Everyone’s Bloggin’ Off + 5 Essential Tips for You to Do It Too!

Yours Truly is posting this entry using Wordpress for the iPhone, and I think it’s amazing that some people have just recently discovered the joys of blogging…although most of them are still unsure how doing so can be profitable.

Unfortunately, this post will not reveal any groundbreaking secrets for you to unlock more Google Adsense revenue streams — no, no. Instead, I want to share 5 Essential Tips for New Bloggers to consider before posting your first missive.

1. Select a Blog Platform: The most popular are Wordpress and Blogger — both are free (links to be inserted once I figure out how to do this using my iPhone to post.)

2. The Name Game: Whether your new blog is niche-based or simply self-centered (like every other blog should be), pick a name that can easily be found by others. Nothing too complicated like itsmyblog.wordpress.com, which is a bitch for ppl to type from memory, but if you paid the small fee to own the URL, it’ll be easier for all mankind to type itsmyblog.com than the default given address.

3. Design Template: Select a blog template that speaks to you. It might take you an hour or so to thumb through the thousands of available blog templates out there in cyberspace, so choose carefully unless you are the type to change themes like an insecure clotheshorse. Most templates are easy to modify if you want to to change banners, images, links, colors and fonts. If you don’t have prior CSS knowledge to modify the coding, you can Google for basics or contact someone who does.

4. Set-Up Basics: Define the categories that you want to discuss in your blog and add relevant tags or key words so when you post, you’ll have all your necessary designations ready to use when you write. This would also be a great time to select your widgets and install plugins that will enhance your blog. If you’re already an Adsense publisher, I highly endorse installing WhyDoWork Adsense, which automatically inserts Google ads on your blog without any manual intervention. Of course, install an analytics tool so you know who’s visiting your blog and from where. Definitely useful to help shape your future posts!

5. Find Your Vox: I have a friend — no names — who sometimes sends over blog entries for me to proofread. While that’s not a bad thing, it does show the person’s reluctance to write in their own vox or spoken word. Blogging is meant to be written in a conversational tone…as if you are writing a personal letter to someone. Ghost blogging has it merits in the workplace, but when you’ve got your own point of view to share with the world, it’s best to do it in your own unique vox. Practice posting an entry with text, an image and a link or two to familiarize yourself with how to properly blog.

That’s about it!

The most important thing to never forget is being regular. If you want ppl to visit your blog often, you need to post as often as possible wherever you are…! This way your posts are indexed by all the major search engines, and random strangers will become your blog’s biggest fans!

If you own an iPhone like me, I highly recommend downloading the free Wordpress app. It’s totally cool to blog on the go! “:)

This post originally appeared on Yellow Peril Media »

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