Most Bloggers are Poor Marketers

The title of this post was taken directly from a sentence out of Yaro Starak’s free report, Blog Profits BluePrint (page 18, to be exact).

That sentence resonated with me because it reminded me of the mistakes I made when I started to blog back in 2006.

I was more concerned with building another backlink for my main site instead of building a readership, marketing my blog and focusing on writing solid content.

I’m glad I finally read Yaro’s free report.  I have to admit, I wasn’t overly excited about it because I assumed it was just going to be a plug for his blog coaching service.

Of course it was (and who would blame him?), but there is also a plethora of solid advice in the report.  If I was just getting started blogging I would definitely consider signing up to have him coach me.

If you’ve been on the blogging scene long enough you’ve probably read many of the tips Yaro writes about.  He does an excellent job of putting his own perspective on popular topics.

Do You Write Pillar Content?

Yaro talks about the importance of creating Pillar content.   He defines it as the “foundation of a good blog.”   It’s that content that gets people’s attention, builds your credibility and often gets spread virally over time.

Some examples would be a How-to article, list article (100 ways to do X), articles on theory, controversy, definition or even a resource report.

These articles can be very helpful at boosting your readership because of the viral potential.  I’ve even noticed from reading other blogs, many of the “most popular” articles are of these varieties.

People also tend to bookmark this kind of content and even submit them to social bookmarking sites (Digg, StumbleUpon, etc.)

Most bloggers don’t write  much Pillar content.  They simply re-report facts and information this is already out here, and then wonder why their traffic struggles.

If you need more exposure, consider writing more pillar content and take advantage of the viral traffic that often comes with these kinds of posts.

Is Yaro Down on Websites?

In the report, Yaro takes a small shot at websites saying, “Websites are too technical for most people.” I agree with that on some level, but I still don’t think a blog is perfect for every situation.

And because blogs are so easy to setup (especially compared to websites), people often believe they are a faster route to financial success.

However, Yaro makes it clear that blogging takes work and more importantly an understanding of business.  I am glad he emphasized that point.

Nevertheless, it didn’t surprise me that Yaro seems somewhat anti-website . After all, he sells a blog coaching service so of course he wants to gently nudge you toward the blogging world. 😉

However I still believe you should do your homework and decide which option (blog or website) is best for your individual needs.

And if you do decide that a blog is best, then Yaro may just be one of the best online mentors around. Why not learn from someone who is actually walking the walk and making a solid 6 figures from his blogs?

Keeping it Real

Yaro’s statement, “Most bloggers are poor marketers” may offend some people, but he’s absolutely right.  Too many bloggers only focus on re-reporting facts without a solid plan for marketing.

And if you find that traffic and sales from your blog is struggling, perhaps you should give Yaro some of your attention.

You don’t have to sign up for his blog coaching service, but you can at least download his free report.

It may open your eyes to some promotion techniques you’ve never thought of before. And most importantly, it will help keep your expectations in check.