Blogging For Dummies

Amy Lupold Bair is the owner of Resourceful Mommy Media, LLC, and author of the popular parenting and lifestyle blog, Resourceful Mommy. In 2008, Amy invented the social media marketing tool the Twitter Party, and in early 2009, she created the Global Influence Network for bloggers. A former English teacher and mother of two, she is also the author of Raising Digital Families For Dummies, a guide for parents raising digital natives.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 3Where to Go from Here 3Part 1: Getting Started with Blogging 5Chapter 1: Discovering Blog Basics 7Making Yourself Comfortable with Blogs 8How people use blogs 9Recognizing a blog 16Blog anatomy: Dissecting a typical blog 17Starting a Blog 21Choosing What to Blog About 23Creating a Successful Blog 24Setting goals 25Writing well 25Creating a calendar 26Building community with comments 27Designing for Success 28Understanding themes 29Knowing content types 30Thinking about audience 30Chapter 2: Entering the Blogosphere 33Assessing Your Involvement 34What level of commitment are you willing to make to blogging? 35Do you like writing? How’s your typing? 35What will the blog be about? Is your blog personal or professional? 35Do you think that your new blog might lead to new career opportunities? 36How comfortable are you with sharing? 36What Happens When You Publish? 36Blogging Ethically 38Telling the truth 39Making mistakes 41Handling dialogue 43Keeping Your Job While Blogging 44Blogging without Embarrassing Your Mother or Losing Friends 45Understanding what’s at stake 46Protecting others in your life 46Protecting Your Privacy and Reputation 47Creating Your Brand 48Communicating who you are 48Hitting reboot 49Chapter 3: Choosing and Hosting Blog Software 51Having Your Own Domain Name 51Picking a domain name 52Registering a domain 54Finding Web Hosting 57Doing your research 58Subscribing to web hosting 59Deciding on the Right Blogging Software 61Budgeting for software 63Making sure you get the basics 63Upgrading with bells and whistles 65Understanding Hosted Blog Software 66Reaping the benefits 67Living with the limitations 68Choosing hosted software 69Understanding Blog Software That You Install on Your Own Server 72Reaping the benefits 72Living with the limitations 73Choosing non-hosted blogging software 74Installing blog software 77Part 2: Setting Up Your Blog 79Chapter 4: Starting a Blogger Blog 81Starting a Blog with Blogger 81Creating an account 82Naming your blog 84Using the Dashboard 86Writing a Post 87Adding a link 88Spell-checking your text 89Including an image 90Publishing Your Post 92Previewing your post 92Configuring post settings 93Launching your post 94Viewing Your Blog Post 94Selecting the Dashboard Settings 95Making basic changes 96Making comment changes 97Making email changes 98Customizing Your Blog 98Choosing a new theme 99Using the Theme Designer 100Editing page elements 103Chapter 5: Starting a WordPress Blog 107Choosing between WordPress.com and WordPress.org 108Starting a WordPress.com Blog 110Creating an account 110Using the dashboard 114Changing site settings 114Writing a Post 115Customizing Your WordPress.com Blog 118Selecting a new theme 118Installing WordPress 120Registering a domain 121Selecting web hosting 121Getting the software 122Uploading the WordPress files 124Setting up the database 126Running the install script 128Getting Familiar with Settings 130Logging in 130Setting up an Editor account 130Using the Dashboard 132Checking out the panels 134Creating a Post 134Customizing Your Design 136Finding Out More about WordPress 137Chapter 6: Creating a Squarespace Blog 139Creating a Squarespace Account 139Selecting a template 140Choosing a site name 142Adding Blog Content 144Uploading images 145Importing content from other platforms 146Customizing and Connecting 147Linking your social networks 148Using the Squarespace sidebar 149Chapter 7: Considering Other Blogging Platforms 151Blogging with Wix 151Writing with Weebly 155Checking Out Additional Platforms 156Part 3: Fitting In and Feeling Good 159Chapter 8: Finding Your Niche 161Deciding What Belongs on Your Blog 161Parent blogging 163Turning your offline hobby into a blog 164Talking technology 165Getting political with it 166Reporting news 167Revealing it all 167Sharing a deal 168Design, lifestyle, DIY — oh my! 168Living on less 169Reading, writing, ‘rithmetic 170Creating a super niche 170Examining a new niche 171Learning from the Pros 172Lurking on other blogs 173Participating by commenting 174Reaching Out to Other Bloggers 175Meeting in person 175Attending conferences 176Using social networks 176Chapter 9: Creating Great Content 179Knowing Your Audience 180Finding your competitors 180Discovering the secrets of success 181Profiling your audience 184Writing for a specific audience 186Writing Well and Frequently 186Being yourself 187Finding rewards in lengthy posts 190Remembering proofreading and editing 190Relying on your content calendar 191Drawing in Readers 195Hooking with a headline 195Turning to video and photos 195Following what’s trending 196Joining the crowd 196Listing with listicles 197Grabbing readers with food 198Serving the Reader 198Giving them what they need 198Giving them what they want 198Creating content worth referencing 199Getting linky with it 199Overcoming Writer’s Block 200Chapter 10: Building Community with Comments 203Getting Interaction Going with Comments 204Getting involved 205Enabling comments 207Managing Comments 208Establishing community guidelines 208Editing comments 211Deleting comments 211Moderating comments 212Recognizing Spam Comments 213Fighting Spam with Software 217Protecting your comment form 217Screening for spam 219Dealing with Coverage on Other Blogs 222Chapter 11: Blogging Anonymously 225Deciding How Much Anonymity You Need 226Going Anonymous 228Establishing a pseudonym 228Setting up a new email address 228Choosing passwords 229Starting your anonymous blog 230Being time and location aware 230Approaching Content Cautiously 231Stepping Up Security 231Understanding IP addresses 232Using software safely 233Keeping up 233Resources 234Part 4: Going Beyond Words 235Chapter 12: Working with Photos 237Keeping It Simple 237Getting Equipped 238Picking a digital camera 238Choosing photo-editing software 240Using Google Photos 241Choosing a photo-sharing tool 242Choosing Visuals for Your Blog 244Taking photos 244Using art from other sources 246Editing Photos 246Getting photos into Google Photos 248Cropping a photo 248Adjusting brightness and contrast 249Adjusting color 249Optimizing a photo for the web 250Considering other photo-editing tools 250Chapter 13: Starting a Podcast 251Deciding to Podcast 252Planning Your Podcast 253Assessing the Tools 255Dressing Up Your Podcast with Music and Sound Effects 257Creative Commons Search 257Magnatune 258Freesound 258Free Music Archive 259Publishing Your Podcast 259Assigning metadata 260Choosing a format 260Storing your podcasts 261Delivering your podcasts 262Promoting Your Podcast 263Adding your podcast to FeedBurner 263Adding your podcast to iTunes 264Getting listed in podcast directories 265Chapter 14: Diving into Vlogging 267Defining Vlogging 267Understanding why you should vlog 268Discovering available vlogging platforms 269Setting the Stage 270Choosing the right equipment 271Creating a vlogging space 271Editing Your Vlog 272Keeping it simple 272Keeping it real 273Promoting Your Vlog 273Chapter 15: Leveraging Community with Forums 275Deciding Whether Forums Will Work for You 276Researching Software Options 278Choosing between Free and Commercial Forum Software 279Browsing commercial forum software 280Perusing open-source forum software 280Getting Finicky about Features 281Installing Forum Software 284Cultivating Community Standards 285Part 5: Marketing and Promoting Your Blog 287Chapter 16: Making Your Blog Easy to Find 289Diving into SEO 289Understanding SEO 290Creating an SEO-friendly blog 290Using SEO tools 291Understanding SEO changes 292Branding Your Blog 292Telling them what you’re going to tell them 292Showing them what you’re going to show them 293Reaching Out with RSS 294Getting the goods on web feeds 294Breaking it down further 295Generating web traffic 296Creating a feed for your blog 296Making the Most of RSS 297Chapter 17: Getting to Know Social Networking 299Thinking Strategically 300Connecting with your audience 301Selecting networks 301Protecting your privacy online 302Focusing on consistent branding 302Creating opportunities for conversation 304Prompting audience action 305Getting Familiar with Social Networks 306Friend-based networks 306Hobby-based networks 308Professional networks 309Media-sharing networks 310Informational networks 311Location-based networks 312Sharing It All 312Chapter 18: Joining the Big Four Social Networks 315Joining Facebook 316Creating a Facebook Page 316Using your Facebook Page 317Understanding Twitter 319Getting Started with Twitter 321Signing up for an account 321Tweeting 322Exploring the settings 324Tying your blog into Twitter 324Getting Started with LinkedIn 325Connecting through LinkedIn 325Creating your LinkedIn account 326Connecting through Instagram 326Valuing the visual 327Using Instagram creatively 327Chapter 19: Measuring Blog Presence 329Exploring the Power of Statistics 330Knowing What the Statistics Mean 333Hits 333Page views 333Unique visitors 334Repeat visitors 335Errors 335Getting Web Stats 336Choosing hosted statistics software 337Choosing installable statistics software 337Part 6: Getting Business-y with It 339Chapter 20: Making Mad Mad Money 341Finding Out How Advertising Works 341Planning for advertising 343Looking at the formats 343Assessing business models 345Joining an Ad Network 345Putting Ads on Your Blog 346Getting Paid to Post 347Participating in marketing campaigns 347Tying in social media presence 348Blogging professionally 348Making the Most of Affiliate Marketing 349Amazon Associates Program 349Rakuten Affiliate Network 349Seeking Sponsorships 350Negotiating a sponsorship experience 350Setting boundaries 352Accepting Gifts, Not Obligations 353Viewing Your Blog as an Influential Platform 354Chapter 21: Blogging for Companies 355Putting Blogs to Work for Your Business 356Considering the benefits of a business blog 356Checking out businesses that blog 357Deciding whether to blog 358Planning for Business Blog Success 359Setting goals 359Choosing a blogger 360Deciding what to write 361Generating sales or action 363Delivering with Technology 364Enabling comments 364Creating RSS/web feeds 365Podcasting 365Starting a wiki 365Joining a social network 366Advertising on Blogs 366Going contextual 367Advertising via ad networks 368Sponsoring a blog 368Leveraging LinkedIn 370Part 7: The Part of Tens 371Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Grow Community 373Write Often 373Listen and Respond to Readers 374Visit and Participate 374Guest Blog and Invite Guest Bloggers 376Communicate via Email and Newsletters 376Get Social 378Involve Your Readers 378Connect Offline 379Go Mobile 380Diversify 380Chapter 23: Ten Things All Bloggers Should Do 381Discover Your Voice 381Stoke Your Muse 382Survey Your Readers 383Find Your Tribe 383Know Your Traffic Sources 384Set Goals 385Define Success 386Create a Monetization Plan or Not 386Prepare to Grow 387Know When You’re Done 387Index 389