It's happening in multiple yahoo groups and on bulletin boards. Even in comments on blogs people are asking about why they need a blog
On Alyson Stanfield's Art Biz Blog a true beginner who knows nothing
about blogs but is being told she needs one is looking for information.
She is just one of thousands of people who want to know not just why, but also exactly what they need to know to start blogging.
From two years of half-hearted attempts followed by six months of in the trenches blogging I claim some hard earned success.
Here's why I say that.
- If you plug even a portion of my blog name: Artsy Asylum, into Google, you get links to me in 9 of the first 10 results.
- The top four and a total of six results from the search: "Ephemeria" (the imaginary realm from which my artistamps are issued) point to my web presence.
- The top two and a total of five of the top ten results link to my pages in a Google search of Susan Reynolds
So I feel comfortable sharing my experiences and the best advice coming out of that.
Ready?
- Read as many blogs as you can so you'll see what you do like, what
you don't like, and take note of what seems to WORK for other people. Make it a part of your schedule; it's that important.
- Sign up for a free month's trial at Typepad. It's elegant,
powerful, has features that are vital, and is simply head and shoulders
above at least three other platforms that I tried before getting smart.
- I honestly didn't know what I didn't have with the others (Blogger, LiveJournal & SquareSpace)
- You won't know WHY you need the features or even what they are at first
- But within four or five weeks you'll be amazed at how these features and some discipline on your part are getting your blog noticed.
- Jump in feet first & learn by doing.
- To get some experience & make contacts consider contributing to another blog or blogs. My Museum of Paper Blog for example is set up to be artist / contributor-friendly.
- Drop by my Case Notes from the Artsy Asylum Blog to see what's happening with my little corner of the bloggosphere
- Visit Suzanne Falter-Barnes' blog and really digest what she has to share about her experience learning to blog big time.
- Look at what Alyson Stanfield who is an Art Marketing Consultant (link at top of page) is doing with her blog
- If you want to learn everything, and I mean every detail to the point that someone else's eyes would glaze over - follow the doings of the Blog Squad faithfully to learn from two Gurus of Blog as marketing device. Their information - like what a blog can do for you - is phenominal.
Now, time to take all you've learned, stir in a good helping of what makes you YOU, and get your blog in the oven, knowing that you can improve and tweak it along the way. Just taking the first step is the most business altering "to do" item of the entire year.
Note: My new Blog will focus on setting up & using Blogs to help Artists and other Creative people Blog with the best. It will debut soon at:
A Blog in the Oven - http://susanreynolds.blogs.com/blogoven/
To get updates on A Blog in the Oven, plug yourself in at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=8691
