How To Blog: 10 Simple Steps!

So you want to be a blogger? But you’re not quite sure how to start?

Fear not… Desperado has crafted for you, a beautiful 10 step tutorial on how to get off to a good start with 10 important things that you should most definitely be doing. This tutorial is related to WordPress but I’m sure most of the content applies to all blogs.

– A simple guide to blogging

So you want to start a blog? I’m writing up a very simple guide to a better start to your blogging life. And by simple, I mean as simple as stating some of the obvious stuff. You won’t believe some of the mistake people make. That includes me.

I got a friend recently, who got interested in the world of blogging. So he created a WordPress account, got himself his own blog and put up his first post.

Great! That’s the first step all done.

Where do we go from there?

How do we generate traffic and bring people to the site?

How do we get followers?

How do we turn an empty shell of a blog into one filled with life where the inhabitants can have fun and be joyous?

Okay, I may be going a bit too far with my descriptions but you get the general idea. I won’t preach like an old man. I’m not quite there yet but I will give you some handy hints and tips from what I learnt from my recent start to blogging. I am no expert by any means but it is easier to learn from a rookie because he most probably made the same mistakes that you will.

A To Do List for your Blog!

#1 – Introduction

• You create an introduction post. Let the world know what your blog is about, why you are blogging and what they can expect from it. It will not only help people realise what your blog is about, but also help you remember why you are doing this, in case you forget along the way.

#2 – Tagging

– Add tags to your post. This is so that your blog has a means to be found by keywords that bloggers search for in the WordPress Reader. That’s your primary source of traffic. This is where you’ll get your initial readers from.

#3 – Featured Images

– Add images and a featured image to your posts. Not all people like looking at a black and white screen with black and white scribing. It becomes dull and boring to the eyes and mind. Well, it does to mine so I figure it would do so for others as well. A bit of colour and images go a long way to attract attention, hence why I suggest you use the featured image option for every post you publish. It’s the big neon sign trick. I call it a trick because it works.

#4 – About

– The about page; It’s there for a reason… Use it. People want to connect with you as a person and your blog so have an about me page available for readers to look at. It’s the first thing I look at after the title of a blog when I come across a new blog. If I don’t like what I read, I press the ‘X’ in the corner and move on. This is your selling page so sell yourself and your blog to the reader. This is the blogs advert.

#5 – Title & Tagline

– A catchy title and tagline is vital. If it’s something as simple as Joe’s Blog – My personal blog… I don’t think it will interest many people, apart from those named Joe perhaps. Try to come up with something witty and creative. That’s a sign of a good writer. It will draw the crowd in to see what this cleverly titled blog is all about. Once they’re there, then it depends on your writing my friend, I can’t help you any further.

#6 – Theme

– You need a theme that is visually delicate and easy to navigate. You have to allow all your posts to be accessed in accordance their categories. Not everybody wants to read about your trips to the farm where you spend three hours talking to the Pig named Wanda. Although they might be truly interested in your Horse Riding experience or your collection of Detective Novels.

#7 – Comments

– You got a great way to connect to your readers and other bloggers; the comments section. Please don’t ignore it. Use it. Talk to your readers and interact with them. Make them feel at home. Offer them some tea. Well, not literally because nobody enjoys virtual tea. Maybe the Second Life guys do, but nobody in this world.

#8 – Networking

– Go out there and explore other blogs. Read, Comment, Interact and Follow. Firstly, this will get you out there in the world of blogging and you’ll get to read great stuff and make new friends. Secondly, it will put your blog out there for others to find. How you ask? Well… Simply by clicking on your username. People who might find you interesting will be able to find their way to your blog. That’s how I find most of the blogs that I do.

#9 – Social Networking

– In today’s day and age, there is a simple way to make yourself available to the world. It’s the age of social networking. So go out there and connect your Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Digg and everything else that you can find to your blog. You want to be able to get to your blog to the people from all the different corners of the internet. This is how you do it.

#10 – Activity

– This is probably the final step to blogging.  Being active. Now this can be different for different people. For some people, like me, active is at least once a day, if not more… For others its once a week or once every fortnight. As long as you’ve got a schedule to post… Stick by it so that your readers have something to go by. Don’t post like crazy a week and then disappear until the leaves change colour.

I hope this guide was helpful to you… If you have any questions, suggestions or anything else… Please comment below…