How to start your own blog
Starting your own blog can be quite easy using the free blogging tools that are available today on the Internet. There are many different blogging platforms ~ some great and some not so much. Here is a short list of really good blogging platforms for starting your won blog:
- WordPress.com ~ free WordPress site that does have several limitations
- Blogger
- PDXChat.com ~ great site for local business owners to start a blog
Creating Your Own Blog
All 3 of the sites listed above allow you to creat your own blog very easily. Once you register for a free account, there will be blog templates available to choose from for the layout of your blog site. Some of the blog templates will allow basic customization like uploading a new header graphic, logo, and images. Once the template is chosen adding content is easy through the content management system that comes with the blogging software. They work very similarly to Word.
Blog Structure
Blogs have a general structure that is built around Categories. Think of a Category as the main umbrella keywords for your business. 3-5 categories is all that is necessary to start. Make the categories broad enough that many different articles or posts can be put under each category. There should be at least 10 posts per category before even considering adding more categories. Categories are used to help the readers find information on your blog ~ they are also used for the search engines to figure out what your blog site should be listed for ~ keywords.
Starting Your Own Blog is Easy
Maintaining a posting schedule can be more challenging. An empty blog is not likely to get ranked well and it defiantly will not help your business. Make the commitment to post regularly and keep that commitment. You will find that your site will start to get more traffic and people will be returning more often.
