In this section we highlight some of the key blogging tips that you can use to establish and grow your blog.

Blogging Tips: Tools for the job

Find a software tool for writing articles

When writing articles you could use the editor that is built into your content management system of choice – for example the one built into WordPress is pretty good. However, you may benefit from writing your articles off-line and a good software tool can help you. Which ever tool you go for make sure you learn how it works, and how to get the best from it. Windows Live Writer is a good tool for Windows based users.

Blogging Tips: Content

Keep a notebook in your pocket

How many times have you had a great idea for an article but forgotten it shortly later? Inspiration comes at the strangest of times, it could be on the road, at the shops, or in the bath. Keep a notebook, and pen, handy at all times to ensure you capture that thought when it happens.

Avoid distractions whilst working on your articles

Distraction can cause you to go off topic, forget your train of thought, and allow errors and inconsistencies to creep in. It can also prevent you from ever finishing a key article you were planning to work on. Whilst working on your article avoid checking in for tweets, status updates, videos, and anything else that is likely to take your mind off the work at hand.

If distractions can’t be avoided for long periods of time then set aside shorter and more specific time slots during the day, or week, and plan around them. For each time slot jot down what you are planning to do (keep it short), put a time allowance on it, and ensure you don’t run over. This way you are more likely to build a pattern of time slots.

Blogging Tips: Building Reputation

Don’t give away Page Authority unnecessarily

Once your blog starts to gain authority you will start receiving emails asking for sponsored editorials. Many of these requests are above board and, if you handle them properly, they can help pay for things like hosting. However, be wary of sponsored editorial requests where they demand a very specific link (and they may use the term “dofollow”). Any advertising links placed on your site should be tagged as “nofollow” to informat the search engines not to pass your page authority down the line.

This matters because there are sites out there who utilise medium and low ranked sites to inflate their own page rank (every time a search engine follows a link a little bit of page authority flows with it – unless you specifically tag the link with “nofollow”). Next time you are asked for a sponsored editorial explain that any links need to be “nofollow” and see if you ever hear back from them.

Blogging Tips: Grow Your Readership

Don’t sent people away too soon

The homepage is the likely to be the main landing page for returning, and new, visitors once your blog starts to get established. It can be tempting to include many external links on your home, say a blog roll, sponsor list, ads, and so on but including external links in this way is likely to lead to people leaving your site too early (which then leads to a high bounce rate). Include those outgoing links on other pages but keep the outbound links on the home page to a minimum. Think of it this way – if you were running a shop you wouldn’t send customers to the shop across town – would you?

Blogging Tips: Analytics

Check Webmaster Tools Regularly

Google, and Bing, both have an extensive Webmaster Tools section and the information contained within can help you improve and optimise your content from a search engine perspective.

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