Create Valuable Content and You Will Succeed Online

These are a few points I have been thinking about for some time now that I believe will make you a better blogger and internet marketer.

Create Value – This is simple, right?  Well, not really, but the idea of it is.  Create something that helps people solve a problem or provides them with useful information that adds immediate value to their life. This is the kind of thing people will pay for.  I know I will.

Give Give Give -  Be generous.  The beauty of the Internet is that it’s a platform that reaches almost everywhere.  If you give 110% of yourself on the internet, you’re giving it to hundreds or thousands of people.  

The more you give, the more you will get back–nowhere is this more true than online.  Build trust and authenticity by giving.  When you’re thinking of a product, don’t think about what you want to make, think about what your audience needs, and of course, what they will pay for.

Try Interesting Things – There are thousands of sites, businesses, blogs, and sales pages popping up every day.  Try something that’s never been done before.  Put your own spin on things.  It’s so cheap that there’s no such thing as big mistakes.  Being interesting will help you stick out in a crowded (and extremely competitive) business.

Don’t Be Boring – Don’t be antiseptic.  Inspire people, make them laugh, entertain and enlighten them, but most importantly, let your personality (or eccentricity) shine through.  Boring doesn’t make friends, so why would you think it makes sales?

Be Transparent – Why not be sincere and honest?  Being honest with people is the difference between making a few bucks on a one time transaction versus having a customer who comes back to buy your products repeatedly and has such a good experience that she tells all her friends to buy from you too. Besides, transparency is easy–all you have to do is be yourself.  People respect this and trust this.

Make Partnerships – Go out and find other people doing similar things to you and see if you can help them out.  Offering to help someone or simply extending your hand is the seed of a partnership.  It’s hard to do things on your own.  

Make Friends – If you’re running your business well, you will have a lot of friends.  Go out of your way to make some friends.  Besides, who do you think is going to help you sell your next great idea?  Networking is key and will help you find work, new projects, and opportunities.

Have Fun with What You’re Selling – Enthusiasm sells itself and makes your job easier.  Doing something you are genuinely interested in energizes your business.

Work Hard and go the Extra Mile – When you think you are done with your blog post or sales page, sit back and take a few minutes before you publish it.  Is there something you can add that will make the post a little bit more interesting or helpful?  Maybe you skimped a little on research. 

Maybe there’s another resource you can link to that will help your reader out a little bit more.  These tiny details are what make people bookmark your posts, pass them to their friends, and encourage people to be long term readers and subscribers.

It’s all about the audience.  This is the first thing we forget.

img courtesy of bizior at stock.xchng