However, one thing I have noticed is that not many bloggers are extraordinary in their efforts to making their blog a success. Lots of mediocrity and sub par performances are abundant as most don’t truly respect the art and are just not hungry enough to seek to be better day-in day-out.

There will never be a perfect blogger but we can work to achieve the best of the best by continuously reading, tweaking, studying, designing and learning to ensure that we stand out in the crowd.

Here are 20 excellent resources that will help you to get started on the right track if you’re new to blogging as well as links for the seasoned blogger who needs to tip the scale.

Excellent Books

Crush It! Why Now Is The Time To Cash In On Your Passion – By Gary Vaynerchuk – Through his own success, Gary highlights useful and unique methods for making the most out of social media to grow your business online through the power of passion.

31 Days To Build A Better Blog – Darren Rowse provides a daily “things to do” course that instructs you on what to do to get your blog off the ground and driving traffic.

Digging Into WordPress – This book provides the most concise, easy to follow guides on how to master the most powerful blogging platform on earth, WordPress.

Purple Cow – Transform Your Business By Being Remarkable – The thoughts and strategies of a marketing mastermind, Seth Godin. In this book, he provides practical and effective marketing techniques that apply easily to every online business venture.

Design & Coding

How To Be a Rockstar WordPress Designer – Teaches how to truly make your WordPress blog extraordinary in design and content.

Lynda.com – This site has a plethora of unique, easy to follow video tutorials to help you master blogging, WordPress and anything digital.

WordPress Codex – From the developers of WordPress themselves, here you will find detailed explanations of every element within the WordPress CMS.

WordPress Themes

Within these sites you will find some of the best WordPress themes on the web.

Elegant Themes

Woo Themes

Awesome Sites You Should Follow & Use

Problogger.net – One of the best blogs you could ever read which gives practical advise from it’s founder, Darren Rowse, as well as the greatest minds on the net.

My Blog Guest – Excellent community, useful for finding Guest Blogging opportunities.

2Createawebsite.com Blog -Another experienced leader in the blogosphere who freely provides the knowledge to help you master blogging while earning from your efforts.

Sam’s Web Guide – Although fairly new, my blog provides articles that hit the nail on the head by pointing you in the right direction on your blogging journey.

WP Beginner – This site has amazing tutorials for tweaking and customizing your WordPress blog.

Other Online Resources

Google’s SEO Starter Guide – Forget about what so-called SEO experts have to say. Find all the information on SEO you will ever need from the creators of the biggest search engine.

SEO Book – Massive authority on Search Engine Optimization and is a powerful community for dominating your niche through search.

Google’s 20 Things I Learned About Browsers & The Web – To be an effective blogger, its very important to know the basics of the web, browsers and how it is presented to users.

Web Hosting

Host Gator – Host Gator is one of the best web hosts I have used since I first started building websites. My sites have never been down with them, they provide excellent support and sites load much faster than most other hosts I’ve tried in the past. I recommend you give them a try.

Online Tools

Firebug Extension for Firefox & Chrome – If you’re tweaking and customizing your own themes then you need to get this extension. It allows you to view and identify HTML and CSS elements that are crucial for making real time changes while growing to understand how your theme works.

Conclusion & Discussion

Whether you’ve been blogging for years or a newbie, the resources above will present something new and will help to grow or ignite a passion for blogging; and open your eyes to effective ideas over-looked by the masses.

Do you have or know of an awesome resource not mentioned above? Please share it with us in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.

As you continuously grow and yearn to become a pro blogger in 2011, remember that dedication and persistence are ultimately required for success and these qualities should be put to use with the strategies I will outline below.

Start Early

Procrastination is a disease that leads to the death of the greatest ideas. If you look back, you will realize that oftentimes when you say I’ll do this or that tomorrow, it either never gets done or it takes a few weeks to a month. The ideas that are acted on with precision and in a timely manner produce the greatest fruits and an early plan leads to even earlier success. Think of the thousands of blogs within your niche, most of their authors are thinking about success just as you are and what can be done to get it; so if you do not act now, someone else will.

The longer you take to act on the marketing ideas you develop for your blog, the further away you push success and attract “last place” achievements.

Develop Monthly Targets, Set Achievable Goals

If you have no targets and goals to work towards then your blogging path is a random one which offers zero guarantee for success. Without a map or technique, a sailor is lost at sea with very little hope of finding land. Have fun with your blog while setting clear and realistic goals over specific periods of time whether you blog for play or for business. Whatever your reason for blogging may be, I’m sure there are certain indicators you will use to measure your desired type of success.

Develop daily, weekly or monthly plans that clearly outline what is required of you at each stage of your journey as well as what will be gained. This will be the map that leads you to success online.

Try New Things, Take Risks

The blogosphere is getting tired of old regurgitated content; if your only means of coming up with blog posts is copying someone else’s style or content, then you need to quit right now. Study your niche to discover what is missing, then fill that need effectively. Go the extra mile to deliver something new to your audience; make it authentic, use your own fresh style and they will remember you and respect you for it. The spirit of the internet is all things NEW and if you can bring this to your blog regularly then you will be well on your way to great success with massive influence.

Dare To Be Bold

Be confident in all that you do online and others will follow you. To be confident, you will need to put the work in, study your niche, pay attention to the trends and learn from your experiences. Make it your duty to experience something new in your niche daily and deliver your experiences through your blog. Readers react and are influenced by experiences expressed genuinely and ones they can relate to. Become a great story teller and share your gems with your readers.

Network Some More

Without trust and influence you may not find much success through blogging and the best way to gain these is to truly connect with your audience and friends online. To connect you need to: say “thank you,” engage your followers and friends in healthy discussions that encourage, educate and provide some value, make their interests your’s in some way and show that you care. Being anti-social does not work so use the free tools that are available to you online; YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. These tools close the gap between you and your audience and prospects.

Complete At Least 2 Difficult Tasks Everyday

No pain, no gain. The most effective way to grow and become stronger at whatever you do is to overcome your fears and other challenges that come your way. Never run away or be shy when difficulties present themselves, these are not problems but are unique opportunities to develop your skills; making you stronger and smarter than you could ever imagine. If you should reflect on the past and the unimaginable difficulties that you have actually overcome, you will realize that most were not as bad as you initially thought and you are now wiser than before. Apply this to your online efforts and always remember that to every difficulty there is a solution with much to be gained.

Go Back To The Old Drawing Board

As you make new plans, remember previous ones that went by unaccomplished. Maybe you did not have the resources back then to implement them or they are the victims of procrastination; but whatever they are, keep them close to your heart and find a way to implement worthwhile ones. They may be perfect for the current leg of your blogging journey.

Learn From Mistakes Made in 2010

If you feel as though you did not achieve anything in 2010, the best thing you could do for yourself is learn from all the mistakes you’ve made. In fact, if you’ve been doing your best and still haven’t achieved, do not be fooled, as some of the greatest lessons can be learned from misfortune. As a maker of mistakes, you know more than anyone else what not to do. Be smart, own your mistakes, recognize what could be done differently and apply this wealth of knowledge to the execution of your blogging strategy.

Conclusion

Live and blog passionately, learn from your mistakes, apply what you’ve learned to your master plan, love your audience, provide great value, build trust and plan ahead. You have a fresh new slate to kick-off 2011, blog as though success is the only option, envision nothing else and you will find your success.

All the best for 2011!

Achieving all of this is not a walk in the park and you can’t just launch a blog on any old topic with poorly thought out design and writing and expect the entire internet to flock to your work. A successful online presence requires lots of attention, dedication and innovation to make that success a reality. A high level of user interaction and engagement will help to secure your blogging future, so here are some proven techniques that are guaranteed to help make you a success on your blogging journey.

Encourage Discussion Through Debates

There are some hot topics that readers just can’t help but to share their thoughts and ideas, sparking huge debates and sometimes controversy. Think about these types of topics, look at what gets people going and write posts based on these. All of your posts don’t need to be debates but include these once per week. Make the post all about the readers’ views and encourage them to share. So don’t be afraid to ask your readers for their input, sometimes this is the nudge they need to get them commenting and they will feel more appreciated since its all about their thoughts and ideas.

Do Serious Research On Topic Ideas

Make the effort to do some extensive research to find out what’s hot and what’s missing from your niche. The opportunity lies in filling the gaps and providing content and experiences that can only be found on your blog and nowhere else. Explore within to discover unique writing styles that may deviate from the norm but leaves lasting impressions in the minds of your readers. There is a gold mine of information on the web, it simply depends on how you use it.

Spend Some Time on Your Blog Design

You don’t have to be a web or graphic designer to have a great blog design. Just think about your ideal design from a logical standpoint. Your readers need to be able to find all relevant information quickly, should not get lost in a crowded design, should never need to sift through unnecessary elements and colors should be easy on the eyes and soothing to the soul. The design should be inviting and sometimes simple is just 10 times better than the hype. There are thousands of excellent themes to purchase and also download for free, so spend the time to find the right fit; even if it takes a week to  do so.

Also, don’t flood your blog with ads to the extent that visitors are swimming through them before they get to your content. I’ve seen sites where 90% of the content above the page’s fold is advertisements and this is a deadly practice that will push dedicated readers away. Don’t do it!

Make It Easy To Comment

Try to reduce the barriers that may discourage readers from leaving comments such as captcha forms, turning comments off, comments that require readers to login and allowing spammy comments to take over. Visitors want to read, get their fill, leave their comment quickly and move on. Leaving a comment should not be like signing up for a bank account. Making simple changes like avoiding the barriers above and even moving your comment form up to the end of your post rather than at the bottom can help to encourage readers to comment.

Reply To Your Comments

Ensure that you’re replying to the comments your readers leave on your site. Read them carefully to determine if there is some way that you can add value through your reply to what they’re saying or trying achieve by providing useful information. Especially if they ask questions, ensure that they are answered effectively. This is a unique opportunity to build relationships, authority and trust; and for the future, they will feel better about commenting.

Use the Subscribe to comments plugin so that users can get comment replies through e-mail and followup.

Focus On Building Trust

If your readers trust your views and advise, they will be more likely to try out products and services that you recommend, spend more time on your site and provide valuable feedback on your work. Focus on building a solid relationship with your audience and don’t be just a distant blogger.

Connect With Your Social Circle

Connect with your audience by searching for and adding them to your social profiles when they leave valuable comments. Take the time to get to know them, become friends and steadily build on your contacts and relationships. While you are building these online friendships, your trust and authority will rise and so too will interaction on your blog. So break down the barriers and your readers will feel compelled to read, comment, offer assistance, present valuable opportunities  and advice.

Host A Monthly Contest

Hosting a monthly contest that your readers can look forward to each month is definitely a surefire way to attract readers to your blog and get them active. Try to find businesses and other bloggers who are willing to sponsor these competitions and in return offer them some exposure. Build your contest around readers getting involved like guest posting, voting, commenting or any other action. This can do wonders for getting your blog out there.

Discussion & Conclusion

A high level of user interaction can mean the difference between a successful and failing blog. It means that readers like what you’re doing and will most likely spread the word about your great blog to their circles which will attract even more traffic to your site.

What techniques have you used to capture the hearts and minds of your readers to get them involved in your blog? Do you value interaction or do you simply blog for the fun of it? Please share your ideas and experiences in the comments below, we would love to hear from you.

Now I’m not here to dwell upon those who may think they have failed but to encourage those who may feel like giving up or need that extra push to keep their engines going.

So here are some proven techniques that will work for the blogger who dares to be better than the average and truly excel towards the Pro Blogger title.

Focus On Clearly Defined Goals

As gentle and soft is the feel of water, it possesses  the power to carve through hard rocks when it is focused and flows consistently onto a single spot. This is the same attitude one should have towards serious blogging. Spend the time to think and decide the best direction to go on your blogging journey. Look within yourself, think about your interests, your talents, skills and passion and launch your blog in that direction. Once you have decided which direction to go, I want you to have an undying focus and belief in the niche that you have chosen.

A focused and unwavering mind will produce excellent results as you become a better blogger. If you have the passion and yet without skill, your focus will lead you on a path of learning to acquire the skill set required to master your niche. Always think about ways to increase your knowledge, experience and expertise in your chosen field. Seek guest posting opportunities, engage and learn from the experts and challenge yourself in every possible way.

Never be complacent with being average and doing things the same way others do. Go the extra mile to do and be more and your rewards and accomplishments will be miles ahead of the average.

Study Like You’re In School!

For me, blogging is meant to be fun and not a task that is a pain. This is why I always preach and say, “Blog about what you’re passionate about!” So if you’re blogging about things you have a great passion for, when it comes to increasing your knowledge through daily study, it won’t end up being such a daunting task. Whichever niche you choose to blog about, you are sure to find thousands of resources online and offline that you can learn from and find inspiration. Always make the effort to increase your knowledge. Treat your blogging as part of your daily life. Aim to be the source for everything within your niche.

Respect Your Fellow Bloggers

With great power comes great responsibility; and as you become more of an expert in your field, the more other bloggers will seek your assistance and guidance to help them do better. Never forget that you were once new to blogging and you are where you are now because of others. Always be thankful for what you have achieved and the fact that others were willing to help and contribute.

Provided it is within your abilities, seek and accept opportunities to help and teach others. Provide a greater value than what is expected from you and your success will be multiplied beyond your wildest dreams. Never pride yourself too much in being better than others but be humble in all your comments and other interactions. A massive amount of bloggers will see you for the great person you are and become attracted to your online presence.

Be Consistent & Never Give Up

Consistency is key to accomplishing any goal. The task that is repeated and practiced becomes perfection; and blogging isn’t any different. You may be a newbie now but you will never be the same a couple months from now; if you consistently blog and increase knowledge that is. As you keep posting, your writing skills improve, speed improves, expertise develops, connections with other bloggers are made, traffic increases and your confidence soars. The main prerequisite is that you are consistent with what you do.

The biggest mistake many bloggers are making is giving up. Do yourself a favor and stick to it.

Discussion

Developing and practicing the right attitude towards blogging can help anyone achieve success. What techniques or lessons you have learned on your blogging journey that you would like to share? Was there any point in time that you felt like giving up? Tell us how you overcome by leaving us a comment below.

Here are my blog statistics so far.

Number of Posts

For March I published a total of 30 posts that were well received by the community and the responses and discussions were amazing. Its really important to post frequently to offer readers fresh content and build a source that google and other search engines can trust. While posting, always ensure that your articles are as unique as possible and really stand out. If I can’t do this with a particular post I will not publish it.

Comments

There were 145 comments posted on the site. I really appreciate everyone who noticed my blog and took the time out to comment and engage in discussion.

I’m a huge believer of sharing the love so I ensured that the Comment Luv plugin was installed on my blog and allowed commentators to benefit from Do-Follow.

Guest Posts

Guest posting is an extremely important practice for any blogger who wishes to gain exposure and attract fresh visitors. I published a total of 3 guest posts on other sites that have helped me to build some good relationships. To find out how you can guest post on my blog click here.

My Guest Posts:

• The Healing Wonders of Blogging – Rob’s Web Tips – 20 Comments
• How to Harness The Power Within Your Stats – Site Sketch 101 – 20 Comments
• Overcome Your Fears – Let’s Sermo – 24 Comments

Traffic Stats

• Unique Visitors: 392
• Total Visits: 842
  
• Average Page views per visit: 2.95
• Average Time on Site: 5 minutes 10 seconds
  
• Bounce Rate: 50.59%

Top Referring Websites

• Feedburner – 121 Visits (Subscribe and receive updates here)
• Google Organic – 73 Visits
• Twitter – 55 Visits
  
• Techjamaica.com – 42 Visits
• Jamaicans.com – 32 Visits
  
• Robs Web Tips – 31 Visits
• Webmaster Success – 25 Visits
• Site Sketch 101 – 24 Visits

I have been spreading my presence far and wide and received traffic from a total of 70 different sources. 59% of my blog’s traffic came from other sites.

Google Page Rank

I was lucky enough to launch my blog just in time for the google page rank update that occurred earlier this week. I was quite shocked when I checked and found that my Page Rank is 2 after just a month of working on my blog. Thanks google! If you would like to check your google page rank click here.

My Most Popular Posts

• Have You Ever Been Hacked? Simple Mistakes to Avoid & How to Recover – 18 Comments + 4 Tweets
• Will SEO Be Necessary in the Next 5 Years? – 17 Comments + 2 Tweets
• Alexa Traffic Rankings Inaccurate – Room for Improvement – 17 Comments + 1 Tweet
• 10 Simple Steps to Secure & Protect your WordPress Blog – 16 Comments + 10 Tweets
• How to Add an About Author Box in the Post Footer in WordPress – 14 Comments + 6 Tweets

Can anyone add to these comment numbers please?

Twitter

Twitter has proven to be an excellent tool for
connecting with other bloggers, readers and a great way to market your ideas and links. Having the right people following you and retweeting your posts is a great way to gain exposure and attract extra traffic. I had a huge spike in visitors when Lisa from 2createawebsite.com retweeted one of my posts. My traffic doubled that day because she has about 5,700 followers and a fair amount of them clicked on my link that she retweeted thus attracting new visitors to my site. So my advice is to use twitter heavily and monitor your progress and practice what works for you with it.

Since the launch of my blog I have acquired 97 Followers and I’m following 99. Follow me on twitter here.

Alexa Traffic Rank

Ok, so I’m not the biggest fan of how Alexa
collects and reports website traffic data, however, I still use their information as a guide for how well I’m doing in comparison to other websites. It’s pretty encouraging to see your ranking improve on a daily basis and it does give me some motivation and satisfaction for doing my best each day.

At the start of the month my rank was at 13 Million and is now 310,589. Great results I think for a first month. To check your traffic ranking click here.

So there we have it, my first month! I know my stats may be tiny in comparison to other high profile blogs but I’m satisfied that I have been doing my best for my first month of blogging and thankful for all I have learnt. I hope that you will all share this journey with me as we strive towards Massive Success. To all of those who have contributed to my site by leaving valuable comments and taking the time to read i say THANK YOU!! All this would not be possible without you.

Discussion

If you have any suggestions or would just like to share a thought please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to hear what you think about my progress so far and probably find out what I could be doing better.