Today it is not uncommon to start a blog and it is not uncommon to start a blog within just a few short minutes! However, not all blogs can be the cream of the blog-crop! Some blogs are simply better blogs, so if you want to start a blog and make it a valuable marketing and/or communication tool that really works for you and your qualified readers, then take some time to do your own research, delve into the blogs that interest you most, and investigate the following “start a blog” tips:
Start a Blog and Make it Simple
Look. I’m not trying to be a “Walden romantic” when I spout off the word simplicity. Yes. I agree that sometimes the word ‘simplicity’ is spouted off like people out there have actually achieved this seemingly unreachable state-of-being in the midst of fast-paced modern living (please let me know if you have!) At any rate however, you can rest assured that with something as simple as a blog, simplicity can be achieved quite easily. I, for example, am very interested in books, so I did a Google search for “book review blog” and clicked on the first natural-search option available. The first thing I noticed was that there were too many words! Lists and lists of words! I just wanted a few simple categories that would stir my interest, but instead I was left wondering why my scroll finger would need to work to get through the home page of a blog? If you start a blog and start creating a blog archive of past entries for instance, you do NOT need to list all the dated entry links on your home page. Simply create one link that leads to another page of archive links and make sure your relevant (and attractive) photographs, images, podcast links and brief content are above the fold on your blog home page. When you start a blog, make it so incredibly simplified that a website visitor could determine in 2-3 seconds after arriving on your home page whether the content is relevant to his or her needs. To someone who is about to start a blog for the first time, that may seem impossible, but it isn’t. Once you realize what messages you want to portray most effectively, you can say and display them quite succinctly.
Start a Blog and Make it Organized
I know that to a true artist such as yourself organization can be the last thing you want to focus on when you start a blog. However, when I refer to organization I am simply referring to a system that you create and that you stick to regardless of the consequences—unless of course you think of a better and newer system that you are willing to revamp your blog to conform to later on. Example? Well, there are two parts to organization:
1) Simplicity and clarity of presentation, and
2) Administration.
We already “took care” of #1 so what about #2? The good administration of a blog can make all the difference in the world. Making sure that content is appropriate, that it is categorized based on standards that you have established--and will continue to establish--that there are no missing or ill-directed links leading your website visitors to nothing more than a broken link in a chain of Internet information (what is more frustrating than that?)
Also, additional help may be required. Even for professional bloggers like Darren Rowse1, administrative tasks may become overwhelming when your blog becomes a success. Rowse says that “there are days [he doesn’t] keep up and [has] increasingly considered taking on an admin or intern to take on some of the tasks that mount up.”
Just remember that staying organized on an administrative level is essential to the smooth success of any professional business. So, start a blog and make it organized!
Start a Blog and Market it for Your Readers
Marketing your blog can (don’t tell marketers this) truly be an exercise of common sense. Yes. You will want to use related keyword phrases in your writing and yes you will want to expand your understanding of your niche market but after all is said and done you simply want to provide valuable, relevant information for people who are truly interested in the information that you have to provide. Creating content (not just text but videos, podcasts, etc.) that uses keywords but that is not written for keywords is the essence of good content and safe search engine success. In other words, your content should not be keyword-based but interest-based with keywords “thrown in” where applicable. If you can think of products that would genuinely be related to the content you create (like books for instance) then dip your toes in the pool of affiliate marketing and advertising and see what you think. Keep studying about new marketing trends but don’t ever take them too seriously! The truth about marketing is that you simply want to give others content that is WORTH reading, watching and listening to. If you can get people to read, watch and listen they might end up buying something…..but buying something should always be the byproduct of a sincere offering of information.
Stick to your standards! The cream of the blog-crop will rise to the top!
