Blogging For Beginners Ken McGuire www.profreelanceblogger.com www.kenmc.com www.artlinks.ie

Introduction Ken McGuire Blogging since 2004 Serial blogger Irish Blog Awards Podcasting since 2006 June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Ken McGuire

Blogging since 2004

Serial blogger

Irish Blog Awards

Podcasting since 2006

Agenda Blogging background What, why, how? Blogging platforms Setting up a blog Blog writing hints and tips Promoting your blog RSS, comments, emails etc. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Blogging background

What, why, how?

Blogging platforms

Setting up a blog

Blog writing hints and tips

Promoting your blog

RSS, comments, emails etc.

Goals For Today Learn about blogs, what they are, how they work. Discover how to set up a blog for free. Find out how easy it is to make your first blog post. Discover free ways to promote your blog. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Learn about blogs, what they are, how they work.

Discover how to set up a blog for free.

Find out how easy it is to make your first blog post.

Discover free ways to promote your blog.

What Is A Blog? Short for ‘web log’ Collection of blog posts / news items / stories published in a dated order. Think of it as a diary. Blogs have posts, and pages. Versatile - can be about anything June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Short for ‘web log’

Collection of blog posts / news items / stories published in a dated order.

Think of it as a diary.

Blogs have posts, and pages.

Versatile - can be about anything

Blog, Blogger, Blogging Blog: A web log Blogger: Someone who maintains a blog Blogging: The process of creating / maintaining a blog June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Blog: A web log

Blogger: Someone who maintains a blog

Blogging: The process of creating / maintaining a blog

Blogging Platforms Blogger (requires Google email) Wordpress (personal favourite) Leading the way for blogging platforms Typepad (fee-based) Blogosphere - The global blog community. Blog O’Sphere. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Blogger (requires Google email)

Wordpress (personal favourite)

Leading the way for blogging platforms

Typepad (fee-based)

Blogosphere - The global blog community. Blog O’Sphere.

Blog Ingredients Blog Posts About Page Contact Page Other relevant details Sound clips, writing samples, gallery of works. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Blog Posts

About Page

Contact Page

Other relevant details

Sound clips, writing samples, gallery of works.

Blogs vs Web Sites Are they the same? Your blog is your website. Just like older websites, you can have A photo gallery A portfolio Videos, music… A blog is a social website (interaction) June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Are they the same?

Your blog is your website.

Just like older websites, you can have

A photo gallery

A portfolio

Videos, music…

A blog is a social website (interaction)

Some Blog Statistics Technorati trackings 112.8 million blogs (Feb 2008). 72.82 million blogs in China 17.5m authors 2006, 40m 2007 Several thousand Irish bloggers 93,041 new blogs in day (May 19th 2008) Source: blogpulse.com 1.6 million posts a day (July 2006) June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Technorati trackings 112.8 million blogs (Feb 2008).

72.82 million blogs in China

17.5m authors 2006, 40m 2007

Several thousand Irish bloggers

93,041 new blogs in day (May 19th 2008)

Source: blogpulse.com

1.6 million posts a day (July 2006)

More Creative Types Blogging Not just technology bloggers. Food bloggers (icecreamireland.com) Photo bloggers (kenmcguirephotography.com) Patchwork (quiltingandpatchwork.com) Fashion (iamfashion.blogspot.com/) Beauty (beaut.ie) June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Not just technology bloggers.

Food bloggers (icecreamireland.com)

Photo bloggers (kenmcguirephotography.com)

Patchwork (quiltingandpatchwork.com)

Fashion (iamfashion.blogspot.com/)

Beauty (beaut.ie)

What Can A Blog Do For You? Connect you with fellow artists. Showcase your recent works. Build you an audience for your work. Establish you as an authority figure. Land you a book deal… (all in good time!) TwentyMajor.net / Fiona McPhillips / IceCream Ireland / Darren Rowse… June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Connect you with fellow artists.

Showcase your recent works.

Build you an audience for your work.

Establish you as an authority figure.

Land you a book deal… (all in good time!)

TwentyMajor.net / Fiona McPhillips / IceCream Ireland / Darren Rowse…

What Can A Blog Do For You? “ I now realise how beneficial this blog is. It is almost like a creative diary. It allows me to reflect back on my practice as an artist, it helps me understand my way of approaching new ideas and my way of working creatively.” Liselott, May 19th 2008 June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

“ I now realise how beneficial this blog is. It is almost like a creative diary. It allows me to reflect back on my practice as an artist, it helps me understand my way of approaching new ideas and my way of working creatively.”

Liselott, May 19th 2008

Why Blogs Are Liked They’re web based Everything runs from the web, no installing of software. Access anywhere. You don’t need to learn a language HTML, PHP etc. Blog community constantly growing. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

They’re web based

Everything runs from the web, no installing of software.

Access anywhere.

You don’t need to learn a language

HTML, PHP etc.

Blog community constantly growing.

Why Do You Need A Blog? Build *your* personal brand. Showcase for your works. Become visible on the web. Keep others informed. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Build *your* personal brand.

Showcase for your works.

Become visible on the web.

Keep others informed.

Deciding What To Blog Follow your craft Music (kilkennymusic.com) Theatre (devioustheatre.com) Blogging (profreelanceblogger.com) The more ‘niche’ the better… Felt, batik, music therapy, sculpture, sound design… June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Follow your craft

Music (kilkennymusic.com)

Theatre (devioustheatre.com)

Blogging (profreelanceblogger.com)

The more ‘niche’ the better…

Felt, batik, music therapy, sculpture, sound design…

Deciding What To Blog As an artist… Residency at no.72 Recording an album (process) Building a studio Preparing for an exhibition Touring with a band Preparing to publish a book June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

As an artist…

Residency at no.72

Recording an album (process)

Building a studio

Preparing for an exhibition

Touring with a band

Preparing to publish a book

Artist Blogs No72 John Street http://no72.wordpress.com Martha Marshall http://artistsjournal.blogspot.com/ Nancy Standlee http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com/ June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

No72 John Street

http://no72.wordpress.com

Martha Marshall

http://artistsjournal.blogspot.com/

Nancy Standlee

http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com/

Writing Tips June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Writing Tips Be yourself. It is ok to have an opinion. “ You can’t be an authority on a topic if you don’t have faith in your own opinion”, SD. Proper titles. Cheek you’re sspelling and grammar. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Be yourself.

It is ok to have an opinion.

“ You can’t be an authority on a topic if you don’t have faith in your own opinion”, SD.

Proper titles.

Cheek you’re sspelling and grammar.

Writing Tips Pick a topic and stick to it. The more niche the better. Support your post with relevant links. Write Less, Write Often. Lists are good. Pick a style and stick to it. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Pick a topic and stick to it.

The more niche the better.

Support your post with relevant links.

Write Less, Write Often.

Lists are good.

Pick a style and stick to it.

Setting Up A Blog June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Creating A Wordpress Blog Go to www.wordpress.com Click ‘Sign Up Now’ Enter a username, password, email. Choose name for blog. Confirm registration by email. Get writing! June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Go to www.wordpress.com

Click ‘Sign Up Now’

Enter a username, password, email.

Choose name for blog.

Confirm registration by email.

Get writing!

Your First Blog Post Title Be descriptive, be precise Title will appear in search engine results Content Relevant links Tags Publish June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Title

Be descriptive, be precise

Title will appear in search engine results

Content

Relevant links

Tags

Publish

Your First Blog Page Additional content to homepage. Title, content, links as before. Chance to sell yourself, do it well. Pages have an order of their own. Contact details, about you, links, profiles, exhibition dates etc. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Additional content to homepage.

Title, content, links as before.

Chance to sell yourself, do it well.

Pages have an order of their own.

Contact details, about you, links, profiles, exhibition dates etc.

Advertising Your Blog June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Why Advertise Your Blog? To be found. To sell your work. To increase your readership. To network with other bloggers and artists. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

To be found.

To sell your work.

To increase your readership.

To network with other bloggers and artists.

Where To Advertise Blog Directories Blog Flux, IrishBlogs.info, BlogCatalog.com Social Networks MySpace / Facebook / Bebo Microblogging Twitter / Jaiku RSS Feeds / Email Feeds June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Blog Directories

Blog Flux, IrishBlogs.info, BlogCatalog.com

Social Networks

MySpace / Facebook / Bebo

Microblogging

Twitter / Jaiku

RSS Feeds / Email Feeds

Where To Advertise Flyers for your blog Add blog URL to business cards Email signatures Press releases June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Flyers for your blog

Add blog URL to business cards

Email signatures

Press releases

Promoting Individual Posts StumbleUpon Great for information-based blogs, tutorials, guides, “how-to” type posts. Digg.com Suitable for news-type blogs Del.icio.us Sharing bookmarks, public listing. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

StumbleUpon

Great for information-based blogs, tutorials, guides, “how-to” type posts.

Digg.com

Suitable for news-type blogs

Del.icio.us

Sharing bookmarks, public listing.

Measuring Blog Traffic Wordpress.com stats Google Analytics Statcounter Technorati June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Wordpress.com stats

Google Analytics

Statcounter

Technorati

RSS Feeds / Email RSS = Really Simple Syndication. Web ‘feeds’ used to deliver content. Allows content to be aggregated. Works via mobile phone / email or and ‘feed reader’. Built into most common blog platforms. Visit once, subscribe for free. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

RSS = Really Simple Syndication.

Web ‘feeds’ used to deliver content.

Allows content to be aggregated.

Works via mobile phone / email or and ‘feed reader’.

Built into most common blog platforms.

Visit once, subscribe for free.

Google Reader June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Microblogging Twitter / Jaiku Blog via SMS Message is 140 characters or less Social network Immediate, Global. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Twitter / Jaiku

Blog via SMS

Message is 140 characters or less

Social network

Immediate, Global.

Earning Blog Revenue You can make money blogging. Text ads, affiliate links. Top 50 blogs earn $500m p/a. University of Texas study Google AdSense easiest, most effective. June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

You can make money blogging.

Text ads, affiliate links.

Top 50 blogs earn $500m p/a.

University of Texas study

Google AdSense easiest, most effective.

Blogging Is A Marathon Marthon, not a sprint If you build it, they will take their sweet time, but they will come. Be consistent, or appear consistent June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Marthon, not a sprint

If you build it, they will take their sweet time, but they will come.

Be consistent, or appear consistent

Communication Is Key Communication builds communities Reply to your emails Replay to your comments Engage your blog readers Encourage subscriptions June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Communication builds communities

Reply to your emails

Replay to your comments

Engage your blog readers

Encourage subscriptions

Thank You Ken McGuire [email_address] www.kenmc.com www.profreelanceblogger.com June 7, 2009 Blogging For Beginners with Ken McGuire

Ken McGuire [email_address]

www.kenmc.com

www.profreelanceblogger.com