Interview With Liane

Posted by: Toan Nguyen Minh on June 26 in Interviews

Liane is a teenage blogger who wrote Better Blogging For Bloggers eBook. Now she is only 16 year old. Hahaha, her less than my old one.

ClickKT: Would you please tell us something about you and your site?
Liane: Well first about me, as you know, I’m a blogging guru and pro writer who began at 15 years of age.
By that time, I have already accomplished my first blogging ebook (which as you know I give for free). My site, blog to be more specific, is named Better Blogging for Bloggers. It’s kind of a mouthful compared to the stereotype domains of about 10 characters or less, but I think it works it’s own magic. Visitors remember it easily. I guess there’s no need to elaborate much about what I’m into. My blog name is self explanatory already

ClickKT: What got you getting started to build your blog?
Liane: I had a friend (who is way older than me by the way) who told me about blogs that make money thru adsense.
I guess I was just mere 14 something that time. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but it did sparked my curiosity.
So basically, I just googled everything and within the next weeks, viola! I was initiated into the world of blogging. By the way, that friend who told me about blogging, I bought a domain for him later on as my thank you present.

ClickKT: Where you got idea blogging?
Liane: I think most of the answer lies on my previous words. But if I would relate the question about where I got the idea of Better Blogging for Bloggers, then it’s my concept of solution to my own problem – and that is to keep on improving as a blogger.
I wanted to help other newbies too (meaning those who really have zero idea on all this stuff) and to intentionally or unintentionally promote blogging to other people especially to those on my generation, rather, our generation Toan

ClickKT: How to become a professional blogger?
Liane: Professional is a very relative word. The thing about the internet is there’s no regulation or concrete standard that you have to achieve in order to be, as they say, “professional”. That’s why it’s very common here online to come across ads that says “How a Beach Bum Became an Affiliate Master” or “How a College Dropout With $20 Bucks To His Name Became a Pro Marketeer”. Again, there’s literally no regulation.
Now to be a professional blogger, I think I would sum it up in three words. Act Like It.
You may call yourself a pro but if people sees that everything you can offer is almost worthless, then there’s no point to the whole thing. Trust, Authority and truckloads of Credibility too.

ClickKT: How long does it take to become a professional blogger?
Liane: Of course it varies. The real fast learners who are focused and determined to succeed may reach it within less than two years time. I believe in two years if you strive hard enough. Most pro bloggers too minimally claim to have been around for this long. I think you get to spend the first year absolutely learning anything you can get your eyes into (the first months are mostly trial and error). For the succeeding years, that is where you’ll continually expand and grow as a blogger.

ClickKT: Which blogs would you recommend for any beginners starting to blog?
Liane: I was exposed to a lot of John Chow when I started. The story is that I was Googling about random things that time, then I came across an adsense ad that says, “do you know John Chow?”. His ebook is the first one I’ve read. No biases though, I’m a big fan of Darren Rowse too. That’s why, newbies, go read problogger.
Also, in my experience, it’s much better staying away from internet marketing blogs on your first few months as a begginer,
since in my observation, new bloggers who read more “make money online” blogs tends to jump ahead to monetizing.
Which should not be the case. The general rule is that (which blogging gurus agree on), if you want to make money with your  blog in the long run, forget about making online when you have just begun.

ClickKT: Which ebooks would you recommend for beginners starting to blog?
Liane: Woah. I have truckloads of blogging ebooks definately packed in my pc. My top picks includes the ebooks made by John Chow,
ProBlogger, Alvin Phang, and Yaro Starak. When I began blogging, Alvin and Yaro were still unpopular in the blogosphere. Their fame just sprung recently but look how big blogger they are now (specially Yaro, together with his partner, Chris Garret). They are new players compared to the likes of JC and Darren (who I consider as classics).
Hey, have I mentioned Maki of DoshDosh? One of my all time favorites too! He doesn’t have an ebook but it would  take you weeks (or maybe months) just to finish his blog. Every content is quality at its finest!

ClickKT: What are your methods of marketing for your blog?
Liane: I’ve done a lot believe me. When I was a newbie, I was easily lured into viral marketing and traffic plans (which I tell you unless you really knew better are all scams). This is a very broad scope, but to sum it up, I have now focused into building close relationships within my niche (blogging and marketing) and readers. Sure, you can go up start an ad campaign and buy lots of ad spaces or reviews, but with a strong community to support you and your blog, traffic is almost easy. Plus it goes a long way into the future.

ClickKT: What did you do when don’t have the idea to blogging?
Liane: You mean ideas on how to blog (or articles to publish)? Before, I was struggling with maintaning the freshness of my content. Later on, I find this almost funny. Just go look around, ideas are everywhere and all you have to do is to keep your eyes and imagination wide open. It might sound easy to say, but that’s my share of reality!

ClickKT: Did you spend time and money to SEO and advertising your blog?
Liane: Time? Yes and a whole lot of it. I make it a point to make every second count. Money on advertising? It might shock you but I never did. The only time I spend any money was when I bought a domain, an autoresponder and probably a couple of Alvin Phang’s Twitter Online System which is very helpful since I’m exploring into Twitter Marketing. Other than that, it’s zero.
Seriously.

ClickKT: What’s the best way to make money online from blog?
Liane: Advertising on your blog is a stable source (given you have a high number of visitors and a good quality in writing for reviews). PPC marketing is another one too, but unless you really know you’re way around it, it might become a little tricky. I can say affiliate marketing is the second best way. Commisions can get very lucrative nowadays. Why it’s just second best? Because the best way is always to create your own good product and sell it. Just look at how pro bloggers makes use of their authority to create and sell products like hotcakes. It’s the best method.

ClickKT: Recommended programs to earn money from your blogs ?
Liane: If you’re just starting off, resist the urge to make money at all costs. When ranks and traffic starts climbing up, you may then consider signing up for Adsense (the undying ad network). Definitely sign up for a Clickbank Affiliate account.
My other favorite is Chitika. There are many more of course, but I tend to focus on these three networks plus selling out my advertising services.

ClickKT: How much money did you got in first month blogging ?
Liane: I didn’t care about the money at all on my first year. I’m just a kid anyway so I’m not easily lured into get rich quick schemes. My parents are still giving me allowance for Pete’s sake. Anyway, I made none on the first month. I didn’t even tried to make money in the first place. I was purely obsessed with my blog. Plus I knew that early monetizing would take me nowhere, it’s just a distraction especially if you’re still building a blog from scratch.

ClickKT: Who do you think are the most professional blogger on the internet?
Liane: The pro bloggers that I really look up to are John Chow, Darren Rowse, Jeremey Shoemaker, Maki, Dean Hunt, Guy Kawasaki, Yaro Starak, Alvin Phang and hmmn, who else, well I guess that’s it. There are many more names but these guys are on the top of the list.

ClickKT: Which blogs do you regularly read?
Liane: My technique is to read everything I can get into! Of course, I regularly follow the blog of those mentioned above.
But I also subscribe to other blogs regardless of their rank and popularity. My Google Reader is literally full to the brim every time I open it

ClickKT: What are your advice for beginners who starting to blog?
Liane: First, the most important thing, believe in yourself. Second, never give up. Third, have fun will you? Blogging (in my opinion) is not considered a job even many are serious at it and even if it’s dubbed to be among the best jobs in the world.
Most of the time, I’m just having fun really. It’s an amazing experience. People think that the lessons here are just what it is, online lessons. But blogging enabled me to be a better person (and writer) in the real world. For more practical beginner advice, go read my blog and grab my free ebook. lol. I guess that’s it. So time for my favorite line, “let’s blog!”

Thanks Liane!