“Popups Are Stupid,” But They Make Money Dummy!

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Making Money with Your Blog
Photo credit: Kris Olin

Are you just here to learn and meet interesting people?

The last few years that I’ve been on the social web (two of them blogging) my motivation for participating has always been to connect with cool people and build relationships with them.

I connected with people who inspired me and that I could learn something from. I recommend you do too!

Today I’m connected with the brightest minds in business on the social web and I continue to learn from my community everyday.

It’s a bit selfish I know, but I’ve also made it a point to give back to the community the best I could and still support the community as much as I can.

I’m not here to sell you!

The last thing I was here to do is sell you something, so as far as popups and aggressively building an email list, I shy’d away from both.

Well, I’ve recently had a change of direction with my blogging and social media efforts; I want to build an online based business and monetize my efforts on the social web.

It’s a completely different way to look at blogging and social media

From where I’m sitting today, I wish I would have done two things: built an email list and leveraged popups on my blog :o

I still don’t have popups on my blog yet; but when the missing elements are in place, I will use them because they work and it will help my potential customers get their problems solved.

What were you thinking?

Make Money Blogging
Photo credit: Amima Sayeed

I’ve realized that in my ignorance and not wanting to appear like a douchey sales blog to my visitors, that I am actually doing them and myself a disservice.

When a potential customer, or anyone for that matter, comes to your blog, they are typically looking for answers to a question or problem.

If they have to search around to figure out what it is you do or how you can help them, you’ll lose them

That’s why landing pages were created. They tell someone what you do, how you can help them, and where to sign up for the free resource to solve their problem right from the get-go.

If they don’t see they’ve landed in the right place to get their problem fixed and if you don’t effectively tell them where to to subscribe in order to receive your free valuable resource that can solve their problem, you’ve lost. And they’ve lost, too.

Don’t lose them!

They will just move on down the virtual blogosphere road and signup at somebody else’s blog who cares enough to tell their potential customers what to do next.

It’s not rude or pushy, it’s the helpful, responsible thing to do for new visitors to your blog.

You don’t have to be selling anything to design a blog that will best serve the interests and needs of your potential subscribers.

If you don’t have these things, you’ll look like you don’t care.

Tell people your expertise or interest – make it as obvious as possible

People are connecting on the social web with others who are either like-minded or in need of something you can help them with.

Make it as easy for them to sign up to your blog with an email address as is for them to just bounce.

Popups Help Your Potential Customers

Popups help people take the next necessary step in order to receive your awesomeness delivered right to their email box!

Check out Marcus Sheridan’s Post: “Why Your Opinion Doesn’t Matter When it Comes to Great Marketing”

In it, he supplies plenty of additional reasons why you should use popups on your blog sooner, rather than later.

Using Popups on Your Blog

Marcus Sheridan
Photo credit: BlogWorld & TBEX

“The bottom line is this my friends — We’ve all got to get used to the idea that our opinions don’t really matter when it comes to smart marketing. The way we think, act, and talk isn’t the way others think, act, and talk.

And the moment we can separate the way we feel versus the actions and decisions that get real results, we’re going to be way, way more successful.” READ MORE >>>

Do you use popups on your blog?

Did this article and Marcus’s change your mind or get you thinking?

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Mark Harai on Google+

Hi, my name is Mark Harai and I help entrepreneurs get their ideas out of their head and into the marketplace. I share real life tips, know-how, lessons I've learned, inspiration and insights I think might be helpful to you. I hope you'll join me! You can connect with me here: Personal Blog, Facebook Page, Twitter, LinkedIn and Mark on Google+.

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Category : Blog &Blogging &Social Media

  • Adrienne

    Oh crap Mark… Just like you I hate pop-ups because I have a different type mindset. I’ll only opt-in after I’ve been to their place a time or two so having that annoying pop-up slap me in the face time and time again just irritates me.

    I know I’m not the only person who feels this way but like you, I’ve heard they do convert. Maybe I’ll give it a try on my other blog and see what kind of conversions I get. Test, test, test right!

    I know, it’s not my opinion that counts but darn it, it should!

    Thanks for this reminder or shall I say wake up call.

    ~Adrienne

    • http://markharai.com/ Mark Harai

      Hi Adrienne – I’m not sure why your avatar shows up as me! My apologies, miss – haha!

      Please share the results of your test with me?

      I would love to share the results with the community here too… I’ll write another blog post about it.

      As I’m sure you know, I really missing a few elements before I attempt something like that.

      I’m working hard to get them in place… it’s been lots of work last few weeks trying to get my blog in a position to start monetizing.

      It’s a big difference when you begin to look at your blogging and social media efforts as a business.

      Thanks for the visit, miss : )

  • http://twitter.com/lorigosselin Lori Gosselin

    That’s too funny guys! Mark talking to Mark ;-)

    I’m not at all in favour of pop-ups. I find I lose respect for the blog. The problem I have with them, and the reason I have a hard time believing they work is that they appear before you’ve had a chance to get a sense of the blogger or the company. Don’t we buy from people we like and trust? What about the relationship. When you walk into a store does the sales clerk try immediately to sell something to you, or does she say “Good morning!” Maybe I’m old fashioned and maybe I’m stubborn (I am stubborn) but I don’t like Pop-ups.
    Lori

    • http://markharai.com/ Mark Harai

      Hi Lori. It’s so good to see you around more! You’re a great person to be around!

      I don’t think a potential paying customer, in most cases, spends nearly as much time reading blogs like we do.

      Because of this fact, it may not be as intrusive to them as much as it is to us who read many blogs everyday.

      If you think about it, it would get on just about anybody’s nerves.

      But if someone (a potential customer) did a search on the web for help with a specific question or problem and Google served you up as one of the top resources to get the help they need, I think people would want to subscribe very quickly.

      It may not be based on the relationship they have with you, but it could be based on the trust consumers have in Google to serve up the best resources on the web.

      That may not be completely true from our standpoint, but don’t you think it’s possible with consumers who choose Google to find the help they’re looking for?

  • http://hajra.me/ Hajra

    Like most people around (I am hoping!) I hate pop ups because for one, they distract me from my focus on what I am reading.

    Maybe I need to read the post by Marcus to convince me!

    • http://markharai.com/ Mark Harai

      Less intrusive the better in my opinion…

      However, from a business sense, if there is something that works effectively and provides significant positive results to industry leading bloggers, I’m open to taking a look now that I’m getting a bit more serious about my blogging efforts.

      After trying to put myself in a new readers shoes and seeing the holes my blog had in it from a business perspective, I began to see that it may not be pushy after all, but rather thoughtful and helpful to those folks who are looking for help to get things done.

      As they say, Hajra, test, test, test and see what works best for you. If more people signup to your newsletter with popups, than it makes sense to use what your new visitors find the most helpful.

      Thanks so much for stopping by today, miss : )

  • http://twitter.com/iMobileRescue iMobile Rescue

    Well written, and good points. It’s necessary to set up the conditions to make money. – To play the other side though, it’s kinda fun to be creative about getting people to opt in.. or take action, in another way. Frankly, to me and millions of others, those pop up opt in things for example, are not only extremely annoying, but a huge huge turn off. No, I’m not looking for answers, and even if I was, most customers aren’t like.. “yes! I need your answer, thank God you put this pop up thing in front of me.” which is the rationalization bloggers have used for years. I firmly believe, it doesn’t work that way. – But nonetheless, the intention behind your post, and having a pop up opt in (or anything else for that matter), is good, necessary, and well understood.

    • http://markharai.com/ Mark Harai

      Thanks for the thoughtful add here, iMobile.

      I tried to find your blog, but its not linked to your Disqus account.

      I also like your logo and company name, but it would be great to see your face and have a name to address.

      You seem like someone the community could learn from. If you want to share some of your ideas, you have a platform to do so right here…

      Cheers!

  • Sharon Gilmour-Glover

    Mark, what I love best about your blog in general, is your honesty and transparency. I love that you put it out there the way it is.

    In this particular post, I love that you shared your thinking journey, your personal evolution and how that resulted in making different choices. No popups because don’t want to look like a “douchey sales blog” (I just don’t see you in polyester plaid) to wanting to help your community solve problems.

    Thanks as always,
    Sharon

    • http://markharai.com/ Mark Harai

      Hi Sharon, I really appreciate the encouraging comment, miss : )

      I really don’t know any other way to do it. I’m just being me and at the end of the day I don’t think that we are all that different. People will relate to my experience.

      Now that my mindset is more on monetizing my efforts, it’s great to share the things I would have done differently as I think it will help folks in the same position.

      You guys are cranking out some outstanding content on your blog… I’m learning and getting inspiration every time you hit publish.

      I appreciate it, thank you : )

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