How to Blog
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I’ve been online since 1992, but I’ve only been building this business since I started Lockergnome in 1996. I’ve evolved since the beginning, and opened up Lockergnome to others to blog and make money for themselves, as well. We invite people who can write well to blog with us… that’s the key, you know. You have to be able to write well. But that’s only one component. I happen to be the Kontera Publisher of the Month this month! They sent me a list of questions, asking me all about how to blog successfully. You can sign up for Kontera for your own site, and start making money today. However, I ask that you sign up under me so that they can see the type of traffic we really get! So, let’s get to these questions!
- We’re interested in learning more about Lockergnome. How did it get started, and where did the idea spark come from? – Lockergnome got its start because I really didn’t want to finish my Master’s Degree. I knew that the Internet was going to become increasingly important and pervasive in people’s lives. I already shared tips and tricks with people, so I decided to do so in an “official” capacity, by using my own Website. I still share tips and tricks, but I do so in a variety of ways: through Lockergnome, through email, through Geeks, and many other avenues.
- What do you look for in a blogger who is featured on Lockergnome? – Right now, we don’t even accept applications for the most part. For instance, people cannot bother to write well in their application, so why would we accept them to blog for us? I’ve said it before a million times, and I’ll say it again: you have to be able to write well to blog with us on Lockergnome! We’re looking for someone with a good voice, who is full of passion and understanding of the subject they are wanting to cover. Also, you have to be consistent. You need to be able to blog regularly.
- Thousands of bloggers set on their online path daily. What’s the most important tip you can give? – There are so many things you need to pay attention to on a daily basis. You can read everything online, and you’ll never get anything done. The chances of you publishing a blog and having it well-read are not incredibly strong. The reason I’ve opened my doors for Lockergnome is because I know I can get you more attention than you would get on your own. We have excellent marketing benefits that we’ve built over the years. We have a lot of promotional vehicles for content that is well-written. If you’re trying to separate yourself from the other noise out there, make people aware of who you are. Visit others, and leave comments for them. How else will people find you?
- When you start to monetize Lockergnome, what role does in-text advertising play? – Kontera came to me in the beginning, and I hesitated. Then I started thinking, and realized that people hate seeing ads everywhere. The Kontera underlined words go over so much better than any other type of ads I’ve ever used. People respond well to them. Kontera is a large part of the monetization system. It’s not all of it, since I refuse to rely on any one type of monetization. However, Kontera works very, very well.
- What sort of responses have you been getting from Lockergnome users regarding to the types of advertising you employ? – They’re asking for a larger portion of the splits! However, we do have expenses we have to pay to keep the site operational. They’re looking for more options, of course. I am always looking for new ways to implement money-making opportunities to them. The more customizations I can offer them, the better off they will be. I’m excited to see what the future will bring as far as advertising is concerned.
- What wise words do you have regarding monetization for bloggers? – Optimize! I realize that’s a general term. I’ve helped a lot of people make a lot of money, without receiving anything in return. I don’t really do that anymore. If you want to pay me to help you, then great! Shoot me an email. But for now, I’ll just be general, and tell you to optimize to the maximum.
- We’re very excited to have a blogging expert on the Kontera site. Do you have any words of wisdom for us? – Don’t keep pounding on the table! Seriously, stay true to yourself. If you have a blog that’s all about your company, that’s cool… but it gets long in the tooth. Share interesting and/or personal stories maybe about people that work for the company. If you don’t do that, all people are reading is a series of press releases. That gets pretty boring. As a matter of fact, I doubt many people will read this post, or watch this video in its entirety. If you do, please leave a comment, and use the word pancake somewhere in your comment. I’m serious! Do it! I just want to see out of curiosity how many of you get this far. This is what I mean about adding things outside the normal realm. Talk about something I can’t find anywhere else.
- Where do you see Lockergnome going in the future? – As I’ve already said, I want to open it up more. I want to allow more people to participate, turning it into a network of Geeks. People will be able to take advantage of groups and forums, as well. Lockergnome will also continue to grow via the co-brands: Coupons, our Help forums, and a download area is just around the corner!
Thank you to the people at Kontera for this Publisher of the Month honor. It’s very cool, and I definitely recommend others use your service.
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