how-to-start-a-blog
how-to-start-a-blog how-to-start-a-blog
specific category.Reading - Allows you to set the home page for your site (either astatic page or the latest blog posts), the number of blog posts onyour home page and archives, the number of items in your RSS feed,and whether you want to show your full post content or a summaryin your RSS feed.Discussion - Allows you to control how comments are received onyour blog. The optimum setting is to moderate all new commentauthors, and automatically approve comments by previouslyapproved comment authors. Also hold in moderation commentswith multiple links as this is a sign of a spammer.Media - Allows you to customize the default sizes for imagesuploaded to your blog.Permalinks - This allows you to customize the URL structure for yourblog. The best option is to have a structure that allows keywordsfrom your post / page titles to be implemented into your URL, alsoknown as the post name structure.ConclusionRemember you will need to visit and learn about each section of your Dashboard and get comfortable withthe management options. Doing so will allow you to improve your blog’s design, functionality, and personality.Once you know what it takes to customize your blog, make the necessary tweaks to make it stand out andplease your readers.Chapter 4How to Write and Create GreatBlog ContentSummary: The content of your blog will be the bait that draws yourreaders. In this chapter we will cover what content your blog consistof, types of content you can be creating, and blogging practices youshould follow.Now that you have your blog set up, your next goal is to createcontent. Without great content, even the most well-designed, tightly-structuredblogs will ultimately fail. There are three types of contentyou need to create for your blog.33
Pages content - Static page content for your blog.Sidebar content - Static content that appears alongside your blog.Blog posts content - Regular post content about your niche.Before you start writing your day-to-day “Blog posts” you will haveto make sure the main content - “Pages” and “Sidebar” of your blogis created and uploaded to your blog.We will explore each of these areas of content in-depth down below.Pages contentFirst, you will need to create your page content. As you are startingout, you will want to have static content pages for the following.About page - The most traditional page on any blog isthe about page. This page simply tells new visitors toyour blog what it is about, who you are, and why youhave a blog about your specific topic.Contact page - This page allows visitors to your blogto contact you at anytime. It can be a simple page withyour email address plus social network links, or you canuse plugins like Contact Form 7 to have a simple contactform visitors can use to contact you without leavingyour website.Products/services page - If you created your blog topromote your business, you will want to make sure thatthere is a page that details the products or services yousell. Alternatively, if you already have a website for yourbusiness, you can link to it in your menu.Disclaimer/policy page - To give yourself a little liabilityprotection, you might want to consider a disclaimersor policy page. For example, if you are writing a healthblog, but you’re not a medical professional, you maywant to create a disclaimer to say that while you offerthe best advice possible, you are not responsible forany outcomes that those who follow it experience. Youmay also want to inform visitors to your website thatyou use analytics tracking, Google AdSense, affiliatemarketing links, and other types of content. A great exampleof a disclaimer page can be found here.As you continue to grow your blog, you will also want to consider adding the following pages.Pillar pages - As you add new content to your blog, youwill want to consider creating pillar pages. These arepages that direct visitors to your blog to specific postson specific topics. Derek Halpern’s List Building 101page is a great example of a pillar page.Advertising page - If you want to sell advertising onyour blog and you have enough traffic to make it worthwhilefor advertisers, create an advertising page thatshows off your latest stats (number of website visitors,pageviews, email subscribers, RSS subscribers, etc.).Archive page - This page simply guides people to yourmost recent posts, your top categories, your top tags,and content you have created off of your site, such asguest posts, interviews, podcasts, videos, and similar.34
- Page 1 and 2: How to Start a BlogThe Beginner’s
- Page 3 and 4: Types of content...................
- Page 5 and 6: Chapter 1Welcome to The Blogger Wor
- Page 7 and 8: Why people blog?Think about why are
- Page 9 and 10: Here are tips from Pat Flynn about
- Page 11 and 12: Here’s a competition check proces
- Page 13 and 14: Readers are looking for solutionsBl
- Page 15 and 16: you will use your own web space (we
- Page 17 and 18: What is a domain name?Your domain n
- Page 19 and 20: Avoid trademarkproblemsNo numbers a
- Page 21 and 22: Support - if you are new to the web
- Page 23 and 24: Complete instructionsfor setting up
- Page 25 and 26: Owning your blog5Although we mentio
- Page 27 and 28: A closer look at each area of a das
- Page 29 and 30: In the Comments section, you will h
- Page 31 and 32: Free, premium, and custom themesFor
- Page 33: Additional menu optionsUsersThis se
- Page 37 and 38: Basic components of a blog postThe
- Page 39 and 40: Best blogging practicesTo become a
- Page 41 and 42: This is why you need to learn some
- Page 43 and 44: Network with others at every opport
- Page 45 and 46: Look at paid advertising optionsIf
- Page 47 and 48: already (or know their email addres
- Page 49 and 50: ConclusionBeyond the tips listed, y
- Page 51 and 52: letting your audience know exactly
- Page 53 and 54: and Clickbank allow you to preview
- Page 55 and 56: Sponsored reviewsIn addition to sel
- Page 57 and 58: ConclusionWe hope that you’ve enj
Pages content - Static page content for your <strong>blog</strong>.Sidebar content - Static content that appears alongside your <strong>blog</strong>.Blog posts content - Regular post content about your niche.Before you <strong>start</strong> writing your day-<strong>to</strong>-day “Blog posts” you will have<strong>to</strong> make sure the main content - “Pages” and “Sidebar” of your <strong>blog</strong>is created and uploaded <strong>to</strong> your <strong>blog</strong>.We will explore each of these areas of content in-depth down below.Pages contentFirst, you will need <strong>to</strong> create your page content. As you are <strong>start</strong>ingout, you will want <strong>to</strong> have static content pages for the following.About page - The most traditional page on any <strong>blog</strong> isthe about page. This page simply tells new visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong>your <strong>blog</strong> what it is about, who you are, and why youhave a <strong>blog</strong> about your specific <strong>to</strong>pic.Contact page - This page allows visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> your <strong>blog</strong><strong>to</strong> contact you at anytime. It can be a simple page withyour email address plus social network links, or you canuse plugins like Contact Form 7 <strong>to</strong> have a simple contactform visi<strong>to</strong>rs can use <strong>to</strong> contact you without leavingyour website.Products/services page - If you created your <strong>blog</strong> <strong>to</strong>promote your business, you will want <strong>to</strong> make sure thatthere is a page that details the products or services yousell. Alternatively, if you already have a website for yourbusiness, you can link <strong>to</strong> it in your menu.Disclaimer/policy page - To give yourself a little liabilityprotection, you might want <strong>to</strong> consider a disclaimersor policy page. For example, if you are writing a health<strong>blog</strong>, but you’re not a medical professional, you maywant <strong>to</strong> create a disclaimer <strong>to</strong> say that while you offerthe best advice possible, you are not responsible forany outcomes that those who follow it experience. Youmay also want <strong>to</strong> inform visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> your website thatyou use analytics tracking, Google AdSense, affiliatemarketing links, and other types of content. A great exampleof a disclaimer page can be found here.As you continue <strong>to</strong> grow your <strong>blog</strong>, you will also want <strong>to</strong> consider adding the following pages.Pillar pages - As you add new content <strong>to</strong> your <strong>blog</strong>, youwill want <strong>to</strong> consider creating pillar pages. These arepages that direct visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> your <strong>blog</strong> <strong>to</strong> specific postson specific <strong>to</strong>pics. Derek Halpern’s List Building 101page is a great example of a pillar page.Advertising page - If you want <strong>to</strong> sell advertising onyour <strong>blog</strong> and you have enough traffic <strong>to</strong> make it worthwhilefor advertisers, create an advertising page thats<strong>how</strong>s off your latest stats (number of website visi<strong>to</strong>rs,pageviews, email subscribers, RSS subscribers, etc.).Archive page - This page simply guides people <strong>to</strong> yourmost recent posts, your <strong>to</strong>p categories, your <strong>to</strong>p tags,and content you have created off of your site, such asguest posts, interviews, podcasts, videos, and similar.34
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