BLOG ON! Hari Shanker R. www.harishanker.net February 2009

What’s a blog? To Quote Wikipedia: “ A blog (a contraction of the term weblog ) is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.” My Definition: “ A weblog is an online avenue that provides the best possible means for freedom of expression.”

To Quote Wikipedia:

“ A blog (a contraction of the term weblog ) is a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.”

My Definition:

“ A weblog is an online avenue that provides the best possible means for freedom of expression.”

Time Person of the Year 2006 “ ..for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, TIME’s Person of the Year for 2006 is you .” Blogs drive Web 2.0 and play a pivotal role in giving you the power of choice!

“ ..for seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, TIME’s Person of the Year for 2006 is you .”

Blogs drive Web 2.0 and play a pivotal role in giving you the power of choice!

Looking Back… 1997: Weblog – coined by Jorn Barger 1999: Peter Merholz converted weblog into we-blog. The term blog was born! First blogging services started Bradley Fitzpatrick started LiveJournal in March ‘99. Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan (Pyra Labs) made ‘Blogger’ in August ’99. (Now Google owns Blogger)‏ 2001: Popular blogs came into being, blogging started becoming a craze. 2002: Politicians, movie stars, everyone started embracing blogs. 2004: Tsunamis- Bloggers unite, making blogs a social movement! The rest, as they say, is HISTORY…

1997: Weblog – coined by Jorn Barger

1999: Peter Merholz converted weblog into we-blog. The term blog was born!

First blogging services started

Bradley Fitzpatrick started LiveJournal in March ‘99.

Evan Williams and Meg Hourihan (Pyra Labs) made ‘Blogger’ in August ’99. (Now Google owns Blogger)‏

2001: Popular blogs came into being, blogging started becoming a craze.

2002: Politicians, movie stars, everyone started embracing blogs.

2004: Tsunamis- Bloggers unite, making blogs a social movement!

Why do people blog? Meet Friends Meet Girlfriends Make New friends Express Likes Voice opinions Fight for a cause Worship Showcase talent Share Appreciate beauty Admire a hero Start a Band Support your team Get popular Win Competitions Oops! We just ran out of space! There are a million things that you can do with blogs!

FEATURES You are your own editor! You get to own CNN for free! You realize your dreams! You vent out your thoughts! You can even get rich (with some work)!

You are your own editor!

You get to own CNN for free!

You realize your dreams!

You vent out your thoughts!

You can even get rich (with some work)!

BLOGS PERSONAL BUSINESS NON PROFIT POLITICS PRIVATE TIPS, TRICKS AND REVIEWS

ALTERNATIVE BLOGGING AUDIO BLOGS (PODCASTS)‏ PHOTOBLOGS VLOGS (VIDEO BLOGS)‏ CAMPUS BLOGS

How to create your own blog? Sign up with a Free Blog Provider Set up your own blog using a Content Management System Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal Blogger, TypePad, LiveJournal, Wordpress.com

Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal

Blogger, TypePad, LiveJournal, Wordpress.com

GO WORDPRESS! Most convenient content management system. Easy to set up. Very flexible! SEO Friendly Plethora of options. Industry standard Cheap Domain: $9.99/month Hosting: $50 / month. Total: Rs 3,000/year

Most convenient content management system. Easy to set up.

Very flexible!

SEO Friendly

Plethora of options.

Industry standard

Cheap

Domain: $9.99/month

Hosting: $50 / month. Total: Rs 3,000/year

BETTER BLOGGING Some tips for ‘blogebritydom’

ANYONE CAN BLOG!

DECIDE! What is the content of your blog? What is your expected reader-base? What is the reach of your blog? How much time can you spend on blogging? What will your goals be?

What is the content of your blog?

What is your expected reader-base?

What is the reach of your blog?

How much time can you spend on blogging?

What will your goals be?

TIPS FOR BETTER BLOGGING Content is king! Be specific when you blog. Don't beat about the bush Correct your mistakes as and when you find them. Both grammatical & other. Write lucidly. Write refined stuff. Make sure your blog is targeted at the right audience. Market it!

Content is king!

Be specific when you blog. Don't beat about the bush

Correct your mistakes as and when you find them. Both grammatical & other.

Write lucidly. Write refined stuff.

Make sure your blog is targeted at the right audience. Market it!

THE BLOGGER'S BLOCK A scenario where you simply can't write anything. Similar to The Writer's Block.

A scenario where you simply can't write anything.

Similar to The Writer's Block.

OVERCOMING BLOGGER'S BLOCK Read a LOT! Focus on something creative: like a good movie. Think out of the box. Test your grey cells! Try something new everyday.

Read a LOT!

Focus on something creative: like a good movie.

Think out of the box. Test your grey cells!

Try something new everyday.

MONETIZATION HOW BLOGS CAN SPIN MONEY

MAIN REVENUE SOURCES Google Adsense, Tyroo, AdBrite, et al. Selling AdSpace in your blog. Traffic Sharing Paid Reviews Selling Services Speciality Services (e.g. E-Books)‏

Google Adsense, Tyroo, AdBrite, et al.

Selling AdSpace in your blog.

Traffic Sharing

Paid Reviews

Selling Services

Speciality Services (e.g. E-Books)‏

I RECOMMEND! Paid Reviews (PayPerPost, LoudLaunch, Sponsored Reviews)‏ Affiliates (if you're blogging on a speciality topic, e.g. Cellphones)‏

Paid Reviews (PayPerPost, LoudLaunch, Sponsored Reviews)‏

Affiliates (if you're blogging on a speciality topic, e.g. Cellphones)‏

MAKE YOUR BLOG STAND OUT Find good, 'saleable' topics for blogging. Write on unique, niche topics. Blog on a good CMS platform like Wordpress. Keep blogging prolifically!!

Find good, 'saleable' topics for blogging.

Write on unique, niche topics.

Blog on a good CMS platform like Wordpress.

Keep blogging prolifically!!

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)‏ Process of making your website visible in Search Engines (especially Google)‏ Companies spend millions of dollars making their websites list on the first page of search results. You too can make your blog hit the limelight with VERY little effort!

Process of making your website visible in Search Engines (especially Google)‏

Companies spend millions of dollars making their websites list on the first page of search results.

You too can make your blog hit the limelight with VERY little effort!

10 EASY WAYS TO SEO YOUR BLOG Correct your code. Use accurate page titles Increase keyword density. Ensure that your pages are indexed in Google Use <h1>tags for post titles Add data for images using alt tags Try maximizing PageRank, Crawl frequency et al. Go slow on glitz and add unique content Ensure <100 outward links. Use SEO friendly post-URLs

Correct your code.

Use accurate page titles

Increase keyword density.

Ensure that your pages are indexed in Google

Use <h1>tags for post titles

Add data for images using alt tags

Try maximizing PageRank, Crawl frequency et al.

Go slow on glitz and add unique content

Ensure <100 outward links.

Use SEO friendly post-URLs

SOME MYTHS ABOUT BLOGGING THINGS YOU CLUNG UPON RELIGIOUSLY TO, BUT WERE NOTHING MORE THAN GIBBERISH!

MYTH: BLOGGER IS THE BEST! REALITY: BLOGGER IS NOT EVEN CLOSE! Not customizable. Has trillions of bugs! Poor in SEO. Bad performance.

REALITY: BLOGGER IS NOT EVEN CLOSE!

Not customizable.

Has trillions of bugs!

Poor in SEO.

Bad performance.

MYTH: ADSENSE WILL MAKE ME RICH REALITY: UNLESS YOU'VE TRAFFIC FROM U.S., YOU WON'T GET YOUR ADSENSE CHEQUE ANYTIME SOON! Adsense – highly biased towards U.S. Heavily restrictive policies. Easy susceptablity to 'click-fraud'

REALITY: UNLESS YOU'VE TRAFFIC FROM U.S., YOU WON'T GET YOUR ADSENSE CHEQUE ANYTIME SOON!

Adsense – highly biased towards U.S.

Heavily restrictive policies.

Easy susceptablity to 'click-fraud'

MYTH: AN ATTRACTIVE LAYOUT WILL GET ME HITS REALITY: ONLY CONTENT CAN ENSURE HITS!

MYTH: PERSONAL BLOGS ARE BAD REALITY: THEY ARE THE BEST! They are the most read. Personal stuff is more appealing than anything. Makes interesting reading.

REALITY: THEY ARE THE BEST!

They are the most read.

Personal stuff is more appealing than anything.

Makes interesting reading.

MYTH: I OWN WHAT I BLOG REALITY: UNLESS YOU'RE ON A SELF-HOSTED CMS-IMPLEMENTED BLOG, THE RIGHTS OF YOUR CONTENT BELONGS TO YOUR BLOG SERVICE PROVIDER!

AN IDEAL BLOGGER!

an The internet accentuates what you would do anyway. If you want to be a loner , you can be more alone . You can choose to express yourself and blog. ‘ Blogging makes the internet a better place.’

QUESTIONS? [email_address] +91-9447325561