Chicago | 2008 | 20d
So I’ve given you reasons WHY to start a blog… well here’s HOW to get started!
Choose a blogging platform.
A lot of professional bloggers buy a wordpress theme and host it on their own. If you’re just getting started use a free service for now and get in the groove of blogging.
Hey Jim, what do you use and why?
I am using blogger. Why? It’s what I started using when I started my first photography blog back in 2007. I’ve stuck with it because I know how to use it comfortably and its free.
A lot of popular blogs use blogger. Strobist and HowChow to name a couple. I’m proud to say that they are both successful Howard County, Maryland bloggers!
Other options: Here are some of the other most popular platforms and a quick thought about them. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts on each blogging service in the comments.
WordPress: This seems to be the “industry standard.” I have no experience with their free option, but I know they do have one.
My friends Mark and Jeanette started a blog on wordpress but let it die, I’m hoping it gets revived soon.
Tumblr: Also a free option. I feel like tumblr is a larger twitter. You can REBLOG other peoples posts on your blog. The tumblr culture seems to be really SHORT posts with lots of photos/graphics and a lot of reposting. This I’ve been informed is called microblogging. Jess’ best friend uses Tumblr.
Posterous: Another free service. You can write an e-mail to your posterous account and it will automatically post. Other platforms you might be able to do this with as well. Posterous also allows you to reblog other peoples posts on your blog.
The Pastor I used to work for switched his blog over to posterous from blogger because of the ease of posting.
I’m sure there are others as well but these are the ones that come to mind.
Customize! – Chose a layout and theme that you like!
Your blog will come with some basic layout templates that you can choose. Chose one that you like and use it. You will most likely have some options to do some easy customization as well. You can get into some of the more “complicated” customization and fine tuning later.
START WRITING!
BOOM! You’re writing your first blog post. What do you want to talk about? Here was our first blog post.
BONUS – If you were inspired by this blog to start your own, you could give us a little shout out in your first post, we wouldn’t mind at all. Make sure to link us as well –> http://www.jimjessbaker.com
TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT!
Use your social media outlets (facebook and twitter) to tell people about your blog. Don’t overwhelm them. Twice a day is probably enough, once in the morning and once in the evening. Or since you’re just starting out, you can send out an e-mail to people that you know and encourage them to check it out!
Engage: Did you start a blog? Leave us a link in the comments and we’ll check it out and comment!
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