Blogging Guidelines For Dummies

As I have come to learn in the past few months, the hardest part of a Blog is finding a topic that inspires not only yourself, but will also draw in readers from a variety of backgrounds in the related area of the Blog... For instance, if your area of Blogging is based on a Rugby crowd the biggest mistake you can make is to Blog about The Beautiful Game (Soccer).

After the stroke of genius has hit, be it in the shower or in a dream, list the main areas of interest or most important facts and let this determine the length of the Blog. Always try to keep personal opinions to a minimum, although they are a necessity people mostly regard facts as more interesting than personal sentiment.

Develop a mouthwatering introduction. This is really important, it has the same effect as the person on the front page of your favourite magazine. By example, I would rather buy an IT magazine with a picture advertising a new "Graphics Card" than one advertising a new "Motherboard". If you clicked these links you will realise that the cover with the "Graphics Card" has way more advertising power than the dull motherboard cover. That's exactly the effect the introduction has, this has to force the reader against his will to continue reading...

After your introduction start examining each and every point or fact and write an extensive, yet short and straight to the point paragraph on each. DO NOT follow my example of drawing everything out to the end of time...

Remember to emphasize key points to draw the readers attention to that which is most important whether it's by using different captions, fonts, colours, styles and even images.... The Internet is at your disposal use it!

Create tags for your Blog, this will up the number of Google hits and will also give a better description of what you are sharing.

Start revising the Blog and watch out for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes you might have made, after this step give it to someone else, hopefully smarter than yourself to revise it as well... And lastly the easiest step of all... I realise by this time you would hardly be able to contain the excitement, knowing that the world awaits to read your beautiful words.... REVISE AGAIN...!

Then regather yourself, take a deep breath and softly press the publish button....

Hopefully this wasn't my most futile attempt ever at providing someone with some insight...

Till next time...

Stefan Jonck