So You Want To Be A Blogger...

So you want to be a blogger. There are probably two reasons the answer would be yes:rnNumber one: You are enthusiastic about a subject and really want to start a blog to get your ideas out there. Number two: Same as #1, plus you want to make money at it if you can. rnWhy blog? If you want to get your ideas out there, or have a money making website, blogging is the easiest way to go. Setting it up right so you can achieve these goals requires some basic tools to be set in place.rnYou will need to consider the technical aspects of starting a blog. There are several free blogging platforms available(like Blogspot) but there's no point spending any time going over them. In my opinion, you must have total control over your blog and the only way to do that is to host it on your own website. The best, easiest to use blogging platform to Wordpress. Choose a HostrnYou’ll need to register a domain name related to your niche and choose a hosting service. If you have never started a website before, you’ll find that it is simplest to get your domain name and hosting package from the same provider. You should be able to find a shared hosting program for under $10 per month. When you are choosing a host, be sure they have one click installation of Wordpress. Choose a TopicrnWhat do you want your niche to be? What is are you passionate about? What are you an expert at? Most any topic can attract enough readers to be profitable, but remember you will be writing about it for a long time, so choose wisely, and research the size of your potential audience. You need to target a niche that is not too huge, but has ample fans to sustain an audience Domain namernTake your time picking a domain name. You will not be able to change your domain name without disrupting your readers. It should be simple, easy to remember, and relate to your niche. Avoid using your own name or parts of your name for privacy reasons, as well as the future value of your blog. Google Analytics rnYou will want to track as much information about your visitors as possible, the easiest and way of doing so is with Google Analytics. This is a no cost tool which will track statistics for your site. You should install them. Write, Write, WriternNow that you are set up, start writing. You want to provide at least 5-7 posts a week for the first month. Regular, quality posts on your topic will bring visitors back. The posts need to be top quality information that people are looking for. Submit every post to article directories or sites like DiggrnThis is how to get backlinks to your blog which will help it rank in the search engines. You can also get backlinks by commenting on other blogs in your niche. AdvertisernYou can incorporate links to affiliate program sites in your blog. Start with Google Adsense once you have posted 15 times or so. You can become an Amazon or eBay affiliate as well. Your block will have a sidebar where ads can be placed. Contextual links can be placed in your posts. These tools set you up to make money if you want to. So you want to be a blogger? Start with the basics, and will have a firm foundation as you grow your blog.