If you want to set yourself apart as a blogger, you have to do a few things differently. These tips are the best advice I have to offer. They are the result of two years of intensive blogging. I welcome feedback as comments or questions.
Be mentored: offer someone doughnuts!
Monitor inbound links.
Don’t link out more than you have inbound links.
Write a a dynamite “ABOUT” page for your blog.
Have a “Best of” page.
Guest blog out there.
Host guest bloggers on your blog.
Write reviews with proper references (ie; IMDB for movies)
Optimize use of categories.
TAG by idea, not by words used.
Write great excerpts, summaries, and introductions.
Use search words in your title.
Pick a simple theme and then test, test, test.
Paragraphs no longer than 10 sentences.
Here today, gone tomorrow: remember your post is not a bestseller in process. Write it and move on.
Submit your best stuff to social media. Even better, ask your friends to.
NOFOLLOW when you should NOFOLLOW.
Outline your post. Don’t “freewrite.”
Use pictures.
Get a picture hosting and posting routine you like.
Use Google Reader. Leave comments.
Have a minimal sidebar. Most the “flair” out there is so distracting and lame.
Make subheadings in BOLD.
Don’t “create” topics, wait for them to come to you. be ready with a yellow pad or tape recorder.
Use the future posts timestamp feature of WordPress to get more than one post started in one sitting.
Schedule deadlines to be mailed to you through Google Calendar (No, I don’t work for Google … wish tho )
Find your “niche” and become a slave to it.
Value SEO and learn things about it.
Set goals.
Monitor results of goals.
Spell check and correct basic grammar. Try Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style.”
Make posts over 100 words, around 200 words and usually not more than 400 words.
Get away! Time off captures ideas.
Go to the Library for inspiration.
Use RANK then do not pay any attention to it.
Value real readers not empty “click-through” traffic.
Know your stats.
Be entertaining.
Regularly post.
Be accessible as an author.
Blogging is not instant gratification.
Spend most your time working on your own blog and smaller amounts commenting and blog hopping.
Adjust as necessary, be flexible.
Don’t look for advertisers, rather look to be the type of blog that would have advertisers.
Check out addons and plugins available to you.
Take an official photo.
Be a brand.
Ask for feedback
Put ideas in your blog as “drafts” for rainy days.
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