Here are just a few ways you can make your blog automatic:

#1 – Schedule blog posts in advance. Imagine sitting down for an hour or two once a month and writing and publishing your content for the month. You can create, publish and schedule each blog post for as far into the future as you like.

This is tremendously beneficial for time management; however, it’s also an amazing feature if you’re going to be away for some time. Let’s say you want to take a vacation for a month but you don’t want to drop off the face of the earth blogwise, using the scheduling function no one will know you’re gone.

#2 – Comment forwarding. You can have comments forwarded to your email. This is useful automation because it means you don’t have to check your admin panel to see if anyone has commented. And if you have email access on your phone, then you’re never going to miss a comment. Again, when you’re on vacation if you haven’t hired an assistant to field comments, you can manage it yourself.

#3 – Twitterfeed. There are also lovely widgets and plug-ins that update your Twitter posts when you publish a blog post. This way you’re getting twice the bang for the buck. And if your Twitter account is linked to your Facebook account then that’s three posts for the effort of one and it’s all automatic.

#4 – Guest/Ghost Writer Registration. Finally, you can give specific people an account with a logon and password so they can blog without giving them control or access to the entire blog. This makes content creation easier for you and it still provides you with the control and security you want.

Time management is an important aspect of building a successful business and automating many of your blogging tasks is a good business. To learn more about strategic blog building tools and successful time management strategies visit Blogging to the Bank.

“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” -Peter F. Drucker

Who knows, maybe they wholeheartedly disagree with you, maybe they’re in a bad mood and you’re an easy target, whatever the reason you’re left with a negative comment on your blog. What to do?

Chances are you’re dealing with two competing thoughts or reactions. The first is that you’re wondering if you should delete the comment – you’re considering the business aspect of it. The second is your personal gut reaction. Some people react just fine to negative comments, however, others take it personally and it affects how they feel and behave.

So the first thing to do is to pull your emotions out of it. You’re in control here and this comment, whatever it is, isn’t going to change you or your business. If you need time to clear your head and make a decision about how to respond then walk away and come back to it when you’re ready.

You essentially have three options:

• Delete the negative comment
• Ignore it
• Respond

Deleting it, unless it’s offensive to your readers, is generally not the best idea. Negative comments can work quite well to stir the pot and cause controversy and discussion and that’s what you want on your blog – discussion. So ultimately you can use a negative comment to your advantage.

Ignoring it is often an option. Let your other readers comment on it and you can take the high road.

Respond. Here’s where you want to tread lightly. If the commenter makes a valid point, you may want to acknowledge it. Even if it means you’re admitting you made a mistake. You can also take the opportunity to further prove a point you were making in your blog post. Be careful to remain professional.

Negative blog comments will happen if you’re building a blog with a loyal following. Make the most of them – it’s an opportunity!

To learn more about profitable and sometimes surprising blog building strategies and tips visit Blogging to the Bank.

“The golden rule for every business man is this: “Put yourself in your customer’s place.” -Orison Swett Marden

This subscription function makes it easy for your fans to stay up to date on your blog posts without having to visit your blog to see if there’s anything new. It saves them time and energy.

As a blogger, it’s beneficial for you to use a subscription option for your readers because it ensures that you stay in touch with them – they won’t forget about you because your posts are being delivered to them.

Feedburner, owned by Google, is a service that makes it easy for anyone to subscribe to your blog regardless of their preferences for email or the various readers. And, it’s easy to do!

The first step is to visit Feedburner.com and enter your URL.

Feedburner will generate a feed URL for you.

You’ll then have the option to determine what statistics and data you track, it’s free.

Finally, you’ll want to integrate your feed into your blog. Depending on the blogging platform you’re using the instructions will be different.

If, for example, you’re using a self hosted WordPress blog then you’ll download and activate a plug-in called FeedSmith. You’ll verify your URLs and then voila, you’re done. The subscribe button should appear on your blog and readers will now have the option to subscribe in their favorite reader or via email.

Time management is an important aspect of building a successful business as is offering your readers every opportunity to become active in your community. Feedburner is one tool to get the job done.

To learn more about strategic blog building tools and strategies visit Blogging to the Bank.

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” -Ralph Lauren

It makes you and your blog look like a larger business and it provides your readers with additional expert insight – it boosts the value of your blog. It also saves you time because you don’t have to write all the content. The trick, however, is to find good guest bloggers. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

Network online with industry experts. One great way to find quality guest bloggers is to participate in your industry. Find social networking sites and connect with industry experts.

Become active in your blogging community. And that doesn’t just mean connecting with your competition, but rather connecting with people who are complimentary to your business. If you blog on romance writing for example, then a complimentary blogger might blog on writing technology.

When you make connections, approach the person about becoming a guest blogger. It’s generally to their advantage to be a guest blogger because it improves awareness of their blog and their name.

Another way to attract guest bloggers is to simply put a button on your blog or a link to contact you about becoming a guest blogger. This way, people who read your blog and are interested in blogging for you can simply send you an email.

Finally, if you’re really anxious for guest bloggers, consider simply asking or advertising for them. One great way, is to post a notice on industry forums or chat rooms asking for guest bloggers.

Whether you have one blog or ten, whether you’re working from home or you have a 9-5 job, time management is an important aspect of building a successful business. Guest blogging is a fantastic way to increase your content and effectively manage your time.

To learn more about successful and profitable blogging strategies visit Blogging to the Bank.

“Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition – in having put forth the best within you.” -Henry J. Kaiser

Here’s why…

Controversy creates comments – controversy, whether it is a controversial post or a controversial comment, makes people stand up and pay attention. It drives them to respond and it motivates discussion. All of this is excellent for  blog traffic and recognition.

It draws attention to your blog – say or do something controversial and all of a sudden your traffic numbers start to soar. People subscribe, they pay attention to what you have to say, even if they don’t necessarily agree with it.

It generates links to your blog – say something controversial and other bloggers want to get in on the action. They’ll link to your blog post and quote you. You’ll also get a fair number of people linking to you in their social networking circles. All of these incoming links boost your search engine ranking.

The trick of course is to be controversial without hurting your credibility. If you’re going to say something outlandish, be ready to back it up. Be ready to argue your point and dive headlong into the discussion.

Controversy on a blog doesn’t mean the end, in fact it can and should be embraced and used to grow your business. To find out more about how to generate blog comments, increase links and search engine page rank visit Blogging to the Bank.

“You must remain focused on your journey to greatness.” -Les Brown

These are all important questions that have a direct effect on your blog’s ultimate success. Readers want to connect with a real person, someone they can relate to, admire, learn from, respect and of course buy from – you!

In order to effectively build a loyal following and to create a blog that’s successful, and profitable, you need to remember one very important thing – you are the essence of your blog.

Here’s How to Put You Into Your Blog

Write conversationally. Write like you speak. When you’re explaining something to someone your personality, your metaphors, sense of humor and your understanding of the subject comes through in the language you use.

It’s the single best way to put you into your blog. When you’re speaking you tell stories, do the same thing when you write. If you have a story that relates to the information you’re delivering, share it.

And don’t edit yourself, at least not until the entire post has been written. Then you can go back and tweak it here and there. Editing as we go tends to quiet your personality.

Smaller elements like photos, contact information and an about page are all great elements to put YOU into your blog, as well. However, your communications, your PASSION for your topic and for communicating with your readers will stand out far and above these other elements.

Consistently be your genuine self and your readers will quickly learn who you are and what you’re about. To learn more about the essential elements required for creating a profitable blog visit Blogging to the Bank.

“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it however.” -Richard Bach

Want examples?

What about Michael Arrington, whose TechCrunch blog empire attracts 6 million readers each month and did $3 million in advertising sales in 2007?

Leo Babuta has turned Zen Habits into a goldmine and he’ll likely tell you he achieved 100,000 subscribers in two years in his ebook.

And Rosaline Gardner, a leader in affiliate marketing, built her empire using blogging technology.

Blogging for profit isn’t only possible, it’s probable if you use a proven method to build your blog business. To see more amazing and real life examples of how you can profit from blogging visit Blogging to the Bank.

“The entrepreneur in us sees opportunities everywhere we look, but many people see only problems everywhere they look. The entrepreneur in us is more concerned with discriminating between opportunities than he or she is with failing to see the opportunities.” -Michael Gerber

However, a blog is a good idea if you want to:

• Connect with your readers
• Optimize your website
• Profit from affiliate or ad sales
• Embrace personality marketing
• Establish yourself as an expert
• Increase awareness and exposure

Educate, inform, and provide value to your target audience

In fact a blog can be used quite easily instead of a website. WordPress blog templates can be made to look like a ‘regular’ website with static pages, forms, advertising, and a customizable header and so on.

And because blogs are so much easier to use, they’re often the best option for new entrepreneurs. That being said, experienced entrepreneurs also use blogs as their main website because the search engines love them.

So do you need a blog?  No, not really. Will a blog help you grow your business faster?  Most definitely. Click HERE to learn more about how to profit from a simple blog.

“The entrepreneur is our visionary, the creator in each of us. We’re born with that quality and it defines our lives as we respond to what we see, hear, feel, and experience. It is developed, nurtured, and given space to flourish or is squelched, thwarted, without air or stimulation, and dies.” -Michael Gerber

Here are a few ways to get the party started and get more blog comments!

Get your readers involved. There are many ways to inspire your readers to comment. One of them is to simply ask questions in your blog posts. Ask them to share their 2 cents.

Thank them for their comments. Even if you disagree with their comment or they left a link generating “thank you for the valuable information” type of comment, thank them. When people know they’re going to be acknowledged they’re more likely to contribute.

Consider engaging your commenter in further discussion. Acknowledge their comment, expand on it and ask them another question. Once a dialogue is going, other people are likely to jump in.

Be controversial. Controversy sparks discussion and it can be a wild ride but it usually draws traffic to your blog too.

Make it easy to comment. This is a personal decision, but you don’t have to require people to register to leave a comment. You’re likely to get more comments if you don’t.

Give CommentLuv – This handy little plug-in allows people to track and view their most recent comment. For those who like to see their name in print or who enjoy participating, they’ll comment more often if you have this plug-in.

Let ‘em link. Give readers the ability to create a profile that links to their website. That way they’ll also hopefully not fill their comment space with self promotion.

Track your popular posts and repeat the format or style of information. Your audience may have a favorite subject or style, recognize it and give them more of what they enjoy.

Blog comments aren’t necessarily an indicator that your blog is succeeding but they do make it a more interactive process. To learn more about what data indicates success and what numbers you should be paying attention to visit Blogging to the Bank.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” -Walt Disney

• Do give credit where credit is due. If you borrow information, data or even a good idea from someone, give them credit.
• Don’t publish verbatim content on your blog or cut and paste without quoting the author. (And seeking permission if it is more than a sentence or two you’re quoting)
• Do thank people for commenting, even if you’re not thrilled with the comment.
• Don’t attack people who disagree with you or post negative comments.
• Do pay attention to general grammar and spelling rules –no one wants to struggle through a blog post.
• Do remember that you have the right to delete inappropriate posts however…
• Do also remember that controversy and negative comments can fuel discussions and turn a one comment blog post into a two hundred comment blog post
• Do participate on other blogs and create a profile which includes a link to your website rather than including a link in your comment.
• Do watch the language. Curse words are rarely appropriate.
• Do make your posts easy to read.
• Do be professional and remember that everything is up there for anyone and everyone to read. Present yourself like you would if you were standing in a room face to face with your audience.

In general, blogging is just like any other communication whether it is online or off. Treat people with respect and strive to put your best foot forward – professionally and personally. To learn more about blogging and how to create a profitable blog visit Blogging to the Bank.

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.” -Ralph Lauren