Everything but the Posts by Becca Ludlum | An #EmptyShelfChallenge Book Review

One of the next books I read was on a little lighter topic than my last, but equally rich in sound advice.  My friend Becca Ludlum is a bit of a blogging guru.  Even Jon Acuff agrees, so you know she’s legit.

Becca wrote a book, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!  Everything but the Posts is a tremendous resource for anyone interesting in blogging – on any level.  I have maintained a blog for almost seven years and learned a great deal; I have also watched Becca walk new bloggers through from the very beginning steps of the process to quick success.  (Note: “quick success” does not mean you will be able to quit your job after reading the book. Maybe someday(!), but I mostly mean success based on whatever benchmarks the authors had set for themselves).  

In Section One, Becca describes the first steps to beginning a blog.  She includes important information on naming and branding your blog, including things she learned the hard way herself – so you can learn from her experiences. She discusses very basic ideas and explains terminology if you’re truly starting out, but isn’t afraid to add a little html advice where it might be helpful to you.

In Section Two, she addresses the idea of building your community.  Call it what you what – a community, a tribe, an audience… you might want people to read what you write.  Yes, we should all write for ourselves, as if nobody ever read it.  But sometimes, it’s nice if someone reads our work, yes? 🙂  Becca (the owner of a social media management company, by the way) discusses options for building your social media presence, boosting your viewership and writing for search engine optimization.  She has had multiple posts go viral and is an expert at using Pinterest to benefit her blog’s numbers, and not once does she withhold any of her secrets.

In Section Three, the one I will keep revisiting, she moves onto the topic of monetizing your blog.  This isn’t for everyone – but if you have the desire and the content, Becca tells you exactly how to get started.  I was particularly fascinated by her discussion on brand ambassadorships, but she covers everything – sponsored posts, giveaways, advertising, conferences and more.

Not only does Becca know her stuff, she is the most generous person I have ever worked with in sharing that knowledge with those around her.  Instead of viewing anyone as a “competitor”, she values community and building into one her peers.  It’s those things combined that make Everything but the Posts an absolute gem and a must-own if you have ever had the inclination to jump into the crazy blogosphere.

In case you care: I do “know” Becca through a few online groups. She didn’t ask me to write this review, and I really did purchase my own copy of #EBtPosts as soon as it came out.  You should think about buying your own copy, too, but I don’t get anything from it. 🙂