10 Basic Blogging Tips for Beginners

The new year is right around the corner and that normally sparks a "turning" point in peoples lives. Some may decide to start something new, others resolve to kick a bad habit or try to improve upon a lifestyle and then there are those who are simply picking up a new hobby such as blogging! Since I've come across quite a few people who have decided to start a blog in the coming year I decided to give a quick run down of helpful pointers to point them in the right direction. Below I have 10 basic steps for beginners looking to develop a blog.

1. There are several blogging formats you can use for your blog: Blogger, WordPress and Movable Type are all well worth checking out! These range from free and easy (yet limited in various ways) to more personalized /customizable for a small fee.
2. Pick a topic your passionate about so that blogging comes easy and naturally. Otherwise you may hit a 'writers block'.
3. If you have the perfect niche already, give background information on topics discussed! It's always safe to assume the reader doesn't know what you're talking about.
4. Link to the topic at hand when referring to obscure things! You can and will lose potential new readers if they aren't able to follow what you're discussing.
5. Spice up your blog with pictures, widgets or polls!
6. Promote your blog: Add Rss Subscribe buttons, link to other blogs and sites, leave comments on other blogs, participate in forums, tag and ping!
7. Check out other "advice & tips" sites for bloggers! Such as Problogger or Copyblogger.
8. Stick to your "point per post" know what you want to write about, make it clear, simple and easy to read.
9. Use bullet points or numbering when there are several key points to make! Makes for a clean look and easy read for long posts.
10. Ask for feedback! Feel free to ask for useful critiques of your blog in various forums or ask your readers for feedback; that's the best way to see what's working or where you're falling short!

Keep in mind there is MUCH more information in regards to blogging, these tips are just to help you get the ball rolling in the right direction! Review your posts, look for errors and leave the door open for comments or questions!

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