Creating a blog is nothing that you need to be afraid of. There is no elaborate planning required either. However, there are a few things you would need to decide.
The following is a quick guide of what to think over before creating your blog:
• Topic: Determine what you would be writing about or the nature of the content that you would be sharing with your readers. This depends mainly on your interest. Blogging Topics include the field of politics, poetry, arts, current affairs, or almost anything under the sun can be chosen. You can stick to one theme or you can choose to write about whatever concerns you on a day to day basis. Since it is your very own web journal, you can make it as flexible as possible in all aspects.
• Blogging Provider: I have written before about hosting your blog yourself as opposed to having it hosted on a free site. I honestly think you should stay away from hosted blog sites like: Blogger.com, WordPress.com, Typepad, Blogagotchi.com, Livejournal.com, JournalHome.com, TheDiary.org, Mindsay.com, Blog.com, Diaryland.com, Blogdrive.com, or Xanga.com.
• Theme: A wide range of themes are available free for you to use. Choose the one you most prefer or like. Of course, you can pay for a theme (known as a Premium Theme).
• Plugins: The advantage with these additional blogging functionality modules is that they make your blogging experience as dynamic and interactive as possible. They enable you to install add-on features that include button, pictures, blog chalks, imoods, tagboards such as guest maps, guestbooks, comment boxes for readers’ thoughts and views, etc.
• Nature of Blog: You must determine who should read your blog-whether you want it to be read only by a select circle, or must it be open to all. This will depend upon the content, mainly.
• Layout: Again, there will be a wide range to choose from in terms of layout and color schemes that your theme may provide.
• Content: You could pick up a specific topic and write about it consistently, or merely decide on any random topic as and when it interests you. You could try putting up content for a while and see the kind of response you get, and alter or modify it accordingly.
• Blogging Circles: Blogging is a great way to come in touch with people from across the globe. You can surf and visit other people’s blogs. Do not spam in their comment section, but write a genuine comment if you have something to say about a particular post.
• Publish: Finally when you are done selecting the setting and preferences, selecting a content to put up, you need to publish the content. Do not, however, forget to send the link of your blog to your friends and acquaintances so that they may come visit you.
Once you have started your blog, you will have noticed that it hardly takes fifteen minutes to do so. Maintain the blog is even easier. Here are a few tips that would help you successfully keep your blog going:
• Update: Update frequently otherwise visitors may stop coming to your blog. It will also give you more confidence to churn out more well worded posts in the future.
• Personalize: Even though you might be discussing general and universal themes, add your own personal touch to make things lighter and interesting.
• Spelling and Grammar: Make sure you proof read your posts. Spelling and grammatical errors can be a major put-off for many readers.
• Advertisements: You could play host to sites like Google AdSense and earn revenue by placing their links on your blog.
Great information! Lots of useful tips. Thanks Paul!
Thank you for sharing your insights Paul! …Hughie
Any time, Hughie!
Excellent blueprint to get a blog started! Wish I had this when I started…your steps would have saved me some sleepless nights! Great job!
Denny – Bookmark it, print it out, or remember to come back to this info in a few months… It is the basics that we need to always be reminded of… well, I need to be reminded of them every once in a while!
Great article. You laid it out so simply and step by step. This is so helpful. Thanks!
You are welcome, Elvie.
Paul, thanks for the outline of key points for blogging. I am the kind of person who needs to be reminded of things I should already know however when I review, I usually pick up on something I have been leaving out or something I need to improve. For example, I sometimes forget to personalize and make my blog light and interesting. I often get too heavy into facts & content. Thanks again.
You are welcome, Pat!
Just remember to have fun while you are writing and your readers will notice.
Hey Paul, this is really a nice overview to help someone get started. I don’t think I’ve seen all these kinds of things put together in one place anywhere else. Nice job!
Thanks, Robert! I have been trying to decide if I should post more techie type of things, or keep with the basics. Any thoughts?
I think mixing it up with a little of each would be good.
Paul, I love your advise – and wish people listen closely it would save a lot of headache and money for them. Thanks!
Thanks, Solvita!
Your expertise is always great!
AJ
I love how you make your instructions so easy to follow. I’m doing much better with my site now that I’ve taken your 28-Course and read all your posts.
That is the kind of news I love to hear! Let me know how else I can help!
Since you asked 🙂 I could use help with the Affiliate section of Word Press. I’d like to learn how to use that. I have a product coming up and have been stressing over how to handle the affiliate program since I can’t afford shopping cart right now. Then I learned WP has one. But I haven’t figured out how to install it or use it.
And I could use help finding the RSS button.
Thank you Paul.
Julia
Which plugin are you using for your affiliate program, Julia? You can search Google for rss images – many people give them away for free. Just make sure they are giving you permission before you download it and copy.
Thanks.
Paul, as far as I can tell, the Affiliate program is built into Word Press. There’s a button on my dashboard below Getting Traffic to Your Site and the Data Base Section. It requires a CL ????? ID.
It can keep track of affiliate referrals. I need to do that asap because starting in November I’ll be selling my CD parenting course(s) through an affiliate program.
It’s just over my head right now.
Thanks
Julia
The best thing about blogging is that one can have more than one!
Thanks for the run-down on this topic, Paul.