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Soooo You Want 2...

Mike PihlmanNov 20, 2010AltamontCowork, TeleBitConsulting, TracyReaderDad, ForCarol.com

http://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/toblogornottoblog.JPG

What is a Blog?

A very robust form of communication

Web logExpress yourself, teach, sell, more..Words, video, sound, graphics, hyperlinks..

My Blogging History

Started on Yahoo360 in 2005

Moved to Blogger.com

Moved to Wordpress.com

Got my own domains, hosted by Yahoo.

Moved back to Wordpress.com

4 Blogs: TelBitConsulting, TracyReaderDad, AltamontCowork, ForCarol

Sooooo You Want 2 Blog?

Why? ...do you want to Blog?

What? ...will you blog about?

Do? ...you like to write?

Can? ...you devote time to the Blog?

Are? ...you motivated to stick with it?

Blogging is the Future

Newspapers are decliningAlthough the iPad may help

Journalists will be online

Book Reviews will be by bloggers

Much information you get will be via blogsBut.....be careful of accuracy

What you get...

If you are consistent and long termAbility to express yourself to hundreds or thousands of people

RecognitionTracyReaderDad, TeleBitConsulting are recognized in their niche markets

Don't expect...

Hundreds, thousands, or millions of readers instantlyIt could take years of hard effort

To make tons of moneySome do, most don't

Facebook, Twitter, Blog

A blog is long termBlog content can be viewed years after creation

FacebookI only look at one page, the rest will never be seen

TwitterGone in a minute unless I see a mention

Mike's
Unofficial Rules of Blogging

Rule #1: Be Succinct

Summarize in a few wordsMiranda rocks!, Awesome Thriller

500 words or less are bestIt is a fast pace world

Rule #2: Write Easy

Try to keep it so everyone can read and understand.

Rule #3: Use Video

Rule #4: Use Other Visual Aids

Photos, Diagrams, Graphs

Rule #5: Link to Other Sites

Link to other interesting sitesAllows your readers to expand their knowledge of a particular subject.

Helps your viewership if they link back

Rule #6: Monitor Traffic

Rule #7: No Plagiarism

NEVER NEVER copy content and claim it as your own. NEVER!!!

Very easy to check for plagiarismCopy a paragraph and Google it

You can site source then copy parts or allI asked Barry Eisler, he said sure, but, I also gave the original location and the fact that I asked.

Where to Start

Free or Not Free ?

That is the question!

Free Blogs

Wordpress.comLots of free themes

Home grown statistics

Cannot monetize

Some limitations wrt embedding

Secure and stable

If you leave, your readers can follow (!!)

Free Blogs

Blogger.comLimited number of themes

Can monetize by placing Google Ads on the site.

Use Google Analytics for statistics

Secure and stable

Not Free Blogs

SquareSpace.com

TypePad.com

More...

Blogging Hosts

Wordpress.com recommendsBlueHost, $6.95 / mo.

DreamHost, $8.95 / mo.

More Hosts

GoDaddy.comWordpress Hosting, $3.99 to $7.00 per month for 1 year commit

Yahoo.comI paid $13.95 per month per blog

My Suggestion

Wordpress.com or Blogger.comYou can always change

Lets look at Wordpress and Blogger

Wordpress.com

ThemeWidgetsPostHeader

PagePage Links

Blogger.com

Let's Get Started

Pick a Name(or several)Pick a Location(WP or Blogger)Sign Up!

Your First Blog!!!!

Write it(or several)Publish itShare it

Congratulations, Blogger!

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