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Home » The Famous Blog » Are You Lost Online

Are You Lost Online

November 21, 2010 - Last Modified: February 14, 2013 by Phillip Dews 4,685

Are You Lost Online

If there is one thing I have learned in my time as a full time blogger and Internet Marketeer, is that it is easy to get lost online and start procrastinating.

Maybe you are a new blogger you may have noticed like I have that you are working very hard on your blog and not reaping the rewards yet. Or in other words you are a “Full time blogger on a part time income”. In time however those rewards will come, all it takes is a little time and patience, have faith my friend!

I started my blogging career way back in December 2009 and have learned a few tricks and rules I follow to make my blogging much easier and ultimately more enjoyable. In this post I am going to share with you what I have learned to turn your blog into a source of joy, not a chore and turn yourself into a “Part time Blogger with a full time income”.

Below is a set of guidelines I have set myself and follow every day to make it easier for me to work on my blog.

  • Set a timetable to work on. I limit myself to work on my blogging activities to 5 days a week and only 5 or 6 hours a day. It is important to set one up and to stick to it. If you are in full time work then I suggest just working 1 or 2 hours a day on it! You will find this gives you more focus and make it easier to work on your blog.
  • Write a Post. I try and write 2 or 3 posts a week. You may want to do 5 or 6 but as a new Blogger sticking to 2 or 3 is what I suggest. Try and stick to the same times and days when you publish your posts so your audience can expect to find new posts from you at certain times of the week. It is also important to keep this up as you will lose your readers, subscribers and reputation especially if your write 5 or 6 posts a week for months then give up for weeks at a time (All that months of hard work has gone down the drain). Stick to what you can manage, even if you write 1 post a week build it up to what you can manage and never go down, i.e. from publishing 6 posts to 2 a week.
  • Write Offline. Turn off your internet. I find it easier to write my posts in MS Word (or if you have not got word then you can get free software from openoffice.org) and also offline as then you have just one thing to focus on, Your Post. I found that when I was writing a post direct into the WordPress posting field I kept getting distracted from friends online, my social networks, my email and other cool new websites for me to check out so a post I was writing on that was meant to take 30 minutes ended up taking 2, 3 or even 4 hours. I also found that writing offline in word gave me more focus which made it a lot easier to create good quality content and was more enjoyable to write. Also you can check your spelling and grammar a lot easier in word. I also save every single post as a word document on an external drive so if for some reason your hosting provider cancels your account or you forget to renew your domain then all is not lost and it is also easier to update old posts! Also once you have finished the post you should always read it to see if you can change, remove or expand on any point you may have brought up as well as checking your spelling, grammar and that the post makes sense.
  • Send one tweet. Once your post is published and on the internet then just tweet once to let your followers know that you have new blog content. Avoid RT’ing the post just send it as a normal one, your followers will do that for you and avoid tweeting about the post loads of times in the day as you will just get labelled as a spammer. Try and colour it up a bit with stars so that it stands out like…..****Your Post Title****http://postlink.com****.
  • Your Blog is nothing without readers and followers. So to build up my following I visit ten Blogs a day, read their new posts and Leave a comments on them. I also Bookmark the sites and subscribe to their feed. Try and leave a good long comment that provides positive feedback, constructive criticism or something of value to the authors (if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all) they will then in turn have a reason to visit and read your blog and hopefully become a regular reader and a contributor. I also backlink those blogs I follow on my blog.  Every new blogger should start to follow 30 or 40 blogs on similar subjects to your own but visit 10 a day 1 day and the next 10 the other day.
  • Another Way to build traffic is to join and contribute in forums like Better Networker, Why Do Work and PeopleString. I open all my forums in new tabs and visit 1 at a time then leave feedback on all the latest posts I have an opinion on, Then I perhaps start a new forum string with something I may need help with or a tip I want to share with the rest of the community but never just spam your new post on them. Instead I have my Blogs header as a small graphic banner in the signature line on my profile in the forum that links back to my blog so if I leave a good post that has helped that forums community in some way then they have an excuse to visit my blog. Also using a banner instead of a text link in the signature creates impact and also helps brand your blog.
  • Next I visit my social networks like Facebook, Yuwie, Peoplestring and Twitter to see what’s going on and if I can help in some way much the same way as I use the forums above! Maybe join a few relevant clubs and make new friends but never spamming my links everywhere.
  • Finally its housework time. After doing all of this I go back to my blog to check if I have had any comments for me to approve and comment back on, this is important as your reader has gone out of his or her way to leave you a comment and so it’s only fair and polite to reciprocate with a reply comment which in turn shows your readers that you care and will continue to follow you and read your blog as well as promote you to other bloggers. Think of it as a snowball rolling down a hill. That’s your blog getting bigger which in turn will earn you a full time income. This also a good time to clean up your blog by making little tweaks to the layout. Upgrading, installing new and removing old plugins. Monetizing your blog to make it earn its keep with affiliate products like domain names and hosting banners, Google AdSense, Bidvertiser and Kontera intext advertising are just a few. Then finally you can start to write an eBook like I have to go give away on your blog in order to gain a good reputation and Following.
  • Work on 5 out of 7. I have found that it is easy to let your blog take over your life. So although your blog can be a source of joy for you it is important not to work on it every single day as your health will suffer. Like I have said above its important to set a timetable to stick to otherwise you will find that your on your PC all day which is not good as you can become irritable, lose sleep, become overweight and unhealthy and ultimately your blog will also suffer from your lack of focus. So in order to combat that you should refresh your mind by completely forgetting about your blog for at least 2 days a week and to go out and enjoy yourself. Do something that you enjoyed before you started blogging! For me its bird watching, growing my own veg on my own plot of land, brewing beer and spending time with my mates down the pub as well as taking my partner Louise out for dinner or just spending quality time with her. Your Blog is important but so is You, your friends and your Family. You will find that after 2 days away from your blog you have more focus on it and cannot wait to get started on a new post!

I hope that you have found this post helpful and that it has focused your mind. If I have missed anything out or you wish to expand on something I have said on here then please leave any Comments or Criticisms you may have below!

Happy Blogging Guys!

-Phillip Dews

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About Phillip Dews

Follow @D3vphp

Phillip Dews is a freelance website developer and designer from Birmingham UK. In mid 2019 Phillip started blogging on on the subject. Check out his best post on Rank Math HERE

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{ 62 Responses }

  1. Andrew says:
    Sounds like the key to blogging is consistency. These are some really good tips, i've been thinking about blogging but not sure if I can commit to the time. Blogging sounds fun to me.
  2. Beverly says:
    Hi, just wanted to say your information is great. I appreciate the way you have put the information out there. It is clear and concise. It gives a clear picture as to the correct and polite way blogging should be done. I will be using it as a reference point if I become a blogger. Thank you!
  3. Leticia says:
    This to me is inspiring, i want to start a blog after reading this im fully ready to go, thanks for Your in put. This is good imformation to and for anyone who would like to be a blogger. I want my blog to be adout passed events that occurred to me, but they are current to the youth in the world today,or anyone for that matter it happens to adults also. So again thanks for the heads up
  4. Ben Alexander says:
    Thanks Phillip! I enjoyed your post and appreciate the mention of 'full time blogger and part time income' as well as the importance of time management. I have several blogs and can easily loose track of a day! Happy Blogging, Ben Alexander
  5. Asif says:
    Excellent post. wanted to write about it on my blog.
  6. Rodger says:
    Setting a set time is the best advice for anyone. You will be tempted to do things while you are home. But, you must treat it as a job.
  7. Adam says:
    Very nice tips Phillip id like to also add setup place only for work i find its easier to setup like small office in my home and only work there nothing else, and after i done i just go to another room
  8. Laura Lee says:
    Phillip, Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to reply under your name. I have had a number of give aways on both of my blogs. They do drive traffic. And I get to give a book away for free. (I buy them from my publisher.) But I have never had a sale as a result of a give away. As far as spending money on a word pres site in order to sell a $12 book for which I get $6, that window dressing is not worth it to me. I have people following the blog, and commenting, which means that they are engaged. I can tell you from professional publishing as well, you can have all of the publicity in the world, but it may not result in sales. If you want to be a blogger just to blog and get attention, then your tips for building traffic are valid. But it doesn't give you a full time income, which is what the title implied to me.
  9. Tim L says:
    You left out one tip: "Fill the entire space above the fold with ads and make people scroll down to find the content somewhere in the mix." I would guess that a big chunk of your click-through is from people doing it by mistake in all the clutter! That makes money, but do you feel good about the first impression when new visitors land on your blog?
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hahaha yea! TBH though i prefer to create a good first impression! i do have some discreet ads on my post pages but thats as far as it goes! I also have a graphic for my book above the fold on the right to capture emails! after all my list is worth a lot more than just placing a few ads! cheers for your comment Tim have an Awesome Day -Phillip
  10. Laura Lee says:
    I don't see the income producing part of this strategy. I have on a couple of occasions written things that "went viral" and my Twitter following increased and the number of blog posts that gets quoted increased, but I've yet to sell a single $12.95 book through my site as a result of the blog traffic.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Theres loads of ways to make money online! Funny you should say that though if you check my link below this comment it tells you of an easy way to make money online! a couple of things though Laura! I have check ed out your blog and have noticed it's a blogger blog! have you considered spending a few dollars getting your own domain and setting up wordpress like I have. People will take your blog more seriously then. also build your traffic and list by giving away one of your books for free! I have written 3 books so far and made a video course that I gave away all for free on my blog also try some google adwords got get some initial traffic there is loads of ways to get free $30 vouchers for adwords, but I would set up a self hosted blog first though! I have written a book on how you can do that thats free on my blog as well! Anyway thanks for the comment Laura and I hope you find success soon Have a Creative Day -Phillip
  11. TJ McDowell says:
    I've found that I frequently do my best brainstorming with a piece of paper too. It's less pressure. With a blog post, I usually feel like it's a race with time to get it posted quickly. With a piece of paper, I feel like I've got all the time I need. Do you feel this way too?
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hey TJ, You are Absolutely right there buddy! I feel exactly the same way. One of my other main hobbies is birdwatching and I get my best blog post ideas while doing that! I would say that I am a major day dreamer which in some cases is good for bloggers. I always carry a notepad around with me all the time to jot down ideas! thanks for your comment buddy! -Phillip
  12. The Bad Blogger says:
    This post prove blogging is not an easy road... just by reading all your points it means "WORK"... well, unless you do enjoy what you do as a blogger, all this work really means something to you, and if not... guess what? Is better don't blog, but I think, proper planning of a timetable like what you had said in this particular post, is something I believe will make a different in moving forward towards a goal then having no plan of a time table.... Hmmm... I usually takes 2 hours to do all my blogging and marketing stuff... if I did not finish them in time within 2 hour... I still stop.... for the reason... discipline is also important... you do what you had plan and not over doing it....
    • Phillip Dews says:
      I see what your saying there Bad Blogger, yes it can be construed as WORK but as long as you enjoy it, it will not turn into a chore. Yes I do work hard and yes I do enjoy it! I love blogging myself and I love the fact that I can earn money from it! after all I could be working even harder for less money doing something that I don't enjoy. cheers for your comment, have an Awesome Day! -Phillip
  13. Alex says:
    You know what I like about blogging, the sense of community, you never have to think: "Did that guy built more links then me, will he surpass me on that keyword?". One thing that should always be done, blogger or not, is to make a schedule. If you don't have specific task to perform and know you have to do them if you want to pass on something else then you will for sure procrastinate. Your schedule looks great Philip, thanks for not holding it for you!
    • Phillip Dews says:
      cheers Alex glad you enjoyed the post! I thing every blogger should be transparent and not hold back when giving out advice1 Have a great day! -Phillip
  14. Susan says:
    It is absolutely so easy to let your blog take over your life. After working on my fitness blog for the last year, I am happy to say that I have finally incorporated the majority of these points into my process. Thanks for a great list!
    • Phillip Dews says:
      It sure is Susan, We all need a life outside of our blogs which is why I have the strict rule of working 5 out of 7! All work and no play makes Phillip a very sad fellow indeed! Thanks for your comment Susan Have a powerful day -Phillip
  15. Lilach Bullock says:
    Thanks Phillip, another great blog. I couldn't agree more, it's about working Smarter... Not Harder! Thanks for sharing as always, Lilach:)
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Cheers Lilach, Was great chatting to you earlier! glad you enjoyed the post. Will get on to writing one for you tomorrow! All the best -Phillip
  16. ash says:
    Hi guys, I found this blog actually very beneficial, can I ask as an internet marketer what are your daily seo tasks, I am in the process of optimizing and I would love to know a good way to promote my blog. Cheers Ash
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hi Ash, Actually I wrote a post on my blog called "Is your blog fully optimized for the search engines" It's a;; about SEO and has been described by Andy Bailey of commentLuv as a masterclass! the link is just underneath this comment Ash if you care to check it out! Have a Great Day -Phillip
  17. John Garrett says:
    Excellent post, Phillip. I've struggled with staying consistent with my blog, and I think you've got it right, you've got to make up a schedule that works for YOU and stick to it. Usually I just fly by the seat of my pants, but intermittent posts and updates have my traffic growing at a sporadic rate. Time to really work out the kinks here! Also thanks for mentioning those forums, I'm going to go check those out!
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Glad I could help John! Yea Forums are a great way to gain traffic! Have a great day buddy! -Phillip
  18. Hung Hong says:
    Thanks for your articles. I used internet every single day.Need to take a rest by visiting somewhere that no internet connnection.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      NP Glad you enjoyed it! Enjoy your Day -Phillip
  19. Sujith says:
    Phillip, Awesome must follow tips. It is important to set specific time line and targets for Writing blog posts, answering comments, social networking, link building etc. It will certainly bring good results. Thanks
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Cheers Sujith for your comment Did you enjoy the post anyway? Have a great Day buddy -Phillip
  20. Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach says:
    Don't forget about posting the information as well to your Facebook Fan page too! There are ways to do this automatically (ie, tweetdeck) and it can help generate visits as well.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Oh Noo not Tweetdeck! I used to use that but now i use MMS which is a million times better as it brands your tweets with any link you want! but yea I see what your saying Barbara, thanks for your comment! Have a great day -Phillip
  21. Blogfather says:
    You could work in a team. That way the workload becomes lighter and everything easier... Why aren't half you working in a team already.. it beats me.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      What as in what Hesham has here? In fact I have just launched a new multi author blog a few weeks about Internet Marketing. but I still want to keep my personal blog for myself though! I totally agree with your point anyway. it's all about working Smart and not necessarily Hard! Cheers for your comment Blogfather! have a powerful day! ~Phillip
      • Blogfather says:
        I'm quite sure Hesham does work with a team of people maybe even paid employees. I'm more pointing out the people who are struggling and could be teaming up with each other to speed up the process of blog success. It seems so many are wandering around trying to find the golden ticket when if they used the resources they already have, and used them wisely, they'd be miles ahead of themselves.
        • Phillip Dews says:
          HearHear I totally agree with you there! It's all about working smart and not hard! The thing is it can he hard getting a team together when just starting out! In due course wen Internet Marketing 101 grows bigger I probably will consider employing other people to run it for me, in the meantime I am just happy building it's reputation! Thanks for replying blogfather! -phillip
  22. Isabel Rodrigues - Pro Blogger Journey says:
    Nice blog schedule pattern. I agree with most of your points
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Thanks Isabel, glad you liked it! Is there any points you don't agree with then? am interested now...... Pray Tell ~Phillip
  23. Wasim Ismail says:
    Hi Very true about setting a time table, just like any business, blogging is no different, and you need to be disciplined, and set your self guidelines that you can follow, I would say rather then quantity, its better to be consistent, Such as if your leaving comments, or Social Networking, or which ever activity your doing online for your business, do it consistently, not just one off, hence this is where following your schedule will help you achieve your goals. As you’ve mentioned you can easily get side tracked and lost online.
  24. Sid says:
    This was an awesome post Phillip. It will also be great if you can list the blogs that you follow and the forums that you can recommend that we can all join. I have so far not explored any forums as far as marketing my blog is concerned.
    • Biodun says:
      Forums are good to build brand and promote your blog or services. When you join the on going discussion and solve people's problem you will be trusted may lead to a click through your signature profile.
      • Phillip Dews says:
        Hi Sid, glad you enjoyed the post! @Biodun is exactly right! first I would recommend The Warrior Forum that can be found at http://www.warriorforum.com/ I would list the blogs I follow on here but I don't think Hesham would be to impressed if I listed the 50 or so blogs I follow in a comment on here! instead you have given me a great idea for a new page on my blog! I will write up my top ten blogs I follow with reasons why followed up by the other 40 odd as links underneath. Also check out Biodun's Forum abouve this comment! Should have the page up and running in a few days buddy! Have an Awesome Day! ~Phillip
  25. Lisa says:
    Phillip: This is a fantastic post! Just what I needed to see as I can easily sit here all day working on my blog. I appreciate the tips and will start implementing them asap! Thank you!
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hi Lisa, Love your blogs title, have bookedmarked it now! Glad you enjoyed my post! have you considered making a fan page for it on Facebook! it's a great way of getting new readers to your blog and is easy to make! If your on skype lets chat I will go through it with you! All The Best! ~Phillip
  26. Mani Viswanathan says:
    The 2-3 Posts should be really upto the mark. You are dead right about offline work. I think of writing a post in and around 25-30 minutes but it extends upto 45-50 with spell checks & interlinking.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hi Mani, Yea thats about right! I tend to think about a blog post the night before and write it up the following morning! Saying that though I wrote a blog post about Wordpress SEO a few weeks ago that took me 9 hours to research and write up, Andy Bailey from commentluv called it a masterclass. So i think it's always good practice to write a huge post once in a while! will leave the link below if you care to check it out! Have a Powerful Day! ~Phillip
      • Mani Viswanathan says:
        Absolutely awesome :) And getting that comment from Andy is something amazing. Bookmarked that post :) Thanks for leaving behind the link.
        • Phillip Dews says:
          Cool thanks buddy! Hope you enjoy the post! -P
  27. Brankica says:
    I really needed this. I get sidetracked so easy and I end up spending all day on the computer, not really getting the job done. My husband is going to love this, because I will manage my time better. He finds it funny that I can spend so much time online. I actually start my day with a plan to do something but then I hop over to Facebook, then Twitter, then I read one blog post that leads to another that leads to another. Well, you all know what I am talking about. So, thanks for a really great post (probably the best on the subject I have ever read) and I will give my best to use these tips.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Hi Brankica, It's an easy trap to fall into, This is what I would do: Before you turn on the PC set yourself a goal for the day and write down the things you NEED to do to reach that goal then after reaching that you can then play with your Twitter and Facebook. It's easy to say to yourself "ill only spend an hour on Facebook then I will write that blog post" When I write a blog post i always turn off my internet so i have no Instant Messages, emails or any other distractions. I will then write it up in word and past it on my blog once its finished and am happy with it! Hope this helps and glad you found my post useful. have an Awesome Day -Phillip
  28. Patricia says:
    Hi Phillip and Hesham I'm doing most of what you suggest here. As a fairly newbie blogger I love visiting other blogs to learn how to be a better blogger. I visit 20 blogs each day. Being in a small niche I need to get my blog out there. Also, I tried the forums and that didn't work for me. So blog commenting has been a great traffic source and also being part of commentluv community. Very helpful, supportive and encouraging bloggers there. Also, just started guest blogging so I have been introduced to bloggers I hadn't met before. Found that a very positive experience. Been invited by several other bloggers to guest post for them so working on that at the moment. Thanks for sharing Phillip. Definitely worth a RT. Patricia Perth Australia
    • Phillip Dews says:
      Aww Cheers Patricia, Have you thought about making a Fan page on Facebook for your blog? I have made a series of 3 vids that shows howto make one and promote your blog with it if your interested! Thanks for your comment! Have an Awesome Day -P
      • Patricia says:
        Hi again Phillip I am so technically challenged. Have heaps of ideas but need techies to help with implemting a lot of them lol I know videos are the way forward but with all the things I am trying to learn at the moment; haven't attempted this one yet. Thanks for asking. Patricia Perth Australia
        • Phillip Dews says:
          Cool, Well Patricia when your ready to make one let me know and I can guide you through the process! Have you got Skype at all? am always happy to help fellow interweb people! Have an awesome Day -Phillip
  29. Dana says:
    Set a timetable is interesting thought. I think it will work since set a timetable means that we do blogging as work.
    • Phillip Dews says:
      I find that it focuses the mind! plus I work better to deadlines! Thanks for your comment Dana Have a Powerful Day -P
  30. Phillip Dews says:
    Nearly forgot about this one! Cool thanks Guys ~Phillip
    • Hesham says:
      We don't forget, but we have troubles some times :) sorry for being late to publish this awesome post Phillip
      • Phillip Dews says:
        Hey NP Hesham, Just happy you did buddy Thanks a million ! did you get my email on FB? am going to hit the sac a happy man now. Have a Powerful Day buddy -P p.s. have you got the new Rockmelt browser yet? only I got 5 invites for it if you want one!
        • Hesham says:
          I am afraid not! I've checked Rockmelt browser and watched the video, interesting... Hit me with an invitation :)

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