Blog (an abbreviated version of “weblog” – a web-based event log, Internet diary, online diary) – is a website containing entries with texts, images or multimedia, posted on a regular basis. A blog typically features a list of ongoing chronicle of short entries, ranked in reverse chronological order (the most recent posts appears first). Personal blog differs in several major ways from keeping an old-fashioned diary and doesn’t suppose any locks or keys. Blogs invite the public to read them, leave comments and swirl controversy around posts.
The first blog is recognized in Tim Berners-Lee’s website, where he has posted news since 1992. But, the popularity came to blogs only in 1996. In August 1999, a San Francisco-based IT-company, Pyra Labs launched Blogger.com, which turned to be the first e-blogging web application.
Let’s learn how to start a blog and enumerate the best free blogging platforms:
All three blogging platforms allow using your own second-level domain, as like “domain.com”.
The major flaw of paid platforms is the necessity to pay for service in the light of free platforms.
No surprise, that an author’s personality takes a toll on a blog concept (in fact, a personal diary). But, a blogger should avoid the risk of being self-conscious and always to be a number one. Than, what topics blogger should share with readers as to make it a suitable entertainment to them?
The experts recommend dividing content in equal parts. 30% of entries must correspond to the blog’s concept: these could be informational articles, other experts’ articles deep rewriting, encyclopedia-like texts, or teaching texts, which will be interesting for your target audience. Another 30% of posts must narrate about your own experience in this or that sphere, your own point of view regarding some questions, or some services trials. For example, you can make screenshots whereas installing a plugin or testing a service operation. Afterwards you can enrich your content with comments. As a result, you will get a material for a new entry. You may also interview an interesting person, and write your opinion than. This also can be a new post.
The discussion of contradictory subjects may also create a winning content. People will argue and gain in like-minded communities. This will certainly cause posts retweets, drive new traffic to your page and provide back-links.
The rest 30% can be composed of news related to your concept, other blogs’ winning entries sets, new products or services reviews. For example, SEO-specialists may have an almost infinite source of news here. Web browsers always change their searching algorithms. The things, which are effective yesterday, turns to be not working today. In short, news will never be exhausted.
Leave 10% for humor. Some bloggers follow this advice too literary ending each post with a joke or a funny video. It is not healthy.
It makes no sense to build an inferior while choosing a post subject. There are excellent services in this industry, as Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Semrush and so on. You can insert there a query and get an array of subjects that will be of real interest to viewers. All you have to do is to write a full article concerning one of the queries and you will get a traffic driven from web browsers consisting of targeted visitors interested in the subject for a long time.
A website semantic kernel (100-200 queries), created previously, will make this task significantly lighter. Besides, you will have posts ideas stretch ahead for years. All these will provide you a promotion in search engines ranking.
If you have no semantic kernel, just spend some time on making a list of 10-50 subjects that will interest both you and your readers.
Reading e-newsletters you can run into a post subject. So, subscribe to winning blogs RSS Feeds and join the social networks communities related to your theme. Search for ideas on forums and take part in webinars.
By the way, webinars are of double benefit. You will learn new facts and ideas. Question that arise in chats also reveal people concerns. You can take it as a new article subject too.
Bloggers often find a subject for their new posts while looking through readers comments left for the previous posts (or to partners/competitors posts). In case you send e-newsletter by yourself, you can read subscribers questions. Answer them carefully and in details. Let your readers find answers to all questions.
The absence of answer is a good ground for learning something new and posting an answer on your blog.
Finally, you can ask readers what they would like to read in the next post in a direct conversation. Living talk and converse with visitors will provide you both with new ideas for posts or with growth of back links and blog popularity in search engines ranking.
Step-by-step recipes, how-to articles, and manuals shedding a light on user’s questions in details will always be winning texts for blogs and give the best answer how to create a blog in the most efficient manner.
Readers are fond of such guides because they allow achieving real results quickly and all that visitors need to do is just to repeat the author’s actions.
The text becomes ideal when mixed with screenshots or videos. Retweets, plenty of comments, fans love and many back links are certainly guaranteed for such posts.
There is no reason in relying on inspiration only and delaying text creating until deadline. Don’t forget about planning. It is healthy.
Collect and “save” the ideas. You should always keep some “semi”-articles. It may be texts pieces, extracts from recent posts. Just revise it and find something new.
Blogosphere’s events, taking part in some competitions are good ground for creating a post. The second is also an excellent way to declare yourself, drive traffic to your website and get links to your blog. Some people know how to make money on competitions. They win the top and the second prizes that bring big cheques to their holders.
Besides, you will experience double pleasure from sharing knowledge and tips with your readers. So, keep contacts with colleagues, partners, and readers. Find the subject encouraging you on creating corresponding content without problems and on regular basis.
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