2. /blôg/
Noun
A Website on which an individual or group of users record
opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.
So…What is a Blog?
3. Where Do I Begin?
Well…pick a forum to register your
blog! There’s a bunch to choose
from, but here are the most popular
ones…
4. Tumblr
• Can be used as a cross between blogging and Twitter.
• Designed to take most of the effort out of blogging.
• Neat, short quotes, paragraphs, captions and cool images
found online are what must Tumblr users post to their pages.
• It’s not that Tumblr is not capable of sustaining a long-form
blog– it’s just that Tumblr is not popularly used for that
purpose
• Essentially, Tumblr functions as a social network built into your
blog
• You can more readily share the content you post with users who
follow your Tumblr, as your posts appear in their feed
• You can more readily view the content that the users you follow
post, as their posts appear in your feed
5. Posterous Spaces
• Very, very simple
• The blogger posts whatever content he/she wants and
Posterous Spaces interprets the content
• Will turn photos into galleries & convert videos into players
• Perfect for
• If you want simplicity
• Don’t desire too much control
• Want to post short or long form content alike
6. WordPress
• Can be hosted by your WordPress or can be hosted by your own
server
• The most popular forum to host a blog, because it’s so easy and
versatile
• It’s simple to get your blog themed up & started up!
• Offers over 1,000 free themes
• There are many aesthetically agreeable themes you can buy as well–
along with a number of other premium upgrades
• You need very little CSS knowledge to create and customize your own
theme
• If you know no CSS at all, WordPress makes it easy to plug in codes to
make your site specially catered to you!
• WordPress is great for long form blogging
• Offers you 3GB of storage space for your posts and media
• Free statistics for tracking visitosrs
7. Blogger
• Owned by Google and requires a Google account to get
started
• There is an obvioius push for users interested in signing up with
Blogger to install a Google+ profile
• The option to created a limited profile is available, allowing users
to create their own fake names, so that they can keep their
personal information protected
• Can post media and long form content to your blog, with no
limitations on storage space (unlike WordPress)
• Option of using a custom domain available on
Blogger/Blogspot
• Template designer for customizing your blog’s appearance
8. What Makes a Blog Successful?
• Behind every successful blog is a passionate blogger. Bloggers don’t
just write for the sake of writing. Bloggers write because they have
opinions, thoughts, considerations, concerns, bits of personal or
impersonal news, etc. to share with the online world.
• Successful bloggers don’t just anticipate for their blogs to achieve
hits and grow organically through word-of-mouth communication.
The world of blogs is nestled in the jungle that is the world wide
web, where only the best, more competitive blogs survive! All
successful bloggers hone in on their SEO, marketing, and social
media skills. Networking online is key to generating traffic on blogs.
9. 5Necessary Items That Your Blog Must Feature
1. Social Sharing Buttons
1. As a blogger, you should be connected to any and all social media platforms. Linking up
you social media presence to your blog will generate more hit on your blog and traffic on
your social media profiles.
2. Buttons that link back to your social page Rich Simple Sites (RSS) Feed
1. You don’t want to readers to get lost in your blog! Make sure that there are buttons
available to lead people back to your RSS Feed
3. Moderated Comments
1. Readers of your blog might want to comment on some of the items you post on your
blog. A comment section allows opinionated readers to share their thoughts. It also
keeps browsers on your site for longer, generating more traffic and intrigue in what your
blog is all about. Of course, it’s important to make sure that all comments left are
clean, so keep a keen eye over what you allow to be published on blog.
4. Contact info
1. Readers of your blog might develop and affection for your writing style. What’s
wonderful about blogs is that they encourage users from all across the globe to connect.
Posting your contact information on your blog allows for fellow bloggers to
communicate, connect, and spread the word about your writing to the rest of the blog-
loving community.
2. Once your blog becomes popular, posting your contact information also allows for PR
and Advertising representatives to contact you about writing up reviews about their
products, or promoting their products on services on your blog.
10. Also, Build an Email List
• Even if you’re not selling anything, by building an email
list, you can insure that your audience will be updated about
what’s being posted on your blog, retaining their interest in
what you have to say or post!
11. Must-Haves for Bloggers
+A portable computer (is key!): And a creative model is always a bonus.
You never know when you’re going to get a sudden rush of blogging-
inspiration. Keeping a portable computer handy to publish your
thoughts of the moment in the moment can be a wonderful feature of
your blog.
+Note taking devices: We recommend keeping small notebooks and
ball point pens handy to jot down all of the brilliant ideas that skip
across your brain before your forget them! This will help you keep your
posts organized, but, most importantly, a good idea will never go to
waste!
A quality camera to snap those shots
12. A Back-Up System
Some writing pieces and art projects, which take time to
perfect, are meaningful! To lose your work because you
accidentally spilled coffee all over your laptop, or a power
outage zapped your computer to smithereens is DEVASTATING!
A Flash Drive or External Hard Drive are essential to saving your
work– Both types of devices assure your conscious that
everything is saves, in tact, and just as you safely and securely
saved it.
13. A Comfortable Writing Station
Sitting in front of a computer can be rough on your body. If you
can afford…
-A Lumbar back cushion, you can save your back from
the strain on slumping, or bending forward
OR
-A laptop lift, you can ease the strain on your eyes from
staring up at a compute screen.
14. Lastly, You Will Need: Mental
Motivation to Write!
-Enjoy nature, solitude, and the gorgeous imagination your
mind affords you
-Don’t be embarrassed by anything that you write or think
about. People prefer raw and honest material to cookie-
cutter, calculated posts. The weirder your thoughts are- trust us-
the more relatable and human you seem to people who don’t
know you at all. Write for yourself first and foremost!
-Spend time appreciating and pondering everything that
inspires you -from your grandest technological breakthroughs to
the affection a silk worm gives you on a cheerful day!
15. Some Final Tips…
• Be consistent
• Readers of your blog love your blog because it has a unique voice, or
personality that captures their interest. Shaking things up on your blog too
much is frustrating for readers– people
• Love your followers
• It might be tempting to try to lure in as many readers as possible, but respect
and love the fact that you have a following at all! You should always keep
your blog fresh and grateful to the dedicated followers of your blog
• Manage and promote giveaways
• People love giveaways. If your blog hosts giveaways, people will love your
blog. End of story.
• Write catchy, simple headlines
• People are more likely to read your blog if it’s easy to understand. People
don’t want to “work” to understand your blog. Your blog content should use
everyday, colloquial language to get your message across
• Don’t hog your knowledge
• People love to learn as they read. Have some useful insight? Don’t‘ hog it all
to yourself! Share the love with your followers! (They will love your blog back
in return!).
