Book Review on Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income

Introduction

Recently, I ordered a few books on Amazon.com to learn more about blogging and SEO (search engine optimization). One of the books I ordered was Problogger - Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. Co-authored by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett, two highly successful bloggers and internet consultants, Problogger is a book all about blogging.

When many think about blogging, they have a romanticized view. They don’t understand that blogging is far more than publishing posts. Not only do you have to write unique and useful content, if you want to make money, you have to monetize and promote a blog too.

Content

In the business world, decisions you make in the beginning can affect the success of your business. Blogging is no different. Problogger takes you by the hand and explains what you need to know to be a successful blogger. Although the book is geared towards beginners, there are still many useful and helpful tips for more experienced bloggers too. The book has ten chapters and spans 211 pages. The chapters are:

• Chapter 1 - Blogging for Money: Covers what a blog is, making money with blogs, blog strategies, and how to measure a blog’s success. I think one of the most important statements in this chapter is that blogs are not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time and effort to build a successful blog.
• Chapter 2 - Niche Blogging: Covers choosing a profitable niche. Of all the things I’ve learned since I first began blogging, choosing the right niche is one of the more important decisions you will make.
• Chapter 3 - Setting Up Your Blog: Covers choosing a blogging platform, choosing a domain name, and setting up a blog. Deciding between a paid host versus a free host is another one of the most important decisions you will make in the beginning.
• Chapter 4 - Blog Writing: covers writing content for your blog. This chapter has many helpful and useful tips on writing content for new bloggers and old bloggers alike. When you first start blogging, one of the first comments you will hear is “Content is king.” Great content is what attracts readers to your blog. Without it, more than likely, your blog won’t be very successful.
• Chapter 5 - Blog Income and Earning Strategies: A general introduction on how to make money on your blog directly and indirectly.
• Chapter 6 - Buying and Selling Blogs: A general introduction on buying and selling blogs. It also covers blog sale basics and calculating a blog’s value.
• Chapter 7 - Blog Networks: The pros and cons of joining a blog network and where to find blog network jobs.
• Chapter 8 - Blog Promotion and Marketing: A general overview of increasing traffic, link-building, and SEO (search engine optimization).
• Chapter 9 - Secrets of Successful Blogs: Discusses learning from other successful blogs.
• Chapter 10 - Creating Something Worthwhile: Discusses creating content your readers will want to read.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking of starting a blog or just beginning, Problogger is a great place to start your education. Even if you’ve been blogging for awhile, Problogger has many valuable and useful tips. However, one thing I’d like to point out is that although it can be done, very few bloggers blog their way to a six-figure income. There are no roads to quick riches. In fact, research has shown that 95% of all blogs fail. Blogs take time, knowledge, effort, and commitment. If you’re willing to do that, this book may be one of the best investments you will make.