May
22
I’m going to start out with a very basic blogging series. A lot of websites or blogs are more geared to the more experienced blogger, but I wanted to give some tips for those of you out there that don’t know what to do to get started and what the next steps are.
First of all, you have to ask yourself: Why do you want to blog? For the readership, for the blog fame, or for the money. If you’ve answered money, ding ding ding! Stop right there and push yourself away from the keyboard. While many can attest to the fact that there is money to be made from blogging, what you see on their websites comes from a serious dedication to the hard work and experience that comes with blogging for a long time. What you’ll find from that particular example is that the blogger in question didn’t just come up with the idea yesterday.
Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your blog.
If there is something that you are truly passionate about and feel that your personality should be heard through a blog, then I’d highly recommend starting out at either wordpress or Blogger. Both are free and they will help you realize both what your passion for blogging is and whether or not you have the stamina to blog, blog, blog.
Write about something that you are very interested in and always voice your opinions and let your personality shine through. If you post enough, readers will come. The money part comes later.
The moral of the story is that blogging is neither for the weak or the disinterested.
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My name is Roberta Ferguson and I’ll be putting my two cents in here and there regarding the very basics of blogging. Even though a lot of you already know about some of this stuff, some don’t. My normal haunt is music blogging at Earsucker, but what I’ve learned in my journey in blogging, I’ll be telling you here.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Just my 2 cents … I would suggest all to use Wordpress.com over blogger … it’s a better platform and WordPress SEO can’t be touched! Also if you can afford to host your own blog … use WordPress and run with your own branded domain name … why make anyone else bigger … Brand YourSelf!
Darin
Umm.. Maybe it won’t work for me.. I don’t really like using my own name as a domain, I’m an old fashion person who always use nickname, not the real name except in real life
Unless If I make a big hit in world, like I make a great book just as JK Rowling did, I will consider to make a web in my own name as a brand 
I agree, Darin. Getting your own domain and hosting it on your own is definitely a good way of self-promotion. Besides that, Blogger only has several choices in templates. Hands down, wordpress is a way better platform.
Bank any Serotonin Today?
Some people show up at work in great spirits and their tone suggests they seem to hold onto hope even when conflict comes. Their brains appear to be wired for zip and others reward them with promotions, and other rewards….
I actually would suggest starting out with Blogger. The reason is that a new blogger has no idea what domain name he/she would want. They probably don’t even have a clue of its content or if they’d even like blogging. Signing up on blogger gets them started for free. If they are still blogging consistently one month later, then go get a domain.
Thanks Roberta! As a new blogger, I appreciate you taking the time to share your insights and experience.
I look forward to the rest of the series.
Donovan
2 Bros Blogging:
Blogger definitely has it’s benefits. Of course, if you don’t know the basis of your content, it’s a great way to get started. Just get on there and write about whatever you’re passionate about. After a few months, you can see a trend as to what you’re niche is.
Blog That Outside:
Thank you, I’m trying to share what I’ve learned along the way. I’ve been blogging on various sites since Dec. 2005 and figured there should be more stuff out there to help those that are just starting out.
totally understood about starting free … however you can get hosting plans for $5.00 a months at some places … a Domain Name is 8.95 at godaddy … why put your blog at blogger … give them more traffic … then have to worry about moving your blog and content later on … the SERP are picking up what you write … your building back links … people are bookmarking you … lets face it … look at how fast some blogs are growing … My Self for example … I started my blog in January of 2007 and it’s now May 2007 I have over 3,000 Visitors a Day … 400 + backlinks to the site … and it’s growing daily … can you imagine if I were on blogger and then had to move … that would be crazy and a waste of time … If your getting into the world of blogging you would know right away if this is something you love … the fact of putting information on the internet for others to read … to communicate with others … Spend the $13.00 and get your self a hosted solution with a domain name!
Once again … just my 2 cents!
Darin
I can vouch for Darin’s comments about having your own domains and hosting, from the start.
I just started my blog last week and decided to use wordpress to host my blog. I had no idea what I wanted to use for a domain name so I thought I would just get started on Wordpress and move everything to my own hosted domain later.
In only two days, I had decided on my domain name, purchased it, setup wordpress on my own hosting account, and imported everything from my original wordpress account.
I already had traffic to my blog from trackbacks on my second post so I had to make the tough decision whether to move my blog to my own hosting account or leave it alone.
Needless to say, I bit the bullet and moved my blog, but I’m afraid that I lost some valuable traffic.
Live and learn.
Darin,
Your two cents is appreciated. I always look for ways to grow a blog and make it my own. You do have a point, there’s nothing like having your own domain, you get the final say in everything
Blog that outside,
Sorry to hear that you lost some traffic, but if you look at the bright side, at least you moved it soon enough so that you can still have all the time in the world to be creative and generate more backlinks. If your future posts are as good as the second, I’m sure people will keep coming in droves.
Hi Roberta, good points in your post!
I do have to agree 100% with getting your own domain though, and going with WP (vs. typepad IMHO). First of all, it really isn’t that expensive, and I noticed during the Problogger group writing project that blogs running on Blogger didn’t get as many comments.
Sometimes they are so difficult to even get your comment through (if you have to log in to an account), and they also don’t accept trackbacks (although I think there is a workaround for that, but I’ve never seen a Blogger blog that had implemented it).
I think that you did the right thing yourself by going with your own domain name.
Thanks JoLynn, I think you’re right. Personally, I liked commenting more on those blogs that were hosted on their own domains, too. I don’t play too nice with Blogger. So I guess I would say that Blogger blogs, IMO, are not for the serious bloggers….it’s just a playground for you to figure out your voice.
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As someone who is just starting out it can be hard at first. We are slowly getting somewhere, although we don’t even have a page rank yet.
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The disinterested definitely need to not start blogging. Or it will the the creation and death of a blog in a very short time frame.