Submitted By: Danny Warner on 2006-07-22
Let’s face it. When you are beginning a blog, there are a lot of options to choose from. Most, if not all, bloggers start out on one of the free blog platforms available on the web. There are also more detailed platforms that can be purchased as software or paid for on a subscription bases.
Two of the most popular free blogging services are Blogger.com and Wordpress.com. Both services will host your blog for free and allow you to quickly and easily update your blog. They each have their own benefits and drawbacks, but generally are good first choices for blogging. They are simple to use, easy to update and can be edited effortlessly.
One consideration, with both of these services, is that your blog’s domain will actually be a subdomain of the larger blogging website. For example, your blog domain would be http://moneymakingblog.blogger.com or http://moneymakingblog.wordpress.com. This is perfectly fine and can be worked with. However, there are some drawbacks to having using a subdomain as a URL. A subdomain is sometimes harder to remember for your readers. Also, if you have to move to another blogging platform, you will lose your search engine ranking and all of the links that you have set up.
Domain names are so inexpensive it’s a good idea to start with a your own domain name for your blog. There are many places that you can purchase a domain from. You can still use Blogger or Wordpress with a third party host. Both platforms will allow you to use your own domain name.
When you choose a domain name, make sure to use a keyword phrase that you have selected for your blog. This will help the search engines find your blog when people use that specific keyword. You’ll want to brand yourself with your keywords whenever you can, and your blog URL is the first place that you can apply this technique. Choose something that is both memorable and relevant to your blog topic.
Once you’ve set up your blog, it is important to post just after its been activated. In fact, you may want to plan your first few blog posts before your blog up and running. In the first post, you should welcome your readers, let them know the intent of your blog, describe what you are going to provide them with and talk a little about yourself. A good rule of thumb for a new blog is to post at least everyday for the first 3 to 4 days.
Keep your blog posts interesting, but make sure to use your keywords throughout the blog post and in the title. In your first post, make sure to use a keyword in your title, and several times within the first few lines of the post. This will alert search engines that your blog is associated with the keyword, and will help you gain ranking for the keyword. Make sure to use the keywords naturally so that they don’t appear stuffed into the post.
After the first few days, make it a point to post on a regular basis, either weekly or daily. It’s important to give your readers new content that they can rely on. This will build confidence in your blog and help you establish a dedicated reader base. These simple beginning steps will make the difference in your blog’s longevity and profitability.
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