12 Steps For Blogging

Frequently, I’ll be asked about blogging. I’m in favor of blogs if you consistently work them. However, there is a “but.” Many people will set up blogs and then only post once a month or so and wonder why they don’t get traffic or responses. If you’re considering blogging, below are suggestions that should improve your traffic. Most of them I learned the hard way.

1. WordPress or Blogger are two easy and free blogs that have a high internet presence. They are user friendly, once you take the time to learn your way around the blog service you use. It is time well invested.

2. If you want your blog to get traffic, you need an internet presence. That means you need to set up accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, etc. and have your blog set to feed to them automatically. It increases the size of your audience.

3. Stay on the subject. You need to have a sentence or two describing your blog and remain consistent with them. Use key words.

4. Make a commitment to post a minimum of twice a week. People who post the same time and days of the week seem to get higher traffic.

a. This does not mean you have to be at your computer doing this twice a week or more at the same time. Both Blogger and Word Press have functions that allow you to pick the date and time of your post. I try to post two weeks to a month in advance.

b. When I have my posts scheduled every other day, I have room to add last minute news.

c. Try breaking long topics into several days posts.

5. Proofread your post before you publish it.

6. Be sure to add key word tags where indicated.

7. Have a standard signature that you have saved in your drafts. When you are doing your posts, go to that draft and copy your signature with links to your blog, website and whatever else you want included.

8. Have your blog title be clear. Now is not the time to be clever or cute. You can do that in your sub title.

9. Learn how to add photos and videos to your blog.

10. Accept that some blog posts can be long and others only 40-60 words. What matters is that you post relevant material.

11. Use a free feed such as “Feed Burner,” so people can sign up to get your posts automatically.

12. Use a free “share” button so others can show they like what you say on Delicious, Digg, Facebook, MySpace, etc.

Maralyn D. Hill, M.Ed., The Epicurean Explorer