Blogger’s Bliss

/blôg/NounA Website on which an individual or group of users record opinions, information, etc. on a regular basis.

So…What is a Blog?

Where Do I Begin?

Well…pick a forum to register your blog! There’s a bunch to choose from, but here are the most popular ones…

Tumblr

• Can be used as a cross between blogging and Twitter.• Designed to take most of the effort out of blogging.• Neat, short quotes, paragraphs, captions and cool images

found online are what must Tumblr users post to their pages. • It’s not that Tumblr is not capable of sustaining a long-form

blog– it’s just that Tumblr is not popularly used for that purpose

• Essentially, Tumblr functions as a social network built into your blog• You can more readily share the content you post with users who

follow your Tumblr, as your posts appear in their feed• You can more readily view the content that the users you follow

post, as their posts appear in your feed

Posterous Spaces

• Very, very simple• The blogger posts whatever content he/she wants and

Posterous Spaces interprets the content• Will turn photos into galleries & convert videos into players • Perfect for• If you want simplicity• Don’t desire too much control• Want to post short or long form content alike

WordPress

• Can be hosted by your WordPress or can be hosted by your own server

• The most popular forum to host a blog, because it’s so easy and versatile

• It’s simple to get your blog themed up & started up!• Offers over 1,000 free themes• There are many aesthetically agreeable themes you can buy as well–

along with a number of other premium upgrades• You need very little CSS knowledge to create and customize your own

theme• If you know no CSS at all, WordPress makes it easy to plug in codes to

make your site specially catered to you!• WordPress is great for long form blogging • Offers you 3GB of storage space for your posts and media• Free statistics for tracking visitosrs

Blogger

• Owned by Google and requires a Google account to get started• There is an obvioius push for users interested in signing up with

Blogger to install a Google+ profile• The option to created a limited profile is available, allowing users

to create their own fake names, so that they can keep their personal information protected

• Can post media and long form content to your blog, with no limitations on storage space (unlike WordPress)

• Option of using a custom domain available on Blogger/Blogspot

• Template designer for customizing your blog’s appearance

What Makes a Blog Successful?

• Behind every successful blog is a passionate blogger. Bloggers don’t just write for the sake of writing. Bloggers write because they have opinions, thoughts, considerations, concerns, bits of personal or impersonal news, etc. to share with the online world.

• Successful bloggers don’t just anticipate for their blogs to achieve hits and grow organically through word-of-mouth communication. The world of blogs is nestled in the jungle that is the world wide web, where only the best, more competitive blogs survive! All successful bloggers hone in on their SEO, marketing, and social media skills. Networking online is key to generating traffic on blogs.

5 Necessary Items That Your Blog Must Feature1. Social Sharing Buttons

1. As a blogger, you should be connected to any and all social media platforms. Linking up you social media presence to your blog will generate more hit on your blog and traffic on your social media profiles.

2. Buttons that link back to your social page Rich Simple Sites (RSS) Feed1. You don’t want to readers to get lost in your blog! Make sure that there are buttons available

to lead people back to your RSS Feed3. Moderated Comments

1. Readers of your blog might want to comment on some of the items you post on your blog. A comment section allows opinionated readers to share their thoughts. It also keeps browsers on your site for longer, generating more traffic and intrigue in what your blog is all about. Of course, it’s important to make sure that all comments left are clean, so keep a keen eye over what you allow to be published on blog.

4. Contact info 1. Readers of your blog might develop and affection for your writing style. What’s wonderful

about blogs is that they encourage users from all across the globe to connect. Posting your contact information on your blog allows for fellow bloggers to communicate, connect, and spread the word about your writing to the rest of the blog-loving community.

2. Once your blog becomes popular, posting your contact information also allows for PR and Advertising representatives to contact you about writing up reviews about their products, or promoting their products on services on your blog.

Also, Build an Email List• Even if you’re not selling anything, by building an email list,

you can insure that your audience will be updated about what’s being posted on your blog, retaining their interest in what you have to say or post!

Must-Haves for Bloggers

+A portable computer (is key!): And a creative model is always a bonus. You never know when you’re going to get a sudden rush of blogging-inspiration. Keeping a portable computer handy to publish your thoughts of the moment in the moment can be a wonderful feature of your blog.

+Note taking devices: We recommend keeping small notebooks and ball point pens handy to jot down all of the brilliant ideas that skip across your brain before your forget them! This will help you keep your posts organized, but, most importantly, a good idea will never go to waste! A quality camera to snap those shots

A Back-Up SystemSome writing pieces and art projects, which take time to perfect, are meaningful! To lose your work because you accidentally spilled coffee all over your laptop, or a power outage zapped your computer to smithereens is DEVASTATING!

A Flash Drive or External Hard Drive are essential to saving your work– Both types of devices assure your conscious that everything is saves, in tact, and just as you safely and securely saved it.

A Comfortable Writing Station

Sitting in front of a computer can be rough on your body. If you can afford…

-A Lumbar back cushion, you can save your back from the strain on slumping, or bending forward

OR

-A laptop lift, you can ease the strain on your eyes from staring up at a compute screen.

Lastly, You Will Need: Mental Motivation to

Write!-Enjoy nature, solitude, and the gorgeous imagination your mind affords you-Don’t be embarrassed by anything that you write or think about. People prefer raw and honest material to cookie-cutter, calculated posts. The weirder your thoughts are- trust us- the more relatable and human you seem to people who don’t know you at all. Write for yourself first and foremost!-Spend time appreciating and pondering everything that inspires you -from your grandest technological breakthroughs to the affection a silk worm gives you on a cheerful day!

Some Final Tips…• Be consistent• Readers of your blog love your blog because it has a unique voice, or personality that

captures their interest. Shaking things up on your blog too much is frustrating for readers– people

• Love your followers• It might be tempting to try to lure in as many readers as possible, but respect and

love the fact that you have a following at all! You should always keep your blog fresh and grateful to the dedicated followers of your blog

• Manage and promote giveaways• People love giveaways. If your blog hosts giveaways, people will love your blog. End of

story. • Write catchy, simple headlines• People are more likely to read your blog if it’s easy to understand. People don’t want

to “work” to understand your blog. Your blog content should use everyday, colloquial language to get your message across

• Don’t hog your knowledge• People love to learn as they read. Have some useful insight? Don’t‘ hog it all to

yourself! Share the love with your followers! (They will love your blog back in return!).

Sources

•http://lifehacker.com/5878847/which-blogging-platform-should-i-use•http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/blog

ger-vs-wordpress-comparision/•http://blog.bufferapp.com/blogging-a

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