How to Create a Successful Blog

Want to be at the forefront of the citizen journalism movement? Choose the right topic, develop an audience and market your content to establish a well-trafficked, and potentially lucrative blog.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• A computer
• An internet connection

1. Select a topic that suits you and that you feel qualified to cover. This step is critical, as you will be stuck with your topic for the entirety of your blog's existence.
2. Set up an account with an online blog provider, or create your own website. Give some consideration to design and format.
3. Update your blog at least 3 or 4 times daily.
4. Visit more heavily read blogs and leave reader comments with your blog's link on them. This gives you exposure to large numbers of readers.
5. Ask other bloggers, who run sites with similar topics to yours, if they would like to exchange links. The more links you have to your site, the more traffic you receive.
6. Send some of your blog stories to friends, family and coworkers (if applicable) to gain readership.
7. Forward selected blog entries to media outlets and other bloggers who might be interested.
8. Create special topics, columns, guest posts, lists and other features that will provide diversity of content.
9. Look into search engine and display advertising options to create a revenue stream.

Tips & Warnings

• Write under a pseudonym if your blog will cover anything less than office-friendly material.
• Try to pick a topic that you have some level of expertise in.
• Consider topics that are underserved, or that don't receive as much media coverage as is deserved.
• Keep content fresh and original, and update as frequently as possible.
• Avoid stories or topics that compete head-to-head with heavily trafficked websites.
• Set aside some time for a social life, if possible.