Blogger BlogNet84761

Many people ask, how do I start a blog? Well firstly, do you know what one is? Just to clarify with you, a blog is a personal/business web space where you can make unlimited posts or entries to it (much like in a diary), that appear in latest chronological order, which also allows for reader comments (interaction). Now, you know exactly what it is, here are the free resources that will allow you to create one.

Most blogging software websites will allow you to either create a space with the the blog software name in the domain or you can purchase a cheap domain and host the blog software on your own web host provider. I do recommend the latter as, that allows you to have a professional looking web address such as myblog.com, rather than myblog.blogsoftware.com or blogsoftware.com/myblog.

Here is a list of the best blog softwares out there. Just type one of the names below in Google search, and they will come up as the first result. There you can sign up and start creating a blog quite easily, even now if you wish.

Here is the list -

• Wordpress (most customizable, and my number one recommendation)
• Typepad
• Blogger
• Squidoo
• Hubpages

Of course, there are many more around, but these are by far the best, most well known and easiest to start with. All have very good official instructions and help, but also provide a stack of other external resources and help from other users that should see you in good sted for creating a value packed blog.

The best part about running a blog is that you can even start to make money from it. This is just once of many benefits of running a blog. So now you know the answer to "how can I start a blog", maybe it's time you start writing about your passion today!

John Domenico is a seasoned Internet Marketer and blogger, and helps other earn a living with the Internet and blogs. Get more info at http://www.Wealthy-Affiliate-University.org

When you contribute your comments to other's Blogs, it is an opportunity to show your personality, expertise and gain exposure for your Web site.

What many seem to not understand is that Blogs are about opinions and conversations not about one-sided desires for self-promotion. In the almost rabid quest to attain incoming one-way links to their Web sites, Blogs are being hit with generic dribble from marketers that serve no purpose other than reflecting the commenter's desire to gain a coveted inbound link.

I have a handful of Blogs and each and everyone is moderated. By being moderated this means that any comments submitted need to be approved by me before being added to my Blogs for public viewing. My Blogs -- my call -- and I am very persnickety about what gets added to my Blogs by those I don't know. It's called quality control.

A site visitor's comments do not see the light of day on my Blogs unless they meet the following criteria:

1. Their comment must include their name; at the very least their first name -- typed properly.
2. Their comment must be specific to the post they are commenting on -- and I mean specific. General blah-blah-blah doesn't cut it -- comments must include detailed verbiage clearly about the post in question or it gets marked as spam. Comments like "I see your point of view but don't agree" without telling me why you disagree tells me you are just link baiting.
3. Compliments are futile. Yes, we all love hear how great our site is and having our egos stroked by site visitors. But my ego doesn't not fall prey to those who try to compliment their way into gaining a link to their site from my Blogs. Only those compliments combined with thoughtful specific commentary will have a chance of being approved for viewing by my site visitors. It's all about the conversation!

Between all my Blogs, minimally 200 "comments" each day are marked as spam because they do not meet the basic criteria above. Some of these comments are submitted by bots; while others are from naive marketers thinking that their incoherent typo filled grammatically incorrect ramblings will actually be approved for display thereby giving them that highly desired one-way link to their site that search engines look for.

News Flash to Blog owners -- moderate your Blog and integrate the above standards as well. Doing so will help to increase the value and integrity of your Blog in the process. Otherwise you risk your Blog's overall worth being affected negatively by "comments" that are of no value to anyone.

Commenting on Blogs is certainly a great way to gain exposure. But only when done properly and for all the right reasons integrating courtesy and common sense when doing so. If you don't have anything of definitive value to contribute and don't want to make the efforts mentioned above -- then don't waste your time or that of Blog owners.

About the Author:
Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse who has played at TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her popular Business Start-up, Software, Programming and Web Design Cheat Sheets at LearnAndThrive.com

Let's find out what Web 2.0 really is and how you can take advantage of it in your WordPress Blog.

Web 2.0 is about 25% marketing, and 25% hype. But, it's mainly a way of thinking. It's about simpler design and encouraging interaction with and among others.

By following these 7 tips, you will be well on your way to creating your Web 2.0 blog.

1. Social Bookmarking - Take you current blog to the next level with the Share This plug-in. It lets your readers do your social bookmarking chores for you. Get accounts at the sites included in the plug-in and above all - fill out your profile.

2. Video Blogging - To get started, incorporate YouTube videos on your blog.

3. Audio Blogging - Record your own audio using a free program called Audacity and upload the mp3 to your blog. In a blog post, blog about your audio and put the link in for people to listen.

4. FeedBurner - Burn your feed and let FeedBurner create the code that you can paste into a sidebar widget to let people be alerted when there are new posts.

5. Comments - Yes or No?

Turn them on but set them up correctly. Use the built in spam catcher, Akismet, to help catch spam comments. Make people give you their name and e-mail address before they can post a comment. Moderate each person's first comment and above all, have an e-mail sent to you whenever there is a new comment so you can go and look at it. Remember - it's YOUR blog and you decide what comments do and do not appear.

Send an e-mail when you have a new post. Tell people to go read it and comment on it.

6. Twitter - Get a Twitter account and use the plug-in TwitterTools. Set it up correctly and it will give you a lot of Tweeting power. And you don't even need to go to Twitter if you don't want to. It will put your posts on Twitter for you - automatically. But do spend some amount of time on Twitter. You need to interact with people you are following and people who are following you.

7. Facebook - Facebook is a community builder. For blogging, install the WordBook plug-in. This will post your blog posts to your FaceBook profile page - again automatically. As with Twitter, spend some amount of time on Facebook interacting with others. You might want to create your own FaceBook group - like the WordPress Mastermind Group.

Web 2.0 is all about interactivity and building a community.

Come in to the world of Web 2.0 blogging. I think you'll like it.

I'd like to invite you to join the announcement list for my next class, WordPress Blogging in a Web 2.0 World. When you put yourself on the list, you will be among the first to know when enrollment starts and you will get some gifts from me too. Head over to http://www.WordPress20.com so you can be notified when registration opens. Presented by The WordPressWizard, Cathy Perkins.