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Become Internet Famous: How to Start a Blog

Posted April 16, 2008 By Nick Weynand |

Blogging is old news by now, but every day more and more people are jumping on the bandwagon and sticking with it. I’ve been running my own personal blog about travel for the last couple of years, and several employees at our company are expert bloggers. My wife’s been blogging regularly for about two years, so I know it’s gaining popularity outside the geek community. I know you’ve been thinking about it, and I hope this article will help you get started.

Why start a blog?

It’s therapeutic

Just like a journal or diary is therapeutic, so is a blog. A blog is about writing what you want to write about and it’s good to get whatever you’re thinking about off your chest and out into the world.

It’ll help you grow your business

If you’re starting a professional blog, it will help you brand your business and gain awareness. It will also drive traffic to your Web site – search engines love content and a blog has plenty of that.

It’ll make you famous

Well, it depends on how you define “famous”. A blog will help you network with other bloggers and develop a whole new group of friends that shares similar interests with you.

It’s fun

Once you make blogging a habit, you’ll look forward to creating your next post. Creating a well-written blog that is enjoyed by others is a fun thing to do.

How to get started

Good news: starting a blog is really, really easy. Anyone can do it, so jump right in and give it a try.

1. Choose a theme

If you want your blog to be interesting, you should pick a topic and stick with it. This will result in a focused reader-base and will make your blog entries more meaningful to the people who care. It will also make it easier to post if you always write about something you know a lot about. And, if it’s something you’re interested in, you can learn from other bloggers who comment on your posts or link to your blog.

2. Select a service

Blogging is so easy because there are so many great services out there that make it easy – and most of them are completely free. Dig around some and choose a service that’s right for you. Don’t look too hard though, most of them do the exact same thing, so pick one and start blogging! I’ve listed a few at the end of this article.

3. Set up your blog

After you choose a service, follow the instructions to get started. Most of them have a big “Get Started” button right on the home page, and the sites will walk you through the rest. As you move through the process, you’ll want to decide how your blog should look. Most services offer a wide array of templates and themes to choose from so you can pick something that represents your personality and the topic of your blog.

4. Start writing

Post your first blog right after you’re done setting things up. If you don’t know what to write about, don’t worry. Just post a welcome paragraph explaining who you are and what your blog is about. It doesn’t have to be long, it’s just important to get something out there.

5. Enhance your blog

If you want to get fancy, most blogging services allow you to spice up your blog with plug-ins and modules. If you want to let people know what the weather is like where you are, there’s a module for that. If you want to display a countdown to the big party you’re throwing, you can find that too. The possibilities are endless.

6. Announce your blog

Once you get comfortable blogging, you’ll want to let people know about it. Besides just mentioning it in conversations, here are a few things you can do to spread the word:

Add the link to your email signature or to your business cards (if it’s a professional blog).
Start reading other blogs and posting comments on them. In your comments, add a link to your blog.
Link to and reference other blogs in your posts. Keep it up and you’ll be referenced as well.
Use a blog broadcast service like pingomatic.com. This will announce your latest posts to search engines.

Also, don’t get discouraged about not having any readers at first. Building up a reader-base takes time. Of course you want to share your ideas with others, but you’re really blogging for yourself.

7. Keep writing

Don’t stop after one or two posts. Make blogging a habit and stick with it. Your blog will be read more often if it has fresh content on a regular basis. The more you post, the more you’ll reap the rewards of having a great blog.

Tips for successful blogging

Let people know who you are. Create an “About” section where you talk about yourself and why you started the blog. Others will want to get to know you.
Spell-check and proof-read every post before publishing.
Post often. Fresh blogs encourage readers to keep coming back.
Turn commenting on. Your blog should solicit feedback so make sure others have the ability to post comments on your blog.
Register your own domain name and have it forward to your blog’s URL. That way your blog’s address is easier to remember and if you ever switch services your readers can still find you.

Stop reading and start blogging

There’s never been a better time to start blogging than right now. Get started and before you know it you’ll be a blogging pro. Call me when you’re famous.

Resources

Blogging services (in no particular order)

Templates

Offline Publishing

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About the Author

Nick Weynand is the founder, president and strategy director for TradeMark Media. Nick provides strategy consulting for clients and manages the business activities of TradeMark Media.

Learn More about Nick »

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One Response to “Become Internet Famous: How to Start a Blog”

Posted April 17th, 2008 at 1:15 pm, by Bill Conover

Great article Nick! I’m ready to start blogging today!

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