I've heard a blog is a good way to market sites. I currently have no experience with them and I'm looking for some tips? Does anyone have some advice on how to get started? Any success stories to share?? thanks for the feedback!
The 'Net is full of blogs about helping people get started blogging. I'll share this with you. You should spend some time thinking about what your blog will be about. The "Make Money Online" thing has been done to death. Choose a subject that you're knowledgeable in, such as cars, electronics, sports, games or even baking peanut butter cookies. The subject is not nearly as important as your knowledge of the subject. If you're not knowledgeable about the stuff you blog about, you'll quickly run out of content to blog on. You should make a list of several subjects that you'd like to blog about then see if there is interest in them. (hint: this will probably leave out the peanut butter cookie blog) You can go to http://inventory.overture.comand type in your subject. See how many times it's been searched for. The rule of thumb is that whatever number Overture is showing, you can multiply that by 10 to get a rough estimate of how many times it has been searched for on Google. I'd say anything with 10k hits per month or more in Overture should be a decent subject to blog about if your knowledgeable in that area. Now your list should be whittled down to just a few. Search Google to see how many other blogs there are about your subjects. Don't be discouraged if there are not that many. It could mean that there's little competition. Read other blogs on the subject you'd like to blog about and get a 'feel' for their style. Can you come at the subject with a different angle? Present your information in an unique way no other blogger is doing it? If so, you have a good start. Next, get your own domain name, ie; www.yourblogname.com. It'll save you a lot of headaches down the road. Next, get WordPress at http://www.wordpress.org. It may take you just a little while to become aquainted with the program, but if you can send email, you can learn WordPress in a short amount of time. Familiarize yourself with all the features of WordPress. Then go out and find a 'Theme' for your site. The Internet is busting at the seams with free WordPress Themes. I'm sure you'll find one that you like. You can click on one of my sig links for a list of free Adsense ready WordPress themes. You can also find a huge list of free WordPress Themes at Comprehensive List of 980+ WordPress Themes/Templates. One word, Emily hasn't updated this page in about a year. Some of the Theme sites are dead, but you'll still find many themes there. You can find an updated list of newer WordPress Themes at WordPress Theme Viewer. This will get you 'started'.
I recommend WordPress, but I will say that the 5-minute installation can easily turn into the 2-week installation if you don't follow the directions to the T and if you forget your password. If you do want WordPress on your site, PM me and I can install it for you now that I've been through the process.