| Step 1: Choose Your Passion | | | | WordPress is easily expandable by the use of |
| What does passion have to do with it? I just want | | | | "Plugins". Plugins are little pieces of software that are |
| to make money! | | | | created by a 3rd-Party developer that accomplish |
| Well making money might be a good reason for | | | | simple tasks such as helping you manage your Google |
| starting a blog and money CAN be made, but in the | | | | AdSense (Google.com/AdSense) ads or backing up |
| end creating and maintaining a blog that is going to | | | | your WordPress installation. There are many plugins |
| last is more about your passion or your driving force. | | | | to choose from and you can search for them at |
| Ask yourself this question: | | | | WordPress.org. |
| "What would I do everyday, for the rest of my life, | | | | Step 8: Write Your "About" Page |
| without ever being paid to do it?" | | | | When you are ready, you can describe the blog and |
| Whatever answer you come up with is your passion. | | | | its purpose in an "About" page. Be as descriptive as |
| That is what your blog should be about; YOUR | | | | you can about the target audience and what you will |
| PASSION. That is what you should be blogging about. | | | | be providing in the blog. |
| Write for yourself before you right for someone else. | | | | Step 9: Start Posting to Your Blog |
| Money and fame are just icing on the cake. | | | | This is actually the hardest part. If you have done |
| See, when you first start writing your blog, there | | | | your homework on what your passion was and you |
| most likely WILL NOT be any money returned from | | | | did some research, then you most likely did some |
| your time investment. Making money is usually a | | | | blog posts in your head. Don't sweat coming up with |
| result of long hours invested in gaining subscribers | | | | great and astounding ideas or intricate essays. |
| and avid readers and becoming known as an | | | | Remember the KISS method and Keep It Simple |
| "expert". You might decide to monetize your blog, | | | | Stupid! (OK I had to break this rule for this article but |
| but without people reading your blog, how are you | | | | you know what I mean...) |
| going to make money? | | | | You have to remember who your audience is in |
| Remember this: THERE ARE NO GET-RICH-QUICK | | | | general. Most people read blogs rather than other |
| SCHEMES RELATED TO BUILDING AN A+ BLOG!!! | | | | forms of information because they are short and |
| Sorry to dash your dreams but if you are looking for | | | | to-the-point snippets of information that can be easily |
| the "key" to riches beyond your wildest dreams, then | | | | digested. I think this is just normal human behavior in |
| please go somewhere else; you won't find it here. | | | | a conventional society. There is far too much |
| Step 2: Write Down Your Goals | | | | information on the internet and too little time to try |
| Most likely if you write down your goals those goals | | | | to consume it all. Blogs satisfy our normal curiosity |
| will happen. This is because making yourself actually | | | | like small little squares of chocolate would satisfy our |
| think about what you want to accomplish is half of | | | | sweet-tooth. |
| the battle already won. "Failing to Plan is Planning to | | | | Step 10: Marketing (and maybe Monetizing) Your Blog |
| Fail." ~ English Proverb What do you want to | | | | Since you have been blogging your little heart away, |
| accomplish? How are you going to deliver your | | | | wouldn't it be nice if people actually read it? Here are |
| message? When you are finished, what is it going to | | | | a few ways, among many, to go about marketing |
| look like? | | | | your blog. |
| Step 3: Visit Some Other Blogs | | | | |
| Do some research and check out what other people | | | | 1. Google Website Submittal ( This allows you to |
| are doing with their blogs. Learn what blogging is in | | | | easily add your new blog (or website) to Google. I |
| general. Don't just search for blogs in your niche, but | | | | also suggest you submit to Yahoo and AltaVista and |
| also in general. There is alot to be learned from | | | | any other search engine or directory you can find. |
| others that have already put up there own blogs. | | | | 2. Google AdSense and AdWords - AdWords allows |
| Posts some comments so that you can start to get | | | | you to advertise on Google and AdSense allows you |
| a feel of what the whole blogging process is. While | | | | display ads on your blog that match your content. If |
| you are researching be sure to bookmark those | | | | any visitors to your blog click on the advertisements |
| blogs that you have visited and write down | | | | you get paid for it. What a concept!! Be sure to |
| interesting ideas that pop into your head. You might | | | | check the other suggested affiliates and ad networks |
| not remember where you have been only a day or | | | | under the "Money Makers" section of this blog. |
| two earlier. | | | | 3. Google Sitemap - This is a FREE plugin for |
| Step 4: Choose a Blogging Software | | | | WordPress that you can install that will create a |
| There a bunch of options when looking for your | | | | Google Sitemap of your blog that can be used to |
| blogging software. I would start by doing a search on | | | | allow your blog to be better indexed by Google. |
| Google for Blogging Software. Don't be intimidated by | | | | 4. FeedBurner - Another plugin and service that is |
| the 62,000,000 + results returned back to you. :) | | | | FREE that allows you to do some really neat things |
| For the scope of the article, I am going to talk about | | | | with your blog's feed. The feed of your blog is what |
| WordPress (WordPress.com). I chose WordPress for | | | | allows someone to subscribe to your blog. It is a file |
| my blog not only because it is the most popular, but | | | | that contains all of your posts in a specific file format |
| also because it is backed by a huge community, has | | | | called RSS that an "aggregator" (or "feed reader") |
| some really useful plugins, gives you loads of control | | | | such as Google Reader can read and keep track of. |
| and is easy to use. You can either signup for at | | | | You would want to use an aggregator because it |
| WordPress or find your own hosting provider to host | | | | keeps track of the different blog feeds that you |
| the blog for you. If you are new to blogging then | | | | have subscribed to and allows you to read those blog |
| signing-up at WordPress might be your best bet. | | | | feeds all in one place. Although you do not need |
| There are many of bulit-in extras like stats that track | | | | FeedBurner to allow your blog to be subscribed to, it |
| your visitors that are beneficial. Best of all it is FREE! | | | | has some really great features that you need to |
| Step 5: Buy a Domain Name | | | | check out. |
| Buying a domain from a domain registry such as | | | | 5. Comments - Visit alot of blogs and subscribe to |
| GoDaddy will make your blog appear more | | | | them. Try to be the first to leave a comment with a |
| professional. Choose a domain name that not only fits | | | | link back to your blog. |
| your blog's purpose but also has keywords in it. For | | | | 6. Forums - Forums are the same way. Just be |
| instance, if your blog is about gardening, then choose | | | | careful that you are truly leaving a comment about |
| a domain such as "MyGardeningBlog.com" or | | | | the thread and not just trying to advertise your blog. |
| "My-Gardening-Blog.com". The .com, .net, .org, etc | | | | 7. Signatures - When you leave a comment or send |
| extension is not important although .com extensions | | | | an email make sure you use a signature that has |
| are generally recognized as the default. | | | | your blog address. |
| Step 6: Customize Your Blog | | | | 8. Write Articles - Turn you blog posts into an |
| Customizing your blog is very easy with WordPress. | | | | expanded article that you can put on a tutorial or |
| If you choose to host your blog with WordPress | | | | eZine (Electronic or Online Magazine) website such as |
| then you can choose from dozens of pre-installed | | | | Make sure to add a link back to your blog. |
| templates. You can also Search Google for additional | | | | 9. Word of Mouth - Don't forget to tell the people |
| templates that are either FREE or low cost for | | | | you know about your new blog and keep them |
| around $45 a template. If you find a template that is | | | | updated on what is going on. Ask them to become |
| not provided by the hosted service then you can | | | | subscribers to your blog. |
| simply upload the new template to your account. The | | | | 10. Social Networks - If you have an account with a |
| control panel that comes with the hosted service is | | | | social networking website such as LinkedIn, FaceBook |
| very easy to use. | | | | or Twitter you can setup your account to subscribe |
| If you are daring enough to modify the template by | | | | to your blog automatically. I hope you have enjoyed |
| hand you can do so. WordPress is built in a web site | | | | this introduction into the world of blogging and I hope |
| scripting language called PHP. If you are not familiar | | | | that you find your passion. Please be sure to |
| with PHP then this route is not for you. You can, | | | | comment on this blog post and leave me some |
| however, find additional resources online either at the | | | | feedback. Also be sure to ask me any questions that |
| WordPress website or by doing a Google search. | | | | you might have. I will be glad to help you in any way |
| Step 7: Install Helpful Plugins | | | | that I can. |