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MenuIf I'm wanting to start a blog on a particular topic, how do I know if the topic is going to be profitable?
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I recommend reading "Will It Fly" by Pat Flynn and "The 4-Hour Work Week" by Tim Ferriss.
Go ahead and run a Google Adwords Campaign to a landing page with the option to purchase something related to your topic. If you get a good conversion rate of people who click the Buy button, then it is a winner.
Ideally, you are looking for a topic that is a huge need for your target audience. A friend of mine always says that he is looking for at least an 8 out of 10 on the BIG Problem scale.
The answer is highly dependent on you.
I run two highly profitable businesses + I'm just starting a third.
The keyphrase I targeted in biz #1 had zero traffic. I single handedly created the topic + related niche. Today there are 3M+ related links.
With biz #2 there's not even a front facing (public website). Last year's profit for this business was 2400%. All referrals come from talks I give at private masterminds.
With biz #3, search volume is 100/month (low) + first usage of this keyphrase was 1954 + the domain I own is an exact phrase match + holds SERP #1 for target keyphrase + many related keyphrases, with zero content on the site.
My approach is simple.
Never compete.
I take a keyphrase which can easily be dropped in conversation, which intrigues + then speak a few places about the top... okay, specific, highly target places to speak... which then creates traffic around a keyphrase.
This may seem like a lot of work.
If you choose a topic where you have high expertise + interest, which you talk/write about daily, then this entire process becomes a zero work proposition.
Rather than work, you simply monetize your current areas of expertise.
In my experience, every topic can be profitable. The key is finding your niche and target the right audience. The days of "If you build it, they will come." They've been replaced by, "If you build it the way they want it, they will come."
Most of all? Do what you love.
Pamela is right. Any topic will work. The key is that you have to immerse yourself in that industry, so you should be passionate about it. You can't just depend on passively posting on the blog—the blog is just your entry point.
You will need to build relationships (online and offline) with others in your topic and eco-system. You have to become known in your industry. Then people will follow your blog, you can speak, etc.
Once you become involved in the industry, you will have opportunities to make money.
But, if you want to do it right, and go big, ignore making penny ante money through google (or anyone's ads) or sponsored posts. Focus on building credibility and making real links with people in your industry.
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How can you start a blog and make it popular within a month?
This depends on your definition of popular, but I can help you out. You're not going to be getting thousands of hits per month, but you can gain some popularity. 1. You're going to need to publish two posts per week, so you better be ready to write. One for your blog, and one for someone else's. 2. You won't be publishing any "round up" content, like 10 best tools for "blank". You're going to need to deliver ACTUAL value here. 3. Make sure that the topic of your blog is first about something people are actively looking for online. User Google Trends to test out some keywords. 4. Use BuzzSumo.com to search for keywords of blog posts and check out how many people are sharing those. Take a look at the most popular posts and then out do them. Write an even more comprehensive and valuable post than that one. 5. Build your email list as quickly as you can. Use Appsumo.com and install their list builder app. 6. Provide a content upgrade for each post. For example, an eBook, a checklist, anything that relates to the value of the article you wrote. Exchange the free item for their subscription to your email list. 7. Email your list once per week with a new article you just published. Ask them to share it if they like it. 8. Guest post for the second article you wrote each week. Find popular, related blogs and pitch them a post idea. Link back to your blog, but to a landing page that specifically outlines the value of signing up for your email list. OR 8a. Link back to a landing page that gives away content bonuses that you mentioned in the guest post. 9. Run a contest where you give something away related to your blog topic. (don't give away an iPad if you're a real estate agent, you want to attract subscribers that have to do with your niche.) 10. Die from exhaustion.CM
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