Review: 299 steps to Blogging Heaven

Added by on August 17, 2010
Saved under Latest, Popular Posts, Sarah Arrow, Website promotion, Woman in Business
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I learned very early on in life that life itself would be better if I surrounded myself by smart women, some become friends, some are mentors and some are bloggers right here on Birds on the Blog. So, this disclosure should come as no surprise, but in case you don’t know me there are some things we need to get out in the open before I write my review of 299 steps to blogging heaven.

Disclosure: Nikki Pilkington is a friend of mine, she came to my wedding, I visit her in France, we have many mutual friends. She has given me advice over the years, I have given some back.. :) we talk about all sorts of things as friends do, we have supported each other in business matters, family matters and life matters – just as friends do. My review copy of her latest ebook -  299 steps to blogging heaven was a complimentary copy given to me, as a friend. I offered to post a  review of the books content.

Now we have that in the open, I can get reviewing.

Review: 299 steps to Blogging Heaven

When I went to see Nikki in France earlier this year she told me of her plans to write a new ebook, and I was excited, you see my early blogging was rather random and more miss than hit. Since then I have become someone who earns a very good living, blogging. Nowhere near the £1 million quid a week that I dream of ;) but enough for me to happily work from home and want for very little. That was due to the inspiration I got from Nikki’s first book, 299 steps to website heaven.

Fast forward 2.5 years and a new ebook about blogging :) I was like a dog with two tails.

299 steps to blogging heaven is aimed at those who are just starting blogging and those who have a blog but have discarded it for one reason or another. 

My advice here is get a notebook and a pen…
Sit comfortably and set aside a few hours to read this book. Have your pen and paper ready and take notes as you read. Make notes on your printed out copy, highlight sections of it, read it but most importantly ACT ON IT.

Like all good blogging books it’s useless if you don’t act on her advice, and as a beginner blogger starting out or reviving a blog, you can take one step at a time to get the impact you want.

the book still applies to you as it’s about strategy and content, not technicalities
  The book is broken down into chapters rather than 299 steps and this makes it easier to read, Nikki jumps straight in with what pages you should have, the difference between pages and posts and what sort of things get read by your readers. It’s good strong advice backed up with the evidence from her own blog, and images so you can relate to what she says.

Nikki also repeats some wise words from 299 steps to website heaven about keywords and how to work them out –

remember that pen and paper? it comes in useful now
and where to go to get help if you can’t work them out or are struggling to create your keyphrases. Make a list of these keyphrases and my advice to you is to write them on a sticky and attach them to your monitor or screen, to prompt you as you write your blog posts. More importantly, the book guides you to the human factor, to asking people what they search for to find you.

The next steps take you through traffic -  the ways readers come to your blogs, and it’s not just google.

There are tips for growing your blogs to a bigger audience
Social bookmarking sites and how to make the best use of them (this perfectly compliments the series of  social bookmarking posts that Nikki shared here through the summer).  Most importantly how to make it easy to share content with people. The key here and underlying theme of all Nikki’s books is to make it as easy as possible for people to find your blog, read your blog and share your blog.

Fast forward a few chapters and there is some excellent advice on images and image use

take this advice, it will keep you out of prison
and as always some really cost effective solutions on offer. If you like the visuals of this blog and others, and want to replicate it on your own blog, this chapter will be worth the cost of the book alone. It will also stop you getting into trouble for illegal image use. Remember that pen I mentioned? at this point in the book I would advise getting another to take notes with as you are nearing the end of that pens life ;) .

Now, to the real meat of  299 steps to Blogging Heaven, SEO for blogs -  how to get your blogs found in search engines. I won’t be saying much here but if you want to get the maximum traffic from the search engines then you need to study these steps, take some more notes, add a few more ‘post its’ to your screen.

There is also some great advice on guest blogging, and a mention of our blogs – Birds on the Blog and Blokes on the blog. Why the mention? we have an open door policy for our guest bloggers, no matter how experienced you are, you are welcome to write for us, even if you have never guest posted before. Us smart women know that everyone needs a hand up when they start out blogging and we’ll help you.

No blogging book would be complete without it’s bonuses and 299 steps to blogging heaven has to guest contributors in the form of Sally Walker and Barbara Saul.

Now, the downsides. Ok, you are gonna take a lot of notes and learn a lot of things with this book. If having a successful blog is not your thing, then don’t buy it.

The 299 steps to blogging heaven is currently in a transitional format, whilst it’s like this you can buy it for a tenner. Any day now the finalised graphics and book will be complete and it will go to it’s every day price of £30. Whatever you pay for it, it’s an absolute steal at that price as you are getting some brilliant advice, and take it from me -  it works.

If you have bought a copy -  what did you think?

Sarah

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About Sarah Arrow
Sarah Arrow is the managing editor of Birds on the Blog, in real life she is the communications director of a same day courier service. She is an enthusiastic UK based pro-blogger and co- author of the soon to be published Zero to Blogger
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20 Responses to Review: 299 steps to Blogging Heaven

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention Review: 299 steps to Blogging Heaven | Birds on the Blog -- Topsy.com

  2. What a lovely review Sarah – many many thanks :) Hopefully people liked the book, and the new improved version out soon will be even better. You can still buy for a tenner at http://www.nikkipilkington.com/blog/2010/08/07/its-here-299-steps-to-blogging-heaven/
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 17, 2010 at 9:46 am

  3. sounds like a must have. My only concern is I will not be able to see my computer screen with so many stickies on it!!! Looking forward to learning lots more!

    Lyn Blackledge August 17, 2010 at 10:06 am

  4. Sounds like a great book. My only concern is , with all those sticky notes will I be able to see my screen?

    Lyn Blackledge August 17, 2010 at 10:07 am

  5. I can see mine Lynn, only just though ;) , it’s a very useful read

    Sarah Arrow August 17, 2010 at 10:19 am

  6. I can see mine Lynn, only just though ;) , it’s a very useful read

    Sarah Arrow August 17, 2010 at 10:19 am

  7. After reading the review , there was only one thing to do , so I did.

    It might just help restart my blogging :)

    stevenhealey August 17, 2010 at 11:30 am

  8. I stick my stickies on the wall next to me instead LOL
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 17, 2010 at 11:37 am

  9. Thanks Steven :)
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 17, 2010 at 11:37 am

  10. I hope so Steven as I enjoyed reading your posts and Blokes on the Blog needs you :) your tech posts are popular as well as the fictional pieces.

    Sarah Arrow August 17, 2010 at 11:54 am

  11. Pingback: Tweets that mention Review: 299 steps to Blogging Heaven | Birds on the Blog -- Topsy.com

  12. she is making me read it now Nikki :)

    Kevin Arrow August 17, 2010 at 6:36 pm

  13. I’ve already started reading my copy of your blogging eBook and I’m finding it very helpful. Thanks, Nikki!
    Twitter:

    Suzan St Maur August 18, 2010 at 6:25 pm

  14. I have placed an order too

    Anonymous August 18, 2010 at 8:44 pm

  15. Really glad Suze :)
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 19, 2010 at 10:28 am

  16. Sorry!
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 19, 2010 at 10:28 am

  17. Thanks Ida – did you receive it OK?
    Twitter:

    NikkiPilkington August 19, 2010 at 10:29 am

  18. Yes i did thanks

    Anonymous August 19, 2010 at 7:27 pm

  19. Fab is what I say! I’m a big Nikki fan with her great advice! I am slowly getting through it. I’m a bit busy at the mo, but I am looking forward to having some time set aside to really let it soak in :)

    Recommend it to everyone :)
    Twitter:

    Anita August 19, 2010 at 10:05 pm

  20. Pingback: Lack of customers keeping you awake at night? | Birds on the Blog

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