I have been reading a great Blogger interviews on Ileane Smith’s Basic Blog Tips and many other blogs, I though it is really a great way to increase engagement and build relationship with other Bloggers that is why I decided to start a Blogger interview series on my blog.
This is the first interview that I’m publishing here at GuideAndNews.
Ali Luke is a great writer and a guest Blogging superstar, she blog at AliVentures.com about Blogging and self publishing etc. She is also a weekly contributor at Daily Blog Tips (My favorite blog).
I have emailed her and hassled for an interview, She agreed to answer some of my questions.
So, Her we go!
1. Ali, Some of the readers might already know you because of your guest posts on popular blogs, but for those who still don’t know you, please give us some information about yourself and your personal life and a little bit about Aliventures.com?
Sure! I’m Ali Luke, I live with my husband in Oxford in the UK, and I blog at Aliventures about writing, blogging, and self-publishing. I also write for a number of other websites — some as a guest, others as a paid freelancer and I have a writing community/teaching site called Writers’ Huddle.
2. When and why did you start Blogging
I got into blogging a long time ago, when it was all about personal journaling, and I had a couple of very dull blogs! Later, in 2007, I got interested in blogging in a more professional, topic-based way: I was attracted by the idea of combining two of the things I love (writing and the internet) and, if I’m honest, I was also hoping to make some money.
3. I see your posts on several popular blog, including Daily Blog Tips, ProBlogger, CopyBlogger and TheChangeBlog. Can you tell us what is your main goal of writing for those blogs?
I do get around the blogosphere a bit! The Change Blog pays me for my posts — in fact, I’ve been a paid writer there for several years. There are also three other blogs — currently — that I freelance for. Daily Blog Tips, ProBlogger, Copyblogger and other writing or blogging related blogs don’t pay me, but they do allow me to reach a big audience — which helps my own blog and my mailing list to grow.
4. Let’s talk about blogs you are involved with, how many blogs do you have?
The only active blog that I own is Aliventures. I’ve had two other blogs in the past, but I don’t write on them any more. I’ve also added a blog to my site Lycopolis.co.uk, which is for my novel Lycopolis, but I only post there occasionally.
5. When did you start guest Blogging for Daniel’s Daily Blog Tips?
I think my first guest post on Daily Blog Tips was in 2008 or maybe 2009. Towards the end of 2011, I started guest posting there much more regularly. At the moment, I usually have a post on Daily Blog Tips every two weeks.
6. What other methods you use to promote your blog without guest Blogging?
Guest blogging has been my most effective method, but I also use Twitter a lot to share my posts and to share great content from other bloggers. A lot of my traffic comes from Twitter, so this seems to be working well!
Commenting on other blogs can also bring in a bit of traffic, but I haven’t found this to be an especially effective technique.
Read: How guest blogging on other sites can help new bloggers
When I speak at events or conferences, I always let people know about my blog, too.
7. Can you share your secrets of guest Blogging with us?
I’m not sure these are really “secrets,” just pieces of tried-and-tested advice!
- Don’t write a guest post then choose a blog to send it to; choose the blog first. That way, you can write a post that’s on-topic and in the right style — boosting your chance of acceptance.
- Always read the guest post guidelines — and follow them carefully.
- Write the very best post you can, and make sure you edit and proofread it. If you have spelling mistakes, you’ll create a poor first impression.
- Don’t be greedy. It’s usually OK to put one link to your own content in the body of your post, but more than that is pushing it. Focus on using your bio to drive traffic, instead.
8. Which other blogs do you read regularly?
As well as the blogs mentioned already, I enjoy:
Write to Done (I guest-post there, usually monthly)
Men with Pens (I guest post there too)
The Creative Penn (I guest post there occasionally)
Taleist
Wordplay
…and there are plenty of others that I read on at least an occasional basis, too.
9. Finally, What are your goals you have set for yourself, your blog and your guest Blogging for future?
I’m planning to open up my Writers’ Huddle site for new members in September, so I’ve got quite a few different goals surrounding that (like doing more guest posting over the summer, and building my audience on Aliventures).
Over the past year, I’ve been doing quite a few live events, speaking to groups of writers/bloggers — and that’s something that I’m definitely going to be doing more of in the future.
Thanks for the interview Ali.
So, If you have any question in your mind which you want to ask from Ali than do ask it by commenting below, Hope she will get back to you.
Hi Ehsaan,
It was an awesome interview. Learned lot of new things to promote blog as well as found several new links of some useful blogs. Thanks for sharing this great interview with Ali.
Glad you learned something from this interview Sajid.
Hi Ehsan,
Thank you very much to introduce her in front of us!
Hi Ali,
Thank you too to exposure enormous information and increase motivation!
Your welcome Anis, Be sure to go to AliVentures.com to check her work.
Wow! I must say this is an awesome and inspiring interview. Well, above mentioned secrets (guidelines) are really helpful, mostly choosing a guest blog first, then writing a post and reading the guest post guidelines are really important strategies for guest blogging. Thanks Ehsan for this wonderful interview and good luck to Luke
Glade you enjoyed the review Nizam and hope you got to learn something new to grow your blog and to be a successful blogger like Ali Luke.
well I learned alot from Ali_Luke:)
Hi Ehsan,
I was really happy to go through this interview with a famous writer. Was happy to know that she is a guest blogging superstar and gave us good insight into guest blogging. This is first of its kind post I read so far. Great one.
Regards,
Sanjib Saha.
Hey Sanjib,
I’m glade you’ve found the interview useful. You are right bro, she is guest Blogging superstar and an inspiration for us.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks Sanjib (and Ehsan)! I don’t think I’ve ever been called a “superstar” before.
I always see you as an expert and superstar of Blogging because you are really an inspiration for Bloggers like us wanting to start a guest Blogging.
Great interview with Ali and I learn so much from her. I appreciate that you are having time to share this and I am sure many people get inspired to this. Thanks a lot for sharing this!
Hey Nicholle,
I’m glade you enjoyed the interview.
Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks Nicholle! Really glad you found the interview useful.
thank you for interviewing Ali
she is a great writer and always has something useful to tell
Hey Farouk,
Hope you enjoyed the interview.
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate it!
Yeah, I’m 110% agree! She is a great writer, really!
Thanks Ehsan for conducting this interview.
I wasn’t knowing about Ali Luke (No Hard Feelings), but you probably introduced me to yet another blogger whom we can look forward to.
Thanks again bro and it was a pleasure reading the interview
Hey Arbaz, I’m really happy to be able to introduce you with a great Blogger and a writer.
I’m glade you enjoyed the interview bro.
Appreciate your comment.
Well, now you know me, Arbaz!
Actually, since you’ve read the interview, you probably know more about me than a lot of the readers on my own blog…! Glad you enjoyed it, and hope you’ll look out for my name around the blogosphere. 
Hey Ehsan, awesome interview my friend! I’m glad that you are also starting interviews! It’s really great way to promote..
Ali luke is one of my favorite writers, one of the few blogs I’ve subscribed (Ali ventures) and it’s a great resource for aspiring writers like us.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Ali. I hope you are doing great
Hi Rahul,
You’re right, Interviewing other Bloggers is really an awesome way to promote a blog and building more relationship.
Ali Luke is my favorite writer too, I lover her guest posts on other blogs and that was the reason I’ve decided to interview her here at GuideAndNews.
Hope you enjoyed it my friend,
Ehsan U.
Thanks Rahul — and Ehsan. It’s always lovely to hear when I’m someone’s favourite writer!
Hi Ehsan, Hi Ali,
thanks for great interview, it’s really inspiring!
I’m waiting for more interviews with great bloggers
Chris
Thanks Chris for your comment, I’m glade you enjoyed the interview.
Thanks Chris, glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Ehsan, Thanks for introducing me to Ali! This was a lovely interview and I’m really happy that you were influenced by my blogger interview series. I appreciate the shout out. I learned about some cool blogs that I need to catch up on.
It’s truth Ileane, I was influenced by your blogger interview series. Basic Blog Tips is really an inspiration for me.
I appreciate your comment here, It means a lot to me.
Hope Ali will also get back to your comment.
Thanks Ileane, really glad you enjoyed the interview. Thanks for inspiring Ehsan to do it!
Very nice interview, there is always something good to learn from other bloggers. Thank you for providing this great interview. Its amazing how Ali was able to transform her blog in a few years.
Hey Shalu, you are absolutely right. There’s always something new to learn from other (Specially popular) bloggers. I’m glade you enjoyed the interview.
Thanks Shalu! I won’t say that the blogging journey has always been easy — there’s been a lot of hard work along the way — but it’s been fun, and it’s definitely been worth the effort.
Ali is really a great author, I like her style and writing skills. It’s great to see her featured here. Thanks for the interview Ehsan
!
Your welcome mate! I’m happy to know that you like her writing style.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the interview, and that you like my writing in general.
Thanks Ali for sharing your blogging experience and Tips with us…Ehsan you have done a great job and great initiative.
Looking more such wonderful interviews from you.
Hi Sandeep,
It’s my pleasure bro. As I said before I love to read the Blogger interviews for many reasons that is why I’ve decided to start a Blogger interview series here.
Yeah I will be interviews more successful Bloggers here at GuideAndNews soon.
Thanks for your comment bro.
Ehsan U.
Thanks Sandeep, and thanks too to Ehsan — it’s a privilege to be the first person interviewed here. I hope you’ll go on to interview many more bloggers.
YEah Ali, The reason I interviews you first here because I was a big fan of your guest posts. Last Friday one of my best friend interviewed “Gregory Ciotti” on his blog and he shared some awesome tips on that interview than I decided to interview you on my blog:)
Ali is a great blogger and I really love the things she is doing in the blogosphere. I also thank you Ehsan for taking her interview. Through this I came to know more about Ali and her works.
Yeah Ali is really doing great and she is an inspiration for everyone who wants to start guest Blogging and also for writers.
I appreciate your comment Avi.
I am fully agree with Avi…
By this interview we came to know more about Ali and this is just because of Ehsan’s effort….
Thanks Avi and Sandeep, I’m really glad you enjoyed learning a bit more about me.
Hey Ali,
I must say that was an awesome interview, You gave us some cool tips on Guest Blogging.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks Ehsan, it was great to be featured here!