The other day, we looked at whether or not you have time for blogging. Now, we’ll look at some ways to find some extra time if you just don’t have the time (again; the time I gave yesterday was just a rough estimate that should not be used for any purpose in actually blogging, as there is no set time).
Get up Early (rather than going to bed late)—Getting up early instead of going to bed late can be very helpful. There are many distractions when people are up that aren’t there when they’re asleep.
Blog While You Eat—Of course, don’t take too much time away from your social life if you’re not comfortable with it, but eating at the computer can give you a bunch of extra time. Doing it during a lunch break at work is one of the best times.
Use Speech Recognition Software while doing Trivial Tasks—While doing trivial chores that don’t take much work or effort (such as making a bed), you can use speech recognition software to work on blog posts.
Develop Posts during Free Time at Work—A good time to develop posts in your head is during free time at work. I don’t recommend slacking off, but in times when you’re done and just sitting there, you may want to think of some ideas in your head; just be sure to not cross the line and do all that you always do at work; except during your breaks.
Take Notes—Choosing a blog niche that you do regularly is the best possible choice (it’s always very good to know what you’re talking about in the topic, or your blog won’t be useful) and tons of ideas could be found by taking notes on things such as problems you have and how you fix them.
Cut Out the Fat—Don’t cut down the quality of your life too much, but, for example, if you like blogging more than watching TV, then you could use some of the TV time and blog. It’s a matter of prioritizing.
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at how often to post. To get the post quickly and easily in your feed, subscribe to my RSS!
Yesterday, we examined whether a blog or website is better. I said at the end that if you have time to blog everyday or every other day, then you should have mainly a blog, because they’re much easier to leverage than just a static website.
We’ll get into why that is tomorrow, but here are things to consider when deciding if you have enough time:
Writing Articles—No whether you post long posts infrequently or many short posts, to be successful, you’ll have to write posts for a minimum of about an hour to an hour and a half a day with all the idea planning, editing, etc. Some of the top bloggers spend somewhere around two and a half hours a day, but that’s not necessary in order to be successful. Of course, without posts, no one will want to read your blog.
Promotion—Do think “magic internet dust” is just going to fall down from the sky and direct people to your blog? In the 90’s and maybe even early 2000’s, it was possible to submit to all the search engines, directories, optimize your posts, and do all sorts of things to get ranked in search engines and get lots of backlinks. Nowadays, though, it’s much harder to this. The search engines have gotten a lot smarter, and all the backlink schemes are a thing of the past. Of course, getting backlinks from people who like your blog is one of the best ways to get traffic, but you need people to read your blog in the first place for that to happen by social networking. The minimum would probably be around forty-five minutes, although two hours would be ideal.
Comments—If you do things correctly, your blog should get feedback from readers. Moderating these and answering them (something I strongly recommend), will take about twenty minutes in the beginning, although can grow to significantly more if you’re blog becomes at all popular. Luckily, there are many tools to cut down on this.
To build your blog, you’ll probably have to spend around two hours a day at the minimum. Do you have time for that? It all depends on how much you’re willing to give up for blogging (Do you like blogging more than TV? Can you do it during your lunch break?). Having a website will probably take more like an hour a day, but remember that the rewards are far less.
Tomorrow we’ll look at six great ways to get more time. To get the post delivered to your RSS Feed, subscribe to my feed!
Note: Just because you spend two hours a day blogging does not mean you’ll be successful. You cannot just sit down, blog for two hours a day, and expect to be successful. It does not work like that, and it will be different for everyone. Two hours is just a rough estimate to see whether you have enough time; do not use it in any other context.
If you’ve chosen to blog, then great; this will be a good tutorial; if not, there are many tutorials on how to build a website out there.
How do I get my own Blog?
Getting your own blog can be exciting, and you may want to rush through, but please don’t; because there are many things that need to be taken into account before deciding where to host it.
Blogger?
Blogger is a free service set up by Google that allows to create a blog in seconds and begin posting.
The problem is that all you do is post; you can’t optimize and get ranked in search engines easily; you can’t change your design or look very much; and you will be a sub domain off of Blogger, which is very unprofessional (note: I realize this blog is a sub-domain, and I am working to fix that).
Basically, Blogger is the worst.
WordPress?
WordPress is the base which pretty much all bloggers host their blog on. Why? Because WordPress allows you to customize your design, layout, optimize your blog easily, handle comments; really do anything you want.
But it isn’t the best option.
Self-Hosted WordPress
When you self-host something, it means you host something on your own domain. Although it costs about $100 a year with everything, I strongly recommend it.
Domain—Having your own domain is a powerful thing. On a sub-domain, the company which you’re hosting it from can take it away from you. But when you own your very own blog, no one (aside from the government) can take it away from; as long as you pay.
Customization—While you get a fair bit of customization on the free version of WordPress, it doesn’t compare to that of a real domain, where all the design controls are at your disposal.
SEO—SEO stands for search-engine-optimization, and it involves playing by the rules of the search engines to get ranked higher. I won’t go into the details here, but when you host something on a free domain, it won’t allow you to do very much to improve your ranking, while on self-hosted, it’s simple.
Plug-Ins—Plug-ins are awesome installations provided by WordPress which allow you to make your blog much better. The awesome thing; almost all of them are free.
This is my opinion on blog platforms. I realize there are many others such as Movable Type or TypePad, but Blogger and WordPress are the big ones, and the ones which I have used, so I wanted to address those. Tomorrow we will examine on what server to host the domain.
Earlier today, we took a look at what a blog is. Now it’s time to see whether a blog or a website is right for you.
Which is Easier?
A lot of people make the argument that a blog is easier to use and set up, which I don’t personally agree with; there a lot of websites out there that allow you to create a website quickly and easily; without having to know HTML or CSS.
In fact, I think a blog is harder to run.
Why?
Creating a static website and setting it up will take longer in the beginning to get all your content out than it will to make a post on your blog.
But on a blog you’re posting all the time.
To make all of these posts will take a serious time commitment.
Blog?
Because of the pleasure you get from hearing feedback from your readers, because you’re posting regularly you’re giving more value, and because the blogosphere is really a great place to be, blogging is a lot more fun than having just a website.
Besides, writing a post regularly should be fun if you choose the right topic.
Website?
With a website, the only real advantage is that it won’t take as long to run it.
My Opinion
I believe that you should have both a blog and a website.
The reason behind this is that when you have a website, you’re already delivering a lot of value, but when a blog is all you have, you have to be posting almost like a madman to get anyone to pay attention to you.
If you have a website and launch a blog on it, you won’t have the pressures of posting a lot because you already have great information on your website, but you’ll still get all the perks that go along with blogging.
If you can post everyday or every other day, then it isn’t necessary to have a website, and in that case, I probably wouldn’t recommend having one, because the leverage you can create from a blog is amazing, but that is a challenge for most people. It all depends on your schedule and how much time you can put in.
I remember a time (way back about a year or two ago) when I was unaware what a blog was.
The idea of a blog caught my interest greatly, and I was actually inspired to start one because of how helpful Henrik Edberg’s Positivity Blog is.
So I did what you should do: Turn to the “big-name” blogging sites.
The Problem?
The problem for me was that although the tips on those sites are almost always very useful, they didn’t teach a base understanding of what a blog is. They were throwing around all these terms like SEO, WordPress, Thesis, article marketing, Adsense, and I had no clue what they were talking about; I didn’t even know what a blog really was!
What is a Blog?
A blog is a website that teaches people how to do something (personal blogs are also out there) through regular articles called “posts.” This would be considered a post.
A blog also should have a design that allows people to navigate easily (this blog’s is not amazing; but it gets the job done), static pages that give more in-depth coverage on the topic, often videos and e-books.
What’s so Great About a Blog?
I used to have a website (this was back about four years ago) that was very popular; a few thousand visits a day, but I found a blog much more fun.
Interaction—On a static website, there isn’t much interaction between the readers and the authors, but on a blog, when you’re posting regularly, you get feedback through the comments also regularly. This helps build a strong connection between you and your readers
More Information—Because you’re posting everyday, you can give more information, and keep your readers more informed with something called “feeds.”
Perks—As bloggers, we get to be a part of tons of great blogging communities, through very supportive people. We also get to use things like Twitter and Digg which wouldn’t really matter as much on a website; the possibilities are endless.
A Blog or a Website?
That’s a short list, and I’m leaving much out, but an important question you have to ask yourself is: “Should I create a blog, or a website?”
No Right or Wrong
There’s really no right or wrong answer here, because both are great. You get tons of traffic either way, and they have separate advantages. I’ll talk about that later in the day.
Many of you may treat your blog simply as a blog. And before you all say that chickens are flying, the world is coming to an end if a blog is not a blog, I admit that, technically, a blog is a blog. We should all keep that in mind in our normal life, lest we spend too much time on our blogs. Even if you work full time on it, I would still advise you to not let your blog control your life, but instead control you blog. However, I am speaking from the standpoint when you are working on your blog.
A Blog is More Than Just a Blog
People, maybe you are including, treat their blog as if it doesn’t really matter, they don’t really care about their content, etc. It’s just a blog, after all.
However, if you want to be successful, and if you don’t want to be than I strongly suggest that you quickly navigate away from the page and turn to something that interests you, since I only want to give you content that is useful. If you are wasting time with something that is not useful, we are simply losing time.
In real life, I concede, a blog is a blog. It’s silly, irrelevant, etc., unless your blog is extremely useful, in which case you probably shouldn’t be wasting your valuable blogging time here.
On the internet, though, a blog is EVERYTHING. As Darren Rowse points out in this video, you may be on other sites, called “outposts,” but you are judged by your “home base” which is your blog. It is what you are known by; your reputation, your position on the internet, and more directly affecting your life, your income.
Your Blog Title
Your reputation is what drives traffic to your site. If you have a great reputation and are well respected, then people will probably check you out. However, if you have a bad reputation, then why would anyone waste their time?
Yes, a lot of that reputation stems from your content, and that is the most important thing, bar none. If people like your content, though, and tell other people about it, they will most likely mention the name.
Imagine if someone told you to visit a blog about blogs called aBlog. While it may be a creative name, in my opinion, people won’t take you seriously if you don’t have a good name.
People Judge a Book by It’s Cover
I know that it is repeated all the time to not judge a book by its cover. However, as human beings, we always have an opinion. For example, if you saw a book cover which was blank, you would probably not want to buy it. If it had an awesome title, however, a cool picture, you might want to buy it.
You are Selling a Product
Even if you are not physically selling a product, you need to think of your blog as a business, as if you are selling something. Your blog is the product. If you saw a commercial which advertised a product called “cheesy cheese,” would you buy it when you wanted cheese? I didn’t think so. People go to the internet because they want to have fun and value. If your blog title isn’t good, then people will most likely be running away: There are plenty of blogs with great titles, just as there are plenty of products with great titles. Even if you have great content that people are raving about, there are plenty of sites like that. People will flock to the good names and the bad names will be left in obscurity. You will never become a HUGE success.
Hey guys, if you’ve ever started a blog, then you may be able to relate to the following experience:
You’re at your purchase, excited for your new blog. You’re already thinking of ways to customize it, make it better, dreaming up post ideas, etc. And then, you come across something in the form that stops you in your tracks: Blog Name.
People often get scared when they have to choose a blog name, because they know that it will define their blog, set them apart from all the rest.
In fact, I have noticed that it doesn’t really matter how good your content is if you don’t have a good title.
For example, imagine if Darren Rowse’s fabulous site, Problogger.net (insert link) was called something totally different, something really bad, let’s say ABlog. Most likely, no one would want to read a blog with such a lame name. However, since his name is good, relevant, etc., he uses that to leverage his blog when he’s advertising it.
It is a tough decision, so I’ve decided to make a series of posts about how to decide your blog name. I will put the links as they become available, good luck!
In blogging, everyone always focuses on content. “Content is king,” or “Content is key,” are frequently said in the blogosphere. And that is absolutely true. As I’m sure you’ve heard before, unless you have good quality content, then you why would anyone, including you, want to read your blog? Bloggers are some of the most self-centered people that I’ve ever met. Not because they think that they’re great, although that is often a problem, but because they spend so much time reading their own blog, agonizing over their content. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and I’m sure we all do it to some extent. When you’re reading it, though, I really prod you to look deep into your heart, your brain, and your soul, and ask yourself the following question: “Would I want to read this?” I know it’s a tough question, because it’s almost impossible to judge yourself. In videos, I’ve given up on it, since to me it seems like a lost cause. Content, however, is different. Just read it. See if you find it useful. If not, then why would you want to post it?
I’ll focus a lot on that in the future, but today I want to approach the issue from a different angle, an angle that says the following: Customization is key.
Looking at it from a Different Angle
Now, before you dog on me, saying things like “Oh, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” I want you to think of it from a different perspective. Imagine a door that has three locks. One of them is a padlock. Those three locks, as you might’ve imagined, represent what I consider, the three most important things in blogging: Content, which is the padlock, marketing, and the look of your blog. You need all three keys to open the door, not just one or two of them.
There are Exceptions
Of course, as always, there are various exceptions to every rule, even murder (The Boston Massacre). Blogging is no different. Yes, it is possible to get traffic and become popular without all of these three things. The only way to do that, however, is to do two of the things really well or one of the things AMAZINGLY well, which is very unlikely. Okay, if your content is really all that, then maybe you don’t need to worry about customization as much. However, I’m talking to the average blogger, and the average blogger isn’t going to have that type of content. If they did, then all of the blogs would be equally popular, but we all know that is not the case.
You Need to Compensate
If you don’t have that type of content (if you think that you do, please e-mail me your URL so I can check out the site and give you suggestions), then you need to make up for it. Did you know that the average time spent on a blog is just a bit over one minute? That is also most likely raised up by blogs that they already know and like. If you were talking about first time blogs, I’m not sure that I would even want to know the average time.
People’s First Impression Usually Sticks for a While
You probably know this, but in just over a minute, most people don’t change their impression of a blog. Usually, they’re either sold or they’re not, at least for the time being.
Where does an Impression come from?
First impressions come from the first thing that they see. If they are looking at your blog, they would see your design first. If you cannot customize your design, then how will it be something that people will want to see?
Free Webhosts
Most free webhosts, not all, do not give you much customization in your blog. Some of them, like Bravenet, my host for years, do, though I used a paid version of it, but it was very cheap. The point is that these webhosts do not give you the freedom to do whatever you want. For example, on most free hosts, you cannot put in ads. That is a HUGE disadvantage if you are trying to make money. Not only that, but how are you possibly going to make money if you can’t get anyone who likes your design, and therefore your blog?
You Need a Paid Host
Based on just that information alone, I would advise I paid host. Not just any paid host, but one that offers you complete customization and control over your blog. Granted, you will still need to know basic code, which I will talk about in a future post.
The first impression that your readers get from looking at your design is one of the most important pieces of your blog. What will your readers first impression be?
For weeks now, ever since I say the video below, I’ve wanted to switch to Speech Recognition Software. No, I’m not using it right now. However, it is downloading at the time that I write this. In fact, as you are reading this now, I am most likely using Dragon Naturally Speaking. In honor of my switch, here’s the popular video that explains everything that you need to know about Speech Recognition Software, by Jon Morrow:
Hey guys, today I would like to address a small thing in blogging, but we all know that if you do a bunch of small things, they will turn into something big over time. As an example, did you know that if you write for just fifteen minutes a day, in a year, you will have written an average book? Of course, it will not be very good because it won’t be edited, but you get the point.
The “Big Thing”
People are always looking for the “big thing” that’s guaranteed to increase their traffic.
There is no Big Thing
Aside from the normal things which you most likely already know, and that I’ll be covering later on this blog, like producing good quality content, promoting your site, and making a good first impression, there are many things that you can which don’t seem like much, but will make a HUGE difference in the long run.
The Immortal Power of Bloggers
You may not know it, and you probably wouldn’t believe me, but there’s a good chance that there are people out there who think of you basically as a God. They believe that you are great, produce good content, and would love to interact with you.
Protecting Your Privacy
A lot of people, you are most likely not one of them, but a lot of people do not like people to know their personal details. I’m not talking about your name, but specifically about your e-mail.
All the Information is Out There
It may seem scary, and I’m not trying to scare you, but the truth is that with Web 2.0, anyway can find out where you live. That’s right, anyone, even a murderer. There are various websites which all they do is display all the information of people. If someone really wanted to find your information, they can do it.
Don’t Be Too Giving
As much as I know that anyone can find out about you if they want, I also believe that you should not openly give away things such as what city you live in, what your phone number is, address, etc., just so that less people will know. After all, the less creeps that know where you live, the better, right!?
Make Sure that People Can Contact You
People who like (or even don’t like) your blog may want to contact you. Not just on Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace, etc., but actually have a personal conversation without anyone else reading or “listening.” This used to be impossible, but today, I would certainly have to say that I don’t know one person under 90 who doesn’t have e-mail. That’s just the way that it goes these days.
Leave an E-Mail Address
It may seem very simple and obvious, but many people don’t leave an e-mail on their blog (mine is buildingabetterblog@gmail.com). I usually think so highly of people whose blogs that I read that it doesn’t even cross my mind that I might actually be able to speak to them via e-mail. I’m starting to realize, though, that these are actual people who check their e-mail, who will write back. It’s not like they’re Michael Jackson (maybe not a good example because I’ve heard that responded to all of the fan mail that he received), but regular people like you.
People view you like that, and they will want to talk to you if they have any questions or concerns or comments. If you don’t encourage people to e-mail you, or at least talk to you in a way that you will respond, they will get annoyed, and feel like you are shutting them out. This may lead to the loss of a valuable reader, and we all know that we need as many of those as we can get!
Posted by johnstond2015 
