As 2008 comes to a close, I want to wrap up my first year of blogging with some things I’ve learned this year. Many of these are mistakes I’ve made, so hopefully you can learn from them.
Expectations and Prep-work
Write about what you know
Post as much as you can
Don’t get started unless you have the time to finish
Don’t do it for the money
Blogging should be a hobby, not a frantic attempt for cash
The bloggers who succeed are those who know what they’re doing
Don’t fall for the John Chow Effect
The only secrets to blogging are consistency, and originality
Sadly, more posts beats larger posts
Focus on content, and the rest will come
Setting Up your Blog
Read blogging tips blogs, pretty much anybody on this list is good.
Create the essential accounts, twitter, stumble, digg, feedburner, google…
A good design is important, but a bad one won’t destroy you.
Prepare yourself for a roller coaster of success and failure
Use wordpress, not blogger.
If you know how to get your own domain
Write as many posts while you’re in the mood, because there will be those days…
Start networking right away.
Read this article
Study a little, these topics in this order, CSS, HTML, SEO Traffic Generation, Social Networking, and Social Media.
Essential Plugins (for Wordpress)
Top Commentator List
SEO All in One
Not a plugin but use the latest version of Wordpress and keep updating.
Comment Luv
If you’re picky about comments, Keyword Luv
I love Social Book Marking
Large RSS and Email Subscribe Buttons
Akismet! It’s blocked 450,000+ spam comments on here
Full Text Feed
Google XML Sitemaps
Content
Make content your focus at the beginning, not marketing.
Set up a recommend/featured posts set up, so that you can advertise your top posts.
Write in lists and use pictures
Conduct lots of reviews, studies, and polls
Use lots of links, to yourself, and to other bloggers
If it’s under 500 words don’t post it
Humor is ok, as long as you’re still giving them good information
Read some stellar posts so that you get an idea on how to do it.
Bold and Italicize your keywords, this helps catching the readers eye, and the SE spiders like it.
Use spelling and grammar checks
Marketing
Look for free links like Q/A posts, or top commentator lists…
If you have good information to share, share is as good information, not as obvious spam, The Secret to Millions Online
The best way to get quick links, is through sponsoring a popular contest
Learn How to Comment successfully
Email people, and have a contact page.
Read and study. Learn from the experts, and other people’s failures.
A Failure is better then never even trying. Because then you’ll probably succeed next time.
Accept that some posts will do better then others, and market those ones.
SEO
Use the SEO All in One tool. I know I already said this, but use it from the beginning, that way you have meta tags, and descriptions on every post.
You don’t need to be an expert on SEO to be able to use it, learn the basics and you’ll be fine.
Use Google Adwords Keyword Tool to choose your keywords
If you’re in this for the long run, aim for popular keywords now. It’d be annoyed to have to re-optimize later, for a different keyword.
Make your title tag your top keyword, and put that keyword in your meta description and keywords for your homepage.
Use beginner and advanced squidoo tips, to bring traffic and Link juice to your site.
Google respects powerful sites. Just keep focusing on content , and dont‘ use too much flash, and you won’t be sandboxed.
Google isn’t the devil people make it out to be. They’re just scared of it, because they don’t understand it.
If you comment enough, then all your posts will be added to google anyway. You don’t need to worry about submitting your posts to it, and don’t’ waste your money on those people saying pay them to add your site to search engines.
Traffic Generation
Social Media is awesome, and highly successful. Learn Digg and stumble!
Comments bring traffic.
Guest posting brings traffic, links, and markets your site. This is one of the best ways to market your site.
The Viral Effect can happen to anyone, at any time. Be prepared with either a big enough server or run away from digg, cause it’ll blow.
Word of mouth/email is still the best way to get traffic. You need your readers to be telling other people about your site.
Use Press Releases, and take advantage of current events to be the first to be writing on your evolving niche.
Use forums on your niche to your advantage. And don’t be afraid to ask questions on this.
Use your connections to market your site/products.
Sell something that’s really good. Spend a while on an Ebook and give some free promotional to start the viral effect rolling, and get the traffic flooding in.
Try the new rage, Video Posting
Stat Trackers
Alexa and technorati are both awful and misleading, try not to use them when you’re analyzing sites.
Though still skewed, siteanalytics is a good way to compare site’s traffic.
Use websitegrader to give you useful information about your stats, and site SEO.
Get listed in lists like 45n5’s and Winning the Web’s.
Use every stat tracker you can find.
Every stat tracker will be different, but analytics is the most trusted.
Aweber isn’t legit, don’t use it, and people don’t trust it. People use it to try and say they get hundreds of visits a day, but it’s not true.
Feedburner is the best feed stats tracker.
Use these tools to get untrue and unrealistic monetary values of your site.
Understand that visitors are not what makes a blog, but it’s active readers that create a community.
Monetizing
Have a creative original 125×125 ad.
Have an original site slogan that people will remember.
Don’t do it too early.
You can always monetize later, but monetizing too early can greatly hurt your site.
Ebook sales are awesome, once you have a popular enough blog.
Don’t try and sell something you don’t know.
Monetizing=Marketing You’ll only sell as much as you can market it.
Private ads are the top money makers for most people.
Affiliate Marketing can be a huge money maker if you know how to do it.
Sponsored Reviews and PPP, programs like that destroy your Page Rank. Be careful what programs you start up.
Extras
An About page is not an essential, but you should make one if you can.
A Contact Me Page you Need!
Advertise pages are more then just for buying advertising. I read all advertise pages just to see what type of stats they have, and which ones they use to get an idea of the blog. If you see them relying too much on illegitimate sources you can realize how important money is to them.
Patience and Perseverance are critical to succeeding on the internet. You’ll probably need to wait a while awhile before you will see anytime of monetary success.
Use Google Reader to stay informed.
Learn twice as much as you write. This way you always stay a step ahead of your readers, and have an inexhaustible amount of posts to write.
Don’t let stat results get you depressed. Good content combined with time, will always succeed, eventually…
Getting the first 100 subscribers is the hardest. After that, it only gets easier.
Have a good archives system set up, so that people can find the posts they’re looking for.
People Love Freebies! Give as many freebies as you can.
I got this post idea from Thoushallblog’s 101 blogging tips list. Make sure you check out his as well, because he has some great stuff on there, that I didn’t cover.
Stay One Step ahead of the other bloggers in your niche.
If you liked this post please subscribe to my RSS or Email feed, for more tips on How to Blog. Please Digg this article if it was helpful for you.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Well those are some awesome tips. I have been seeing and a lot of these lists lately and it must just be because it is coming to the end of the year. Anyways, I love the post and it is definitely a recommendation to other bloggers.
Blog Experts last blog post..8 More Kick-Ass Blog Headlines
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December 23rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
All great tips. Commenting can get you more inlinks which always helps.
mikes last blog post..The Supremes Songs
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I’m not too sure where I’ve seen this list before but yours is one tip more than the other…..
Good job, buddy. Keep blogging and keep following thoushallblog.com.
Yan
Blog Tips for Beginnerss last blog post..101 Blogging Tips I’ve Learned in 2008
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I have been seeing and a lot of these lists lately and it must just be because it is coming to the end of the year. Anyways, I love the post and it is definitely a recommendation to other bloggers.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I’m glad you guys like the post. Please digg it to show your support. Thanks!
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December 23rd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Really good list. I’m a beginning blogger and there’s so much that I did not know. This list really informed me that I’ve a lot to learn about blogging, and that I’ve a ways to go. I’ll keep up on your post if I can, just to learn more. Great post, keep up the good work.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Great list! I wish I had read this months ago. I don’t feel so bad about my Alexa and Technorati rankings now.
Southern California SCUBA Divers last blog post..Winter Solstice Dive At The Old Marineland
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December 23rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
102 Blogging Tips that Everyone Needs to Know…
102 Blogging tips from my past year as a blogger in the how to blog niche. These are lessons that all bloggers need to learn, and will learn eventually if they don’t now. If you’re a blogger this is a must read….
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
102 Blogging Tips that every Blogger needs to know…
102 Blogging tips from my past year as a blogger in the how to blog niche. These are lessons that all bloggers need to learn, and will learn eventually if they don’t now. If you’re a blogger this is a must read….
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Mostly good tips, and even a few gems I hadn’t thought of.
Good work.
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December 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Excellent compilation of solid tips!
I would say you covered most of them, yet I bet there are still some to be discovered.
ethans last blog post..An Entrepreneur and Marketer’s Greatest Teacher
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December 24th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Solid tips…that must have taken some time
ZK@Internet Marketing Blogs last blog post..14 Thoughts Leaders on Social Media in 2009
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December 24th, 2008 at 2:05 am
Lol it certainly did ZK, it took a couple hours, but it was definitely worth it.
Feel free to tell me any I missed Ethan. And it’s good that there’s more to discover, because otherwise that means I should be a millionarie right now, because i’d know everything.
Thanks Gabriel, please support this post guys by digging it, Thanks!
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December 24th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Whoa! Thats a great list
And i think you should install the sociable plugin(makes life easy) as I could not see any bookmarking icons except digg. Cheers!
Farrhad As last blog post..Coolest Gadgets of the Year
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December 24th, 2008 at 2:47 am
In addition to my previous comment:
I dugg the post
Farrhad As last blog post..Coolest Gadgets of the Year
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December 24th, 2008 at 3:23 am
thanks farrhad for digging. If you move your mouse over the heart you can submit it to social media sites, but you’re probably right. I should probably do a bigger more obvious one.
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December 24th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Thanks for the tips.. I’ve been looking at different options for my blog.. this helped.. Lot’s of good tips!
h0neybs last blog post..Obama’s New White House Pet
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December 24th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Excellent tips. I’d make one small correction.
#25 - delete those that can’t read a comment policy. Otherwise it’s like saying your commenters run your blog. As important as they are, this should never be the case.
Dennis Edells last blog post..What Criteria Factors Into Your Link Love/Round-Up Posts?
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December 24th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
That’s a good point Dennis, every commenter needs to be respectful of the owner’s wishes. That’s just common curtisy.
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December 25th, 2008 at 5:04 am
I’m surprised about the Technorati comment, i thought they were pretty good for blogs.
exit2013s last blog post..Christmas Wish
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December 25th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
They’re pretty good, but you need to take them with a grain of salt. A lot of bloggers have realized about top commentator lists, and how they are a link. So any blogger with enough time can easily get a 30-40K ranking. Under that is more difficult though.
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December 26th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
These are excellent tips that I have stumbled and shouted out as well. Happy holidays!
timethiefs last blog post..Accelerate Achievement and Success with Creative Visualization
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December 27th, 2008 at 12:09 am
An excellent list !!
Great job…
Happy New Year!
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December 27th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Great post. Yet another long list to end the year. One more tip to add into your content section which is to learn copywriting.
Cheers for 2009
Wei Liang
Wei Liang | Earn Money Onlines last blog post..Lesson 22: E-Book Marketing
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December 27th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Good list of tips….a good refresher of things we all should be doing. Thanks for sharing.
Peter Lee
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December 27th, 2008 at 4:32 am
Wow that was one hell of a list!
61. Social Media is awesome, and highly successful. Learn Digg and stumble!
63. Guest posting brings traffic, links, and markets your site. This is one of the best ways to market your site.
Amen to these two!
Let me ask you what is it about Aweber that you don’t like? Could you please elaborate just a bit?
Thanks.
-Gerald Weber
Houston search engine optiizations last blog post..Gerald Weber Dancing with the Elves
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December 27th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Peter: That’s a good idea I forgot about that, I’ll have to do that for my next list.
Gerald: Sure, it’s not that I dislike it, I just think it’s unreliable. Because it tracks all pageviews and rss hits, it’s a very different tracker then all other ones. It says there were way more hits because it tracks more, and thus pumps up the stats. So i’m not saying don’t use it, but if you’re buying a site or something you need to be careful about it. The difference between 300x a day hits on analytics and 300x a day on aweber is Huge.
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December 27th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
This is great, thanks
Joys last blog post..Christmas Blog Entry
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December 27th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Great list of tips. There is some really useful information here.
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December 27th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
great tips really. This can be used as a hand book and guide. Good job.
sankars last blog post..Love means a need to say sorry
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December 30th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
These are the best tips about blogging I have read ever. Thank you for sharing them with us.
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December 30th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Good one! I’m sending it to my clients…
thanks
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December 31st, 2008 at 6:39 am
Good tips. I like the way you have them in categories.
Brian D. Hawkinss last blog post..Just Ask - Ken Needs Targeted Traffic
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January 4th, 2009 at 7:21 am
A very clear and consise list of how to go about getting yourself set up with a blog. I think lists of topics are good clear ways of finding out where the information want is to be found. This is my first visit to this site but I shall be visiting again. Thanks for the information.
http://paullhamilton.com
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January 6th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
[...] 8 . 102 Blogging Tips All Bloggers need to Know [...]
January 10th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Excellent, practical posts. I’ve already “Twittered” it and forwarded your link to my clients to spread through their offices. I always gain from such posts. Thanks for sharing.
I’ll write this excellent post @ http://www.makemoneykingdom.com
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January 12th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Interesting stuff, it was very helpful. thanks again
Daniels last blog post..Reasons why you should learn python
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January 14th, 2009 at 5:47 am
You covered most of them, Excellent compilation of solid tips!
Busby SEOs last blog post..Busby SEO Test
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February 1st, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Great job!
Dugg and Stumbled it for you.
Larry Brauners last blog post..Online Social Networking Using Twitter
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March 24th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Congratulations on your very comprehensive list and thanks for sharing it.
Keyword luv is the very best plugin, indeed!
Hanna @ Afiliate Funnel Systemss last blog post..Just Who Are You Buying From?
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April 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 am
[...] 102 Blogging Tips All Bloggers need to Know [...]
May 8th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Wow, some great tips in this post. As you mention a few times; Content is king…..the most important thing is frequent fresh content.
Garys last blog post..Tips to Choose a Great SEO Consultant
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May 9th, 2009 at 6:23 am
[...] 102??????????????? [...]
May 15th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Blogging is an art, a skill set and a craft that takes time to perfect. Fortunately, there are blogs like this one that so willingly provide fantastic tips. Thank you ever so much!
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