The 4 W's of Blogging (The Who is YOU!)

WHAT is a blog?

A blog is a type of website that is usually maintained by an individual who generally posts articles, commentaries, events descriptions, graphics, podcasts, videos and much more at regular intervals. Blogs are usually geared to be interactive in a way that allows readers to make comments and in some cases even message one another via widgets and plugins. The main trait which distinguishes a blog from other static websites is the interactivity. A typical blog will combine commentary, text, links to other blogs and sites, images &/or podcasts or videos and will require consistent and regular updates in order to be a success on any level.

WHEN should you blog?

If you exist in a physical earthly body you should blog. Every person who has a desire to promote themselves as an individual, entrepreneur or business needs to have a blog and post regularly. The more frequently you blog the more visitors you will have, the more visitors there are to your blog the higher your potential to establish yourself as an expert in your field, and the higher the likelihood your blog will be linked elsewhere. How frequently you make your blog posts is completely up to you, but I would suggest a minimum of one time per week to start. Your posts don't necessarily have to be long or even written, but you should have posts on your blog at least once per week if you intend to establish any sort of reputation for yourself at all.

WHERE should you blog?

There are a plethora of choices where a person can blog on any level. I would recommend that you go with WordPress as it has one of the simplest template systems. With WordPress you will need to brainstorm a URL for your blog, register it with someone like GoDaddy and host it through a hosting service such as BlueHost. There is also the possibility of configuring a tab on your main website that uses a WordPress template. WordPress allows for a multitude of plugins that will allow you to monitor spam, have social interaction on your site, collect email addresses for your newsletter, backups so that you don't lose your work and much more. WordPress is also set up for SEO which will assist you in the process of pushing people to your website and getting your blog ranked more highly in the search rankings, which in turn brings you more customers, clients, readers, potential customers, followers etc.

You can also get a blog free through Blogger (Where this blog is posted) which has simple to use templates. Blogger is a simple tool that is easy to use and a great way to get into blogging if you are a beginner. If you are new to blogging all together this is a good way to get started and work toward becoming a more serious blogger. Blogger is not optimized nearly as well as WordPress for SEO and other processes that will assist you in bringing potential customers in so if that is your focus you will work a bit harder. Blogger is something I recommend for new bloggers just trying to get the hang of blogging before moving up to WordPress. (Though you can go directly to WordPress and simply save yourself a step).

WHY Should you blog?

Blogging is one of the top ways to bring new customers and clients to your business (along with article writing, press releases). Blogs are keyword rich for searches that your potential clients will be searching for via their online searches, they serve to increase your image and establish you as an expert in your field, they are usually optimized for SEO so that your site goes up in rankings as you blog more frequently. Blogs do not only serve to increase your brand image and establish you as an expert, they also are one of, if not THE prime method in which to prompt people toward visiting your main website and in turn purchasing your products and services. Without blogging both your image and your website clicks will suffer in comparison to others in your field.

In the end it all comes down to the fact that without a blog you will be left behind by your peers. Blogging (along with article writing and press releases) is the main way to promote your brand image and push people to your products and services & with everyone else doing it, the simple fact is, you cannot afford not to.