Your blog's first 90 days... exactly what to do

Summary

This video script outlines a strategic 90-day plan for starting a profitable blog in 2022. It emphasizes setting clear end goals, learning all aspects of blogging, and doing everything yourself initially before outsourcing. The script covers website setup, choosing a niche, keyword research, creating content, and on-page SEO. It stresses the importance of link building for authority and monetization, suggesting a focus on quality content and link acquisition over immediate monetization. The speaker provides actionable steps and recommends tools to track progress, aiming to build a sustainable income stream through blogging.

Takeaways

• 😀 Starting a blog requires having a clear end goal in mind, such as generating side income or surpassing full-time job earnings.
• 🎯 The first 90 days are crucial for setting up the blog for profitability, focusing on learning and doing everything yourself initially.
• 🛠️ Building a blog is most effective when done alongside a full-time job, requiring careful time management and prioritization.
• 📈 The aim is to create a passive income stream through content ranking on Google, link building, and authority in a niche.
• 💡 A successful blog is a living, breathing entity; perfection is the enemy and the mantra should be 'good enough, move on'.
• 🏠 The core pages of a blog include the home, about, blog archive, and blog post template, which are essential for a good user experience.
• 🔍 Choosing the right niche is foundational, and it should be based on a balance of personal passion, market demand, and potential for monetization.
• 🔑 Keyword research is vital for understanding what content to create and involves finding opportunities with decent search volume and low competition.
• ✍️ Content creation should follow a templatized assembly line approach, focusing on transactional and informational posts.
• 🔄 On-page SEO is critical for ranking content in Google, and tools like Surfer SEO can assist with optimizing posts.
• 🔗 Link building is a continuous process that parallels content creation, focusing on building domain authority and relevance.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the first 90 days when starting a blog?

The main focus of the first 90 days is to learn as much as possible, do everything yourself, create a profitable runway, and set up a foundation for passive income through content, SEO, and link building.

Why is it important to have an end goal in mind when starting a blogging business?

Having an end goal in mind is crucial as it dictates the entire strategy of the blog. It helps in deciding whether to build the blog as a side income source or to surpass full-time income and take it full time.

What are some examples of end goals for a blogging business?

Examples of end goals include making a few thousand dollars a month to pay down student loans or mortgage, or building a blog that generates twenty to fifty thousand dollars a month and surpassing one's full-time income.

Why should new bloggers avoid focusing on perfection during the initial phase?

Perfection can slow down growth as it keeps the focus on minor details that don't matter initially. Blogs are living, breathing entities that can be updated at any time, so it's better to publish and iterate rather than getting stuck on perfection.

What are the core four pages that should be set up for a blog?

The core four pages include the home page, about page, blog archive page (or blog roll), and the blog post template, which dictates how individual blog posts will appear.

What is the recommended approach to writing blog posts in the first 90 days?

The recommended approach is to write at least 12 blog posts with a focus on 70% transactional content (like product comparisons) and 30% informational content. The goal is to publish about one 2000-word article per week.

How does keyword research play a role in deciding what to write on the blog?

Keyword research is essential to understand what people are searching for in the blog's niche. It helps in finding emerging products with less competition, which can lead to higher rankings and potential monetization opportunities.

What is the importance of link building in the first 90 days of a blog?

Link building is crucial as it helps establish the blog's authority and contributes to higher rankings on search engines. It's a continuous process that runs parallel to content creation and is essential for long-term success.

Why should new bloggers not focus on monetization in the first 90 days?

In the first 90 days, the focus should be on creating quality content and building links to establish authority. Monetization is a byproduct of these efforts and should not be the primary focus during the initial phase.

What is the estimated cost to start a blog according to the script?

The estimated cost includes a one-time fee of $132 to launch the website with the recommended setup, a one-month subscription to ahrefs for keyword research at $199, and ongoing costs of about $74 per month for web hosting and SEO tools.

How can bloggers keep track of their progress and tasks?

Bloggers can use a master spreadsheet to manage their profit and loss, content plan, and link building outreach. Additionally, a simple document can be used to track weekly tasks and progress.