If you would like to start your own blog (or give your present blog a makeover), this post can help. Most local websites (especially from councils and tourist offices) are pretty uninspiring. So creating a beautiful local blog that offers helpful information, interviews and a gorgeous aesthetic is sure to go down a treat with people who live nearby, or any visitors.
Stray Curls Blogger’s Blueprint is a good all-round helper from a woman who earns good income from her own blog. Her 50-page blog planner includes space for income, ideas, a business plan, passwords, contacts and affiliates.
First of all, learn to write well and let go of distractions. Latest opinions show that people detest pop-ups of any kind (even to sign up to your newsletter) and banner blindness means sidebar images, social share buttons and slideshows are not welcome, and never used. People come for the info, then move on.
You’ll find it easier to get traffic is you write helpful posts with good titles, an nice image or two to break things up, and only use videos if relevent (we add a few here and there plus some nice music videos to make things fun, but no more than that). Too many will slow your site down, and cost you more in hosting fees.
GO.CO is the official site of the new .co domains. This is ideal if your domain name of choice has already been gone or bought by companies, that then try to sell it back to you at high cost. This global domain ending is short and memorable and recognised the same for SEO.
If you are going to turn your blog into your business, then back it up. Updraft (free), Jetpack or Vaultpress (both paid) all have plugins to do this, in case you press the wrong button! See how to back up your site and secure passwords.
Help to Launch Your New Blog!
- Launch with a Bang is a sweet little e-book on how to launch your blog. Make your blog people-friendly and use this book for a redesign and launch.
- See You On The Internet is the best book on Internet marketing. Beautifully designed, this author takes you through the ins and outs of marketing your site online, in a friendly style
