?Are You Blogging Effectively?
Perhaps "blogging" isn't the most elegant term. It sounds to me like a linguistic drudgery in the same way that cereals can be soggy, skies can be hazy, and minds can be sluggish. However, it is currently too late to rebrand this abbreviated term for web-logging. Regardless, widespread blogging is one of the most interesting Internet trends in recent years. It is a new and important force in influencing ideas, political realities, trends, and even our language as a medium, as it gives rise to many new and valuable voices and plays a new and essential role in shaping opinions, political realities, trends, and even our language.
A blog, in my opinion, is just a tool for someone who has something to say. Let me be clear: a blog is not the best solution for someone who requires a megaphone to scream into cyberspace in order to elicit a meaningful response from Internet users. If you want attention, and you want it now, and you expect blogging to provide it, you will be disappointed. However, if you enjoy writing and engaging others in discussions on topics in which you have some knowledge or expertise, it's a great way to meet individuals who share your interests. The hysteria is justified.
Anyway, here are some blogging pointers...
It is not a choice to have a message that is cohesive. Readers may or may not be interested in your topic, but if your message is haphazard, few will remember to return to your site because there is nothing to recall. This isn't to say that blogs can't jump from one topic to the next. A blog with a funny theme, for example, has complete freedom in terms of topic matter, but it would be silly for such a blog to switch the comedy on and off. In this case, the feature of humor would be the content's adhesive, the blog's power. The benefit of keeping on point and on subject is that, owing to the nature of the Internet, you will ultimately locate others who are only interested in your issue.
Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Recognize that blogging takes time and work, and don't set unreasonable goals that you won't be able to meet. An odd break or vacation is understandable, but readers who return to find stale, out-of-date articles will seek out another site with similar content. On a daily basis, new blogs and RSS feeds appear. You don't want to lose an audience or a community you've worked hard to build due to a lack of communication.
Blessed is the blog that follows a logical path. Write without inside jokes, catchphrases from a clique, or confusing logic. Readers who are reading for the first time should be near to your message. They are more inclined to return to blogs that have a favorable impact on them. There will be no second read if the first is perplexing.
Active blogs are noticed by search engines, and blog search engines are particularly sensitive to activity. At the very least, today's search engines are wiser than yesterday's, and they're only getting smarter. They strive to aggregate quality by constantly improving; quality blogs are updated several times a week, if not daily, rather than once or twice a month. I'm not trying to scare you, but there's a large spider on the loose, so dance for them.
Consider RSS to be a type of magic in the blogging world, because that is exactly the effect it has had. RSS feeds are a great way to get your message out to a large number of people. These feeds are a terrific way to spread your original material and get more people to read it.
Use the spell-checker, guy. I do, and you wouldn't have made it to #6 if I didn't. It simply takes a minute and could spare you from appearing as a hack.
At start, your blog's viewership will be small. And, to be honest, that's how it should be. Who are you to imagine that after three or four blog entries, half the internet will flock to you?
Readership will materialize if you persevere while keeping quality. You'll link to good, relevant blogs, and they'll link back to you. While your voice may be unique, your niche is unlikely to be, and if your content is distributed wisely on the Internet, those who are interested will respond with readership and conversation. I can assure you of that.
