Tag: blogging

10 Killer Topics That Makes a Blog Go Viral

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

Some topics shine brighter than others.

While the formula for creating a viral blog post isn’t an exact science, certain subjects consistently attract higher readership and engagement.

If you’re looking to maximize your reach and influence as a writer, it’s worth exploring these trending topics.

1. How-To Guides

People love practical advice.

How-to guides, whether it’s about cooking, home improvement, or coding, tend to perform exceptionally well.

Readers seek actionable steps to solve problems or learn new skills, making this genre a staple for high readership.

2. Making Money Online

In an increasingly digital world, the allure of earning income online has never been stronger.

Blogs that offer insights into various online income streams, like freelancing, e-commerce, or investing, capture significant attention.

3. Social Media Growth Hacks

With social media being a vital part of our lives, readers are eager to discover strategies for growing their online presence.

Blogs sharing tips and tricks on gaining followers, increasing engagement, and mastering different platforms tend to go viral.

4. Monetizing Medium Articles

Medium has become a platform of interest for writers and readers alike.

Articles that reveal ways to monetize your content on Medium, from joining the Partner Program to exploring paid newsletters, are hot topics.

5. Pitching to Investors and VCs

Entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts are always on the lookout for advice on securing investment.

Blogs offering insights into crafting a compelling pitch deck or navigating the world of venture capital gain significant traction.

6. Startup Success Stories

Everyone loves a success story.

Blogs that delve into the journeys of startups that transformed into unicorns capture readers’ imaginations, offering inspiration and valuable lessons.

7. Avoiding Startup Mistakes

On the flip side, cautionary tales about startup failures and the mistakes to avoid resonate with those looking to embark on their entrepreneurial journey.

People appreciate the opportunity to learn from others’ missteps.

8. Marketing Strategies

Marketing is a perennially hot topic.

Readers crave insights into the latest digital marketing trends, SEO strategies, content marketing tips, and more.

9. Fast-Track to Wealth

While it’s important to approach this topic responsibly, blogs discussing strategies for financial success, like investing, saving, or entrepreneurship, tend to draw attention.

10. Personal Development

People are always striving to improve themselves.

Blogs on personal development, covering topics such as productivity, mindfulness, and self-improvement, maintain a consistent readership.

Now, back to your question: Am I a similar kind of writer?

Well, I’m here to provide information and insights on a wide range of topics, including those that garner high readership.

Whether it’s crafting a compelling pitch or understanding marketing strategies, I’m here to help.

However, remember that while trending topics can boost readership, writing authentically about what you’re passionate about will always resonate best with your audience.

So, explore these trends, but also stay true to your unique voice and expertise as a writer. Happy blogging!

Check out my latest eBook on “Startup Survival”.

https://mazlanabbas.gumroad.com/l/startupsurvival

Aiming for Sustainable Blogging: My Quest to Cover Medium Subscription Costs

Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash

Embarking on a Monetization Journey

Less than a week ago, I took a decisive step in my blogging journey by opting for a Medium membership. Before this transition, I was a casual blogger on the platform, sharing my thoughts without the ‘member’ tag attached to my profile. As the years rolled by, I noticed a transformation in the content landscape of Medium. The platform started to brim with tantalizing, insightful, and valuable content, sprinkled generously with practical tips for readers like me.

Hitting the Subscription Button

As a non-member, my access to these treasure troves of information was restricted, limited to only a few full articles per month. The tantalizing urge to delve deeper into this reservoir of knowledge finally nudged me to hit the subscribe button. And so, a week ago, I found myself armed with a Medium membership and unlimited access to the wisdom shared by fellow members.

Engage and Earn: My Early Observations

In the days that followed, I immersed myself in the universe of member-generated content, actively reading, and engaging with the pieces that resonated with me. My comments section started buzzing, reflecting my thoughts and initiating conversations with the authors. This active engagement inadvertently acted as a beacon, drawing more readers towards my blog.

Then came the cherry on top: earnings from Medium’s Partner Program started trickling into my account. While the amount was modest, to say the least, it marked a significant milestone in my blogging adventure.

Daily Dose of Startup Chronicles

Motivated by this initial success, I am now committed to sharing daily insights from my journey as a startup founder. The road traversed by founders is nothing short of a roller-coaster ride, featuring an intriguing mix of highs and lows, victories and challenges, learning and unlearning. Through my blog, I aim to offer you a front-row seat to this exhilarating journey, with the hope that my stories will not only engage you but also offer valuable lessons and insights.

Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash

Inviting You to Join My Journey

The initial earnings may be small, but they symbolize a big leap towards my goal of making my blogging endeavor sustainable, at least enough to cover the cost of my Medium membership ($5 a month). With each day and every new post, I am moving closer to this goal, fueled by my experiences and your engagement.

So, keep those comments coming! Engage with my posts, share your thoughts, and let’s keep the conversation going. Together, we can create a space that is not just informative and valuable but also supportive and engaging. Looking forward to having you with me on this exciting journey!

Like my article? Follow me here.

Charting a New Course: Amplifying Readership & Monetizing My Blog

Photo by Domenico Loia on Unsplash

Setting the Scene for Growth

In the silent corridors of the blogging world, my digital space has witnessed a humble increase of six readers over the past year. While it’s a climb, it’s subtle – too subtle. This realization led me to consciously decide on September 25, 2023, to transform this whisper into a symphony of engaging dialogues and growing readership.

Taking the Premium Plunge

To catalyze this transformation, I’ve taken a leap of faith and upgraded to a premium membership on Medium. This step is more than a commitment; it’s a mission – a mission to not just grow, but to thrive, share, and connect. With the premium canvas, every day will paint a new story, a fresh article designed not just to speak but to converse with you.

A Journey Begins With a Single Step

And steps have been taken. In the soft glow of beginnings, the past days have seen four new readers join our journey. Each one is not just a statistic but a partner in this exciting expedition of words and wisdom. It’s a small yet significant victory, marking the promise of what lies ahead.

Beyond the ‘Followers’ Facade

It’s easy to stumble upon articles flashing the success of gaining followers, tales woven with the threads of monetization strategies and follower magnetism. Such stories undoubtedly attract a flock of readers. But, my pen aims to ink a different narrative, not because I lack expertise in the ‘follower magnet’ genre, but because there’s a deeper, more personal tale to narrate.

Tales of Entrepreneurship: The Rollercoaster Ride

The canvas of my blog will unfold the chronicles of a seven-year-long entrepreneurship journey, meticulously detailing the peaks of triumph and the valleys of challenges. Every founder’s journey is a rollercoaster, and mine is no different – a tapestry of highs and lows, of lessons learned and battles won.

As we navigate through the undulating terrains of entrepreneurship, each article will aim to be a beacon of insight, a mirror reflecting the multifaceted life of founding, failing, learning, and succeeding.

Stay Tuned: The Journey Has Just Begun

So, here’s my invitation to you: stay with me. Walk with me through the archives of experience and the live chronicles of an entrepreneur’s journey. With a story unfolding each day, your company will not just be valued but cherished.

Let’s embark on this expedition together, exploring tales untold and paths untraveled. Your readership is not just a number; it’s a valued partnership in this odyssey of words, wisdom, and the wired world of entrepreneurship. Together, let’s see where this journey takes us!

Why You Need ChatGPT Assistance in Blog Writing

The Early Days: Relying Solely on AI

When ChatGPT was first introduced, it was easy to get carried away by the allure of automated content generation.

With just a one-liner prompt, the tool could churn out a full-length blog article in a matter of seconds. This was particularly tempting for technical blogs, where generating informative and fact-based content is often time-consuming.

However, the shortcut came at a cost.

The articles often lacked authenticity and felt “too AI-generated,” with similar wordings appearing across multiple posts.

The promise of an AI-powered blog seemed to undermine the originality that readers seek.

The Pitfall: Loss of Authenticity

The issue of authenticity is no small matter.

In an age where readers are flooded with information, standing out requires delivering not just facts, but a unique voice and perspective.

Using AI to generate articles compromised this very essence, making the content feel artificial and less engaging.

The Turning Point: Changing Strategy

However, this doesn’t mean that ChatGPT lacks utility.

The turning point came with a shift in approach.

Instead of using ChatGPT to generate articles from scratch, why not use it as a supplement to enhance original content?

The New Approach: AI as a Copywriter

By writing the initial draft manually, the core of the article remains authentic, original, and true to the author’s voice.

Points are laid out based on one’s own understanding and interpretation of the subject, without obsessing over grammar or nuances. Then comes ChatGPT, serving as a virtual copywriter.

Using prompts like “Write a blog about…” or “Rewrite the blog in a more human manner,” ChatGPT refines the article.

It corrects grammatical errors, enhances vocabulary, and structures the content better.

The result?

A well-written article that maintains its originality while benefitting from the finesse that AI can offer.

Why This Matters: Best of Both Worlds

With this new strategy, ChatGPT becomes a tool for enhancement rather than a shortcut for content creation.

You get to keep your unique voice and viewpoints, while the AI takes care of making the content more polished and professional.

It’s like having an on-demand copywriter, but without the risk of diluting your originality.

In Conclusion

ChatGPT has proven to be an invaluable asset when used thoughtfully.

It may not replace the creative spark that only a human can provide, but it certainly can refine it.

By changing how we use this powerful tool, we can reconcile the drive for efficiency with the need for authenticity, giving our readers the best of both worlds.

Note: The blog above was written with the help of AI ChatGPT-4. The prompt as shown below: “Write a blog why I need to get the assistance of ChatGPT in my blog writing. When ChatGPT was early introduced, I used the AI tool blindly by using simple one liner prompt to generate the full contents of my blogs especially my technical blog. Although I have written or get AI to generate many articles, but the authenticity of the articles feel so fake or too AI-generated. Similar wordings appear multiple times in different articles. However, lately I have changed my strategy of using the prompt but depend very much on my original content. I must admit that my English and the comprehension was not so great. I will write the full content by myself with all the important points without focusing too much on the grammar and nuances. Then, I will use ChatGPT prompt such as “Write a blog about …. “ or regenerate the blog with another prompt such as “Rewrite the blog in a more human manner: (copy and paste the previous blog)”. I no longer felt cheating my readers because I know the contents of my blog are original except like I am using AI as my copywriter to help my English and convey in a better structured manner.”

Originally published at https://mazlanabbas.com on September 2, 2023.

From Spiritual GPS to Emotional Outlet: How Blogging Became My Second Sanctuary

Life’s a whirlwind, right? We’re all hustling between family commitments, work obligations, and for me, religious practices. Praying five times a day is my constant, my spiritual anchor. But there’s another habit that has surprisingly become just as meaningful: blogging. So let me pull back the curtain and share how this daily ritual has become more than just keystrokes and screens.

A Sanctuary for the Soul and Mind

Okay, so we all have stuff that messes with our heads, right? Worries about work, family stuff, life’s curveballs. For me, my daily prayers offer a spiritual cleanse, but blogging? It’s like my mental spa day. I jot down thoughts, make sense of my day, and get to put my emotions on the screen. And when I hit publish and someone messages me to say, “Hey, that really resonated with me,” it’s like a high-five for the soul.

It’s Not Just About Code and Business Hacks

The word ‘blog’ might conjure up images of long tech manuals or ’10 Ways to Boost Your Sales.’ Sure, I dive into tech topics — gotta put my geek cap on sometimes! But I also get real and talk about my journey in setting up a business. It’s not just about celebrating the highs; I’m equally honest about the facepalms and screw-ups. These posts become my entrepreneurial diary, and it’s kind of amazing to flip back through the ‘pages’ and see my own evolution.

Sharing is Soul-Warming

Remember when we were kids and we were taught that sharing is caring? Well, that lesson is alive and well in the blogging world. Each time I share, whether it’s a valuable life lesson from a business blunder or a moment of joy, I feel like I’m sitting down for coffee with friends — a virtual community that’s as real to me as my next-door neighbors.

A Blog: More Than Just a Diary, It’s My Stage

Think of my blog as a Swiss Army knife: It’s a diary, a confessional, and also a stage where I get to spotlight the issues and topics that I’m passionate about. I can talk about the importance of faith in my life, share a crazy new business idea, or discuss how to balance spirituality and ambition. It gives me the freedom to be me and to broadcast that to the world.

Emotional Fitness Check-In

Blogging has become more than a daily to-do; it’s like my emotional gym session. The same way you’d work out your muscles, each blog post helps me work through emotions, find clarity, and leave with a sense of mental refreshment. It’s like an exercise routine for my emotional well-being.

What’s the Big Deal?

If you’re bogged down by the daily grind and looking for something to enrich your life, consider the small but mighty power of daily habits. Blogging became an unexpected yet crucial part of my everyday life. It’s not only made my days better but has also brightened someone else’s screen (and maybe even their day). So whether you’re looking to connect with your spiritual side, share your entrepreneurial escapades, or just yearn for a space to be heard, give blogging a shot. Take it from me: It’s way more than just words on a screen.