10 well-known blogging tips - and what I think of them

Posted by Ben on June 17, 2009 | Permalink | Hits: 1418 
Tags: posting frequency, twitter, domain name, comments, design, adverts, wordpress, forums, originality

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Image by Will Lion.

There are all sorts of blogging tips out there. Some come up time and time again, and few people really question those tips. But not all of them should be taken at face value. Here are 10 of the most common tips and what I think of them.

1. Content is king.

The image I've used for this post suggests otherwise. Apparently, conversation is king. There's some truth in this - even if you write the greatest posts, how do you feel if nobody comments on them?

Great content is important, but it also has to be relevant to your target audience - there's not much point writing loads of great posts if they don't have a running theme. You also have to keep writing, and promote your content in the right places. Content is king, but marketing is queen.

Here are some more of my posts on writing great content.

2. Post every day.

This ones is rather annoying. I fully appreciate that if you post a lot, you can get started much more quickly than if you post very slowly. But most of us just won't be able to sustain such a frequent posting rhythm after the first few months.

I've already blogged about this in greater detail - check out 10 reasons not to post too frequently.

3. Use Twitter.

This is one that I agree with, but there's a pretty big caveat. Yes, by all means use Twitter to meet new people, to socialise, to share your latest blog posts and to read other people's blog posts.

However, if all you do is post links to your newest posts and you never interact with other people, you probably won't get all that much out of Twitter.

Not only that, but you can overuse Twitter. I've been through high and low periods but I haven't really overused it. There are quite a few people who seem to be on it a lot though. That's their choice, but I wonder how they keep up with it.

I find it's best to use Twitter in short, sharp bursts. Get on, chat for a bit, post a link, visit some other links. Then go and do something else. Don't sit on it all day - it's very distracting, and will stop you from doing other things.

I have some more Twitter posts here at Top Ten Blog Tips.

4. Get your own domain.

I think this is a good idea, but there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you won't get the maximum benefits from having your own domain unless the URL is "well-keyworded". A URL like "myramblingsaboutstuff" is not going to rank too well - will anyone actually search for that? This isn't a reason not to use your own domain, but you should choose a URL that includes the keywords you wish to target, as this is an important factor in getting search engine traffic.

Secondly, as I'm sure many bloggers will be happy to confirm, there may be benefits with getting your own domain but plenty of blogs do just fine without one. This doesn't mean they wouldn't be better off with their own domain. It's just that running your own domain requires a bit more technical expertise than using a hosted blog does.

I'd always recommend using your own domain instead of the alternative (not using one!), but it's not always as simple as that. However, if you'd like to try using your own domain, my Blogging Quick Start Guide might be of interest.

5. Comment on other blogs.

Too many people take this literally. Getting your name out there is all about commenting on other people's blogs, right? Cue plenty of generic "great post!" comments (which is a sign your blog sucks), and various other mistakes you shouldn't make when commenting.

It's not just down to the commenter and what they write. Some bloggers get a lot of comments and can't reply to every single one. Sometimes there's not much to say. But some bloggers appear to ignore even the greatest comments. Commenting on these blogs is usually a waste of time. Look for the bloggers who appreciate your views, and comment on their blogs. Not replying to every single comment doesn't mean the blogger is someone to avoid, but not replying to any comments may not be a good sign.

6. A unique design is essential.

I do agree with this, but not everyone's a theme designer! A good starting point is my list of blogging design tips. You can find some great themes out there, but you won't find many that haven't been used by other bloggers. Having said that, there are a lot of themes, you just have to know where to look for them. This is something I'll be looking at in a future post...

7. Don't put up too many ads.

Too much blog clutter is a bad thing, ads or otherwise. Minimise all blog clutter, not just ads. Don't need it? Lose it. Keeping things you don't need is a waste of space, and a distraction for your readers. Keep them focused on what's important - your content - not that flashing, spinning, trendy widget in your sidebar.

8. Use WordPress.

OK, WordPress is well-known, widely used, there's plenty of support and resources out there, so it gets recommended a lot. That doesn't mean it's the best solution for every site, and it's certainly not the only platform out there.

I know quite a few people who are more than happy with Blogger. Also, as many of you know, I have my own CMS - Injader. On analysing some reasons for using WordPress, I found that many of them apply to Injader, too. Also, here are 10 things that Injader can do without plugins.

9. Join blogging forums.

Not all forums are worth using. To get the most out of a forum, you need to interact with other members, and not just post links to your site. I can recommend the CMF Forums and the Bloggeries Forums.

10. Be original.

What makes your blog stand out? Why should people read your blog rather than the others in your niche? People can read more than one blog, but being original is really important. This means writing original content, having an original focus (such as a well-known niche with a twist), and giving your readers something to be interested in every time you post.

The acid test is whether people subscribe, comment, share your posts, and keep coming back. Are your readers coming back for more? If not, why not?

Which of these blogging tips do you agree or disagree with? Can you think of any other well-known tips that are worth mentioning, either for being accurate or frequently misinterpreted?

Comments on 10 well-known blogging tips - and what I think of them

4

Ben | June 20, 2009 | 180 comments

Carla - I think you made a small mistake in your numbering. :)

Kirsten - if you can think of a top 10 list for personal bloggers, it would be a good guest post to publish here.

Genevieve - glad it's not just me who noticed this. Commenting alone does not guarantee anything, even if you write great comments. The person whose blog you're commenting on has to be receptive to your thoughts, otherwise it can feel like you're talking to yourself.

Thanks for the comments :)

8

Ben | June 26, 2009 | 180 comments

Thanks! :)

10

Ben | January 13, 2010 | 180 comments

Happy to help, Betty :) Also, if you get your blog up to date, you should add it to CMF Ads!