So You Want To Start A Blog?

As daunting as it sounds, anyone can start a blog. If I can do it, so can you. Someone looking to start a blog can almost drown in the sea of options out there. Keep in mind, there are many people in the blogosphere that are WAY more knowledgeable than I am on the topic. However, with the understanding that I am an amateur, there are a couple of thing that I have picked up in the short time that I have been doing this. As you consider starting a blog, there are some questions that you need to ask yourself.

• What do you want to accomplish with your blog?
• Who are you targeting with your blog?
  
• Do you want to make money with your blog or "monetize" it?
• If so, what are the best sources of income for your blog?
  
• What blogging software do you want to use?
• How are you going to promote your blog?
• How do I promote my RSS feed?
  
• What are the best places to let people know about your blog?
• Do I host my own blog or use a free service?
  

The list of questions literally goes on and on. Here are a few things that I have learned.

Listen to the pros. Read blogs by "A list" Bloggers. People like John Chow and his making money online blog is a great source of knowledge. Darren Rowse from ProBlogger and Mark from ProBloggers Matrix provide useful information on what it takes to effective get your blog off the ground. Another great site is Jeremy Schoemaker over at Shoemoney. Take a look at it if you are interested in making money and promoting your blog. This guy has made some serious money with his blog. One great example of a start-up blog is Ben Cook's Blogging Experiment. He is chronicling his 365 day blogging journey with the goal of making it his full time job within a year. Ben's blog is definitely worth checking out.

Update your blog. If you are going to dive into the blogosphere, you have to blog. Updating your site regularly is key. Make sure you have the time and are willing to commit for the long haul. Blogging isn't worth doing if no one is reading what you have to say. Regular updating equals readers. Write something everyday. Before you know it you will have a large list of posts that, if your lucky, may get referenced on other sites. Also, make it easy for your readers to subscribe to your blog. Remember, search engines AND subscribers love fresh content.

Get Involved. Involvement can take on many different forms. Contribute to other blogs and encourage comments on your site. Like Mark over at ProBloggers Matrix says, "Not only is it important to comment on other blogs within and outside of your niche, but it’s important to respond to comments on your own blog. Participate in the conversation! ENGAGE the other commenters if possible!" You also need to play an active role in promoting your site on the various social sites like Reddit, Digg and StumbleUpon. These type of sites can send large amounts of traffic to your site if you have a post that others see as interesting.

Honestly, there is so much information available out there, much more than can be covered in this short post. Unique Post URL's, anchor text, post disclosure, link baiting, paid links and the "no-follow" rule among other topics are all things you will need to take a look at if you are going to be serious about blogging.

These were just a few topics off the top of my head. Do your research and, like myself, realize that you have a lot to learn. Darren Rowse over a ProBlogger recently ran a series called 31 Days to Building a Better Blog. This is a must read for anyone looking to start a blog.

On a side note, thanks to Mark over at ProBloggers Matrix for the link love.