Blog start series week 1: analysis, objectives and basic settings
Today I begin a new article series called “Blog Start”.
When I came with DOMAIN.COM contact it was this series and longer I had this idea in mind.
Julius has launched a new blog recently, but he also complained that it was very slow and slow ahead.
Success takes time and you can bring a blog for 10 weeks top, at least not sustainable. Yet want we gradually optimize blog Julius in 10 weeks and market.
And that ye also what I will here weekly about the project report and give tips and experience to you.
Los is today with an inventory of the new blogs and preview of the first week.
Inventory
Before you start such a project, you should view of course first, where the new blog DOMAIN.COM currently at all. Just you can then assess what tuning efforts made.
The blog is not too long ago (first contribution to the 24.4.2008), but after all already 87 posts can have. Julius was quite busy.
When I look times at the blog in DOMAIN.COM me, I come to a value of 13,63 points. So the blog is about midfield of so far there evaluated websites and blogs.
Site value already quite well shows where problems and tuning opportunities lie. There is great potential when social sites. But to us then further in the course of the project.
It is positive that DOMAIN.COM has already some good rankings. He has several posts as “the best [...]“Released “-blog”. “The best technology blog” and “The best music blogs”.
With this item it is these keywords then far in Google front.
But of course, the blog has to overall low weight are earlier in terms with greater competition. So is his post to the “iPhone 2″ among the top 50 Google to find.
All in all it seems the blog a good potential to have there to optimize much.
What do we do?
In the next 10 weeks, I will raise important blog areas and Julius provide tips and information about tuning. To him, it is then put this information into his blog.
You can track the project well I always on Monday will tasks for the current week as here on independent online publishing, including review of last week.
Julius will publish an evaluation on the implementation of the work then Friday on his blog in recent days. He will speak to the visitor development.
10 Weeks
Here you can see a list of topics for 10 weeks:
1. Analysis, objectives and basic settings
2. WordPress plugins
3. Get back links
4. Marketing started
5. Tips for best posts
6. Use the social Web
7. The best content for back links
8. use existing websites/blogs as a stepping stone
9. Earn money
10. Feinschliff and evaluation
Week 1 – analysis, objectives and basic settings
The first week is the basics. The blog exists now has about 6 weeks and because we must accept a few things for granted. The layout is if you could optimize there certainly is something.
In principle I would clarify the following things before starting a blog:
1. Objectives and topic of the blog
What is it about in the new blog. Many blogs make the mistake of everything and everyone to blogging.
Most readers interested but not all and who reads a blog where 50% of the topics at all not interest one already regularly.
Here an article by me on the topic “Site objectives”
2. Create a Blogplan
Then you should create a topic list. This helps in the early days to find appropriate topics.
We should also consider what distinguishes your own blog from other blogs. “What do I do better than the existing blogs?” Not a good idea is to copy a different blog.
How often will you blogging? Are not too optimistic. You can survive the work in the long term.
3. Hosted blog or your own installation
If you are technically knowledgeable, own WordPress installation provides many opportunities and possibilities
If you can, or technology but not to deal then you should choose solution on DOMAIN.COM, blogger, etc. for a hosted.
4. Domain option
A suitable domain is important. Therefore, you should have important keywords in the domain and the domain name should be short and easy to remember.
You could also try to get favorable an existing domain.
The domain DOMAIN.COM is not optimal in my eyes. However, the domain has a certain charm and recognition.
In an article I had already explained “the choice of the correct domain”.
5. Enable Permalinks
Technically you should activate the Permalinks anyway. Then you have a meaningful URL (DOMAIN.COM) and a URL such as DOMAIN.COM
6. Set up blogroll
Networking in the Web 2.0 is a basis for success. Therefore, you should link immediately right blogs from the same industry or blogs you like which in own blogroll.
7. Create RSS feeds on Feedburner
Blogs live from own RSS subscribers. This Feedburner offers.
We should also point quite clearly on the own feed. Such a larger RSS button.
8. Select theme
The own blog theme provides very much to establish the reader with your own blog. Therefore you should of course use the default theme and not necessarily the most popular themes.
Ideally it adjusts the layout on the own wishes, so you have something unique to the end. Julius blog is somewhat kontrastarm I think. Because it should use a little stronger colors.
Here an article about the design of my blog design.
9. write first article
Good blogger collect ideas everywhere. Write to and ye shall have later significantly fewer problems, to find new topics.
To start a blog, you should have already written some articles. Ideally this featured article should be items that cause that new visitors subscribe to your feed immediately.
Also we should consider whether there is weekly recurring headings. They help create content without writing something new every time.
10. No advertising in the early days
You should forgo advertising in the first months. The shrink from some readers a new blog.
Also it is not worth financially yet.
However, you should also not too long to wait with advertising. Because there are now many loyal readers, there could be trouble in the later introduction of advertising.
The best one introduces first a small advertising after a while, to get the reader from.
11. Full feed or only a text area in the feed?
This is a matter of taste. Feed subscribers tend to love the full feed. However, are also not quite as many RSS readers on your own blog.
A full feed facilitates Content usurp, however.
12. Test blog
Before starting, you should test its blog intensively on different computers and different browsers anyway. The first impression is critical and because everything should work.
I go further up on the theme “First impression” in article “10 seconds to engage their visitors to”.
Restrictions
Of course, is clear reporting on these 10 weeks consumed the tuning results Julius and me. Because I link to his blog and many of you there sometimes call it gets so of course many new visitors.
Nevertheless, I think this article series will be quite interesting and I look forward to your feedback.
The reader participation
Keyword feedback. Of course it would be very me, if you you actively involved in this project. Write your opinion about my tips and notes and also commented what ye keep implementation. Additional tips and hints are very welcome.
Your active participation helps us and all readers all have something of this article series.
So I am looking forward to 10 weeks and I hope it accompanied us on the way to a better blog.