by Susan Fenn

Created on: November 01, 2009   Last Updated: November 02, 2009

Whether you want to utilize your blog as a personal journal or to showcase your vast knowledge in a particular subject matter, you can successfully blog with these five, practical tips!

1. Create a Business Plan

Deciding to post a blog requires a business plan, especially if the overall goal is to make money. The first step is to decide where you want your blog hosted. There are several free sites you can start from to build your clientele such as:

www.blogspot.com, www.blogger.com, and www.myblogsite.com. The next step is to decide how frequently you can post on your blog. At minimum you should strive for one blog a week, at best one blog a day.

2. Pick a Subject and Stay with it

When writing your blog, you need a focal point. You need to ask yourself "what do I know?" This is crucial no matter what you are writing whether it is a blog, an article for Helium, or a piece of fiction writing

3. Link your blog

To capitalize on your blog, you need to link it to every social networking site you belong to. The more the better. Don't have a Facebook? Create one. Missing a Myspace page? There's never been a better time to start. Looking for something more professional? Try Linkedin and Twitter. Not only can you network with other writers, you can build your readership with mini blurbs and links leading back to your blog. You should also search for other blogs with similar material and link their blog on your blog. Then send them an email and request that they do the same.

4. Invite Comments and Feedback

No one likes to read something, give feedback and have to wait three weeks for a response. Once your readership starts responding to your posts respond back. You can also be the first to comment on your blog, similar to the tip jar at a local coffee shop. At start of business there's going to be at least one dollar bill staring up at the unknowing consumer, begging them to add more to the pot.

5. It's all in the name

When you've decided your topic, how many times a week you'll be blogging, marketing strategy and you're prepared to comment back, you'll need to pick a name. Most assume they can name it "your name here" blog. Think search engine optimization (seo) and how you can use your blog name to drive more readers to your site.

Form a business plan, pick a topic (and stick with it!), pick a solid name, link your blog and invite feedback. Following these practical tips will lead you towards a successful blog.

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