14 Things to Know About Blogging in 2014

1.Reading other blogs is dangerous

We all wake up feeling productive. The classic mistake, however, is to give all your motivation away to the content people have already shared on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon or wherever else your morning coffee takes you. This really clouds your own ideas.

 The best solution is to:

vPick 3 blogs and no more.

v Subscribe to them via email or RSS.

v  Read their emails each time you get them.

2.Be personal

 Even if it feels uncomfortable at first.

3.Write when you’re tired

 It’ll help your mind wake up.

 4.Write when you’re energized

 It’s the best time.

 5.Don’t write everyday

 Instead, get outside a lot more. Now more than ever, you need a work-exercise balance. It’s not advice, it’s science.

6.Never write to copy others

Because no great man or woman ever got there through copying. Learn from other styles, try them out, but ultimately distill your own.

7.Where you blog 100% matters

 Don’t listen to the advertisements for Weebly or Web.com; pick where you feel most at home. Blogger, Tumblr, and even SquareSpace offer great solutions.

 8.Go niche narrow

 This means covering one specific part of a niche and becoming an expert in doing so, as opposed to blindly tackling the whole niche. It’s a great tactic to stand out early on.

 9.Any new blog needs A logo

v Something simple that represents recurring themes (aka motifs) in your writing.

v  Good onsite SEO

     Link your posts to one and another with good anchor          text.

v     Good offsite SEO
      Guest post on blogs within your niche to create link “votes” pointing back to your work.

10.You can’t do it all alone

 But you can do a LOT with the help of a few others. Take on guest writers. Ask for gigs. Ask for comments. Put yourself out there, starting today.

 11.So find a network

Try Bloggers Helping Bloggers – they’ll help you get more comments and shares.

 12.Then use the network

You can’t just sign up and expect the traffic to flow. Blogging isn’t passive; it’s omnipresent. You have to give everyday NOW to see rewards a month later.

 13.Pick one social media outlet

Don’t overwhelm yourself. Get really good at Twitter (here are some Twitter growth strategies). Or, go meet the experts on Google Plus. When you launch, direct people to Facebook and just Facebook. Pick one, then leverage that one profile into greater clout once you’re ready to expand.

14.WordPress.org isn’t a must, but it’s gotten MUCH easier

If you want to start a niche review site, travel blog, small business website or any blog that eventually morphs into something that makes you money, you’re smartest move would be to start blogging on WordPress.org. If you’re worried about cost, click here to learn about hosting coupons available year-round. WordPress just allows you the most options for design and monetization, and really isn’t any more work than a free blog.