5 Ways to improve your blog

Blog, Blog, Blog. It's like getting the theme song from The Bridge on the River Kwai stuck inside your head. A blog can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. If used in "moderation" a blog can be a benefit to your bottom line, but beware, blog are addictive. It's easy to get caught up in your blog and lose focus on your core business goals, so here are 5 simple ways to make your blogging life easier and more successful.

So put down the proverbial blog crack pipe, and remember the blog is there to serve you, not the other way around!
Blogs (or Web Logs) aren't new, but they have become a fast mover in the world of web design and search engine optimization. A blog is a website first and foremost, with a small twist. It usually has a neat user interface that anyone can publish their latest news, product updates, whimsical thoughts, technical specifications, customer service/FAQ information and more. You can use a blog for just about anything you can think of. The more creative you are the better.

There are plenty of low-cost or free ways to get started
blogging. WordPress, Blogger, Easy2Blog, B2Evolution and more are all free. I'm a WordPress guy myself because I dig plug-ins, but if you don't know anything about programming I would suggest Blogger (Google) or Easy2Blog (easy as the name suggests).

The 5 Ways to Improve Blog Performance are more for those of you who have are using publishing software such as WordPress. So here we go (remember, a blog is a website).

Content

There are plenty of ways to get content for your blog. It's best to keep it relative to your topic. EzineArticles and GoArticles are great places for free, syndicated articles for your blog. Just be cool about it and remember to cut and paste the text or code exactly as it is and give attribution to the writer (the author link).

Simply syndicating everyone else's articles isn't enough, you need to add your own viewpoints. Try and write one a day, even if it's not 500 words or more. Be careful. It's easy to become obsessed with adding content to your blog. Spend more time on adding content on the front end (when you're building the original blog structure) and then simply commit yourself to 10 minutes a day writing at least one post for your blog.
It's easy for a BLOG to become a BLOB that your reader's will soon turn away from.

Categories

Set up and manage several different categories related to your "topic". You can publish the same article into different categories. Example: if your blog is about Search Engine Optimization you may have 5 different categories (plus the main category). Your categories could be - On Page SEO, Off Page SEO, Link Building, Directory Submission, and Site Design. Not every article or post will be relative to each category, but some will overlap. Don't go crazy and put every post in every category every time. You'll lose readers and value.

Blog Search Engine Optimization
There are a series of tools/plug-ins that will help with search engine optimization for your blog. DagonDesign has a great plug-in for WordPress and it's free and easy to install. Having clean URLs for your posts is extremely important. When you post an article about "Choosing Colors for Your Website" you don't want your post URL to be http://www.blahblahblog.com/?=ID1234 . In WordPress, for example, you want to at least choose the built in selection "Date and Name based" (click "Options" then "Permalinks" in the Dashboard view"). If you feel comfortable and are a bit crafty you can create a custom permalink structure.

Submit your Blog to Blog Directories

In addition to the traditional directory submissions you would make with any website. Most of these directories require a link back to their directory. There are two ways to handle these links (1) create a new page called "links" or resources" and post the links there (make sure you use the HTML editor/button on the post page otherwise the link will show up as code and won't count), or (2) put the link on your main page in the sidebar.

Keep in mind that the blog directories are for the most part human edited so it may take some time for them to confirm your link and blog content so be patient. Also, it's a good idea if you're setting up a separate links page to write down the URL of that page, the directories will ask you for the location of the backlink to their directory when you fill out the form.
Most of the general SEO principles for a regular website apply to blogs. Don't forget to put a link to your main website and to your blogs main page in the footer of your blog (and tag it properly for maximum effect).

Blog Design

Almost every blog is designed using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). CSS is a great tool for website design and especially blogging. It allows you to create new pages on the fly without redesigning each page. For WordPress (and Blogger, etc.) there are a ton of pre-designed, free templates, themes, skins, layouts (all the same thing) out there you can download, customize or use "as is". Be a decent blogger and make sure you leave the backlink in the footer for the designer. If you don't know anything about customizing blogs you can follow the link back to the original designer or the person who "ported" it to the blog format, they may be able to help you with customizing the blog for a couple hundred dollars. Matt at http://www.dagondesign.com/ can help you out here.

Calls to Action

Just like your website, your blog should have specific calls to action so that reader's can interact with you. Whether it's a simple "contact us" form mailer or a more elaborate ecommerce function, once you "got 'em" there, they need something to do. Again, Dagon Design has a cool form mailer plug-in that's easy to add to your site. You may have to create a separate HTML page and link to it from your blog (put it in your header so it's on each page) if you want to add a shopping cart.
These are just the first 5, stick around for more, or visit our blog at [http://blog-template-layout.com] and check out what's new.

Remember, your blog is just an extension of you and your business, so give it some personality, define some goals and make some rules for your blog.

Top 10 blog terms explained

Most people don't understand what the term "blog" means, much less any of the many other terms that are used when discussing the subject of blogging. To help clear up any confusion and misunderstanding, the following list of blog terms was compiled.

Blog Term #1: Blog

Most people don't understand what a blog is, which is why it is at the top of the list. The term "blog" is short for web log. Blogs are essentially online journals kept by individuals; though not in the traditional since, where they divulge their innermost thoughts and secrets. Blogs are used as a place for people to discuss their interests and offer advice to others who read them.

Some people have even become skilled enough at blogging to make money doing it for a living.

Blog Term #2: Pinging

Pinging is a useful tool used by bloggers to get their blog noticed. There are hundreds of websites available that provide this service free. What pinging does is it notifies the many popular search engines that there has been an update to your blog. This helps move your blog up the ranks of popularity so that it has a better chance of getting noticed.

Blog Term #3: Linking

Most popular blogs provide links within their content that allow people to be redirected to other websites in order find more information on a topic, or as a means of referencing the topic to make sure that the blog is accurate. All too often many blogs are purposely filled with false information. However, linking helps legitimate bloggers separate themselves from the fakes.

Blog Term #4: Posts

This term refers to the addition of a new entry to your blog. Each time you update your blog, this is called a post.

Blog Term #5: Template

All new blogs are issued with a standard writing template. Don't think that your topics and writing alone will be enough to generate readership. You'll also want to edit your template so that it stands apart from those of everyone else. A blog must be just as aesthetically pleasing as it is informative.

Blog Term #6: Blog host

In order to get a blog you need to sign up with a blog host. Such websites include Blogger dot com, or if you have a My Space account, you may have realized that you have a blog space there. Whatever the case, remember that there are many blog hosts who offer the service free, so don't waste your money with one who requires a fee.

Blog Term #7: Blog directories

These are massive online databases that catalogue the millions of different blogs in cyberspace. When you start your own blog you will also be added.

Blog Term #8: Niche

You've probably heard people mention the need for your blog to have a niche. A niche refers to the purpose of your blog. Does your blog discuss politics, pop culture, or music? Each one of those is a niche.

Blog Term #9: RSS feed

This is a piece of code you can include with your blog which allows people to subscribe to it. This takes the hassle out of your readership having to visit your blog to see if it is updated by automatically informing them every time it is.

Blog Term #10: Trackback links

This is a tool that notifies another bloggers anytime you reference their blog. It also includes a link to your blog from theirs. This is a great way to expand your notoriety, as well as build some connections with other bloggers.

Create a free blog step process on your own FTP into your Web template

What is Blog?

Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. They are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.

Why Blog?

As its definition it helps to publish news updates, to promote new products & services as well as different opinion from various experts who participates in blogs. Many companies today open a blog section to sell products, for customer care and after sales support. Business blogs are the fast track to increasing a website’s link popularity and Google PageRank.The regularly updated keyword rich content offered by blogs score high rankings in the search engines as a direct result of their link drawing power.

Link exchanges between themes related blogs are frequent and not at all difficult. Note that bloggers mainly exchange links for visitor traffic purposes, and not for search engine optimization. Link exchanges should generally be approached from the shared traffic perspective.

Blogs also provide an exclusive list of high PageRank blog directories. While maintaining their exclusivity in the blog only Internet directories, blogs are welcomed in the mainstream Internet directories. In that sense, blogs receive the best of both worlds.

Website owners, who are serious about improving not only their quantity of incoming links, but their theme relevant quality as well, should seriously consider adding a business blog component to their website.

Blog Setup on blogger.com

Blogs can be created from bloggers’ site as well as from own FTP (websites). People who don’t have any website, they can create a blog directly from the bloggers’ site. But who have own site, they can also create blogs from own FTP with the help of blogger.com.

Blogger.com is the most popular blogger creater in the world of blogs. Although hundreds of site provide free blogs, but blogger.com is most popular due to its features and functions. Create a blog from own FTP using Blogger.com is somewhat technical and for the first time, it takes some time & try and error to upload to blogs from own FTP.

From this article, I would like to define step by step procedures with examples that help you to create blogs in few easy steps at less time.

URL to create free blog on your own FTP: http://www.blogger.com/

Steps to setup blogs on own FTP:

1. Create a new account

2. Choose a template

3. Redesign existing template

4. FTP setup

5. Post message

6. Published blogs

(1) Few steps to create a new blog as followed:
Click on the button "Create a New Blog Now"

Create an account

Give blog title like "PPC Articles"

Give blog address like ppcarticles.blogspot.com (Must be unique)

Choose the template & continue from the bottom click button

Get message "Your blog is created" & Start posting

Get Blogger editor to write the message

Give the title

Write the message

From the bottom click on the “Publish Post” button

(2) Customized Template Design:

After creating a blog as mentioned above steps,

First create own template. To do that, click on the "Dashboard" which will bring to the main page of our account.

Here, you find the "blogname" under "Blogs" category.

Click on any created blog that you want to edit with your own template.

Click on "PPC articles"

Here, you will find four main categories from the top navigation.

They are, Posing, Setting, Template, View Blog

Click on the "Template" which will bring you to the present template code.

Here, you can edit your template as per your site design.

You may create customized template using this html code-editing wizard.

Note: While designing the customized template, it is mandatory to place all "blog tags" in between &
tags.

After, designing a new template click on the "Save Template Changes".

After clicking, you get a message - "Settings Were Saved Successfully"

Below the message "Settings Were Saved Successfully" message, you will find two buttons “Republish” (to publish entire blog) and "Republish Index" (to republish only index page)

Click on the “Republish” button.

After clicking, you will get the "Publishing is in progress".

After few seconds you will get the new message on the same page, "Your blog published successfully".

Note: If you get an error, check the "details" after the message "blog could not published".

(3) FTP Setup

Click on the "Settings" button from the top navigation of a page.

Here, you will find sub navigation under the "Settings" like, Basic, Publishing, Formatting, Comments, Archiving, Site Feed, Email, Members

Click on the "Publishing".

Here, you will find two options like SFTP or blogspot.com

Again click on the SFTP, which will bring you on the page, where you can give your FTP server details.

Fill the complete wizard as mentioned below. This wizard appears on selecting the "SFTP" option.

Setup details to publish the content in a new folder named "blogger" under the root folder on the FTP of the website.

FTP Server: yourdomain.com

Note: Do not include http:// or ftp:// in the server address.

Blog URL: http://www.yourdomain.com/blogger/

Note: The web address where this blog is viewable. This should include http://

FTP Path: blogger/
Note: This path must already exist on your server.

Blog Filename: semarticles.html

Note: If this file already exists on your server in the path entered above, it will be OVERWRITTEN. Be sure to back it up.

FTP Username: abcd

FTP Password: *********

Working URL Like: http://www.yourdomain.com/blogger/ppcarticles.html (From the blogger folder of the FTP server)

Setup details to place the content directly in the root folder & publish it.

FTP Server: yourdomain.com Note: Do not include http:// or ftp:// in the server address.

Blog URL: http://www.yourdomain.com/ogger/ (Remove folder name "blogger" from this URL) Note: The web address where this blog is viewable. This should include http://

FTP Path: blogger/ (Keep this field empty) Note: This path must already exist on your server.

Blog Filename: ppcarticles.html

Note: If this file already exists on your server in the path entered above, it will be OVERWRITTEN. Be sure to back it up.

FTP Username abcd

FTP Password *********

Working URL Like: http://www.yourdomain.com/ppcarticles.html (From the root of the FTP server)

Setup details to place the content in an existing folder & publish it.

FTP Server: yourdomain.com Note: Do not include http:// or ftp:// in the server address.

Blog URL: http://www.yourdomain.com/general/ (Place the name of an existing folder here)

Note: The web address where this blog is viewable. This should include http://.

FTP Path: general/ (Place the name of an existing folder here)

Note: This path must already exist on your server.

Blog Filename: ppcarticles.html Note: If this file already exists on your server in the path entered above, it will be OVERWRITTEN. Be sure to back it up.

FTP Username abcd

FTP Password *********

Working URL Like: http://www.yourdomain.com/general/ppcarticles.html (From any existing folder of the FTP server)

After giving a username and password of the FTP server, click on the "Save Settings" from the bottom of the page.

After clicking, it will give you a message - "Settings Were Saved Successfully".

Below the message "Settings Were Saved Successfully" message, you will find two buttons "Republish" (to publish entire blog) and "Republish Index"(to republish only index page).

Click on the "Republish" button.

After clicking, you will get the "Publishing is in progress".

After few seconds you will get the new message on the same page, "Your blog published successfully".

Note: If you get an error, check the "details" after the message "blog could not published".

(4) Shift Blog from one FTP to another FTP

To shift existing blogs from one FTP to another FTP, one requires changing only the FTP details in the admin panel of "blogger".
For that,

Login into the same blogger’ account from where you have already published the blogs.

Click on the "Settings" button from the top navigation of a page.

Here, you will find sub navigation under the "Settings" like, Basic, Publishing, Formatting, Comments, Archiving, Site Feed, Email, Members

Now click on the "Publishing".

Here, you will find two options like SFTP or blogspot.com

Again click on the SFTP, which will bring you on the page, where you can give your FTP server details.

Follow the steps mentioned in point no. 3 above, for changing the FTP details of the blog.

Replace existing FTP server details with new FTP details. This new FTP server details will create new URL to view the blogs.

For example,
[http://www.yourdomain1.com/blogger/ppcarticles.html] (URL after shifting to a new FTP)

[http://www.yourdomain1.com/ppcarticles.html] (URL after shifting to a new FTP)

Above exampled URLs replace the following URLs

http://www.yourdomain.com/blogger/ppcarticles.html (URL before shifting a new FTP)

http://www.yourdomain.com/ppcarticles.html (URL before shifting a new FTP)

After giving a username and password of the new FTP server, click on the "Save Settings" from the bottom of the page.

After clicking, it will give you a message - "Settings Were Saved Successfully".

Below the message "Settings Were Saved Successfully" message, you will find two buttons "Republish" (to publish entire blog) and "Republish Index" (to republish only index page).

Click on the "Republish" button.

After clicking, you will get the "Publishing is in progress" message.

After few seconds you will get the new message on the same page, "Your blog published successfully".

Any changes or post updates will directly reflect on URLs.