9. How do you know if your blog is good?

A blog is not exactly a diary. If it were a diary, you would keep it under your pillow.

Rather, a blog is a public document where you share your information and knowledge.

Question: How do you know if your blog is good?

Simple answer: Put a Subscribe button and count how many subscribers you get (using www.bloglet.com).

This is a tough decision, because there is the real possibility that nobody (or very few people) will actually subscribe to your blog. Since most people are afraid of rejection, they won't subject themselves to such public evaluation of their content.

Yet, it's the only way to know whether, as a blog writer, you are actually providing useful information to your readers.

8. The more visible you are, the more money you make

Yup, it's really that simple. No matter what professional services you offer, you will ALWAYS make more money by being more visible.

A blog is the most inexpensive (it's actually FREE!) way to promote yourself to potentially millions of people.

If that is so, why aren't more people blogging? Why are there only 30 million bloggers? (And most of them are not even serious bloggers).

Simple: People can't change their mindset. They still rely on their employer (who wouldn't hesitate to ditch them at the first sign of financial trouble).

Bottom line: you're on your own, Jose. Take control of your career. And realize that a blog may very well turn out to be your best career weapon.

7. Strategize, automate, traffic

Robert Allen gives this piece of advice:

• Strategize your launch
• Automate everything
• Market for traffic

Sounds like excellent advice if you want to create and maintain a profitable blog.

The problem is, most bloggers are just content to "post" information on their blog. They don't do any strategizing, nor automating, nor marketing.

Strategizing means asking yourself: "What info do you provide? To whom? Why would they be interested in spending their valuable time reading your blog?"

6. How sexy is your blog?

A blog is to a company website what a two-piece bikini is to a three-piece suit: the sexiness depends on how much skin you're showing.

In other words, your blog can be sexy, provocative, chatty, witty, shocking (but within reason), literary, brilliant, innovative, etc.

The traditional website cannot be like that. It has to look "professional" (translation: boring).

The key to success in blogging is to share valuable and relevant information with readers.

No hype, please. State the truth, and make it entertaining. You'd be amazed how many people will appreciate your candor and honesty.

5. Google Pages

Sample: http://superscribe.googlepages.com

If you have a Gmail account, you can rapidly create your own webpage, like I did above.

It's a good idea to put your career mission statement there, so friends/acquaintances can see where you're heading and can help you if needed.

4. The world is flat? No, the world is yours!

Thomas Friedman wrote the best-seller The World is Flat, which sold 2 million copies already.

It's a must-read. However, after you finish reading the 500 pages, it's time to take action.

If 3 billion new capitalists are joining the global game of capitalism via the Internet, what should you do?

Simple: you should stake out YOUR territory in cyberspace. That is, create your own blog where you share your valuable knowledge and expertise.

Many savvy careerists and professionals are using blogs to promote themselves to potential employers (even when they already have a job -- you never know).

A good blog can rapidly become your career insurance: it keeps you visible and demonstrates to employers that you do know what you're talking about.

It's a unique way to establish your professional credibility. After all, credibility goes a long way in the job market.

3. RSS multiplies your value a thousandfold

If you have knowledge worth $5 and you deliver it to 1,000 people, then you make $5,000.

If your knowledge is worth $0, then you could be able to reach 1,000,000 people on Earth, it wouldn't make you any richer.

The key, therefore, is to find out exactly WHAT you know which is so valuable.

This is easier said than done.

Think about it seriously: what is the most valuable knowledge you have? To whom is it valuable?

Here's a tip: imagine yourself, but five years younger. What knowledge would you be willing to pay for, which might have helped you succeed sooner or avoid preventable mistakes?

In other words, if you're a professional with five years of experience, what knowledge would you sell to a person who is five years younger than you and is embarking on the same career as yours?

In the end, the Internet (and RSS -- for Real Simple Syndication) can only help you IF you know exactly what valuable knowledge you have.

If you don't, the Internet could be a 1,000 times faster or bigger, it wouldn't impact your bank account at all.

2. Don't write what they will not read

It goes without saying, but it's better (just in case) to say it:

Do not write what they will not read.

In other words, be brief, be eloquent, be gone!

How do you make sure that you always follow this principle? Simple: create a Subscribe button. As you gain more and more subscribers, you will naturally feel the pressure of "performing" (that is, to write only what is of value to your subscribers -- don't forget: they are ONE CLICK away from canceling their subscription!).

One of my favorite writers created this amazing blog, with an example of a Subscribe button: http://realtimesuccesssecrets.blogspot.com

1. Distribution is key to creating wealth

Anthony Robbins wrote it over a decade ago: the secret to building great wealth is DISTRIBUTION.

Now, for the first time in history, anyone connected to the Web can actually distribute his/her value to anyone else in the world!

This opens the doors to so many people who are smart and are able to package their knowledge into a usable format for others (who will gladly pay a small fee to access such valuable / usable knowledge).

This blog will show you how to distribute your knowledge value in order to make money (a little, if you do it part-time; a lot, if you become obsessed about it like I am!).