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By Rudolf Freidlander
If you've just entered the world of blogging or if you've been
blogginh for a short time and find that things are not working
out as you expected, it will be worth your while to spend some
time understanding the common mistakes that bloggers make,
mistakes that make it hard to enjoy what should be an
enjoyable, satisfying experience: Blogging!
The five most common new blogger mistakes are:
Diving in (rather than wading in)
Having unrealistic expectations
Losing focus
Plagiarizing
Ignoring the reader
Diving in! Many bloggers are so anxious to get started that
they dive in rather than wading in slowly -- its a mistake in
an unfamiliar swimming pool or pond and its a mistake when
entering a new arena such as the 'blogosphere.' Consider these
things before you start your Blog:
Find a focus for your blog . . . a focus that reflects what
you
know, what interests you and what you enjoy talking and
writing
about. No topics are out of bounds: politics, religion,
science, sexual orientations, comedy, exercise, diet,
diseases,
etc., etc..
Take the time to read dozens of different blogs: note the
colors, graphics and layouts to get an idea of what appeals to
you. Also note that some bloggers are long-winded and others
are brief and to the point . . . others are just chatty and
entertaining and have no particular point to make . . . this
too is a personal style you get to choose.
You need a host for your blog, some are free, some charge a
small amount per month for their service, some are simple to
use and some require more technical knowledge, some have more
features than others; choose carefully, once you've
established
your blog and have a few regular readers you may not want to
change your address (your URL).
You may or may not want to use your real name on your blog,
this depends on many factors, not the least of which is your
stance on controversial issues and how publicly you want to be
identified with your opinions.
Unrealistic expectations! If you come to blogging expecting
instant results: a large readership and many complimentary
comments, you may be disappointed. There are tens of thousands
of blogs online vying for the same audience. Patience and
tenacity are essential on your part. If you write well, find a
unique niche to fill, have appealing titles for your posts and
tirelessly promote your blog the readership and comments (some
of which will be complimentary) will come.
Losing focus! When you started your blog you had a particular
reason for doing so; it might have been to express your views
on a topic or it might have been to just communicate with a
close circle of friends about your daily activities. Readers
will come to your blog for the first time and either be
interested in your subject matter or not, will either like
your
style or not and, if they like your subject and style they may
comment and then come back later. Once you've established a
topic and tone for your blog you're free to change it but to
do
so you're basically starting all over.
Be aware that you can have more than one blog, each one
devoted
to a particular topic and each one, if you choose, under a
different identity.
Plagiarizing! There are some great bloggers out there and as
you surf through blogs you might find one who said something
really well, something that resonated with you and something
you want to put in your blog. DON'T just copy and paste
someone's words in your blog without giving them credit,
making
it look to the world like the words are yours. If you write
it,
write it in your own words and write it better, adding your
own
thoughts and feelings and then be gracious, mention where you
got the idea and provide a link.
Ignoring the reader! Some of the people who read your blog
will
leave comments; some readers will agree with you and some
readers may even praise your insights but most will pick a
point you've made and criticize it. People leave comments on
others blogs for the same reason they themselves blog, to
exchange ideas and express their points of view. Always
respond
to your readers comments; thank them for reading and taking
the
time to comment (even the severe critics) and then respond, as
appropriate, to their comment. If you ignore your comments
your
readers may end up ignoring your blog.
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