsh and drying on the hair cuticle.
64. If you have greasy hair, avoid directly conditioning roots and condition from your ear down to ends.
63.”When you wear a red lip it’s important that it stays exactly where you put it. Using a long wearing lip pencil to create the perfect shape and a lip color are key to having a perfect red lip.”-Kristofer Buckle, celebrity makeup artist
62. To make volume last all day, avoid running your fingers through hair. “Oil from your hands can weigh down your roots leaving your hair flat at the end of the day”-Tatum Neill, Arrojo Studio
61. Try to avoid washing your hair everyday. Constant shampooing leaves hair dry and your scalp will create more oils to compensate for the loss of moisture. Instead, use a dry shampoo and style your hair into a braid or ponytail when it’s a bit more oily.
60. Always use a moisturizer with SPF in the morning. Even in the winter!
59.”Go for a trim every 6-8 weeks to ensure you have no damaged ends making your hair look unhealthy”- Nick Arrojo, Arrojo Studio (and the man who worked for seven years changing lives on What Not To Wear).

58. Remember, clean your makeup brushes to fight against potential bacteria and breakouts! At least once a week, swirl brushes around in a mixture of warm water and mild soap, then lay flat to dry.

Anthony Lee / Getty Images

57. Clean out your makeup bag at least once a year to get rid of old products that may be expired or you no longer use.
56. Winter can be especially harsh on your hair leaving it extra dry. Eugene Davis, celebrity hair stylist suggests using an Avocado Oil Hair Mask.
55. If you don’t have nail polish remover, apply clear nail polish over your nail, and then wipe off. It will remove old polish.
54. During the summer, wear lip balm or gloss with SPF.
53. To add volume to clean or unwashed hair, use a dry shampoo spray.
52.Change your beauty routine for spring and summer months. Your skin needs less coverage during the spring so you can swap the heavy, winter products for lighter ones.
51.”I always think that less is more. There’s a point where you look in the mirror and say ‘Is this too much?’ and if you even have that inclination then it usually is.”- Kim Catrall, Sex and the City.
50. When applying bronzer, “first start by applying it around the perimeter of your face and follow with a light dusting on your forehead, nose and chin”- Mally Roncal, Mally Beauty.
49. To get curls when you have straight hair, use, “a volumizer or volume thickening agent, a curl enhancing product, light holding finishing spray”- Vicktor Stevenson, Hair Stylist.
48.”Foundation should never be heavy”- Aura Schwartz, makeup artist. Apply liquid foundation with a damp makeup sponge for best results.
47.”The right red [lipstick] will light up your hair, eyes and skin immediately, the wrong one will not.”-Poppy King, Lipstick Queen.
46. To clean up the flick of a cat eye, use a dampened, pointed Q-tip.
45.To revive curls mid-day, “Take a very small amount of pomade and put it in the palms of your hands. Rub them together. Next gently smooth the pomade over your curls and scrunch just a little bit”-Eugene Davis, celebrity hair stylist.
44.”You should always go to a hair-removal specialist, where waxing, laser etc. is their main business – don’t go to a nail salon for a wax”- Cindy Barshop, Completely Bare and Bravo’s RHONYC.
43.”A little silvery-blue eyeliner on the lower lid is very flirty”- Dimitri James, makeup artist, author and creator of Skinn Cosmetics.
42.”Use your concealer as a base on your eyelids”-Melissa Silver, Maybelline makeup artist. Concealer will help to absorb oil and your eyeshadow will stick to the product instead of your lids, making it stay longer.
41. If you’re not a fan of liquid liner, get the look of liquid eye liner by using a gel instead.

Anthony Lee / Getty Images

40. Exfoliate before applying self tanner to get rid of dead skin. Tanning products tend to cling to dryer areas and rougher areas, like your knees and elbows, so make sure they’re moisturized first.
39. If you straighten your hair with a flat iron, cause less heat damage by letting hair air dry. The less heat, the better!
38. To minimize pores, use a pore-minimizing facial wash followed by a toner. Make sure the toner is alchohol-free so it won’t dry out your skin.
37. The healthier you are, the healthier your hair! Take a daily multi-vitamin with Biotin to help hair grow faster.
36.To mask split ends, use an iron to straighten ends and then apply a hair repair cream.
35.There are always cheap, natural and effective homemade beauty recipes.
34.To fix brassy hair color, use a color-depositing shampoo with purple tones. For unwanted redness, use a color-depositer with a green tone.
33. To cover up roots in a hurry, use a dry shampoo spray for your hair color. If you don’t keep this product around, use eyeshadow (in a shade closest to your hair color) for a quick fix.
32. Get a “dewy glow” using a highlighter or illuminator above your cheekbones and on the brow bone, just underneath your eyebrows.
31. To contour cheeks, use a matte powder (a few shades darker than your skin tone) with an angled brush. Blend on temples and under cheek bone.
30.When using a cream product (blush or eyeshadow), lock it in by using a translucent powder over it.
MORE: 15 Best Nail Art Blogs On the Internet
29. Get quick volume by using a root lifter, then use hairspray to set hair. This will prevent it from falling flat during the day.
28. For makeup that lasts all day and night, use a makeup-sealing product like a setting spray.
27. To help you find the right shade of foundation, choose the product you think is closest to your color and try it on your jawline in natural light. You will be able to easily compare it to your neck’s color to see if you need to go for a different undertone, lighter or darker.
26. Try out the funky hair color trends without dyeing your hair. Instead, dust bright blush in your ponytail for the same effect. (Refinery29)
25. “Foot perspiration is typical in the summer and can lead to fungal infection and unwanted odor. Wash feet daily, and let them dry thoroughly before putting shoes on”- Dr. Leslie Campbell, DPM.
24. Splurge on items that are important to you.”If mascara is really your thing and you fall in love with a mascara that’s $40, buy the mascara.”-Raychel Wade, founder of Cheek to Chic and La Prairie’s colour ambassador.
23.”Don’t be too serious: It’s only Makeup! “- Francois NARS insists you play around with new colors.
22. To reduce unwanted shine, use a moisturizer that mattifies your skin. That way you get the moisture your skin needs without looking greasy.
21. To create a lived-in look for your hair, use thickening or sea-salt mist before you blow-dry. Follow by running a volumizing or texture cream through hair.

20. When using an eyeshadow primer, only place the primer where you’ll be adding color.
19.”Cream rouge [blush] should be the first thing that touches your cheeks when you want to project an image of healthy and pinched cheeks”- Pablo Manzoni, former creative director for Elizabeth Arden.
18. If you choose to use false eyelashes, remember to use the dark glue as it will blend in with the lashes.
17. When buying “organic” beauty products, make sure to check if they are FDA certified organic. This will prevent you from getting scammed.
16. Use a facial exfoliater bi-weekly to get dead skin of dead skin. Makeup will look better on a clean, smooth canvas.
15. After using a a hair conditioning mask, follow with “a cold water rinse to close the hair cuticles”- Ursala Stephensen, Motions celebrity stylist.
14. To get your braid to last all day, try styling hair that’s “dirty with product.” This will make the style stick longer.
13. Use a clarifying shampoo once a week to get rid of any product build-up that may have occured during the week.
12. If you have chipped nail polish, add glitter on top to disguise the look of chipping.
11. Use a pumice stone on your feet after the shower to get rid of calluses.

10. Hydrate your under-eye area with an eye cream to prevent puffiness and bags.
9. If you have light hair,”put a lotion over the eyebrows and hair line” when self-tanning the face. Also remember to “apply it in circular motions and blend down to the neck”- Sinead Norenius, founder of Beautisol.
8. If you often find yourself being too tired to wash your face at night, keep makeup removing wipes in your night stand to prevent a runny mess or morning break out.
7. Pop 1-2 Advil before going waxing to prevent pain.
6. The best way to get rid of ingrown hairs is to exfoliate,”which rids the skin of dead cells and allows the hair to break through the surface”- Marlena Ramoy, Bliss Spa Esthetician.
5. Carrots are good for the hair. A healthy diet leads to a beautiful you.
4.”The best time to apply creams is after the shower, as the skin has been de-oiled.”- Dr. Stephen P. Bracci
3. Replace mascara and liquid eyeliner after 3-4 months.
2. To keep hair color vibrant longer, use shampoos and conditioners formulated for colored hair.
1. Use a cream or milk cleanser to wash your face. Creams are less drying than gels.
Wow you made it this far! That’s a lot of tips, but there’s always more. Leave a comment below and share your favorite. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends!

Figures of fun: Amaze your friends with these fantastic maths magic tricks

• By Zaheer Khan

Peter M Higgins, author and numbers man, reveals the magic behind something many of us struggle to get our heads around

A maths wizard has discovered the largest known prime number and it's an amazing 17 MILLION digits long.
Curtis Cooper, of the University of Central Missouri, in the US found it by using hundreds of computers networked together.
You might not have to be a maths genius to know that a prime is a number greater than 1, which can only be divided by itself and 1, like 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, but to find one that big, GCSE maths would be a good start.
However, in the numbers world, size doesn't matter when it comes to the fascinating and bizarre.
Here Peter M Higgins, author and numbers man, reveals the magic behind something many of us struggle to get our heads around...

Hailstone numbers

There are many simple questions about numbers that no one has been able to answer.
Start with any number - if it is even divide it by 2, if odd multiply by 3 and add 1 then keep going, writing down the sequence of numbers that you generate. For example, starting with 7 we are led by these rules through the sequence:
7 -> 22 -> 11 -> 34 -> 17 -> 52 -> 26 -> 13 -> 40 -> 20 -> 10 -> 5 -> 16 -> 8 -> 4 -> 2 -> 1.
It seems no matter what number you start with you eventually hit a 1. These sequences are called the "hailstone numbers" because, like hailstones, they go up and down a number of times before inevitably falling to Earth. However, no one has been able to prove that this has to happen every time.

Twos, threes & fives

Think of a number. Add 4, then multiply the result by 4. Subtract 8, then divide the result by 4. Finally take away your original secret number. The answer is 2.
Think of another number.
Double it. Add 9. Subtract 3. Divide by 2. Subtract your original number. The answer is 3.
Think of any three-digit number.
Add 7. Multiply by 2.
Subtract 4, then divide the result by 2.
Subtract it from the original number you thought of.
The answer is 5.

Ninety nine

Write down any two different numbers from 1 to 9. Then reverse the two numbers.
You should have two two-digit numbers.
Subtract the smaller number from the larger one.
Take the result, reverse the digits, and add that number to the one you got when you subtracted.
The answer is 99.
For example: 72 reverses to make 27.
Subtract the smaller (27) from the larger (72): 45.
Reverse these digits to make 54.
Add this to the previous number.
The answer is 99.

Threesy does it

You can discover whether a number is a multiple of 3 just by checking whether this is true for the sum of its digits.
For example, 12,894 has 1 + 2 + 8 + 9 + 4 = 24 = 3 x 8, so 12,894 is a multiple of 3.
You don't need to do the long division in order to find this out.
You can do this even for huge numbers that your calculator could never cope with.
For example, try: 111,222,333,444,555,666,777, 888,987. Is it divisible by 3? In fact, if you're clever, you might be able to give the answer before summing the digits.

10% up then 10% down means you lose out

A worker's boss explains that in order to stay competitive he will have to cut his pay by 10% but he will allow the employee to work 10% more hours to make up for it, "so your pay will be maintained".
Afraid not! If the worker was being paid, say, £100, the 10% cut takes him down to £90. The 10% extra hours will add back on 10% of £90, which gives him £99. He is still £1 worse off. Beware percentages - you need to know what they refer to.

Never-ending squares

Square numbers (the products of numbers multiplied by themselves) and prime numbers are important and your internet security only works because the prime numbers never run out.
You can get the endless list of squares just by adding the odd numbers up: 1 = 1 x 1, 1 + 3 = 4 = 2 x 2, 1 + 3 + 5 = 9 = 3 x 3, 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16 = 4 x 4 ... and this pattern never lets you down.
However, when it comes to primes, we still have to go out hunting for them, which is why at any one time there is always a world champion largest known prime.

'Mind reading' trick

Choose a single-digit number, multiply it by 9 and if the answer has two digits add them together.
Subtract 5 from what you have, giving you a number. Turn the number into a letter by the rule A = 1, B = 2 and so on. Think of a country beginning with your letter. Take the last letter of your country and think of an animal that begins with that letter. It's odds on that you have a kangaroo in Denmark.

It all adds up... to 9

1x9=09 =0+9=9
2x9=18 =1+8=9
3x9=27 =2+7=9
4x9=36 =3+6=9
5x9=45 =4+5=9
6x9=54 =5+4=9
7x9=63 =6+3=9
8x9=72 =7+2=9
10 x 9 = 90 = 9 + 0 = 9

Magic cube

  Think you can conjure the right numbers? Try this little trick then.
Label the corners of the cube on the left with different numbers in the range 1 to 8 so that each face adds up to the same total.
The solution is on the right.

One, two, three

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10 = 1111111111
thanks for reading ... please shere your thought about my blog ..

Dr. Oz's Top 10 Health and Fitness Tips of All Time

Take the doc's advice to look and feel your best for life

zaheer khan

Topics: 

breakfast,

celebrity advice,

healthy habits,

life advice,

tea,

water

Get Strong, Not Skinny

Illness or injury may often be the instigator, but frailty is what kills us, says Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and host of The Dr. Oz Show. Our bodies can't recover as well if we're not strong, which is why he recommends a balanced workout plan that includes strength, cardio, and flexibility training.
This doesn't mean you need to spend hours in the gym each week. The busy doctor has no problem fitting in his seven-minute workout every morning (check out the full routine here), which he says is better for you than the occasional hour-long gym session. And you can say goodbye to boring treadmill sessions. Instead, Dr. Oz suggests getting a basic pedometer and setting a goal of 10,000 steps per day (that's about five miles) to stay slim and healthy.

Cut Out the White Stuff

The easiest way to lose weight and improve your health? Ditch the white stuff! Most white foods (bread, rice, pasta, sugar, flour) are primarily made up of refined carbs and empty calories, so cutting them out of your diet is one of the quickest ways to shed pounds and improve your well-being, Dr. Oz says.
There are a few exceptions to the rule, including egg whites, cauliflower, and fish, he says. Those are the only white foods you should have on hand.

Get the Clean Eating Guide

Bring On the Broccoli

They may be chock-full of nutrients, but exotic vegetables like celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes don't always appeal to more traditional pallets. And that's fine, according to Dr. Oz, who says broccoli is his all-time favorite produce.
"Broccoli is the best produce option because it cleanses the liver and helps to fight cancer," he says. To reap the most rewards, the doctor suggests cleaning and slicing cruciferous veggies (like broccoli) five to 10 minutes before cooking, and then steaming or microwaving them (instead of boiling) to help retain the most cancer-fighting compounds.

Get Your Daily Dose of D

"New research says that vitamin D may play a crucial role in weight loss by controlling appetite and helping fat cells become more metabolically active," Dr. Oz says. The sunshine vitamin also helps your body better absorb bone-boosting calcium, improves immunity, reduces inflammation, and may even protect against some forms of cancer. Nearly 75 percent of Americans are vitamin-D deficient, so there's a good chance you're not getting your recommended daily dose of 400 IU (some people may need as much as 1000 IU, so check with your doctor to find out what's right for you).
"The best sources [of vitamin D] are salmon, tuna, and mackerel (especially the flesh)," Dr. Oz says, adding that "fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks also contain small amounts."
And don't forget the most convenient source of all: sunlight. "Vitamin D is actually produced in your body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike your skin; the UV rays trigger synthesis of vitamin D, which then gets converted in your liver into its active form."

Get the Clean Eating Guide

Drink More Water

There's a reason Dr. Oz can't omit this expected tip from the list. Drinking water is so imperative for staying healthy, energized, and even losing weight. There are so many reasons to stay hydrated—hunger is often disguised as thirst, it boosts your metabolism, and water is the best energy drink available, he says.
To find out exactly how much water you should be drinking, divide your body weight (in pounds) by two and aim to drink that many ounces of water every day.

Trade Supplements for Tea

Drinking all-natural green tea is an excellent way to boost your weight loss and your health. Not only does it have the power to stoke your metabolism, but it also contains the highest concentration of catechins, antioxidants found in plants that have been found to protect against heart disease and even some cancers. Sip on a few cups of green tea throughout the day to get all of its amazing benefits.
Not a fan of tea? You can still reap the rewards! Try one (or all) of  these creative ways to work green tea into your diet.

Get the Clean Eating Guide

Focus on Nutrients, Not Calories

While the amount of calories you consume is crucial for weight loss, the quality of your food is often more important (and often ignored). "Losing weight isn't all about cutting calories. Your brain is looking for nutrients, not calories, and [your brain] will prod you to eat until you're satisfied," says Dr. Oz, who cites a recent landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found specific foods, not just their calorie content, influence weight gain.
"After adjusting for age, baseline body mass index, and lifestyle factors such as exercise and sleep duration, the authors found that the foods most associated with adding pounds over a four-year period were French fries, potato chips, sugary drinks, meats (unprocessed red meat and processed meats), sweets, and refined grains; the foods most associated with shedding pounds were yogurt, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables."
These results aren't exactly ground-breaking, but they confirm what weight-loss experts have been recommending for years. To stay slim and healthy, fill up on high-fiber, nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean meats (Dr. Oz always eats a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts prior to a large meal). This will help you avoid overloading on empty calories later, when you're starving.

Delay Dessert

You don't need to completely eliminate dessert (Dr. Oz says it's perfectly okay to indulge your sweet tooth in moderation), just try not to indulge immediately after dinner.
"Avoid sweets directly after a meal since sugar disrupts the absorption of nutrients," Dr. Oz says. The best time for a sweet treat is about two hours after you finish your meal. And when it comes to what you eat, try the good doctor's go-to dessert: dark chocolate.
"The flavonols found in cocoa improve circulation and increase blood flow to the brain, which helps you see more clearly," he says. (We also love these amazingly delicious—and nutritious—gluten-free goodies).

Get the Clean Eating Guide

Sleep More to Slim Down

The old saying 'you snooze, you lose' couldn't be more accurate when it comes to shedding pounds. According to Dr. Oz, depriving your body of sleep can speed up the aging process and deter your weight-loss efforts. "The brain craves carbohydrates when you're tired, so you could unknowingly sabotage even the best laid plans," he says. Aim for a good seven hours (minimum) of shuteye every night to allow your body to restore and to protect vital organ functions.

Make Breakfast Mandatory

You've heard it before, but it's worth repeating: Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day! "Skipping the first meal of the day can increase risk for obesity more than fourfold," Dr. Oz says. "If you don't eat right when you wake up, your body senses a famine is coming and slows your metabolism to compensate. Then, when your body is presented with food later, it's ravenous and wants to pack it in, leading to bingeing with a slow metabolism—a recipe for weight gain."
Your plan of action: Dr. Oz suggests automating your first meal of the day by eating the same breakfast (like an egg-white omelet or steel-cut oatmeal), or cycling through a small variety of breakfast foods each and every morning. If eating breakfast is a challenge for you, try some of these healthy grab-and-go breakfast ideas).

Get the Clean Eating Guide

 

How to Get a Free Domain Name

The English language has some interesting, not to mention contradictory sayings. You may have heard “the best things in life are free,” although that really depends on what you consider to be the “best things.” But you may have also heard, “nothing in life comes for free,” which is a little more realistic.

While it is possible to get free domain names, you will invariably encounter fine print, and if you’re not aware of all the conditions and rules, you may find yourself with an unexpected bill down the road.

Free Domain Name With Hosting Plan

To build a self-hosted website, you must first secure a domain name. The first part of that process is finding one that’s not already taken, which gets more and more difficult to do as the years pass, and more and more websites crop up across the Internet. Once you find an available domain name that works for your purposes, you’ll want to snag it as soon as possible.
You can buy domain names from domain registrars, and the prices are usually pretty reasonable. You can also usually buy domain names from hosting providers when you’re in the process of setting up your hosting plan. But many hosting providers will offer a free domain name when you sign up for one of their hosting plans. It’s a small perk designed to entice you to use their hosting services, and it’s a good one.
But as you might have guessed, there’s a catch. The domain name is usually only free for the first year. After that, the usual purchase/renewal price will kick in, and be added to your annual hosting bill.
This is not an unreasonable deal, though. Getting a good self-hosted website off the ground can cost anywhere from less than $100 to several thousand, depending on how much you do yourself, whether you hire a professional Web designer, and a hundred other decisions you must make.
Before you sign up for hosting, check to see whether any hosting providers you’re interested in are offering free domain names. You’ll probably find a few, so check hosting reviews as well to help you select the one that’s best for you.
However much you end up spending to get your site up and running, being able to save a little money on the domain name is nice. It’s especially helpful, though, if your budget is extra tight, and you’re doing a lot of the setup yourself to save money. Just know that to keep your domain, you’ll have to start paying for it a year after you sign up.

Free Domain Name with Hosting Upgrade

In addition to sometimes offering free domain names when you sign up for a hosting plan, some hosting providers will sometimes also offer a free domain name when you upgrade your hosting. For example, if your site has outgrown the capacity offered by your shared hosting plan, and you want to upgrade to virtual private server or VPS hosting, that may qualify you for a free domain name.
You can usually take advantage of this in a couple of ways. Since you’re upgrading, you already own a site and domain, so you may be able to apply the free domain offer to your domain name renewal rather than buying a new domain. If your domain is registered with your hosting provider, this is pretty easy. If it’s not, you’ll have to transfer your domain name to your host, which isn’t quite as easy, but isn’t too burdensome, either. Your hosting provider may be able to help you do this if you’re not sure how.
Or, even if you already have a site for which you upgrade hosting, you can take the free domain name and buy a completely new one. This is ideal if you have plans to build a second website, either at the time of renewal, or at some point in the future.

Free Domain Name With Free Website

Yes, this really does exist. But once again, there’s a catch, but this is an even bigger catch than having to pay ten bucks down the road. The catch is, you will never own the website. It belongs to the entity providing the site and domain name to you.
Examples of this include WordPress.com, Blogger, Tumblr, and other sites that allow you to set up pages or entire websites for free. The thing is, you’re not really getting a free domain name. You’re being allowed to use a domain name that is attached to the service.
For example, if you want to build a site called Money-Saving Shopping Tips, an actual domain might be something like moneysavingshoppingtips.com. However, if you build that site on a free service such as WordPress.com, the domain would instead be something like moneysavingshoppingtips.wordpress.com.
This means you have little to no control over what happens to your site. If, for any reason, WordPress.com felt your site somehow violated their terms of service, they could immediately and without warning, shut your site down. This is unlikely, but if, for some reason, WordPress.com simply went away, so would your site, again without warning.
You can get a custom domain from sites like WordPress.com, but you must pay for that upgrade, so at that point, it’s no longer a free domain name or site.
Being able to build a site for free, and get a free domain name in this manner may work for you, depending on what your plans for your site are. But if you’re building a business site, or you plan to build your blog into a revenue-generating endeavor, this probably isn’t your best option.

A Combination of Free Services

While looking around for hosting and domain names, you’ll no doubt run across sites like gybo.com. This service is run by Google, and offers both a free domain name and a free website. Here it comes—the catch: It’s only free for the first year. After that, you’ll be charged on a monthly basis for both the site and the domain name, provided you registered the domain with gybo.com. If not, you’ll just pay for the hosting.
Again, this may be a good option if you’re only looking to build a small personal site, or you’re a beginner trying to learn the ins and outs of running a website before you invest in it as a long-term project. Be aware, though, that gybo.com (and other services like it) places limitations on the free site. For example, it will only contain three pages, 25 MB of disk space, and 5 GB of bandwidth. In addition, it does not include any domain-based email addresses, or any kind of e-commerce support.
Those features, as well as more disk space, pages, and bandwidth, are available for additional fees.

Special Offers

From time to time, you may see not just hosting providers, but other companies and sites associated with hosting that will make special offers available to customers and readers. For example, right here at WhoIsHostingThis.com, we have an ongoing free domain offer for anyone who contributes a review to our site.
It’s simple. Just review a qualifying host (there are several), make sure it’s a good quality and original review, and submit it. Your review will be moderated by our site’s editors. Once it’s published, and if it qualifies, you’ll receive a free domain.com voucher. Try it out!
You’ll see a lot of different opinions out there about what kind of hosting is best, and whether free websites are worth the trouble. It will come down to what’s best for your specific situation and preference. Just do your homework first, and know that when you’re ready to build that site, you have a lot of options available to you, many of which will include a free domain name, if that’s one of the features you’re seeking.

How to Start Making Money Blogging

Five Parts:Laying the GroundworkDesigning and Creating Your BlogStarting to BlogMarketing Your BlogMonetizing Your BlogCommunity Q&A

A “blog” is a website that usually presents information in a list-type set of entries. These entries can be anything, including commentary, descriptions of events, photographs, or videos. They’re usually interactive, so that readers can leave comments or messages on the entries.^[1] A blog can focus on a wide range of subjects or a very narrow topic. The choice is up to you! Creating a blog to express yourself can be a lot of fun, but it’s also possible to make money from a blog.

1. Consider popular blog genres. Blogs fall into various large categories, and considering some of these categories can help you narrow down your interests. Remember: for you to make money, people have to read your blog. Here are some popular blog genres:^[2]
   

   • Personal blogs. Successful personal blogs almost give readers the impression that they know you. They can feel like a lunchtime chat with the blogger, or an insight into their daily life. If you are good at expressing your personality online, this could be a good genre for you.
     • For a good example, see “The Bloggess,” a blog that provides a humorous and entertaining look into the daily life of a woman with social anxiety.^[3]
   • Special Interest Blogs. These blogs can offer tips and tricks about your favorite hobby. They can share knowledge about a topic you’re passionate about. These work especially well if you have a unique perspective you can bring to your topic.
     • For a good example, see “Curly Nikki,” a blog by a Black woman who is passionate about helping other women learn to love their natural hair.^[4]
     • Another good example is the famous “Perez Hilton,” a phenomenally successful celebrity gossip blog focused on dishing the dirt about famous people.^[5]
   • Industry Blogs. These are specialized to a particular field or industry. They’re a good choice if you’re already an expert on something and want to share that expertise. Because you have to constantly stay on top of new information and developments in that industry, you need to make sure you’re comfortable with researching and understanding your topic.
     • For a good example, see “The Copybot,” a marketing blog by copywriter Damien Farnworth. He tackles how to write the best copy for online sites with lots of concrete examples and helpful lists.^[6]
   • Political Blogs. If you have an informed perspective on politics you’d like to share, or you want to communicate your political views in an interesting, entertaining way, a political blog could be a good choice for you. Political blogs often take a particular “side,” but they don’t have to.
     • For example, “PolitiFact.com” (a Pulitzer Prize-winning blog owned by the Tampa Bay Times) runs fact checks on important news stories of the day, assigning them a “truth meter” rating that helpfully breaks down inaccuracies in news reporting.^[7]
     • Another example of a political blog is “Michelle Malkin,” a blog run by conservative pundit Michelle Malkin. This blog states the blogger’s personal political opinions in an engaging way.^[8]
     •  
2. 
   
   2Choose your topic. The best blogs focus on topics that you, the blogger, are passionate about. This topic can be anything that you believe you have enough to say about to interest others. It works best if you can find a “niche” that is not being fully exploited.^[9] There are several important things to keep in mind when choosing your blog topic:^[10]
   • Who is your audience? There are millions and millions of blogs in the world, so it’s crucial that you know exactly who your target audience is so you can draw them in.
   • What does that audience want? For example, if you’ve decided your audience is “stay at home moms,” you’ll need to consider the possible interests and needs of that demographic. Make sure you don’t just make assumptions. Look at other blogs that cater to your audience to see what they’re delivering.
   • How qualified are you? Good blogs convey a sense of familiarity and ease with the material. Excellent blogs usually have bloggers who are personally qualified to talk about their topics. If you can’t think of at least 25 separate posts off the top of your head about your topic, you may not have enough familiarity with the topic to keep your content going.
   • How sustainable is the topic? Make sure that you choose a topic that is likely to stay relevant in the future. You also need to be able to come up with new items to blog about on a very frequent basis. For this reason, try to avoid a topic that’s too narrow -- you’ll run out of things to say.
   • How much competition do you have? Do some research to determine what already exists about your topic. “Celebrity gossip” is a hugely popular topic, but there’s also a lot of existing competition that could mean your blog gets lost.
   • What is your ”spin”? To set yourself apart from the crowd, you’ll need to do something different and interesting with your content. Will you have an interactive focus? Focus on bizarre day-to-day news events instead of celebrity dish? Whatever you choose to blog about, make sure that you have ways to approach it creatively and that you can consistently offer new, exciting content.
3. 
    
   3
   Visit some popular blogs. Your blog can be about anything, but once you have decided your general area of interest, such as “celebrities” or “parenting,” visit several popular blogs to see what they do. Pay attention to their blog design, what they blog about
   

   • For example, the blog “Tom + Lorenzo: Fabulous & Opinionated” began as a small blog recapping and critiquing episodes of Project Runway -- meaning that it had a built-in audience and clear purpose from the start. It’s grown into a pop culture site with millions of readers offering TV and movie reviews, fashion critiques, and celebrity news.^[11]
   • An excellent example of a successful personal blog is “The Pioneer Woman,” a three-time Bloggie award winner. The blogger, Ree Drummond, now has her own show on the Food Network because of the attractive, “down-home” way she presents her recipes and lifestyle anecdotes.^[12]
   • Three-time Bloggie award-winner “Camels and Chocolate” documents the travel experiences of a journalist, Kristin Luna, and her husband. Her accessible tone and beautiful photographs, coupled with her skill in telling a “story” about her trips, make it feel like the reader is on the trip with her.
   • Blogs can also take on a very particular, quirky lens. For example, “Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund” won a 2014 Bloggie award. The blog is written as though Crusoe himself is writing it, and readers related to the lovable little dog and the concept of a dachshund talking about his grand adventures.^[13]
4. 
   4  Choose a domain name and blog title. Your domain name and blog title are your audience’s first exposure to your “brand identity.” In addition to letting readers know what to expect from your blog, your blog title and domain name will help place your blog in web searches, which is crucial for generating web traffic (and profit!).
   • Make sure that your blog title fits with your overall blog “identity.” For example, if you’re running a dishy celebrity gossip blog, don’t choose a stodgy or corporate-sounding title. On the other hand, if you’re an authority on a business topic, you don’t want your blog name to be too informal.^[14]
   • Selecting a good keyword can be helpful. Search engines function through SEO (search engine optimization), which ranks search results based on how many keywords they have related to the person’s search query. However, you don’t want to get so wrapped up in SEO that your readers feel your blog is generic. Developing strong brand identity is the best thing you can do to draw readers to your blog.^[15]
   • For example, the hypothetical “haircare.com” tells readers what the blog is about, but it doesn’t offer any “angle” on what kinds of hair care advice your blog offers. The hypothetical “Frizzfighters.com” is still clearly about hair care, but it gives off a fun vibe through its alliterative name and communicates your strong brand identity (funky, focused on a particular hair issue, hip).
   • Choosing an extension is also important. The extension is the “.com,” “.net,” or “.org” after a website. There are now dozens of extensions, but those three are the most familiar to English-speaking audiences and will drive the most traffic to your website. Unless you’re a non-profit or a similar type of blog, don’t go for “.org” -- a “.com” is the top choice, followed by “.net.”
5.  
   5
   Choose which blog software to use. There are a number of popular blogging platforms around, including Blogger and Wordpress. Most experts recommend WordPress because it makes monetizing very easy.^[16]
   

   • WordPress.org is a highly popular choice because you don’t have to know any coding to design a slick blog. 1 in 5 websites use WordPress. Note: WordPress.org is a full-service blog hosting site, but you have to register your domain name and get set up with web hosting first. Wordpress.com has limited features and provides you a .wordpress domain name for free, but you can’t put advertising or affiliate links on a wordpress.com blog.^[17][18]
   • Blogger is run by Google, and is a free hosting site that requires just a Google account to start. Its designs are not as slick as those on WordPress.
   • Other options include SquareSpace and Wix, which are website design platforms that will also allow you to create a blog.
   • Make sure to investigate whether your platform supports custom domain names. The best blogging platforms will help you register your domain name and seamlessly integrate it with your blog.
   • Each blog platform will walk you through creating a custom blog.

   
   
   

   Part 2

   Designing and Creating Your Blog

1. 
   1
   Create a blog design that reflects your blog's image. It’s important that you create a design that reflects the content and image of your blog - from your font to your color choices, make sure each element of your blog's overall design is consistent with your blog's image.
   

   • For example, cartoony art and balloon fonts might be fun choices for a parenting blog, but would be seriously confusing on a professional marketing blog.
   • Consider hiring a professional designer, at least for your header and logo. You only get one chance to make a first impression.^[19]
   • Most blog hosts, including Blogger and WordPress, have “themes” that you can install. These can sometimes be customized and give your blog a fun “feel.”
2. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   2
   Choose elements to include in your blog. Most blogs have common elements, such as “About Me” and “Archives” that allow readers to learn more about you and read past posts. Common features include:
   

   • About Me
   • Categories
   • Posts
   • Portfolio
   • Contact
3. 
   

   

   3
   Make your blog easy to navigate. Don’t clutter your blog! Make it easy for readers to find the content they’re looking for. Offer helpful elements such as a search bar and “popular posts” sidebar.^[20]
   

   • A “splash header” can be a good way to quickly orient new visitors. It is a large banner area at the top of the page that mentions the most important content and offers a quick introduction to the areas of the blog readers will be most interested in.^[21]
   • Add a “next and previous posts” feature. One way to build your readership is to keep your visitors hanging around! Adding “next” and “previous” buttons at the bottom of each post will drive your visitors to read more content.

Part 3

Starting to Blog

1. 
    
   1
   Write blog posts people want to read. Good blogs speak honestly and openly about a subject you're passionate about. Be yourself and share your ideas with the world!^[22]
   

   • Be professional! Even if your blog is about your personal life, make it inviting for readers by making sure you don’t have any proofreading errors or ugly designs.
   • Be useful. Center your content on your reader, not yourself. This means that you consider what your audience can “get out of” each post. Look for a problem you can address, a question you can answer, or a story you can tell. Going on a five-page political rant may feel good, but it’s unlikely to create a valuable experience for most readers.^[23]
   • Be personal. Writing in overblown academese won’t usually fly in blogs. Readers usually want to experience blogs as though they were having a conversation with the blogger. Develop your own sense of personal writing style and stick to it.
2.  
   2
   Keep your posts “scannable.” Faced with a huge wall of text, 99% of readers will just go elsewhere. Break your posts up into scannable “chunks” to invite readers to stay and read.^[24]
   

   • For example, you can use a list format, or break your post up into short separate paragraphs. If you have a really long post, try using subheaders and block quotes to break up the text.
   • Other design elements, such bolding important points and using italics for emphasis, can draw readers to the most important stuff quickly.
   • Remember that most readers are not willing to invest a lot of time reading something online. Keep your posts easy to skim and still get the basic idea.
3. 
   3
   Create catchy headlines. You can have the best content in the world, but if your readers don’t recognize it instantly, it’s unlikely they’ll click through. Headlines are especially important because many readers will encounter your content through a feed reader, such as Google Reader, or content site like Digg. They may only see the headline at first, so it needs to communicate what your post will be about in an engaging, entertaining way.^[25]
   

   • Create headlines that are useful but create a sense of urgency. You want your readers to feel like they need to discover this content.^[26]
   • Play on readers’ emotions. You can do this by asking a question or challenging expectations. Sites such as UpWorthy are excellent at this type of headline, such as this real headline: “Most of These People do the Right Thing, But the Guys at the End? I Wish I Could Yell at Them.” Headlines like these tell a story and promise a surprise.^[27]
4. 
    
   4
   Create a back catalog before you go public. Don’t announce your fabulous new blog only for readers to discover there are two lonely posts on it. Post 10-15 posts to start with, and queue another 10 or 15 to post on a regular basis.^[28]
   

   • Consistency and quantity of content are crucial in developing a readership for your blog. If you don’t have a lot of content up when readers visit, they aren’t going to stick around or revisit.
   • You need to make sure that you post frequently. Prewriting posts and queuing them to post later is a good way to make sure that you have consistently updated content.
5. 
   5
   Make it easy for readers to subscribe to your blog. Many blog readers subscribe to blogs through RSS feeds, which provide them automatic updates when you make a new post. Post a clear link or icon on your blog to let visitors know how to subscribe.^[29]
6. 
   6
   Be persistent and write good content . Once you have the basics down, you’ll continue developing and learning more. It can take a long time for you to develop a big readership, so stay patient and keep posting.^[30]

Part 4

Marketing Your Blog

1. 
   1
   Post relevant comments on related blogs for exposure to those readers. Register as a member using "yourblogname.com" as your username and post comments on related blogs This will drive traffic to your own blog.^[31]
   

   • Build links to your blog by posting comments on other blogs that have “dofollow” links which means that search engines will see those links.
   • Don’t just hawk your blog in your comments! This can come across as selfish and spammy. Make your comments interesting and thoughtful. Remember, you’re making your first impression in the comment!
2. 
   2
   Write guest posts on other blogs. If you’re a great writer with something to say, a guest post on another popular blog can be a helpful way to get your name out there. Check out some popular blogs in your genre and see if they have a guest post option.^[32]
   

   • If you don’t see any information about guest posting, don’t despair. Read through the blog to see if there have been other guest posts. If there are, contact the blogger and explain who you are and what you’d like to write. If there aren’t, you can still contact the blogger to see if it’s something s/he would be interested in.
3.  
   3
   Cite important figures in your blog. Mentioning prominent figures in your area or genre can accomplish several things. It shows your readers you’re “in the know” about the important people in your field. It may also encourage the prominent figure to look at your blog, or even promote it to her/his own followers.^[33]
   

   • Don’t just name-drop. Make sure to incorporate these names in an organic, purposeful way. For example, if you were writing a post about mommy blogging, mention a blogger who has interested you, or whose blog you find amazing.
   • Link, link, link! Link out blogs that you love in your own posts. Many bloggers track where their visits come from and may even visit (and link!) your blog in return.^[34]
4. 
   4
   Use social media. These days, if you’re not on social media, you’re missing out on major readership. Post a link to your latest article in your Twitter bio and ask for “retweets,” or link your content to your public Facebook page. Don’t just replicate the same content over and over, though. Use social media for quick, attention-grabbing posts and your blog for longer, more engaging content. The following are popular social media sites:^[35]
   

   • Twitter
   • Facebook
   • LinkedIn
   • StumbleUpon
   • Digg
   • Reddit
   • Pinterest
5. 
   5
   Host giveaways. Giveaways are a great way to drive traffic to your blog. Readers love getting something for free! Giving away products from companies offers the free advertising, so contact some companies that are relevant to your blog and see whether they’d be interested in sponsoring a giveaway.^[36][37]
   

   • You can also write to another blogger who sponsors great giveaways and ask for a contact or two.
   • Make it easy to enter the giveaway. Asking readers to leave a comment on a post with their name and contact information or asking them to republish a link on social media are good ways to drive entries.
6. 
    
   6
   Drive traffic to your blog with direct marketing. The newsletter may seem old-fashioned, but it’s actually a powerful marketing tool.^[38]There’s nothing like the power of directly connecting with people. Below are some other methods to consider:^[39]
   

   • Add a link to your email signature inviting people to check out your latest post.
   • Send your blog post to people who might be interested in reading it. Don’t just spam your contacts here. Sending a link to your post to people (or other blogs) who might have a real interest in your content can get you new followers, especially if you offer to reciprocate by reading or reblogging their content.
   • Participate in blog carnivals. Search online for them or check out BlogCarnival.com.
   • Join a LinkedIn group. Particularly if you’re writing a more “professional” or industry-based blog, posting a blog in a targeted Linkedin group can gain you valuable exposure.
7. 
   7
   Optimize your site for search engines. SEO (search engine optimization) is very important, but it’s more than just repeating a bunch of keywords. Include a search-engine-friendly headline, such as “How to” or “Ways to.” Repeat significant keywords in your post, but make sure you don’t sound overly spammy.^[40]
   

   • Google and most other search engines no longer operate strictly on SEO. They want to prioritize quality content, which means that providing clear, well-written, valuable content that links to other credible sources is your best bet.
8. 
   8
   Do video marketing. Creating a video for marketing is much easier than you think. The best software used for making a video is Animoto.

Part 5

Monetizing Your Blog

1. 
   1
   Sign up to place ads on your blog. Placing ads can be an excellent source of revenue for your blog. With “pay per click” (PPC) ads, you get paid when visitors to your blog click on ads that lead to other clients. You usually need to already have a strong readership and high visitor counts for ad buyers to be interested in your blog. Here are some examples of websites that pay you to place ads:^[41][42]
   

   • Google’s AdSense program is the most widely used PPC program because it has the power of Google Search behind it. Google will read your article and find "ads that are relevant" to it and display them next to or within the article. It will also use your readers’ cookies to display ads that are relevant to their recently visited websites on your blog.^[43]
   • You can also sign up for “cost per impressions” (CPM) ads. These function similarly to PPC, but they pay you based on units of “impressions” (views) the ad gets, even if the visitor doesn’t click on the link. Usually, the units are sets of 1,000 impressions.^[44]
   • If you don’t have about 10,000 unique visitors to your site every month, you aren’t likely to make much money from ads. That’s why it’s crucial to build up your readership through marketing and quality content.^[45]
2. 
   
   
   http://fun4fun1.blogspot.com/?view=classic2 Sign up for affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is a very popular way of monetizing a blog because it capitalizes on your readers’ trust of you. If your posts always deliver quality content, then your audience is more likely to trust product or service recommendations. You can provide links or recommendations to relevant products and get a commission from any sales driven by your blog.^[46][47]
   

   • Amazon Associates lets you place a banner on your website with products targeted at your audience, such as diapers for a parenting website or art supplies for a creative website. You earn a small commission when people buy something through your link. Amazon pays a commission ranging from 4% to 15%.
   • Amazon is the giant in the industry, but it’s also a good idea to reach out to small companies and even individuals who make products or services that are related to your blog. For example, if you have a popular cooking blog, you might contact small BBQ sauce companies to see if they’d be interested in setting up an affiliate marketing program with you. You earn a portion of the sale through your blog, and they get free marketing.^[48]
   • You can also check out other affiliate programs at big “clearinghouse” sites such as Commission Junction, LinkShare, and ShareASale. These sites offer huge lists of programs, from which you can choose the ones relevant to your blog.^[49]
   • An affiliate aggregator service, such as VigLink, will automatically insert monetized affiliate links into posts for you. They keep a higher percentage of the commission than other services, but the convenience may make up for it.^[50]
3. 
   3
   Write sponsored posts. If you already have a high visitor count, you may be able to get other companies to pay you to “sponsor” a post. The advertiser may contact you directly, or you can check out online “sponsorship marketplaces” such as "themidgame".^[51]
   

   • Be careful about sponsors who want you to place an article to increase their own page rank. This violates Google’s policy and could hurt your AdSense revenue.^[52]
   • You can also check out websites such as Blogsvertise, Social Spark, and Review Me for listings of paid or sponsored posts.^[53]
   • Don’t allow sponsored posts to overtake your own content. Remember: your readers visit your blog to read your content.
   • Make sure that you only post sponsored posts that still benefit your readers in some way. You don’t want your blog to seem like a corporate shill.
4. http://fun4fun1.blogspot.com/?view=classic
   4
   Work directly with a brand or company. Working directly with a company to help with a promotional campaign can be a good way to boost traffic and revenue for your blog. Many companies, particularly ones like publishers, are happy to pay you to participate in things like Twitter parties, blog-based “book tours,” and giveaways.^[54][55][56]
   

   • For example, if you run a popular blog where you review romance novels, contact various romance publishers to see if they’re interested in paying you for a review or other promotional event, like an author interview.
   • Signing up with third-party connecting agencies can be helpful. Blog Friendly PR, Blog Insiders, and Brandfluential are popular networks.^[57][58]
5. 
   5
   Generate leads for other businesses. This type of revenue comes from providing sales “leads” to other companies who partner with your blog. You don’t actually have to sell a product or service to generate these leads -- you just need your blog visitors to provide their information and opt in to being contacted by your partner.^[59]
   

   • For example, if you run a popular DIY blog, you could partner with a home supply store. If your visitors agree to be contacted by the home supply store, you could get paid by the company for generating that “lead.”
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   Use your blog as a portfolio. You may be able to use your blog to create freelance income by using it to showcase your work. Don’t use your blog only to sell products, but having a “portfolio” section on your blog can let readers see what you’re good at.^[60]
   

   • For example, if you run a photography blog, keep a portfolio of your very best photographs and market yourself as a freelance photographer. Readers will know exactly what they’re getting because they can see your passion and expertise.
   • Blogs can also be very helpful even if you have a full-time “day job,” such as an attorney. For example, writing blog posts that offer helpful law advice and information will demonstrate to readers that you know your field. It will also give a sense of who you are personally, which is very important to prospective clients.
7. 
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   Create paid content. Once you have a loyal following and have demonstrated your trustworthiness, you can consider adding “paid content” to your blog. For example, you could host a special podcast or write an e-book and charge visitors a small fee to access it.^[61]
   

   • Paid courses, consulting services, and advice are other popular types of products and services you can use the reputation you’ve established to sell.^[62]
   • You can also use a service such as Zazzle or CafePress to create branded items like t-shirts and tote bags for sale.^[63] The Bloggess creates new items weekly, usually playing on a humorous post from the week before.
   • Consider memberships, where you charge a small monthly fee for users to gain access to exclusive content, video content, or possibly direct access to you through Q&A or live events. WordPress has many plugins to help you add membership services to your blog.
   • Consider “bonus content.” For example, if you run a podcast on your blog, you might consider having the standard episode available for free but a longer version or additional content for a small fee. Dan Savage’s extremely popular “Savage Lovecast” runs on this model, where standard episodes are free and “magnum episodes” (longer, with no ads) are available for a subscription fee.^[64]
   • Many bloggers parlay their blog’s success into books. The “Cake Wrecks” blog has several popular books of disastrous cake photos,^[65] and The Bloggess now has two books about her life adventures.^[66] The “Tom + Lorenzo” bloggers wrote a tongue-in-cheek “how to guide” to becoming a celebrity.^[67]
   • Remember: anything you can offer that’s valuable to your readers might be worth them paying for. Just don’t let your blog become so paid-content-heavy that it doesn’t seem like a good value to your audience anymore