March 28, 2024

Here is a Method That is Helping MLMers Become Better MLM Bloggers

As a network marketer you are ultimately in the information business. We all are. The higher the quality of information you provide to others, the more people will pay attention to it.

I understand that it can feel like a daunting task to keep up with your MLM blog.

Blogging for your network marketing business isn’t always the most important thing. I get that. Because we both know there’s work that needs to be done.

But keeping some level of continuity and flow with your MLM Blog is necessary to keeping readers and audiences happy as well as a stream of new prospects and leads IF you stick with it.

What’s even worse is when you don’t know what to write about. Or maybe you do have an idea of what to write about, but you don’t know how to organize it into an easy to read format.

Sound like you?

Are you stuck for ideas about how to write your blog post?

Does the blank white page stare at you and paralyze you with anxiety?

No more! That ends TODAY!

Templates

This Renegade Blog post will help you to overcome those things. You will have an easy to use blog post template format and a handful of blog post topics that will get you creating content.

Let’s get started.

The first thing that will be helpful is to pick up any three magazines you really like.

I subscribe to Men’s Journal, Fast Company and The New Yorker.

Head to the news stand to buy your favorites, and some that aren’t, if you have an extra $20 or so, and pick up a few magazines. I want you to notice the format of magazine articles. You’ll see patterns.

Start reading other well known bloggers like Chris Brogan, Copyblogger and Social Media Examiner too. Not only are they great blogs with excellent content, but their posts often follow a specific format.

My point is …

… by the end of your research with the magazines (and perhaps blogs too, but magazines are best if you’re just getting started), you will notice familiar formats. You can use their formats for your blog. And once you have a format to follow, it gets much easier to create more blog content in less time.

From there, you can add your own flavor to their format once you do it for awhile.

There is not one single way to write a blog post, just as there is no one way to write. But here is a framework to that demystifies the fundamentals of a solid blog post, and will make you more comfortable with the process of blogging.

Try this Blog Post Format

Headline – Start each post with a headline that will draw attention. Headlines are most important. If I’m stuck on a headline, I use Copyblogger’s Magnetic Headlines series for inspiration. Just be sure you understand why you’re using a particular headline and how it should work. The Copyblogger series on headlines will help you with this.

Picture – You can find pictures on Flickr by using their creative commons search here http://flickr.com/creativecommons. Make an effort to find a picture that matches the headline, or that contrasts it in some way or another.

Personal First Paragraph – You can write some kind of lead-in that gives you a personal connection to your reader (write as if you’re just talking to one person). Then get down to the nitty gritty.

First Big Point – Using bullet points make following main points easier to follow.

Second Big Point – Using sub headlines is a great way to break up your main points.

Third Big Point – It’s good to also include examples.

Call to Action – End the piece with whatever next action you’d like your reader to take. Make it extremely obvious. Be direct. If it’s to leave a comment, ask some questions to elicit those comments. If it’s to buy something, put easy-to follow links towards those things you’d like them to buy.

You can do that, and it’s recommended that you aim for two days a week.

The real value in sharing a blogging template like this (or other templates) with others is that it helps to diffuse the angst of staring at a blank page.

The Blank Page

Everyone, especially those who are just getting started with blogging, feel that kind of anxiety. It’s real. And it will paralyze the best of us.

You can also think of this template as blogging training wheels. It will get you going the first couple of times, but before you know it you will be cruising on your very own.

Here’s Another Blog Post Format for You to Use

Headline – Let readers know how the post will be useful for them, and add an element of intrigue. Again, I turn to Copyblogger for some tried-and-true formulas that work if you know why they work. Go here for those: http://www.copyblogger.com/10-sure-fire-headline-formulas-that-work/

First sentence – Your goal is to hook your audience. Ask a question. State something mildly controversial, or universally interesting to your readers, that might spark intrigue.

Next paragraph –Answer the question you raised in the first sentence or paragraph. Or start to explain your initial statement. Fill in the details related to your initial statement or question. Back it up with what helped you get to that feeling.

Bullets or number lists – Create a list of your key points. Lists are easy to read because they’re scannable.

Close with a question – Depends what your goal is for the post. We here at The Renegade Blog seek to elicit engagement via comments and Facebook or Twitter shares. So we like to end with something that invites interaction in the comments section below the post.

Thinking Like an MLM Blogger to Generate Topics

If you’re really serious about blogging, I recommend reading other blogs both in and out of your niche for 30 minutes to an hour every day. You’ll get a better feel for what kind of content you should post if you pay particularly close attention to the blogs you like to read most.

Head over to That MLM Beat and BetterNetworker so see what the content producers there are creating. You’ll both see good examples and examples of what not to do.

Always ask yourself,

  • Why did I read this post?
  • How did the headline work? Did it get me to read the first paragraph?
  • What stood out from the post?
  • At what points in the post did I feel any emotion or have an “ah-hah” moment?
  • Would I share this post with my network of friends and contacts on Facebook or Twitter?

The goal of your blogging is to write something that elicits a response from your audience.

Thus, if you’re in any business of any kind, you’ll want a response that helps move your business along.

That’s the point, right?

In this sense, you’re blogging for your community and not for your own self.

How do you turn your readership from an “audience” into a “community?” Because even the most stone-cold sales person is going to eventually want a community either to be a part of or to lead.

With that said,

These Blog Topics Will Help You Build Community

building_community

  • Write a post about who you THINK is reading your blog, and make it a one-to-one type of writing style.
  •  

  • Write a blog post that asks exactly for what you’re seeking in a customer. The premise is simple – write into existence the story of the idea customer or client for your business.
  •  

  • Take your readers on a journey. This can really help build more participation in your blog. If you’re starting a project where they can follow along, and where they have a sense of where they’ll end up, the results can often be amazing.
  •  

  • Write about a customer, a client, a member of your downline or upline. Talk about how they are successful. Don’t directly tie this back to your product or service or whatever it is that you do. Just praise that person. Give them the spotlight, and share the stage. Put a picture of them up on your blog.The benefits to this are two fold: 1.) It’s a nice thing to do. 2.) People appreciate reading about themselves, and they often share it with friends and colleagues, thus garnering you new readers.

If You Like This Renegade Blog Post Do TheseThree Simple Things:

  1. Share it on Facebook and include something like this: “The Renegade Blog team is aiming to be the number one Internet MLM Blog, reach 2500 people every single day with the type of content that others charge for. Help spread the word.”
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About Eric Walker


Eric is an 80/20 Marketing staff member and marketing collaborator. He spends his days writing content and copy for a marketing purpose. Eric is an optimist. He believes in a bright future and our ability to build it together. If you have a question, and/or would like to communicate with Eric directly, email Eric@8020MarketingInc.com

Comments

  1. Thanks Eric for these template examples. You are a terrific writer and if I could write half as well, I’d be thrilled. I’m going to print this out and use for my next articles.

    Great information to share with my team as well,
    Thanks!

  2. Eric,
    I do have a VERY important question about using pictures from the internet in my blog posts. Because of everything I’m learning about keeping it all legal, I’m extremely confused (and a little afraid) about using any pics I find online.
    I went to the flicker site you suggested BUT I’m still a little unsure if I can use those for free.
    This information will help me a great deal.
    Thanks in advance.

    • That’s a good question Holli, and it’s only been recently that I’ve been more strict on myself about following these important laws. Time for all of us to respect copyright laws. I will strictly be using pictures from http://www.flickr.com/creativecommons from now on.

      Read more about Creative Commons here http://creativecommons.org/about

      You’ll notice if you click on any of the pictures from this post, you’ll be linked to the original artist at Flickr. I believe this is what is meant by “Attribution”

      Creative commons is broken down into five categories:

      Attribution:
      You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it – but only if they give you credit.

      Noncommercial:
      You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work – and derivative works based upon it – but for noncommercial purposes only.

      No Derivative Works:
      You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.

      Share Alike:
      You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.

      • Still sounds a little like jibberish to me. So, if I go for the Attribution – for example,
        I am OK legally as long as I mention on my blog where the picture was taken from and who the artist is?

        Where do you think this should be written in the blog? Under the picture? At the end of the blog???

        I think we need to get this figured out for all of us. So – do I have to sign up for this Attribution?

        I’ll pass all this on to Mentor Mama and get her legal opinion as well.
        Thanks for finding this flicker info out E.

  3. Thanks so much for all this information. Changes the whole view about blogging and gives me a good
    foundation to build on. I usually just write at random what’s going on in my head…need to get down to a better formation as suggested.
    Thanks once again.
    Nanette

    • You’re welcome Nanette. It usually takes me a full day of work to write a post like the one you’ve just read. It might start out as “just off the top of my head” but I keep whittling it into something that I think will really benefit our readers. Thank you for your comment.

      • Then I am comforted…thought you just threw it out…will need to find those hours…but it is all in the learning process as well as time management.
        I started off with google Blogs…but they sure do give some trouble with correcting and posting..but that is another story.
        Thanks for the info. you have given to Holli’s question. It is something to watch and I was also uncertain about that.
        In case you are celebrating Father’s Day tomorrow, Eric …have a great day. Here Ascension Day has been changed over to this. Actually sad, but it remains a holiday.

  4. This is super helpful… It is so helpful to have a format to follow because it helps you stay on purpose and takes away some of the “blankness” lol.

    It always helps me to be reading a book because it often inspires me to write about something and I can add my own spin on an idea and cater it to the home business world. Thanks Eric!

  5. Great post Eric. I would find it greater if it included sample templates filled in with examples. I know we have to do some things ourselves, but you asked for feedback 😉

    • Okay Crystal I will think about the templates. Go ahead and give this strategy and try and please report back here (to the comments on this post) and let us know what some more of your questions are.

  6. Very helpful and insightful article. You put it all in perspective for me!

  7. I know all about the “what to do,’ I am someone who needs the “how you do it.” I am one who needs practical application rather than general information.

    • Phil, I just visited your blog. Looks to me you already know how to do it. Perhaps take a look at this post- http://www.therenegadeblog.com/flagship-content

      Other than that, can you be more specific about “how to do it.”

      Because this post wasn’t general, it was How to Format a Post.

      Be more clear and I will try to help you.

      • Eric, I know the mechanics of a creating a blog, but I don’t know how to do it effectively and efficiently. You see, I want to start another blog for my direct selling products, but I don’t know how to take the general information which is presented in your articles and Ann’s materials and turn it into specific action. In other words, I need “someone to take me by the hand” and lead me until I get a good grasp. Does this make sense?

  8. Hey Phil – Gotcha. Makes sense, yes. What you’re asking for sounds like something on the order of coaching. Question – Do you own MLM Blog Secrets (http://www.mlmblogsecrets.com)? If not, Ty Tribble pretty much walks you through what you’re asking for, and if you need more than that, I’m going to refer you to our “head coach.” You can email him here: coach@therenegadesystem.com or https://www.annsieg.com/freeconsult.html

  9. Thanks Eric,

    I’m just starting to blog and searching for any information that is helpful. These templates do help and for me goes back to English classes many years ago when we had to write reports. We had to follow the intro, body and summary format. You just expanded that a bit.

    I have ideas but sometimes get stuck.

    Thanks again
    Salley

  10. Hey Eric,

    Great article thanks so much for putting this out there.

    Staring at that blank page can certainly be daunting and hold a lot of people back from even taking the first step.

    I love how you’ve laid out a simple formula that takes away the anxiety and gives someone a template to follow. I think there are a lot of potential bloggers out there who need this kind of help to get them going.

    Keep it up! Thanks.

Trackbacks

  1. […] Use a format. Once you get use to using a format writing articles will become easy. If you look at magazines articles you’ll notice they’re written in format. Look at well written blog articles and find a format you like. In a very short time you’ll develop your own. To get a couple examples of formats you might be able to use visit; http://www.therenegadeblog.com/blog-post-format-blog-topics?subdomain=gregbills […]

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