Key Elements to a Successful Blog

Key Elements to a Successful Blog
By: Al Zan

Everyone who starts blogging would like to become successful. Success can be achieved and interpreted in different ways. Most bloggers are inclined to measure success by the number of traffic or visits generated by their blogs while some bloggers claim themselves successful when they effectively monetize their blogs. However you define and measure success in Blogging, Blogging Mix will be a useful concept for bloggers who aspire to become successful.

Today's article will focus on defining and explaining the Blogging Mix and its components. It will also give you a brief overview of the necessary elements that every blogger needs in order to become successful in blogging.

In marketing, we have what we call as the marketing mix. Otherwise known as the 4Ps and 7Ps for goods and services respectively. These Ps (product, price, promotion, place, physical evidence, process and people) are key elements that determine the success of a marketing campaign, program or project.

Blogging has its own mix of elements that I wish to refer to as the Blogging Mix. Blogging Mix is made up of 3Cs, namely; Content, Connection and Continuity. These three elements are vital for the success of every blogger. Just like the marketing mix, the proper management of the Blogging Mix will lead bloggers to a successful blogging experience.

Blogging Mix or the 3Cs (content, connection and continuity)

Blogging Mix embodies all that a blogger should have or should accomplish to become successful in blogging. Content, Connection and Continuity are all that is needed for bloggers to achieve their goals and objectives. Let's tackle the Blogging Mix one by one starting first with content.

Content

Content refers to the value of posts or entries that a blogger publish on his or her blog. It also refers to the topic, layout, theme, genre, tone, use of keywords, HTML and the format of the blog. In short, 'content is a blog's internal environment'. Take note that in content, bloggers are primarily if not solely responsible of its outcome.

Perhaps you have heard from other bloggers that content is king, king for the reason that according to them it's the most important aspect of a blog. The idea of giving content the utmost importance is something I beg to disagree with. I have noticed some blogs with great contents but do not receive the attention and appreciation they deserve. I believe that a blog is supported by three elements (content, connection and continuity) in order to be successful. These three elements share the same and equal importance and value. They work like a tripod and the absence of one element makes blogging a failure.

Here are a few questions that can be used to gauge the effectiveness of a blog's content.

1. Is your blog's topic timely, relevant, informative or entertaining?

2. Are the posts on your blog presented well for convenient reading? Are your posts free from errors? Are you using your keywords in your posts?

3. Is your blog optimized for search engines? Is it search engine friendly? Are you using tags?

4. Do you spend time to conduct research before writing your entries? Do you take time to understand what your readers need and want?

Any question with a NO answer needs your attention. Take note that these are basic things in blogging. Articles discussing the more technical issues of content will be posted at Blogskinny.com very soon.

Connection

Connection is another important element in the Blogging Mix. Connection refers to the inbound or incoming (link to your web page from another site) and outbound or outgoing links to your blog. It also pertains to a blogger's network of friends, readers, admirers, competitors and community. Connection should also be understood as the ways bloggers interact with their networks. And lastly, connection refers to the techniques and strategies that bloggers employ to publicize or promote their blogs. In simple words, 'connection is the external environment of a blog'. While bloggers have more responsibilities to their blog's content, connection largely depends to the blog's external environment (i.e. readers, admirers, competitors etc.).

A lot of blog experts assert how links, both inward and outward, are essential in determining a blog's search engine ranking or a blog's visibility in the blogosphere. Link alone however cannot stand on its own. As I've said earlier, bloggers need connections to supplement content and continuity to support both. In a series of posts I will soon publish in www.blogskinny.com, I will be writing a more detailed article about connection so keep on visiting Blogskinny.com for updates.

To assess your blog's Connection, here are a few more questions to guide you.

1. Do you receive positive and negative comments or feedbacks about your posts on your blog? Do you respond to these comments?

2. Do you have an RSS? Do people subscribe to your feeds?

3. Have you signed up in Technorati, Mybloglog, Blogcatalog or Squidoo?

4. Have you been commenting on other blogger's blog? Have you been joining forums lately?

5. Is your blog registered to major search engines? Blog directories? RSS directories?

Continuity

Continuity may sound easy or simple but it actually shares the same level of devotion and hard work that content and connection require. Continuity refers to the continuous development or improvement of a blog's content and continuity. It also refers to the consistent and continuous updating or posting fresh articles on your blog. Most successful bloggers of today are those people who remained consistent in updating their blogs. Through continuous blogging, a blogger will be able to gain a wide number of readers and will receive more referrals from search engines and other websites and weblogs.

You should however understand that continuity is not merely about continuous blogging or posting new entries or articles on your blog. More importantly, continuity is all about development and progress. It's about taking the next step one after another. If you take time to read older blog posts of successful bloggers, you'll find out that their current posts are a lot better compared to their older entries. This is what exactly continuity is all about.

In recognition of the significance of continuity in successful blogging, I will be devoting a series of posts to tackle the issues surrounding continuity and its impact to successful blogging at Blogskinny.com.

Conclusion

To be a successful blogger your blog needs more than just content, connection and continuity. You should have the proper combination of the Blogging Mix or the 3 Cs depending on the nature of your blog. The proper combination of the Blogging Mix is another article that will be covered in the succeeding posts.

Do you agree with this article? Do you think I'm missing another "C" in the Blogging Mix that should be included? Whatever you have in mind, please share it to other readers so we can learn from each other. You can always post your opinions and ideas in the comment section. Thanks.



Article Source: http://www.articles4free.com

Build Blogs Fast: Blog Creation

Build Blogs Fast: Blog Creation
By: lazysurfer2

In blog creation, the goal is to provide another avenue of marketing for your business. However, do you really know what it takes to make the ideal blog? Do you know what ingredients must go into making your blog creation a success? You might not have thought about it, but there are some things that you must consider when creating a blog and in this article, we are going to discuss some things every blog has to have in order to become successful.

In blog creation, you want to build credibility with your readers. You have to let your readers know that you have the necessary qualifications to make the judgments and statements you do on the topic. You have to give them a reason to believe in what you are writing. This does not mean you have to go on and on about what gives you the qualifications, you just need to state somewhere why you feel you are the expert in your field.

You then need to invoke authority in the topic as well. Ok so you have established what qualifications you possess to give your opinions on the subject, but you need to invoke authority by writing about them in insightful and knowledgeable ways. Back up your opinions or statements with some references if at all possible.

In blog creation, you also want to make sure you have a high passion for the topic. Any person reading your blog posts will be able to tell if you do or do not carry passion. It is important to love what you have to say and say it with enthusiasm and intense passion. It will definitely shine through in your posts.

You will also want a blog that contains some personality. Reader definitely do not want to read anything that is dull or boring. You need to give them a reason to keep reading if you want your blog creation to become a success. It is important to remember that you are writing for humans and no robots, throw in some humor, we all love a good laugh.

Maintain your blog with regular posts. Visitors and readers look for reliability and consistency. If it might be awhile between posts, make a post saying so and tell them why. People are much more understanding when they know what is going on, then if you simply let the blog go for a month or two.

The last few things you need in order to make your blog creation successful are empathy, reality, and uniqueness. These three things together can literally make or break your blog. Empathy means touching your audience, interacting with them, making them feel like and understand that you have been right where they are in life, no matter what topic you are right about. You need to cater to the needs and interests of your readers in order for them to understand what you are saying.

Keep your blogs real, refrain from writing a fiction novel. People want real and up to date information. Lastly, do not provide your readers with the same information and ideas that they can find on any given website or blog on the internet. Make sure what you have to say is unique and professional.



Article Source: http://www.articles4free.com

Blog Promotion Using RSS and Blog Submissions

Blog Promotion Using RSS and Blog Submissions
By: CristinaMailat

It happens to everyone at some point in time. You have a great idea for a blog, on a new niche topic. You create the blog; you post interesting and creative posts to it each day, and then nothing.

You post your brilliant and original thoughts for everyone online to read, but no one is coming around to read your blog. And, because no one can find your blog to read it, you are not generating any links or improvement in your search engine rankings either. What is a blogger to do?

Promoting your blog is essential to its success. You need to promote your blog so that you become recognized as an expert in your chosen niche and can monetize your blog. However, you also want to promote your blog to increase the traffic to your site, reach a new reading audience, and most importantly to create as many inbound links as possible. Creating inbound links ensures that your website rankings and search engine optimization efforts pay off for you in the biggest ways possible.

You want to promote your blog to as many people in your niche market as you possibly can. And, you want to do it as often as you possibly can. Some people believe that the best way to promote a blog is through comments on other popular blogs with a link to your own blog, comments on UseNet or other Internet message boards or forums, posting press releases and articles, etc.. However, the easiest and most time efficient way to promote your blog is through RSS feed and blog submissions to directories hands down.

The issue with using a manual feed submitter, or using an individual RSS submitter, is that it is very time consuming to deal with on a consistent basis. Most bloggers want to write their posts and be done with their work for the day. They do not want to spend a half-hour writing a post and then three more hours trying to submit their RSS feed and content to directories in hopes of bringing in some readers and sneaking up their search engine rankings.

The good news is that today programmers have developed some great semi-automatic RSS feed submit tools which you can now choose from to help submit your RSS feed and blog to directories without it being so time consuming. Feed submitter software programs allow you to simultaneously submit your blog and RSS feeds to literally thousands of directories, and to do it all with only a couple quick clicks of your mouse.

Setting up the RSS feed submission software is simple to do and the submission process takes very little time to complete. Using RSS feed submitters is much easier and quicker than attempting manual RSS submits.

If you are a blogger interested in publishing RSS feeds, XML feeds, and getting your feed out into the RSS databases of the world, I would highly suggest that you check out some of the amazing new RSS software tools available to you today on the market. Choose a tool that is easy to use and one which will allow you to reach the maximum amount of directories possible for the least amount of work.

Writing your blog posts should be the hardest part of blogging, not trying to get noticed and dealing with SEO. Thankfully, the advent of semi-automatic feed submitters allows you to spend your time doing your writing and not dealing as much with promotion.



Article Source: http://www.articles4free.com

Fresh new ideas for posting on a blog!

Fresh new ideas for posting on a blog!
By: krishnadevi

There is no doubt that blogs are the IN thing today in the online world. Wherever you surf, blogs are sprouting everywhere like mushrooms, whether they are used for personal or business purposes. But for starters, what is a blog anyway? It is a diary where you can post your thoughts or feelings or whatnots, except that it is online and the public can read it. But enough of that. Gone were the days when they were used solely for personal reasons. On the business side, they can be a very useful tool to boost your business, and to keep your customers updated on the products and information you have. But if you are still struggling to catch up on the latest thing these days and you think you are not much of a great writer either, let me give you some useful subjects you can write about to give your customers a lot of reasons to keep coming back to your site.

1. News. Okay, so maybe that is basic. After all, your company or business is the reason you put up a blog, right? Write about the products you sell. Give them a bit of the benefits your potential customers might get for buying them, with a link back to your main site to read the entire sales letter. You can also write about updates to your product. Post news about the industry you are in. If you are selling products that help people get better search engine rankings, write about search engine news. Or, if you or your service has been featured on TV, papers, or notable websites, write about it. Do not forget to post seminars or gatherings where you have been invited.

2. History of your business. Maybe this one has already been in your main website, but who cares? People forget it. They come and go and chances are, when they visit your site, they do not read it. Write about how you began, the reputation and achievements you have earned, and the accolades or awards you received, with a link back your site. That way you will let them know why they should buy from you, and that you are a real person who is building a reputable business. Add some employee’s profile if you have someone working for you, too. If you have nice traffic or site stats, that is also worth mentioning.

3. Customer’s feedback. When a raving customer emails you about how your product has helped him, share it in your blog. You are giving your visitors a compelling reason to buy from you.

4. Site of the week / month. Mention a site that does not compete with you but complements to your won. Explain to them why you like it, and why it deserves your accolade.

5. Contests, surveys, trivia, questionnaires. If you are running a contest, post it in your blog to encourage visitors to join. Get their attention by including the prizes, a bit of the rules, with a link back to your site for more information regarding it. Or put a survey. That could give you information regarding the product you are selling, as to how you could develop it further.

6. Tip of the day. Write about a new tactic you developed or something you learned and perfected.

So there. Whatever your business is, no doubt there is always something you will definitely want to write about. Give it a try. And it will reward you soon.



Article Source: http://www.articles4free.com

Personal Blogging, Documentary, and History

There are plenty of blogs that serve
other functions, but many blogs are primarily catalogues
of the life experiences of their author. Although there
are quite a few blogs that focus on collecting poetry and
other forms of creative writing, the vast majority of
personal blogs are in some sense documentaries.
For many years, the act of making a documentary was
meant to be an objective act of reporting the sights and
sounds that the filmmaker, writer, or photographer
encountered. However, in contemporary times there has
been a movement towards embracing the subjectivity
inherent in the documentary form.

This means that
modern documentaries often reflect the distinctive
voice and sensibility of their creator, and the fact that
todays documentaries often revolve around personality
blurs the lines between documentary and memoir. Blogs
rest somewhere between these two genres, muddying
the distinctions even further. Personal blogging,
documentary, and memoir are now irrevocably
intertwined, for better or for worse.
Although few bloggers think of themselves as making
documentaries in any formal sense, every time
somebody sits down in front of a computer and types up
a record of their day, they are documenting their own
historical moment.


The things that we take for granted
about our daily lives, like the way that we use specific
modes of transportation, or the kinds of products that
we buy, often seem quite fascinating to people who live
in circumstances different from ours, and it is this kind
of fascination that is at the heart of many documentary
projects. When people think about blogging,
documentary is not very likely to be the first adjective
that crosses their minds, but a few decades down the
road it is very likely that todays blogs will be seen
primarily as very subjective documentaries of our era.


The people of tomorrow will almost certainly look to
the blogs of today for insight into our historical
moment.
When it comes to blogging, documentary may not be
the aim of most people who spend their time posting
their thoughts and ideas on the internet. In some ways,
the documentary aspect of blogging is more of a side
effect than a primary goal. However, the fact that so
many people are interested in publishing these public
online diaries shows that personal blogs are about more
than just rumination.

The fact that bloggers are so
stimulated by and interested in sharing their ideas with
each other reinforces the idea that personal blogs are, in
some ways, documentaries meant for public
consumption. Documentaries appeal to people who are
curious about other ways of life, and many people who
regularly read others personal blogs are looking for this
same kind of new perspective.

Blogging Pake Blog Desk

BlogDesk merupakan aplikasi blog client yang memungkinkan pengguna blog memposting tulisannya tanpa perlu login terlebih dulu melalui web blog yang mereka miliki. Dengan tampilan yang tidak berbeda jauh dengan blog editor.

Nah buat anda yang koneksi internetnya tidak mendukung atau rada lelet, aplikasi ini perlu anda coba. Sebagai langkah awal, silahkan download terlebih dahulu lalu instal di komputer anda.

Cara menggunakannya:

1.Setelah di instal, klik shortcut BlogDesk

2.Daftarkan account anda dengan mengklik menu File –> Manage Blogs

3.Klik new untuk melanjutkan proses pendaftaran

4.Isi URL blog anda pada kotak yang tersedia, contoh: http://gunegan02.blogspot.com


5.Klik Next

6.Klik provider blog anda, contoh: Blogger atau WordPress

7.Klik Next

8.Abaikan saja, klik next lagi

9.Masukkan nama login blog anda beserta passwordnya

10.Klik Get blog ID

11.Klik tombol Get Categories maka BlogDesk secara otomatis akan menampilkan kategori-kategori yang telah anda buat sebelumnya.

12.Berikutnya anda diminta untuk mencoba untuk melakukan proses upload gambar, klik tombol Test Upload dan tunggu beberapa saat lalu klik Next

13.Proses pendaftaran selesai, klik Finish

Untuk memulai BlogDesk, anda cukup menuliskan isi dari tulisan yang akan anda muat pada blog seperti layaknya anda mengetik pada versi online. Namun ada beberapa kekurangan editor BlogDesk yang tidak sama persis dengan editor blog versi online, hanya saja kita tetap dapat menggunakannya dengan nyaman. Contohnya untuk membuat halaman blog kita menjadi format tampilan setengah dan tampilan penuh. Jika pada blog versi online kita cukup mengklik pada tombol yang sudah tersedia, sedangkan pada editor BlogDesk anda harus memasukkannya secara manual.

Untungnya kode-kode tersebut telah dibuat dalam format tag, sehingga memungkinkan kita untuk mengetiknya secara manual. Pada editor BlogDesk anda hanya perlu menampilkannya dalam mode html editor, kemudian letakkan kode tag editor wordpress dibaris yang anda sukai. Sebagai contoh, letakkan tagpada tulisan yang akan dibuat di editor BlogDesk.

Untuk mengaktifkan mode html editor anda harus mengklik pada menu utama BlogDesk, View –> Source, kemudian pindahkan kode tag editor dibaris yang anda inginkan. Memang agak sedikit repot, tetapi ada kelebihan lain yang dapat anda nikmati.

Jika tulisan anda telah siap dipublikasi anda cukup memilih ingin dipublikasi pada blog yang mana (jika lebih dari satu blog) dan pada kategori apa. Anda dapat memilihnya pada bagian sebelah kanan (Blog and Categories). Berikutnya anda pilih File –> Publish Post atau Ctrl+F9, atau pada toolbar BlogDesk telah ada shortcut dengan lambang , tunggu beberapa saat, maka BlogDesk akan mengirimkan secara langsung tulisan yang anda tulis pada BlogDesk.

Membuat Halaman Bersambung

Sampai dengan saat ini, artikel membuat multi pages ini adalah artikel paling singkat di blog saya. Bukan karena malas membahasnya secara panjang lebar, tapi memang perintah untuk melakukannya sangat mudah.

Multi pages atau halaman bersambung ini mirip dengan perintah read more, sangat baik digunakan untuk artikel-artikel yang sangat panjang. Dengan menggunakan ini, pengunjung tidak perlu loading terlalu lama untuk membuka blog anda yang berisi artikel-artikel panjang.

Untuk membuatnya; buatlah artikel yang mau disambung, lalu sisipkan tag di akhir halaman yang menurut anda panjangnya sudah cukup. Lalu lanjutkan dengan artikel untuk halaman kedua dan sisipkan kembali tag tadi, begitu seterusnya sehingga akan tampil menjadi halaman 1…2…3…dst. Banyaknya tag yang anda sisipkan otomatis menunjukkan jumlah halaman yang ditampilkan