Blogging 101: This Is How She Did It

For a long time I have looked for a one-stop-shop to tell me what to do with my blog in order to make it grow.  For the first time I found that at Momspective, Blogging 101: This Is How I Did It.

I decided to make a list of her advice because I do really well with lists.  It helps me feeling accomplished and gives me direction.  Originally I was going to keep my little list private but then I figured others might be interested in the advice and maybe I would attract even more ideas on how to make my blog awesome like so many that I read every day!  I claim to understand computers but in reality I don't understand what html is.  Apparently Google will help me with that.

Anyways, thank you Julie for this amazing free advice!!

1. Blog name.
Short and memorable. Creative.

2. Purchase domain name.
One year's worth.
Eventually buy all domains (.org .net ect)

3. Blog design.
Look professional.  Google will help.

4. Pay someone to host.
Lagniappe Marketing: http://lagniappemarketing.net/
attentive, affordable, detailed.
will apply plugins as necessary (facebook twitter ect)
good for beginners who are looking to network (aka ME)

5. Set up a feed.
Set up ALL of them and put them on my page. Everyone follows differently.

6. Moderate comments only.
Get Akismet Spam plug in. (Maybe only for wordpress bloggers)

7. Monetize blog.
Build following then sign up with an ad network.
Start with Google Adsense
No flash, no pop-ups, nothing in blog post

8. Ad space.
Don't leave blank space asking for advertising
Ads on one side, personal promotions on other.  Keep it clean looking.

9. Bio.
Who are you?  Why are you awesome?  Background?
General overview of stats
Where I'm from
How to contact
No ad rates

10. Social Media
Connect to all of them.
Big companies look at Twitter number, Alexa rating and Google Page rank.

11.  Reviews.
Only what fits my blog.
Don't let them bully me into non-biased review.
disclaimer policy
review things on my own so companies can see how I do it.

12.  Affilliate marketing


I like to do lists in order, starting at the top or #1.  It makes me feel better.  But I may have to go out of order with this one.  Anyways, wish me luck!  (I'm still not convinced I made the right choice in using blogger instead of wordpress.  Blogger is just what I know and Wordpress scared me when I was looking into it.)