| I am fairly new to the blog scene, well creating blogs | | | | better in search engines meaning your site will have a |
| anyway. I finally decided to jump in lately after | | | | better chance of showing up in search results. As a |
| realizing that I had a message that I wanted to get | | | | final tip here, don't use the .info extension. It seems |
| out there. I lean towards the conservative in the | | | | very attractive because its usually on sale for 99 |
| political spectrum so I became a conservative | | | | cents, however there is a reason it is so cheap. |
| blogger. I had something that I felt was worth taking | | | | When it first came out it was grabbed by a lot of |
| the time to write down and put out into the ether | | | | spamers and has become very unpopular with Google |
| for other people to read. However, before even | | | | to the point of search engine bans. So, if you choose |
| starting my blog I had to think through several | | | | a .info do realize there is a very real chance that you |
| factors. I have decided to turn these factors into an | | | | might be blacklisted by Google for no good reason |
| article of sorts to help those that might also just be | | | | beyond being an unfortunate victim of people trying |
| starting the path of becoming a blogger. | | | | to scam the system. |
| First of all, you really need to come up with a topic | | | | Along with deciding on the extension you need to |
| for your blog. It needs to be something that other | | | | come up with the domain name itself. Usually the |
| people are going to want to read. I repeat, it needs | | | | simpler and catchier the name the better. You want |
| to be something that other people will want to read. | | | | it to stick in people's heads so that its easy for them |
| When I started my blog, I decided to take a look at | | | | to find and come back to. For instance, I'm a |
| the major stories of the day and comment on them | | | | conservative blogger so I chose two words for my |
| with a conservative slant. There are a ton of liberal | | | | domain: simply conservative. I then checked and |
| bloggers out there but not as many conservative | | | | found out that the .com extension for this domain |
| bloggers so it seemed to be a niche I could fill. It was | | | | was already taken however the .net was available. I |
| also a niche that I understood and was passionate | | | | registered it and its already doing quite well on |
| about. Make sure that your blog is about something | | | | Google and the other search engines. I also think that |
| that actually interests you. If it interests you your | | | | its catchy enough that people will be able to |
| going to have a much easier time writing about it day | | | | remember it and come back without having to write |
| in and day out. If it bores you, why bother. On that | | | | it down or bookmark it. |
| same note, make sure its a niche that other people | | | | After obtaining your domain you need to find a host. |
| are going to want to read. You may have the only | | | | You could do very well staying with Godaddy. They |
| blog in the world dealing with the daily feeding and | | | | have some excellent options and will even give you a |
| exercise habits of your hamster, but in the end does | | | | nice discount on the domain registration if you sign up |
| anyone else care? If no one else is going to want to | | | | for other services. However, you are going to be a |
| read it then you have no reason to blog. You may | | | | little limited in what you are allowed to do with your |
| have a very good reason to have a journal, | | | | site. For some people this is a very good thing as it |
| something private that's just for you, but not a public | | | | cuts down on confusion. For others like me, I want |
| blog. | | | | to be able to go in and break it a thousand times so |
| Second, start small. Blogging is a pretty intensive | | | | that the thousand and first time its exactly the way |
| hobby. You are essentially writing your own | | | | I want it. I ended up going with a service called |
| newspaper or magazine. If you search Google for | | | | Hostgator. It costs me about $10 a month but I have |
| blogs there are a lot of services out there that will | | | | pretty much free reign over what I do with my site |
| let you have your own free blog hosted on their site. | | | | and how I create it. They also have the nice cpanel |
| This is a great place to get started and get used to | | | | back end that allows you to manage a lot of stuff |
| the process. If you are into the whole social | | | | and even add components to your site quickly and |
| networking scene you can easily incorporate a blog | | | | easily. A tip, they are always running some sort of |
| into Myspace or Facebook. These have the added | | | | special coupon code so make sure to check before |
| benefit of being a great way to start building readers | | | | you buy service from them. No matter what service |
| for your blog so that if you decide to go bigger you | | | | you choose, your going to probably pay some sort |
| already have a built in audience. If you want to skip | | | | of monthly fee if your using your own domain. The |
| the social networking and go straight to creating a | | | | advantage is it's your domain, not yourblog dot |
| blog, there are free services such as Blogger and | | | | legionofinfiniteblogs dot com. Your probably going to |
| Blogspot. | | | | do better in search engines, your going to have more |
| Post often but post meaningful articles. You want to | | | | of an identity or brand, and if you so desire you can |
| make sure that there is constantly new content on | | | | monetize your blog through programs such as Google |
| your blog. Otherwise people are going to get bored | | | | AdSense, eBay Partners, and Amazon Affiliates. A |
| with it and stop visiting. However, it is also important | | | | tip, if you do so make sure its a benefit to the site |
| not to post just for the sake of posting. For | | | | and not a detriment. Nothing drives people away |
| example, if its been a couple of days since you've | | | | from a site faster then if they think its just a big |
| put anything up and you feel like you have to make | | | | billboard for spam. |
| a post, its better to take another day and create | | | | After you have taken the plunge and purchased your |
| something meaningful then throw up a couple of lines | | | | own little area on the web, you now have to create |
| of fluff. That way your readers will think "well it took | | | | your actual blog. The benefit and downfall of the free |
| a while but it was well worth it" instead of "boy this | | | | areas was that they pretty much held your hand and |
| site is going downhill." One thing I do to help with this | | | | told you what to do. Now you've been given a blank |
| is to always keep a few good blog posts in reserve. | | | | slate, some tools, and left to your own devices. |
| I am a big advocate of Google Documents as it lets | | | | Fortunately, some of those tools are pretty nice. |
| me type up articles on any computer with Internet | | | | Your probably going to want to start by going to |
| access and keep them safe and available until I want | | | | your cpanel. Its going to be at yoursite.whatever |
| to post them on my blog. So, take the time to write | | | | cpanel. You'll then have to put in your user name and |
| up a few posts that aren't time specific (if you are | | | | password and then a ton of icons will appear. Scroll |
| talking about politics don't write one up about the | | | | down to the bottom to where you see an icon titled |
| upcoming election and then post it after) and then | | | | Fantasico. Click on it. Now you will see a large list of |
| when life gets busy or you are afflicted with writer's | | | | options for things you can install on your site. I will |
| block you have a bit of a buffer to see you through | | | | write another article later to go more in depth on |
| the dry spell. | | | | this, but for now your looking for one program, |
| Next, when you do decide to separate yourself from | | | | Word Press. This is basically the industry standard |
| the thousands of other voices on popular domains | | | | blog software at the moment and the best thing |
| such as Myspace or Blogger, its time to get your | | | | about it is its completely free. Fantastico will easily |
| own domain. The best place I have found to register | | | | install it for you, just make sure to put it in the root |
| a domain is at a site called Godaddy. Weird site | | | | directory if you want it to be the first thing visitors |
| name, but they offer the cheapest registration I | | | | to your site see when they type in your domain. It |
| have found and they are widely accepted as legit. | | | | will take you some time to get used to WordPress |
| Prices are going to vary depending on what | | | | but I think you'll love it. When I get some time I'll |
| extension you use. The most popular are .com, .net, | | | | write an article going more in depth on how to set |
| and .org. These are probably going to run you around | | | | up and use it effectively. |
| $10 for a year lease. After that year you will have to | | | | So, that's just about it. You now have either a free |
| renew the lease or lose the name and risk having | | | | blog that doesn't cost you anything and is just for |
| someone else grab your domain out from under you. | | | | kicks, a serious blog that's tearing up the search |
| Some other extensions you might consider include | | | | engines and is all the rage, or more probably |
| .us, .biz, or .me depending on what subject your blog | | | | something in between. Now comes the hard part, |
| is covering. However, do realize that if search engine | | | | generating relevant interesting content that brings |
| standings are important to you and they should be if | | | | people to your site and keeps them there. But that |
| you want people to read your blog, the first three | | | | and how to get them there in the first place is |
| are usually the way to go. In general, they rank | | | | better left for another time. |