Blogging 202

I recently wrote about Blogging 101 and had 20 tips

...it was overwhelming...so I've split it up now. 

Blogging 202 

10 more tips:

1. Use Blogger 

Okay, so you don't have to, but I think Wordpress is a little more difficult...from a readers perspective...and I also think it's harder to figure out how to "follow". If you don't use blogger, at least figure out a way to easily explain to readers how to comment and follow your blog.

2. Get a professional looking design

Nothing is more annoying that fiddling with free background quirkiness. Or...reading great content on an unprofessional-cheesy-distracting site. 

3. Get rid of Word Verification

Just go here and do it. It can annoy some readers & I've gone 6 months without it and never had any spam. When people would normally comment & connect with you...they won't...because they will be too lazy to fill in all those characters. 

4. Create Pages

These are like tabs to help your readers navigate easily to different subjects on your blog. For example, "About Me" or "Homeschooling" or "Contact".

5. Set up Feedburner

This is a free service that allows your readers to get your posts sent straight into their email every day.

6. Set up a StatCounter

Or really any site meter program that will calculate your traffic. Otherwise you figure that 1% [yes, it's a true statistic] of readers that are commenting must be your only readers. 

7. Mobilize your blog

Recently listened to Scott Stratten speak at Blissdom [watched keynote online] and learned that a large number of blog readers now read majority on their mobile devices. Making your blog available in an easier format for phone devices greatly increases your traffic [especially long term].

8. Use Twitter & Facebook

I'll be the first to admit, I was against ever ever ever having a Twitter account, but I can assure you those who read blogs and those who blog use Twitter. I know we're almost all on Facebook, so that's not new news to you, but did you know you can create a Page for you blog? It will be linked to your account, however you can make it private enough so that blog followers can follow your Page and not your personal account.

9. Amazon Associates

You can hyperlink products you mention on your blog and when people buy them, or really anything after clicking your link from Amazon during that session...you get a percentage from it. I love telling my readers where I got my favorite things, and it's a total bonus to get an extra few pennies for sharing. Hey, it adds up!

10. Understanding the Times

In general Saturday's [and Sunday's] aren't huge blog post reading days. That's "in general". So, I suggest saving your more favorite content for Monday-Friday. In regards to blog hops, people generally start at number 1 and read in order too. So I try to figure out when the blog owner normally posts the blog hop and be one of the first 25 [or first 50] to make the list. I find I get an extremely higher traffic volume doing this. When I comment on the blogs on blog hop, I start at the bottom of the list and go backwards. Blogs at the top get so much traffic they are less likely to follow you back to your blog, whereas the guys at the bottom will be grateful for your time you made to comment and most likely follow back.