Blogging for Beginners

Nick Ohrn

Topics

Blogging basicsGetting startedBlogging toolsTips for great bloggingMaking money with your blogRecommended reading

Blogging Basics

What is a blog?

According to Rachel Blood’s The Weblog Handbook:

“A blog is a website with dated entries arranged in reverse chronological order.”

However, different opinions abound.

History of Blogging

In the beginning – Blogs evolve from online diaries

Recently – Blogging explodes as the masses use free software to produce them quickly and easily

In the future – Blogging involving multimedia (like video, pictures, and sound) increases exponentially

Types of blogs

1. Personal – Online diary for record of personal events

2. Profile – Build a reputation as the leading expert in a field.

3. Product – Sell a product or service through your blog

4. Business – Market your business with your blog. Tell stories and introduce new products.

Getting Started

Blog Software

Two different types:- Developer hosted solution- User hosted solution

Developer Hosted Solutions

Positives:Web hosting unnecessaryUsually free, easy to useNo installation, uploading of filesNegatives:Customization is limitedLess supportFiles not under your control

Developer Hosted Platforms

WordPress.comBlogger.comBlogSpot.comTypePadLiveJournal…and many, many more

User Hosted Solutions

Positives:Great customizabilityComplete control over all blog dataAbility to use own domainNegatives:Have to install files on serverUse FTP to upload customized themesAble to mess things up more easily

User Hosted Platforms

WordPress Software (wordpress.org)Expression EngineMovable TypeDrupalTextpattern… and many more

Your First Post

1. Write title2. Fill in content3. Hit publish

It’s that easy!

Blogging Tools

Free web based tools facilitate blogging

Feedburner- Publish your RSS feed through a common interface

Flickr- Host your photos online for everyone to see

Technorati- Claim your blogs and see who’s linking to you

Desktop editors make things even easier!

Desktop editors let you write without being online.

Some examples: - ecto - w.Bloggar - Blogdesk - Qumana

Tips for Great Blogging

Write compelling headlines

Encourages click throughsHook the reader’s attentionDraw your reader into your post

Write consistently

Set a schedulePost-date your entriesStock up on drafts

Content is key

Write meaningful and timeless contentThink of your reader’s needs and fulfill

themCite your sources and link to them

Some general tips

Build relationships with other bloggersComment on blogs concerning your

subjectNever plagiarize your writingsAlways give credit where credit is dueKeep on truckin’

Making Money With Your Blog

Paths to prosperous blogging

Direct Income- Advertising- Text Link Sales- Product Sales

Indirect Income- Land speaking gigs- Become a consultant in your field- Write a book

Advertising Programs

Google Adsense- Contextually targets ads for your blog- Easy to apply and join- CPC Ads: You get paid if someone clicks

Chitika eMiniMalls- Product advertising on your blog- Interactive and interesting to your readers

Advertising Programs (cont)

Yahoo Publisher Network- Higher payout/click than Adsense- Poor targeting on most blogs- Still in beta testing, hard to join

Independent Ad Sales- Sell banner, sidebar, or footer space to individuals or companies- Cut out the middleman

Selling Products

Sell your own products:- eBooks- Software- Consulting services- Web design or programming- Crafts/Art items- Comic books- Anything that you can produce

Selling Products

Sell other’s products:- Affiliate programs- Joint ventures- Sponsored posts

Recommended Reading

Blogs to Visit

BlogLouisville.comProblogger.netCopyBlogger.comAbandonNest.com

Books

The Weblog Handbook – Rachel BloodBlogging for Dummies – Brad HillBlog Marketing – Jeremy Wright

Blogging for Beginners

Nick Ohrn