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Kevin Smith

Subscribers matter more than page views, and everything else here follows from that position. Kevin Smith argues that raw traffic flatters you while a subscriber list is the only thing that keeps coming back, and he gives you the unglamorous fixes: make the option obvious, offer email as well as a feed, and actually ask, at the bottom of every post.

His piece on being interesting is the one to read twice. He complains that advice about attention stays abstract, that nobody can hand you differentiation, and then works out what interesting actually consists of in a way you can apply on Monday.

There is a run on persuasion, including repetition, and a practical guide to writing an article inside twenty minutes for people who have been circling one for a week.

The best post for morale addresses what to do when a piece turns out weaker on the page than it was in your head.

Thirteen posts, all about writing. Read them in any order and you will still write better afterwards.

Make Money Blogging:10 Effective Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers

Jun 28, 2012 · Kevin Smith
The question I seem to be getting over and over is… How did you get so many subscribers? The answer is simple—I value subscribers more than any other measure of blog success,…
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Making Money Blogging: How to Be Interesting

Jun 27, 2012 · Kevin Smith
“Be interesting.” It’s good advice, but it’s nothing new. You’ve probably known from the beginning that being able to interest readers is a crucial part of growing a popular blog. It’s pretty…
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Make Money Blogging: Ten Timeless Persuasive Writing Techniques

Jun 25, 2012 · Kevin Smith
Want to convince your readers to do something or agree with your point of view? OK, that was a silly question. Of course you do. Persuasion is generally an exercise in creating a win-win…
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Making Money Blogging: 8 Incredibly Simple Ways to Get More People to Read Your Content

Jun 22, 2012 · Kevin Smith
Your precious words. You know they’ve got to be right to attract the audience you want. You’ve slaved over them, carefully crafting each phrase. You finally hit “publish,” and what happens? Nobody…
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Make Money Blogging: The Eminem Guide to Becoming a Writing and Marketing Machine

Jun 21, 2012 · Kevin Smith
Ten years back, my soon-to-be wife, Cindy, and I first noticed the bombarding beat for Marshall Mather’s “My Name Is.” “What an ass,” I said as the two of us sat to…
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How to Write an Article in 20 Minutes

Jun 19, 2012 · Kevin Smith
I don’t really want to spend more than 20 minutes a day on writing articles. And I spent no more than 20 minutes to write this article. I realize this is writing…
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What’s the “Right” Kind of Blog Traffic?

Jun 19, 2012 · Kevin Smith
As I was reviewing my analytics this week, it struck me that the universal desire for basically all of us is to grow traffic. We’d all like more traffic, all of the…
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11 Smart Tips for Brilliant Writing

Jun 19, 2012 · Kevin Smith
Do you sound smarter when you use big words? According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology , the answer is no. In fact, complex writing makes you sound small-minded. Just consider the title of…
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What to Do When Your Posts Aren’t as Good as they Seem in Your Mind

Jun 18, 2012 · Kevin Smith
Have you ever had an idea, a thought, or a burst of inspiration that, while it was still in your mind, sounded amazing? But, when you tried to articulate it on screen…
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100+ Social Media Blogging Ideas

Jun 18, 2012 · Kevin Smith
With so many social media studies showing that companies are looking to up their involvement in social activities this year, I thought I’d help cure that age-old “what should I blog about today?” question.…
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