Stop Writing Blogs No One Reads—Do This Instead (Ch 10. Build Your Audience)

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Demystifying Blogging: From a Hobby to a Business with Jonathan Milligan

Grab a Copy of the Build Your Audience Book: https://platformgrowthbooks.com

In this episode of The Market Your Message Show, Jonathan Milligan shares his journey from starting a blog with no audience in 2009 to transforming it into a successful business model. He discusses how blogging has evolved and reveals strategies for building an engaged audience. 

The episode features Chapter 10 of his book 'The Blogging Traffic Playbook,' where Jonathan dives into the common pitfalls bloggers face and introduces the POST method for creating compelling content. Advanced techniques like pillar and support posts are also covered, along with a one-day blog post challenge to help listeners put their newfound knowledge into action.

00:00 Introduction: The Birth of a Blog
00:33 Demystifying Blogging: What's Changed and What's Working
01:19 Chapter 10: The Blogging Traffic Playbook
02:48 Common Pitfalls: What Most Bloggers Do Wrong
03:41 Becoming a Topic Leader: The Secret Sauce
05:06 The POST Method: Crafting Quality Blog Posts
07:52 Advanced Blogging Practices for Accelerated Results
10:32 One Day Blog Post Challenge: Put Your Knowledge into Action
12:16 Key Takeaways: Mastering the Art of Blogging

Episode Transcript

Speaker 21 (00:00):
I hit publish with Shaking Hands.
It was 2009 and I had noaudience, no followers, just a
deep desire to help people and ablog no one knew existed.
But within the 90 days,strangers from the Round the
world were emailing me foradvice.
That was the moment I realizedblogging wasn't just a hobby.

(00:22):
It was a business model.
Hi, I am Jonathan Milligan andI'm the host of The Market Your
Message Show, where we help youturn your message into multiple
streams of digital income.
And today we're gonna jump intoblogging.
How do we demystify blogging?
How has blogging changed overthe years and what's working

(00:42):
right now with blogging?
We're currently going throughthe fourth book in my series.
Build Your.
Audience, by the way, you canget a copy by going to platform
growth books.com or click thelink in the show notes.
Now today we're gonna dive intothis and I'm gonna be releasing
to you chapter 10 from my book,the Blogging Traffic Playbook,

(01:07):
and this is the actual recordingof the audio book and I'm making
it available for free.
As a thank you for being asubscriber to the podcast.
So without further ado, let'sjump in to chapter number 10.

Speaker 20 (01:19):
The build method, search traffic, chapter 10, the
blogging traffic playbook.
My fingers were shaking the dayI hit publish on my first blog
post.
It was February, 2009, and Ijust launched a career coaching
blog for accountingprofessionals.
After five years as an executiverecruiter, I learned a ton about
job transitions and careeradvancement.

(01:43):
Now I wanted to share thatknowledge and make some money
doing it.
Why blogging?
My research said it was the bestway to reach people.
So I started writing about thequestions I got daily resumes,
interviews, salary negotiations,you name it.
What happened next blew my mind.
Within 90 days, emails startedpouring in, not just from around

(02:04):
the country, but from across theglobe.
That's when I knew I was ontosomething big.
It was time to double down onblogging and figure out how to
turn this into a real business.
But here's the thing.
Building an audience throughblogging isn't as simple as
writing whatever pops into yourhead and hoping people show up.
There's a strategy to it, amethod that can turn your blog

(02:26):
from a ghost town into abustling hub of engaged readers.
In this chapter, we will explorehow to build your audience
through blogging.
We will look at common mistakesand better ways to write.
Then we'll give you astep-by-step guide to creating
content that attracts and keepsreaders ready to turn your blog
into an audience buildingmachine.

(02:47):
Let's get started.
The common pitfall, what mostbloggers do wrong.
Ever feel like you're shoutinginto the void with your blog?
You're not alone.
Most bloggers fall into a commontrap that keeps their audience
small and engagement low.
Here's what they do wrong.
They treat their blog like adiary.
Every post is a personal musingor a deep thought.

(03:09):
They just had to share, it's allme, me, me, and not enough.
You, you, you.
Or they try to be thoughtleaders right out of the gate.
They write grand manifestos andexpect the world to sit up and
take notice.
Then they hit publish andcrickets.
They sit back and wait forreaders to appear magically.
After all, if you build it, theywill come right wrong.

(03:31):
This approach failsspectacularly for those starting
in obscurity.
Why?
Because no one is looking foryour random thoughts.
They're looking for solutions totheir problems.
A better approach, become atopic leader.
So what's the secret sauce?
Becoming a topic leader?
Shift your focus.
Instead of writing about what'son your mind, write about what's

(03:51):
on your audience's mind.
What questions are they asking?
What problems are they facing?
Build topical authority in yourniche.
Don't try to be everything toeveryone.
Pick your lane and own it.
Dive deep into your chosentopics and become the go-to
expert leverage.
SEO people Use search engines tofind answers.

(04:15):
If you want to be found, youneed to speak their language and
use the keywords and phrasesthey're searching for.
Remember, people don't go toGoogle typing.
Jane doe's latest thought piece.
They type, how do I fix my leakyfaucet or best ways to lose
belly fat?
You're not just throwing contentinto the void.

(04:36):
By focusing on these searchedtopics, you're creating a beacon
that draws your audience to you.
Becoming a topic leader isn'tabout being the loudest voice,
it's about being the mosthelpful voice.
When you consistently providevalue, your audience will grow,
and with that growth comes theopportunity to share your unique
insights and perspectives.

(04:57):
So stop waiting for readers tofind you.
Start creating content they'reactively searching for.
That's how you build an audiencewith blogging.
The post method, a framework forquality blog posts.
Ready to create blog posts thatattract and engage readers.
Let's dive into the post method.
It's your secret weapon forcrafting content that stands out

(05:20):
in the crowded blogospherePurpose.
Defining your post's core.
Start with your primary keyword.
What's the core topic you'readdressing?
Dressing.
Use this to craft a compellingtitle.
Your title is your firstimpression.
Make it count.
Aim for 47 to 53 characters.
Why?

(05:40):
That's the sweet spot for searchengine results pages.
Think of your title, like anewspaper headline.
It needs to grab attention andmake people wanna read more.
Your blog post title is like ashop window.
It must entice people to enteroutline.
Structuring your content.
Now that you have your headline,use it as a guide to outline

(06:01):
your main points.
What key ideas will support yourpurpose?
Remember, a well-structuredoutline is the skeleton of a
great blog post.
It gives your content shape anddirection break your ideas into
clear sections.
This makes your post easier towrite and easier to read.
Strengthen enhancing SEO anduser experience.

(06:23):
It's time to beef up your postuse tools like Rank IQ or Neuron
Writer to optimize yourkeywords.
These tools can show you whatwords and phrases to include for
better search engine rankings.
Don't forget visuals.
Add relevant images to break uptext and illustrate your points.
Link it up.
Include external links toauthoritative sources and

(06:45):
internal links to your otherrelevant posts.
Create strong metadata.
This is what appears in searchresults.
A compelling meta descriptioncan be the difference between a
click and a pass.
Think of SEO as the roadmap thatguides readers to your content
on the vast internet.
Without it, even the bestcontent can get lost.
Tidy up, polishing your post.

(07:06):
You're in the home stretch.
Now it's time to make your postshine.
Edit ruthlessly cut unnecessarywords, clarify confusing points.
Break up long paragraphs forbetter readability.
Add calls to action.
What do you want readers to donext?
Do you want them to subscribe toyour newsletter?
Make it clear and compelling.

(07:27):
Remember, editing is not justabout fixing errors, it's about
making your content shine.
I.
It's your last chance to makeyour post as impactful as
possible.
The post method isn't just aboutcreating content.
It's about creating content withpurpose, structure and polish.
It's your framework for blogposts that attract readers and
keep them coming back for moreadvanced blogging practices for

(07:51):
accelerated results.
Ready to kick your blogging intohigh gear.
Let's explore some advancedtechniques that can supercharge
your results.
Pillar posts.
Cornerstones of your blog.
Think of pillar posts as thefoundation of your blog.
These comprehensive in-deptharticles cover your niches.
Major topics aim to create 12 to15 of these powerhouse posts.

(08:15):
For a blogging focused blogpillar.
Posts might include how to starta blog, monetizing your blog,
driving traffic to your blog,creating compelling content.
These posts are typically longerand more detailed than your
average post.
They're the content you wanna beknown for.

(08:36):
Support posts building a contentecosystem.
Now let's flesh out your contentecosystem with support posts.
These are subtopics that linkback to your pillar posts for
the how to start a blog pillar.
Support posts could includechoosing the right blogging
platform.
50 blog post ideas forbeginners.

(08:59):
How often should you post onyour blog?
Each support post links back toits pillar, which in turn links
out to all its support posts.
This creates a web ofinterlinked content that search
engines love.
Why does this work?
It establishes your topicalauthority.
You're showing search enginesand readers that you have

(09:20):
comprehensive coverage of yourniche.
Content strategy management.
Here's where the rubber meetsthe road.
To keep all this organized,create a blog content strategy
spreadsheet, track post titles,post types pillar or support
publication dates, interlinkingstatus.

(09:43):
This might seem overkill, buttrust me, it's a game changer.
A well organized contentstrategy is like a map for your
blogging journey.
It keeps you on track andheading in the right direction.
I.
With pillar posts, supportposts, and a solid content
strategy, you're not justblogging anymore, you're
building a content empire.

(10:04):
It should attract readers, showyour expertise, and ensure
long-term success.
Remember, these are advancedtechniques.
Don't feel pressured toimplement them all at once.
Start with one pillar post and afew support posts.
As you get comfortable, expandyour strategy.
Before you know it, you'll havea robust, interconnected blog

(10:24):
that draws readers in and keepsthem returning for more.
Today's exercise.
One day blog post challenge.
Ready to put your new knowledgeinto action.
Let's create a blog post fromscratch in just one day.
This exercise will help youapply the post method and get a
feel for the entire process.
Here's your challenge.

(10:44):
Start by choosing a topicrelevant to your niche.
Think about questions youraudience frequently asks, or
problems they often face ifyou're stuck.
Browse forums or social mediagroups related to your niche to
see what people are discussing.
Next, apply the post method tocreate your blog post.
Begin with purpose.
Define your main keyword andcraft a compelling title.

(11:07):
Then create an outline of yourmain points.
Strengthen your post by using akeyword research tool like Rank
IQ or Neuron Writer to optimizeyour content.
Finally, tidy up by editing yourpost for clarity and
readability.
When your post is ready, hitpublish.
Don't let perfectionism hold youback.
Remember, done is better thanperfect.

(11:29):
Once it's live, share it on onesocial media platform where your
target audience hangs out.
The goal isn't to create amasterpiece but to practice the
process.
Pay attention to what feelschallenging and what comes
naturally.
This will help you identifyareas for improvement and build
your blogging muscles.
After you've completed thechallenge, take a few minutes to

(11:49):
reflect.
What did you learn?
What would you do differently?
Next time, use these insights torefine your process for future
posts.
Remember, blogging is a skillthat improves with practice.
The more you write.
The better you'll become atcrafting posts that resonate
with your audience and attractnew readers.

(12:10):
So are you ready to take on thisone day blog post Challenge key
takeaways.
Successful blogging addressesyour audience's needs and
questions, not just sharingpersonal thoughts.
The post method purpose outlinestrength strengthen tidy up
provides a structured approachto creating SEO friendly
engaging blog posts.
Advanced practices like pillarand support posts can boost your

(12:32):
blog's visibility.
They can also establish yourauthority on the topic.