Archive | Get Started Blogging | Money Saving Secrets Blog

Get Started Blogging- Week #12 Balancing Blogging & Family Life

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on February 6, 2012 at 3:07 pm {4 comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

This is the final article in our blogging series. I hope that you are enjoying your adventures in blogging and finding a good routine. I know that my biggest struggle with blogging is balancing my time between my blog and my family time.

The reason I have decided to be home is so I can be with my kids. Sometimes I find myself spending too much time on the computer and not enough time with my kids. There is definitely a difference between being home with the kids and spending time with them. I want to make sure that I always have a good balance of blogging and quality time with the family.

The best way for me to keep this balance is by having a schedule and goals. I have my certain times of the day that I work on my blog. First thing in the morning I try to go through my e-mails. Then while the kids eat breakfast & lunch I work on getting my daily posts up. Then while Emma is at school and Jonathan is napping I work on articles that need more concentration. I also have a daily goal of the posts I need to get published everyday. Once I get those done I turn my attention to things around the house. If I find some down time after that, then I will turn my attention back to my blog.

One thing that I have found out is that I will never get everything I to do accomplished. It is just impossible. I used to get overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the other blogs and post every deal that comes my way. This just drove me crazy! There is no way that I can do that and it is a sure way of burning out by trying. So now I just pick and choose what to post with the time I have.

The best advice I can give is to write down your goals and make a schedule and stick to it as best as you can. You will have to revise it as you go. Also keep a note book to jot down ideas you may have during the day. This way, when you are sitting down to blog you know what needs to get done and you will be more productive.

This Weeks Homework

~ Make a blogging schedule and a list of goal for the things you want to accomplish each day.

~ Leave me a comment letting me know how you keep your blogging and family life balanced. What works the best for you?

Hopefully this series has been some help to you. I do still plan to add posts periodically when I have some great finds to share with you. And as always, if you ever have any questions or need any help please let me know. You can leave a comment or send me a message through the contact page or at moneysavingsecretsblog @ gmail.com.

Get Started Blogging- Week #11 Networking with Bloggers

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on January 16, 2012 at 8:00 am {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

This week I want to talk about the importance of creating relationships with other bloggers. The first year of blogging for me was very lonely and unprofitable. I was trying to do things on my own and thought that other bloggers were my competition and unwilling to help. Well I was completely wrong. The more I reached out, the more I was embraced. I felt like such a fool for not doing this sooner.

Having other bloggers to network with is crucial to YOUR success. Now, I belong to Facebook groups, online communities as well as have formed relationships with other bloggers.

The Advantages of Networking with Other Bloggers

Share Information- It is very hard to share everything in your niche on your own. As a deal blogger I would go crazy trying to put together all the deals and coupon match ups each week. Now I work with other bloggers to do this. I get my drug store and grocery store deals from other bloggers and in return I share my diaper deals with them. This is a win win situation. Not only do I have less work putting these deals together, but by sharing deals on other blogs I get a link back to my blog post which creates back links. This also in beneficial to my readers because I can provide more deals and help them save even more.
Get help- If you can not figure something out or need some advice, you can always ask another blogger. It is nice to have someone that understands what you are going through to turn to. In exchange you can be there when they may need help. Sometimes just having someone to talk to that understands can help.
Support- It really helps to have a group of bloggers to support each others. I have a great group that I belong to that helps by sharing others content. It could be doing shout outs for others giveaways or sharing Facebook pages to get more followers or even re-tweeting or liking blog posts.
Friendships- Blogging can be very lonely at times. Forming friendships can really help with this. Sometimes all it takes is some encouraging words to keep you going. It is also nice to have someone to vent to when it seems that the negatives are out weighing the positives. For some reason one negative comment or response can really weigh you down. But having someone to talk to can help you see all the positives you have going.

Where to Find Other Bloggers

Send a Message- If there is a blog that you have been following and really connect with, then send the blogger a message. Just make sure if you are asking for help, that you have at least tried to find the answer on your own. But if you are just wanting to connect with them then feel free to send a message or leave a comment on how much you enjoy their blog and how it has benefited you. I don’t know anyone that dislikes getting good feedback!
Join Forums or online Communities- Do a search for a forum or community on your blog niche. If you are a deal blogger or couponer WeUesCoupons has a forum just for bloggers. They also have a great affiliate program. Blogelina’s Online Rewards Community is another place for bloggers to get together and ask questions and support each other. Not only can you find some tips and information for your blog in these groups, but you can connect with other bloggers to begin building relationships.

Forming relationships with other bloggers has not only helped me save time and help me to improve my blog but it has also helped with my success. My traffic and followers as well as my revenue have increase significantly. It is not just a recommendation to have a group but it is a necessity!

This Weeks Homework

~Start making connections with other bloggers. Join a group and start participating.

Get Started Blogging- Week #10 Social Media

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on January 9, 2012 at 1:12 pm {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

I am sorry I took some time off from this blogging series during the holidays, but I want to finish the last 3 weeks. I hope that you have been blogging during the break and have gotten into a routine by now. Now is a great time to start getting your blog out there. One of the best ways to do this is through social media sites.

Social networking is a great way to promote your blog and also connect with your readers. It is a lot easier and quicker to establish relationships and conversations on social media sites then directly on your blog. The importance of establishing a relationship with your readers is that when they connect with you they are more likely to continue to visit your blog and follow it regularly.

I am far from being an expert when it comes to social media sites, but here are the top sites you will want to create an account for-

Facebook Page- I am sure that you already have a Facebook account. Now you can create a page for your blog. It is fairly simple to set up. Make sure to share your blog posts on your page. Facebook will not let you add your RSS feed anymore but there are sites out there that will do this for you. However you can always add your links manually. Adding a comment with the link seems to be more effective then just posting the link.
Twitter- You can also set up a Twitter account for your blog and automatically send your feed to it. Although I do not do much more on Twitter, it is more effective if you are tweeting more then just your blog posts. The more you can interact with your followers the better.
Google +- This is the newest site that you will want to create an account for. G+ will be replacing Google Friend Connect, which will be removed from all WordPress blogs in March. You can set up an account in your name and then add a page for your blog. You are then able to create circles for your followers and can send things out to just certain people.
StumbleUpon- This site helps you discover and share great websites. If you use this site properly it could bring you a lot of traffic. Basically, as you “Stumble” you will be matched to websites that meet your interests or that your friends have recommended. What you want to do is visit these sites and read the articles. If you like the article then give it a thumbs up. You also want to leave a comment on the blog. You can also share any great article that you find. Just do not only share your articles. If other users find your shares interesting then they can follow you. The more credible you are the more likely they will visit your site.

As you create accounts for these sites, make sure to add them to your sidebar so people can follow you. A great way to get a jump start on getting followers is holding a giveaway. If you do not have a giveaway of your own to hold then you can always join other blogs that are hosting a giveaway. You can add your Facebook, Twitter and/or G+ link as an entry for as little as $1.

The best advice I can give when it comes to social media sites is not to get too overwhelmed. Some times it feels like there is so much to do and not enough time. Just find what works for you. It can be visiting each site for a few minutes each a day or choose one site a day to focus on. It is also better to be great at one or two then bad at 5. So find which sites give you the best results and focus on them.

This Weeks Homework

~ Create at least one Social Media account for your blog.

~Leave me a comment below with a link to your site and new account so I can follow.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog.

Get Started Blogging- Week #9 Increasing Your Traffic

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on November 7, 2011 at 12:05 pm {4 comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

By now you should be blogging away. Now that you have created this amazing blog, you need to get people to visit and follow it.I have a list of 5 FREE ways to increase exposure to your blog and hopefully creating more traffic.

Blog Directories

Blog directories make your content more “visible” to other bloggers. When blogs link to your content it creates inbound links and higher search engine ranking for your blog post. Here are just a few Blog directories that you can submit your blog and RSS feed to. You will be asked to add a description of your blog. You should have that written and ready to go.

1. Blog Frog

2. Best of the Web Blog Search

3. Blogarama

4. Blog Catalog

5. Bloggapedia

Each time you create a new blog post, your RSS feed will update automatically in these directories.

Leaving Comments

Leaving comments on other blogs has many benefits. You are forming connections with other bloggers. Chances are they will check out your site and also comment on your blog. When you leave a comment you are also allowed to add your blog address when filling out your info. Also, if the blog uses Comment Luv, it will also display your last blog post. If the blog allows, use a post that is relevant to the post you are commenting on.

One very important thing to remember is to actually read the post and leave a relevant and informative comment. DO NOT just leave something like “nice post” or include links in your comment. This is just spam and will most likely be deleted. Another benefit of leaving a good comment is that it may catch the attention of others reading the post, making them want to learn more about you by visiting your blog. So make sure to add value to the post. The blogger and the reader will both appreciate it.

Blog Hops

Blog Hops are a great way to gain new followers. There are a ton of blogs that host blog hops. You can join in by adding your blog or post to the linky. The host usually requires you to follow them. Once you submit your blog you can then visit the other blogs on the list and they will visit you. Leaving a comment on the blog you visit as well as following will increase the chances that they will do the same for you.

Guest Articles

A great way to create exposure to your blog is to write guest articles. You can contact other bloggers and ask if they will accept guest posts and their requirements. Most bloggers will then allow you to add an “Authors Bio” at the end of your article including a link to your blog.

Thinks to keep in mind when writing a guest article-

Topic should be relevant to the blog or to their readers.
Article should be unique and not used on any other site, including your blog.
Make sure it is not promotional, but informative, entertaining or enlightening.

Not only will this help create inbound links, but hopefully get the attention of the readers to get them to visit your blog and become a follower.

Submit Articles to Directories

You can also submit your articles to directories like EzineArticles. This can help get your article more exposure and credibility then just adding it to your blog, thus creating more traffic to your blog. The article does have to be original and not used elsewhere. You will be able to add a bio to the site allowing the reader to learn more about you by visiting your blog.

This Weeks Homework

~ Submit your blog to some directories.

~ Leave at least 5 comments on different blogs.

~ Join in on some blog hops.

~ Write some articles that could be submitted to other blogs or directories.

Have you been blogging for awhile? What is the best source you have used to increase your traffic?

Get Started Blogging- Week #8 Earnings & Expenses

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on October 31, 2011 at 8:59 am {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

This week I am going to continue on our topic last week about monetizing your blog and talk about your legal responsibilities that comes along with that. I am only going to be touching on the basic here. I am not an expert in the law so if you have any questions or concerned please consult a lawyer or accountant.

Disclosure Policy

The first thing that you are going to need to do is add a Disclosure Policy. The FTC requires you to clearly state your relationships between manufactures or products you write about. You can be fined for not doing this. I have added a Disclosure Policy page as well as add a statement at the end of any post that contains an affiliate link or review. Not only is this a law but it is also ethical to let your readers know that you may receive compensation for promoting a product. If you need help writing this, go to DisclosurePolicy.org. Just fill in your information and they will create a policy for you to add to your blog.

Privacy Policy

You are also required to have a Privacy Policy on your blog to let your readers know how information is collected on your blog. You will need to do this to be in line with state and federal laws as well as for Google AdSense regulations. I got help writing my policy from AaronCook.com.

Taxes

You are also going to be responsible for reporting and paying taxes on the income you earn from your blog. I do recommend finding a tax consultant to help you with this. However, you are going to want to have a system in place to help tax time easier. Make sure to keep a record and receipts of all expenses. This includes all your hosting and domain fees as well as anything else that goes into running your business like, internet expenses, cell phone and mileage. You will also need to keep tract of all your income. Companies will only report your earnings and send a W2 if you make over $600 with them.

I have an accordion file labeled monthly that I place everything in. Then at the end of each month I tally everything up and log it. I also have an ING Direct Electric Orange Checking Account that I use for the business. If you sign up HERE, you will get a $50 bonus after making 3 card purchases in 45 days. If you have not done already, you are also going to need a Paypal account. Many companies will send payments to your Paypal as well as take payments.

This Weeks Homework

~Add a disclosure policy

~Add a privacy policy

~Get a system set up for taxes

~Keep adding to your blog!

Make sure to share your blog with me so I can follow you!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog.

Get Started Blogging- Week #7 Monetizing Your Blog

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on October 24, 2011 at 10:40 am {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

I hope you are enjoying blogging so far and are continuing to add some great content to your blog. This week I want to talk about how you can actually make money from your blog.

There are several ways that you can monetize your blog. I am going to talk about each one as well as give you some companies that you can sign up with. Just so you know some of these companies also have an affiliate program that will pay you for referring others. This gives you an additional way to make money and of coarse I will be sharing my affiliate links when applicable and appreciate your support by signing up through them.

Selling Ad Space

Selling ad space on your blog is a great way to make money. You can add advertising to your sidebar from different companies or bloggers. The amount you will get will depend on your page rank and traffic. Price also depends on the position of the ad. Advertisers are usually looking for space above the fold (visible without scrolling down).

It may take some time to get your traffic up before actually being able to sell ad space, but you can start will Google Ads by signing up with Google AdSense or by adding banners from Affiliate sites.

Affiliate Marketing

With affiliate marketing, you get paid when a reader completes some sort of action such as clicking, purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter, providing an email address, printing a coupon or subscribing to something. There are a lot of affiliate marketing companies out there. Here are the ones that are my favorites and I am personally using-

Google Affiliate Network

Make sure to chose programs or products that fit your nitch. You will also find companies that may be more specific to your blog. If you are doing a deals or coupon blog let me know and I can share some more specific programs.

Sponsored Posts

You can also make money by writing a sponsored post for companies. You can include their desired links as well as topics they would like covered but do make sure that the views and opinions are completely yours. You do not want to lose the trust of your readers.

I have been contacted directly by companies but you can also sign up with sites that can connect you with companies that are looking for bloggers. I am currently using Social Spark. I have received many offers from them and get to chose the ones to take.

Reviews/Giveaways

You may not make money doing reviews, but can receive some great products. Companies will send you their product to try and review. They may also give you the opportunity to host a giveaway. Not only is this a great opportunity to try new products but you can also use them as gifts. Just make sure to give a truthful and honest review. Again, always have your readers in mind when writing anything. Do not write for advertisers.

I do get contacted by companies to do reviews, but you can contact companies also to see if they would let you review their product. I also belong to some sites that will send me products to try and share my opinions. Here are some of my favorites-

Vocal Point

BzzAgent

Pssst

You can definitely make some good money blogging. However, it does take time. Never loose focus on who you are writing for and the purpose of your blog. You will never make anything if your readers don’t trust you. So focus on writing good content and the money will come.

This Weeks Homework

~Sign up with affiliate programs and start promoting some offers.

~Add some ads to your sidebar.

~Continue adding some great content to your blog.

Join me next week when we will be discussing disclosure and privacy policies.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog.

Get Started Blogging- Week #6 Adding Widgets

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on October 17, 2011 at 8:00 am {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

By now you should have your blog up and have some article written and waiting to post. At this time you can add your ‘About Me’ page. To do this, go to the left sidebar in your dashboard and click ‘Add New’ under ‘Pages’. Then just add your About Me article that you have already written.

You are also going to want to add a ‘Contact’ page. If you installed the Contact Form 7 plugin then you can use the following code along with something like this-

Questions? Comments? Send me a message:
contact-form 1 “Contact form 1″ <———place in [ ]

Then go to the settings for your Contact form and make sure to fill in the e-mail address that you want messages sent to.

You can also add your first article that you should have written describing your blog. Make sure your readers know what your blog is all about and why they should follow you.

You are now probably noticing that your sidebar seems pretty empty. The rest of the week you are going to focus on setting up some Google accounts and learning how to use Widgets.

How to Manage Your WordPress Widgets

Your widgets are items that go in your blog’s sidebars. To manage your widgets:

Click “Appearance” in your Dashboard (on left hand side)
Click “Widgets”
Drag the widgets of your choice into the appropriate sidebar. If you want to add html codes then use a ‘Text’ box.
Add a title if desired
Click “Save”
Now go to your blog and you should see it there!

Here is a list of Accounts & Sites that you should set up-

1. Feedburner- We now need to set up your RSS feed. Feeds are a way to distribute your content beyond just the visitors to your blog. Feeds give your subscribers automatic updates through readers or e-mail. You can set up a free account through Feedburner. For some step by step instructions to Feedburner head over to Wpbeginner. You can add a feedburner icon to your sidebar as well as an e-mail subscription box.

2. Google Analytics- You are going to want to set up a Google Analytics account to be able to track and analyze your blogs traffic. Find out who’s coming, from where they are coming from, which pages they are visiting and how long they are staying.

3. Google Friend Connect- Adding GFC to your blog is a great way to show social proof that your visitors have come to the right place. After setting up account, add the widget t your sidebar for visitors to join.

4. Google AdSense- If you are wanting to make money from your blog then you may want to consider setting up a Google AdSense account. This program enables publishers in the Google network to display ads that are targeted to your site and content. They can earn revenue for you either on a per-click or per-impression basis. You are allowed to add up to three different ads to your blog and one to your feed.

It will take some time before you start making money with AdSense and some trial and error on the placement. I have had the best outcome with one 728×90 ad in the header, 300×250 ad on the top sidebar and 160×600 ad in the lower sidebar.

5. Google PageRank- You may also want to add a PageRank checker to your blog to display your current Google PageRank. Pages are ranked from 10, being the best to 0. Your PageRank is the value that Google has given to your blog. Increasing inbound links to your blog will help increase your PageRank.

6. Submit site to Google- HERE

This Weeks Homework

~Add ‘About Me’ page
~Add ‘Contact’ page
~Publish first article
~Set up Accounts
~Continue writing.

Join me next week when we will be monetizing your blog.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog.

Get Started Blogging- Week #5 Adding Plugins

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on October 10, 2011 at 8:00 am {no comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

“Wordpress Plugins allow easy modifications, customization, and enhancement to a WordPress blog.” Plugins can make your blog a very powerful website.

There are two ways to install plugins, manually or through your dashboard.

How To Install Plugins Manually

Go to http://(yoursite).com/cpanel
Scroll down to Files.
Click File Manager
Double-click “wp-content” folder
Double-click “plug-ins” folder
Click “Upload”
Browse to your desktop and select a plug-in zip file.
Once it has loaded 100%, click the link that starts with “Back to …”
Click on the “check-box” next to the plug-in zip file.
Click “Extract”
When the plug-in is extracted, click on the “check-box” next to the zip file again.
Click “Delete”
Go to your blog back office.
Click on Plugins
Activate plugin.

How to Install Plugins through your Dashboard

Login to your Dashboard
Go to “Plugins” (in left column)
Click “Add New”
Search for the name of your desired plugin in the search field
Click “Install”
Go to “Installed Plugins” and “Activate” your plugin
You may need to change the settings for the plugin

My 10 Must Have FREE Plugins

Akismet- Protects your blog from comment and trackback spam.
CommentLuv- Reward your readers by automatically placing a link to their last blog post at the end of their comment.
Contact Form 7- Enables you to add a contact form page to your blog.
FeedBurner Feed Smith- Redirects your feed to your FeedBurner feed.
Google XML Sitemaps- Helps search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask.com to better index your blog.
SexyBookmarks (by Shareaholic)- Adds a list of social bookmarking icons to each of your posts.
Subscribe Remind- Gives your readers a little reminder to subscribe to your blog’s feed at the end of each post.
W3 Total Cache- Improves the speed and user experience of your site.
WordPress Database Backup- On-demand backup of your WordPress database.
WordPress Editorial Calander- Makes it possible to see all your posts and drag and drop them to manage your blog. Makes it a lot easier to schedule posts.

The one and only plugin that I have purchased so far is the Maxblogpress Ninja Affiliate. If you are planning to use your blog to make money from, this plugin is a must, especially if you are blogging about coupons and deals and have a lot of affiliate programs that you are working with.

Maxblopress Ninja Affiliate will automatically convert any keyword in your blog to an affiliate link instantly. You can now update any keyword on your blog with the affiliate link of your choice, on all posts, in a split second! Secondly, it helps you create professional redirect links – instead of promoting a long, ugly url, you’re actually able to setup a shorter link, on your own domain name which re-directs to whatever url you want to include. And the most exciting part is that it also helps you fight affiliate commission theft. With Maxblogpress Ninja Affiliate you’re 100% protected.

This Weeks Homework

~Download all the above plugins and any other you may need.

~Continue writing articles for your blog.

Join me next week when we will be setting up your Google Accounts

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog

Get Started Blogging- Week #4 Setting Up Your Blog

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on October 3, 2011 at 10:33 am {one comment}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

Now that you have done your research and have started writing you should have a pretty good feel on what your blog is going to consist of. This week we are going to focus on getting your blog up and running.

I really do suggest that you start off from the start with a self hosted blog. If you are really serious about growing your blog and making money from it you will eventually have to switch over anyway so you may as well get started off right. Therefore I am going to talk about self hosted blogs this week. If you currently have a blog on blogger and would like to transfer it to WordPress, Blogelina has some really great packages to help you with that.

The first thing you will have to decide on is your blogs name or your domain name. This is how your readers are going to find you so make it easy to remember and relevant to your topic. You also want to make sure that it is keyword rich.

Domain

~Once you choose a domain name for your blog you will need to register it. I use NameCheap. They cost $9.98 a year for a .com, but you can always find a coupon code to bring your first year down to $9.10. Just do a search to find a current coupon code or send me a message if you are having trouble finding one.

Hosting

~Now that your domain is registered you will need to set up hosting. I am currently using Hostgator. Monthly payments start at $7.16 and go down if you choose to pay a year or more in advance. Hostgator also has coupon coded each month to save you money off your first payment.

BlueHost is another company that I have heard good things about. However, they do not offer monthly payments.

~Now that you have your domain and hosting, you will need to connect them.

You received an email from Hostgator listing your 2 nameservers. Have that email handy.
Go to your Name Cheap account and click “Edit selected domain”.
On the next screen on the left, click “Transfer DNS to Webhost”.
On the next screen, fill in your 2 hostgator nameservers on lines 1 & 2. Click “Save Changes”.
Go to http://(yoursitename.com)/cpanel. It will probably ask if you need help. Click “No.”
Scroll down to “Software/Services”. Click on “Fantastico DeLuxe”.
On the left-hand side, click “WordPress”.
Next screen, click “New Installation”. You should be able to just follow the instructions from here.
When you’re finished, check your domain to be sure you have a WordPress blog there.

~You can then add Username and change settings. Under General settings, add your blog name, tag line and e-mail address.

~Edit your permalink structure via Settings>Permalinks>Custom Structure. Paste “/%category%/%postname%/” onto the blank line and click “Save changes”.

Installing a New Theme

~Choose and download a theme for your blog. There are plenty of free themes out there. I currently have a Swift Theme and really like it.Log into Dashboard.

Go to “Appearances” in left column and click “Theme”.
Click tab “Install Themes”.
Do a search for different themes.
Download a few themes and then activate them one by one to see how you like the way it looks.

This Weeks Homework

~Get your domain & hosting.

~Choose a theme.

~Continue writing articles for your blog.

Join me next week when we will be adding Plug-ins to your blog.

How’s the writing going for you? Are you finding the time and inspiration?

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation in the form of money or credit. By clicking the link you are helping to support Money Saving Secrets Blog.

Get Started Blogging- Week #3 Start Writing For Your Blog

Filed under Get Started Blogging by Jennifer Billy on September 26, 2011 at 8:00 am {3 comments}

If you have just joined in on the blogging series, you can go HERE to catch up.

Now that you have decided on your blog topic and have done some research, it is time to start writing. There are a few reasons why I suggest that you start writing before actually setting up your blog. The first reason is so you can get a feel of what you will be doing. It is better to know before you spend the time and money on getting your blog going that you don’t like it or have the time for it.

Another reason is so you can be ahead of the game and have some articles ready to go once your blog is set up. It will take a lot of work designing your blog and will be nice to know that you have some posts already written.

Write A Description

The first thing you are going to want to write is a description of your blog. This is going to be a few sentences describing what your blog is about. You will save this to use when joining different sites that will require you to describe your blog.

You can then take your description and expand on it for your first article on your blog. Tell your readers exactly what you plan on covering on your blog. Are you going to have weekly articles on a certain topic? Make it personal. Talk about why you are starting a blog and what your goal is. This will also help you to have focus when choosing what to write about.

About Me

You are going to want to add an ‘About Me’ page to your blog so you can go ahead and get that written now. Let your readers know a little about you. Tell them who you are, why you decided to start a blog and why they should read it.

Begin Writing Articles

You should now start to write some articles. Make sure these are not time sensitive material. I would have at least 10 to get started.

What to write?

There are three things you should consider when writing any article, is it entertaining, enlightening or educational? If you can not say yes to at least one of those then you need to start over.

Readers seem to enjoy articles that contain lists, like a top 10. Another popular idea is writing pillar articles. Pillar articles are a series of articles on the same topic like this one.

Don’t be afraid to get personal. The more the reader can connect with you, the more they will want to read and keep coming back.

Make sure to use keywords when writing your article and title. I am not going to go into keywords, but you can check out the article ‘Keyword Article Writing: the Key to Your Success’ by Dina Giolitto to learn more.

This Weeks Homework

~Write a description for your blog.
~Write an ‘About Me’ article.
~Write at least 3 articles for your blog.

Join me next week when we will get started setting up your blog.

If you decided to take this journey, please let me know what you decided to blog about. How is your writing going?