Dear Diary, Dear World - All About Blogging

The Internet has changed the way we live, breathe, and even write – in fact, it is mainly due to the blogging phenomenon that we receive headlines, change them, and even get the latest buzz on issues newspapers and popular media will not dare tackle. Blogging has become so common, it has prompted dictionary makers to create new terms. For instance, each article on a blog is called a "post," "entry," or "blog post." A person who blogs is called a "blogger."But what is blogging, and why is it so popular?Blogging refers to the activity of updating one's blog. What is a blog? A blog is a web log, or an Internet-based publication which contains articles about a variety of topics. Blogs are either run on dedicated hosting services, or they can be run on any ordinary web hosting service using scripts meant for blogs.Blogs often focus on a particular subject. They can tackle movie reviews, political issues, important local news, or one's personal opinion. Most blogs serve as online diaries, and will contain personal images, artwork, and writing.Blog posts will contain the following elements.• A title – Some personal bloggers have modified this, and have added subtitles to add "meat" to their entries. They may indicate the music they are currently listening to, their current mood, and the subject of their post. Journalistic bloggers will often link their title to similar articles available online.• The body – This is the main content of the blog. It can be a fictional entry, in the case of story or novel blogs; or a non-fiction entry, in the case of other blogs, such as news blogs or diaries.• A permalink – this is the link to the individual blog entry, which other bloggers can use if they would like to link or refer to the article.• The date – this is simply the date, time, and sometimes place in which the entry was first postedSome blogs may also contain the following.• A comments section – this enables readers to make comments or react to the blog entry. This is also a useful way by which other bloggers can make themselves, and their blogs, known.• The tags – this is the section where bloggers list the categories under which their current article falls. For instance, a post on "Saving the Whales" can be categorized under "environment," "whales," and "ecology."• Trackback – Also known as pingback, this is a list of links of other sites that refer to the article or post.There are many different kinds of blogs available, depending on the topic they tackle. A few types include the following• Personal – These blogs focus on personal experiences, and feature an online diary, usually with images or artwork. Some photoblogs fall under this category, where bloggers post pictures instead of writing about their experiences.• Paid – Some bloggers are paid to blog their career experiences, or the latest news about a company.• Socio-cultural – Some blogs are devoted to socio-cultural experiences, and can allow people of other cultures a glimpse into the quirks and specialties that make other cultures unique.• Science – Some scientists have taken to blogging about their research findings, or to share laboratory techniques. Such a method, however, has been met with derision in the science community, since it overrides the traditional peer-based review of research.• Political or News – Some blogs focus on the latest news, and can even offer political opinions on certain subjects.Blogging is definitely here to stay, and it can influence cultures and headlines through the widely popular medium of the Internet. Have you tried blogging yet?

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Two Search Engine Optimization Myths Debunked

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is one of the most cost effective ways to market your business on the web. The problem is, that there are so many myths and rumors about SEO, that it is hard for most webmasters to know what to do, or even how to choose the best SEO services for their site. In this article, I will debunk two popular SEO myths. SEO Myth #1: Google PageRank is very important Google Page Rank is way over-valued by many webmasters. It is not unusual for a website with a PageRank of 2 to outrank a website with a PageRank of 5. The reason is that PageRank is only an indicator of one of many factors, and PageRank is not even a reliable indicator, at that. GooglePage Rank is simply a measurement of how many pages link to you. Every page that links to your site gives your site a certain number of points. The number of points the link gives your site is determined by dividing the number of points that that page has by the number of links it has to other websites. Google PageRank is becoming increasingly unreliable, too. In the most recent update, millions of webpages were changed to a PageRank of 0, for no apparent reason. SEO Myth #2: Meta tags determine your rankings The major search engines pay little or no attention to your meta tags when ranking your website. This is because meta tags are too easy to optimize for the search engines, but not be relevant, since your visitors do not see them. The meta description tag is used by search engines to display in search results, so it is important, since searchers see it. But your meta description tag still bears little weight to your site's ranking. There are two things that ARE important in SEO – the content on your webpages, and quality links pointing to your website.

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Finding Good Keywords for Your Site

A keyword can be defined as a word or phrase that can be utilized in searching for a website. Keywords can be placed in titles, a body of text, online catalogs, abstracts, indexes, notes and subject headings. Using the right keywords is very important, and keyword optimization, if done correctly, will aid in driving traffic to your site. In order to know which keywords will be most effective for your site, there are a few things that need to be done: • Examine your websites' first page; make sure that it contains a central theme. • Find the words or phrases that best describe the content on the websites' first page. • Make a list of the aforementioned words and/or phrases. • Do not use highly popular keywords that are being used by a thousand other websites. • Figure out the popularity of the words you have chosen by utilizing a keyword directory or one of the many keyword suggestion tools. • You can now narrow your list down to just a few optimal words. Use the above process for every one of your pages, and you will be able to more effectively optimize the power of your keywords. Remember that when you are determining what keywords will work best for your site, that there are different types of keywords. Knowing about each type will aid in the optimization of your keywords. When determining what words to use as your keywords, you should first determine what the focus of your website is, what value the websites' information has to offer, as well as who your target audience is. Knowing these particulars in advance will help you to choose keywords that will be optimal for your website. Types of Keywords Generally, keywords can be grouped into three different categories. These categories are as follows: • Theme Keywords- these types of keywords are used to target a highly specific audience of people. They are normally used on every single page of the site, and are quite effective at boosting page rank. • Single-word Keywords-these types of keywords are normally used between 5 and 7 times on a page, and are used to target a wide, general audience • Multiple-word Keywords- these types of keywords, sometimes referred to as "keyword phrases", are used to target a specific audience, usually in a specific location. These types of keywords are also good at improving page rank. Tools to Use There are many tools available that will allow you to examine just which keywords are overused, which ones are not, and which keywords will best benefit you and your website. Since there are so many tools available, you will need to figure out the one that you are more comfortable using. Some keyword tools are free, while for others there is a charge. Some of the tools that can help you find good keywords for your site are: • Keyword Search Tools • Keyword Research Tools • Keyword Lists • Keyword Software • Keyword Databases All of these tools can be located on the World Wide Web, and will help you in researching certain keywords and phrases and that you may wish to use for your website. Although finding good, effective keywords can prove to be a bit time consuming, it is better to invest a little more time in order to achieve the best results. Rushing through the process of choosing keywords and incorporating them into the content of your site will just be wasted time, as it will not get traffic to your site, nor will it improve your page rankings with the search engines. With so many tools and processes available for you to use in your quest to find the right keywords, with a bit of time and patience you should be able to get your site optimized with the right keywords that will prove to be highly effective. Remember that good keywords and keyword phrases are vital to the life of your website. Make the task of finding good keywords a top priority when it comes to your website. You may be pleasantly surprised when your websites' traffic increases and your page rank goes up with the search engines; all because of a few, well-placed keywords! in SEO

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How To Find The Right Blogging Platform For Your Needs

Choosing which blogging platform to use is one of the most important decisions that you can make as a blogger. The right platform can make blogging a breeze, and the wrong platform can make blogging a chore. Because the program that you use to blog with is such a powerful part of your blogging experience, it is well worth putting in the time to find a platform that provides your ideal balance between a user-friendly interface and a flexible framework that allows you to make your blog look and feel unique. Finding the right platform isn't always easy, but with a little bit of contemplation and a little bit of research, you will be on your way to finding the perfect blogging platform. Deciding what your priorities are in terms of ease of use versus customization. Most highly customizable blogging platforms, like moveable type, are a bit more difficult to use than very automated platforms like wordpress. If you are new to blogs and to internet technology, you might want to sacrifice the ability to create a custom background design or to integrate a unique font into your template in order to find a program that will be easy for you to use. On the other hand, if you are a veteran web designer with knowledge of html or javascript, you will probably find the limitations of a user-friendly platform to be frustrating.< There is no such thing as a blogging platform that is objectively the best platform, because every blogger has unique needs. The blogging movement is very much about individuality, so it makes plenty of sense that there would be many different platforms available that are designed to meet the needs of different kinds of individuals undertaking different kinds of projects. This diversity is a good thing, because it means that you will almost certainly be able to find a program that suits your level of technical aptitude. However, the fact that no two bloggers need the same thing from a blogging platform can make your search for the right platform a bit tricky. When you are reading reviews of different platforms, try to keep your priorities in mind and do your best to take into account the position that the reviewer is coming from. For example, a negative review written by an accomplished software designer who complains that a popular platform is too limited may tell you that the platform in question is ideal for a beginning blogger. There is no such thing as the perfect platform for everybody, so instead of looking for the "best" platform, look for the best platform for your specific criteria.

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How-To Get Your BLOGS Site Feed Listed In Yahoo! and MSN Within HOURS, Is Easier Then You Think

BLOGS... they seem to be the talk of the Internet marketing world these days, and for good reason. Not only do the Search Engines love them for there Content Rich pages, you also have the ability to plug your Blogs "Site Feed" into an RSS feed and then have it syndicated to thousands of websites and directories giving your content more exposure to your target audience. RSS(Real Simple Syndication) is a very Powerful technology that has been around for quite some time and when used correctly, can build an audience overnight. If you want a crash course on what RSS is, in more depth, since the nature of this article is to show you how to get your Blogs "Site Feed" listed in Yahoo! and MSN, I've provided a link to a page full of articles on RSS related issues. http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-articles.htm Now, depending on where your Blog is hosted, whether its through a free service like Blogger.com -- http://www.blogger.com or hosted on your websites server you should have a "Site Feed URL" that has the .XML extension. This is your "Site Feed URL". You'll usually locate it within your Settings area of Blog control center. Here's what mine looks like as an example: http://theiwe.blogspot.com/atom.xml This URL is intended for a RSS News Reader, so disregard its appearance. Once you find your "Site Feed URL", copy and paste it into Notepad because you'll need it for the next steps coming ahead. Now, what you need to do is go and set-up an My Yahoo! and My MSN account. I've provided the links for you below. - My Yahoo! ==> http://my.yahoo.com - My MSN ==> http://msn.com It should only take you about 15-20 minutes at the most. If you already have accounts with My Yahoo! and My MSN, read on. This is assuming you already have your accounts set-up, so your next step is to Login to your My Yahoo! account. When you login, you'll be taken to your Yahoo! page immediately. What you want to do next is go look under the Yahoo! search box to the left and click on the "Add Content" link. This will bring you to a new page. From there, over to the right by the "Find" button you'll see an "Add RSS by URL" link, click on it. A new window will open with a "Web Form". Simply copy and paste your "Site Feed URL" from Notepad into the web form and click on the "Add" button. Now, you should see your Blogs name infront of you. Simply click on the yellow "Add To My Yahoo!" button and your feed will be added The next thing you should see is your "Site Feed" with your "Headlines". Click on one of them, it should take you to your Blog, to the desired Headline you chose. Your My Yahoo! page should Now have your Blogs "Site Feed" Headlines listed at the bottom. Scroll down to check. If you don't see them, it sometimes takes up to 24-48 hours for them to appear, so just check back later. Now that thats done, everytime you update your Blog with NEW content, it'll "Automatically" update on your My Yahoo! page and everybody else's pages who have subscribe to your feed, plus, within 24-48 hours your feed will get Spidered and Indexed by Yahoo!. Talk about getting the word out in a HURRY with very little effort on your part. This is "Viral Marketing" at its Best in my mind. And... it's so simple to implement. Okay. Now it's time to do the same to your My MSN account as what you did above to your My Yahoo! page. Here's the link to go login(click on Sign In from main page): http://www.msn.com Once your login to your My MSN account you should see an "Add Content" link under the MSN logo to your left. Click on it. A pop-up should now be displaying. Simply copy and paste your "Site Feed URL" from your Notepad into the web form provided and click the Search button(the green button with the arrow). You should now be looking at Check Box with your Blogs name beside it. Check off your "Site Feed URL" and then press the OK button at the bottom. PRESTO! Like magic... your Blogs site feed has now been added to your My MSN page which will then be spidered in the next 24-48 hours and Indexed by MSN. That's the Power of BLOGS(Web-Logs) and RSS(Real Simple Syndication)combined with two Internet giants. The only thing you have to bring to the table IS, fresh, quality content that your audience WANTS, and do it on a regular basis. I post my articles that I write on a weekly basis, making my Blog called... The Internet Wonders Blog - http://theiwe.blogspot.com - a search engine Magnet! You can do the same because I just showed you HOW. In conclusion, creating BLOGS and using RSS as a vehicle to syndicate your Blogs content is a Sure-Fire way to get your content spidered more frequently by search engines and the exposure it deserves, which in turn, will build you a large audience of buying customers that TRUST you.

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Is Directory Submission Obsolete?

"Directories are sooooo 2003." "Remember BlueFind?" "I thought Google hated directories." Many people think that directories have become obsolete. The truth however is that while their SEO importance has decreased in the last few years, they should still be an integral part of link building for new sites. Of course, you should no longer submit to directories just for PageRank. As search engines analyze user data and integrate this information into their algorithm, the traffic you receive from a link becomes paramount again. (Shouldn't it have been this way all along? I digress…) The point is, if you can get relevant traffic from a directory listing, then it's still a viable marketing channel. And it can still be an effective SEO method, as well (we'll get to that). Thus the question shouldn't be, "Should I submit to directories?", but rather, "Which directories should I submit to?" The answer is that you should submit to directories that either: a) will send traffic, or b) have listings that will be considered editorial votes of quality by major search engines. Did you know that specifically mentions both the Yahoo Directory and The Open Directory (DMOZ) in their Webmaster Guidelines (see http://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html )? This implies that Google believes links from the two mentioned directories are indeed editorial votes of quality. These "trusted links" are the type a site needs to both break out of "the sandbox", and to rank highly in the current (hard to crack) Google. Of course, I do recommend submitting to more than just the aforementioned two "directory kings" (Yahoo! and DMOZ). It becomes a matter of sorting through the low quality "rough" out there to find the directory "diamonds." For starters, Best of the Web, MSN bCentral, Gimpsy, and Business.com all have editorial integrity at a level which probably ensures that search engines "trust" their links. Outside of these, there are a few others on the "top tier", but beware of any that sell sitewide links, as that practice all but ensures that Google won't trust the directory's editorial integrity. What about the rest? Submitting to lower quality directories may not propel your site to the top of Google, but my recent research suggests it is still a very efficient link building method to build rankings in both MSN and Yahoo!. I have never been one to put all my eggs in the Google basket, so I still regularly use these second tier directories to quickly (and cheaply!) get my sites to the top of these engines. In conclusion, directory submission should still have a place in your link building strategy. If you are going for Google rankings alone, you should probably stick only to the top tier directories whose listings are considered editorial votes of quality by Google. If you are going for rankings in MSN and Yahoo!, you can cheaply build a slew of effective links by submitting your site to many of the lower quality directories. And of course, if you are trying to rank in all 3 major search engines, you should probably do both of the above. Either way, don't write off directories just yet!

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What is Blogging??

Blogging 101 If writing is an art, then, blogging is one way of using words to come up with an art. This is because people who are into blogging are the ones who are artistic on their own sense, carefully choosing words that would best describe their feelings, sentiments, wishes, desires, and everything. Basically, blogs were first introduced as weblogs that refer to a "server's log file." It was created when web logging hit the virtual market. Since its inception in the mid-1990s, web logging gradually saturated the virtual community making the Internet a viable source of greater information. However, with web logging, you still need a web site and domain names, but with blogging, you do not need anything just an account with blog providers. In most cases, these kinds of blogs are free of charge. With the onset of blogging in the industry, personal journaling had been a common ground for people who wish to be known all over the world. However, not literally famous as this is not a case on being popular or well-known personality. Generally, blogs are created for personal use. Like a journal, people can write their daily adventures, sentiments, and whatever ideas they want to express online. Nevertheless, with the advent of the online businesses, blogs had gradually taken the limelight in providing businesses a chance to boost their productivity online. This is where the business blogs have taken the limelight. Business blogs are, basically, created to advertise the services or products of a certain web site or online business in order to increase online sales. Moreover, business blogs are also one way of promoting the company so that the other readers will know that a certain company exists online. With blogs, entrepreneurs are able to establish a name in the virtual market through articles that can be very useful in the reader's life. From there, you can make money out of blogs by simply syndicating it to your business' web site. This can be done through the RSS technology. So, if you are thinking to create a blog, whether for business or for pleasure, you need to know some tips that could help you get through and make your blog one of the interesting blogs online. Here's how: 1. Consider your audience Even if your blog is generally personal, still, it would be better to consider the minds of your readers. You have to think of something that would interest them. After all, most of the reasons of people who write blogs are not at all confined to their own personal motives. Most of them would love to be "heard" (or read) and would love to be known, in some way or another, even for just a minute. Hence, it is very important to come with a write up that everybody can understand, not necessarily that these people can relate to it but they can understand it. 2. Pictures speaks a thousand words To make your blogging worth the browsing effort of your readers, it would be extremely nice if you will put some pictures in it. It does not necessarily mean you have to place a picture of yourself. Any photographs will do as long as it does not pose danger or insult to anyone who will be reading your blog. 3. Make constructive and beneficial blogs Even if you are free to write anything you wan to say to the world, still, it would be better to create some write-ups that would be beneficial to your readers. After all, its information technology that you have there so better be inclined to provide information rather than sheer quirky entertainment. 4. Avoid making multifaceted and complicated blogs In order to have an interesting blogs, try not to use some highly technical and highfalutin words. After all, it is not a science discourse or a debate that you are making, so better stick to simple facts and short blogs. Bear in mind that most people who use the Internet usually do more scanning than scrutinizing each site word for word. Therefore, it would be better to come with blogs that will not bore your readers just because you have these lengthy articles. 5. Make it interactive As much as possible and if your capacity will allow it, make your blog interactive. Yu can do this by placing some video or audio clips in your blog. You can even place an area for comments or for some feedbacks. In this way, you can get some impressions or reactions of other people. Who knows, you might even gain some friends just by making them feel at home in your blog site. Indeed, blogs are not created just for the mere fun of it. It also has its own purpose in the world of the Internet. Therefore, for people who wish to harness their craft, as far as writing is concerned, blogs are the best way to do it. As they say, blogging is the contemporary term of creative and commercial writing.

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Use ExactSeek To Improve Your "All Around" Search Results!

Exactseek.com is another great search engine that relies on meta tags to determine your web site results. Through ExactSeek, not only can you improve your search results with the tools they give you but, you'll also improve your search results for other search engines that rely on meta tags. I must also note that not all search engines determine your ranking the same and to state that would be a lie but this article will definitely help you increase your chances at success. By now, we should all know what meta tags are for and how to implement them. Ex. Title Tag, Description Tag, and the famous Key Word Tag. (If you don't know, search "creating meta tags" in www.google.com) Back to ExactSeek, if you haven't already submitted your site, submit it here: http://www.exactseek.com/add.html It doesn't cost you a thing but MAKE SURE that you already have quality meta tags in place within your site. ExactSeek has a unique search engine ranking tool that they invite everyone to use! This is what this article is all about. That's right, unlike so many search engines that don't want you to check your ranking, ExactSeek even gives you the necessary tools to improve your ranking and keep improving your ranking results. Before you go, there are two things you'll want to remember. 1) There are two tools available within the page I am about to give you. (left) Ranking Checker, (right) re-submitting your web site.< You'll want to pay attention to the submission on the left in order to check your ranking. Simply enter your web site url and a key phrase that you would want your web site to be listed in. Also, ExactSeek has provided you with a better explanation on what they look for within your meta tags. I would suggest you also read this 1st. http://www.exactseek.com/srank2.html You should also remember that by adding a "Search" box to your site and keeping within the minimum daily requirements, ExactSeek guarantees you top 100 placements. This might be a route you might want to take for yourself, you can do so here: http://www.exactseek.com/add_priority.html SEARCH ENGINE RANKING TOOL: http://www.exactseek.com/srank.html Use this tool to determine the rank that you're current meta tags get you. If you're not satisfied with your rank, simply tweak the meta tags within your site and re-submit your site to be crawled again (revised within ExactSeek). Don't forget that you can also log into ExactSeek with your user name & password they send you. By login in, they give you the option of manually changing the title and description of your sites listing whenever you want. I hope that you have much success within ExactSeek and that you improve your meta tags with the tools available to you.

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Top 5 most common mistakes with do-it-yourself SEO

I look at a lot of sites on a daily basis. There are a lot of common problems I see on sites. Some people may have tags set-up improperly or use tags that have no real purpose. I have compiled a list of the 5 top do-it-yourself SEO errors. It's safe to say that many do-it-yourselfers may have at least one of these errors on their sites. These should help you omit these often costly mistakes and pull you up in the ranks. 1) Keyword tag – A keyword tag is for keywords, but not for any keywords. You can't just stuff this tag with keywords that your entire site is related to. The tags should reflect keywords only on that particular page; not the entire site and not every keyword you think your site might be searched on. Also, you should have no more then 20 words in the tag. You should not repeat any word more than 3 times. If you sell tickets, for example, don't write: Broadway tickets, circus tickets, hockey tickets, boxing tickets and so on. Do use Broadway, circus, hockey, boxing, tickets and so on. 2) Abstract tag – It is sometimes used as a replacement for or combined with a description tag. However, more and more people are using these to stuff keywords. Search engines like Google are interested in what is on the page. More specifically, what visitors can view. In my opinion, the abstract tag has no place on a site. 3) Description Tag – The whole point behind this tag is to describe what the "page" is about. Keywords related to the page should be implemented as well. The limit on words should be 20 – 25. I see many website owners stuffing this tag with keywords, or having a description that is entirely too lengthy. Stay within these guidelines and you will be fine. 4) Title tag – This, to me, is the most important tag. This is the first tag the search engine reads. It tells the search engine what the" page" is about. Don't put your web address here. Do not add your company name in the beginning of this tag either. It should not exceed 60 characters. 5) Content- If you notice, I have been commenting on relevancy to the "page", not your overall site. Each page has it's own keywords. Tag the title tag, description and keyword tags. All of these keywords should be the same. Add them to your content as well. Now your page should be fairly well optimized. Why do sites fall short? Simple, content is not optimized. Search engines are, for the most part, pretty basic. You type in a search term and it retrieves sites containing those terms while also taking a few other factors into account. So, if your site doesn't have these terms, how will you be found? You won't. Over do it with keywords and you will experience the same result, but for different reasons. Sometimes reading everything about SEO can be bad. Trying too many tricks, tips or methods is like too many cooks spoiling the soup. In the end they can do more bad than good. These are very basic rules that should be followed by all. In, doubt? Always consult or hire an SEO professional.

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How to Start a Blog and Make Money Online

If you are new to the internet and wondering what an earth this blogging craze is all about, or if you already have your own website and you're wondering why everyone keeps advising you to start your own blog, read on. I'm going to explain to you what a blog is, why you need one, how to set it up, promote it and of course, make money from it. Blog is short for "web log" and is similar to an online diary or journal. The craze of blogging began in the very late 1990s and has started to become more and more popular over the last couple of years. Almost everyone seems to have a blog these days, from CEOs of large companies to webmasters, from world travelers to teenagers. Even my Dad has his own blog now! A blog allows you to communicate informally with people via an online journal, but it's more personal and unstructured than a website and easier and cheaper to set up than a website. If you have your own website, but haven't yet started a blog you can easily start one using a free service such as Blogger or WordPress. Try to post to your blog at least once or twice a week on topics related to your website. Blogging will help your search engine rankings and open up the communication channels between you and your visitors or customers, encouraging them to interact with you and give them a reason to return to your site in future. If you don't have your own website and are looking to set up a blog quickly and easily I recommend opening a free account with Blogger. You can blog about anything you like, for example a hobby, a vacation, your home town, something political, a sport or your business. Just be sure to pick something that you are interested in and knowledgeable about. You can host your blog for free on Blogspot – all you need to do is pick a name that is relevant to the topic of your blog. Once you have set up your profile and chosen a template, blogging is as simple as sending an email to a friend. There are many ways to make money from your blog, but here are a few ideas to get you started - Google Adsense - this is free to join and easy to set up. The ads will match the content of your blog and you will get paid every time a visitor clicks on an ad. - Affiliate Programs – sign up for affiliate programs related to the topic of your blog and display links to related products on your blog. Clickbank, Trade Doubler and Commission Junction are good places to start, or do a Google search for "affiliate program" + the topic of your blog to find more affiliate programs. Whenever someone clicks through your affiliate link and buys a product, you will receive a commission. If you are knowledgeable about your topic you could also write product reviews to help increase your affiliate sales. - Sell Advertising Space – if you have a popular blog you can charge people to advertise on your blog. This could be in the form of a text link, a banner or a graphic. You are not going to make money with a blog unless people can find it. As soon as you have started to post to your blog it's time to start promoting it. You can get your blog noticed by… - Submitting your blog to blog directories – just search for "blog directories" in Google - Asking other bloggers to exchange links with you – you put a link on your blog in exchange for a link from their blog. - Writing an article related to the topic of your blog and posting it to article directories. Remember to include an author's resource box with a link to your blog. - Pinging blog ping services every time you make a new post – pingomatic.com and pingoat.com are two sites you can use to do this. - Participating in forums related to the topic of your blog. Put a link to your blog in your forum signature. Finally, once you have your blog monetized and you have started promoting it don't forget to post regularly. The most important aspect of every successful blog is frequent posting, so be sure not to let the virtual dust gather over your blog!

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Beginners Guide to Blogging

A blog is basically an online journal wherein you can digitally pen down your thoughts, ideas, opinions and practically anything that you want people to read. Blogs come in different styles, formats, and settings, depending on the preference of the user. Many blogging sites, offer built in features such as hyperlink, straight texts, pictures etc. Some blogging sites, even allow you to put video and mp3's on your blogs. Instead of writing texts, some bloggers choose to make their blogs more audio friendly, by using spoken word entries. This is called audio blogging. Basically a blog contains these features: title- which allows you to label your post body- this is the content of your post trackback- other sites can be linked back to your blog permanent link- every article that you write has a URL comments- this allow readers to post comments on your blog. One of the advantages of blogging, is that it is made of only a few templates. Unlike, other websites that is made up of numerous individual pages. This make it easier for blog users to create new pages, because it already has a fix setting that include: slots for title, body of the post, category, etc. This is especially useful for first time users, since they can start blogging right away. They can chose from a number of templates that blogging websites provide. Anyone who wants to start a blog can do so by becoming a member of a blogging website of their choice. Once they've become members, they automatically become a part of that particular blogging community. They can browse through other bloggers pages, and link them back to their own blogs. They can also make comments on other members' blogs. Blogging is not just limited to personal usage. There are a lot of blogs that follow a theme such as: sports, politics, philosophy, social commentary, etc. These blogs espouse on their specific themes. This way blogging becomes a medium in which people can share their knowledge and opinions about a variety of themes and topics. Some bloggers even use their blogs as a means to advertise. Some authors advertise their books on their blogs. While other bloggers, use their blogs to shed light to currents issues, events, news and catastrophes. Nowadays in education, blogs also play an important part. Professors use blogging to document the lessons that they have discussed and taught. This way, students who who have missed classes, can easily catch up with their assignments. A lot of entrepreneurs benefit from blogging by promoting their businesses on their blogs, with millions and millions of people logging onto the net everyday, blogging has become a lucrative move. Some bloggers who run online businesses promote their merchandise online. While others profit through advertisement. But by far, the most popular blog type is the one that takes the form of a personal journal. This is the kind that is usually used by first time bloggers. Individuals who want to document the daily struggle of their everyday lives, poems, rants, opinions, find that blogging offers them a medium in which to express themselves. Bloggers usually communicate within themselves. This is one of the appeals of blogging. It creates a community of people sharing their ideas, thoughts, and comments with each other. Blogs varying in topics, themes, and set-ups, can be found in blog directories. First time users who want to get an idea of what the blogging world is all about can browse through a number of blogs using these directories. This way they'd get an idea of what these blogging communities are like. Blogging is popular all over the world. Blog is short for the term weblog. There are no rules when it comes to blogging. Bloggers have the freedom to express themselves how ever way they want, and the best thing about blogging, is that most blogging sites are free. There are numerous blogging websites to choose from in the net. This give first time users the option of joining a blogging community that appeals to their interests. Just search any blogging directory and you'd get a listing of a lot of blogging sites that are available on the net. It's easy to search a blogging directory, because it is organized according to category. This way you would get exactly what you are after. Blogging is really for everyone. It is fun, simple and easy.

READ MORE - Beginners Guide to Blogging