Questions people always ask me: How do I get started blogging?

"I don't know" seems to be an unsatisfying answer to this common Q; so, I chatted with a few friends about what's worked for us and what seems to be working for bloggers infinitely more successful than us.

Here are the seven big ideas:

1. Make a plan: Think of it as strategy-lite. A little guiding framework that sets expectations for you and your readers. 

• Define your audience: Knowing who you're writing for helps determine what you'll write about.
• Choose your specialty: Great blogs have a tight focus (writing about world politics one day and your cat the next tends to limit your readership to your mom and your arch-enemy from summer camp).
• Select a “repeatable” URL: People talk about blogs online and in real life. Make it easy for them to tell someone about you - go to advergirl.com (that will redirect you to the URL mess you see above).

2. Prioritize content. It all comes down to what you write. Design, frequency, platform, syndication - all that stuff is good, but you win or lose audience based on how intriguing your perspective, how hot your finds, how smart your commentary.

• Invest in memorable pieces: Once a month, blow it out of the water. Use images, charts, original pictures, interesting frameworks.
• Share new ideas: Most of the social Web is collecting and trading. Adding new cards to the stack puts you ahead.
• Involve others: Can't think of anything good? Ask an expert. Post interviews, roundtables, content from conferences, guest blogs, etc.

3. Write the way people like to read.

• Have a big voice: Make your style of writing work as hard as the content of your writing
• Use lists and bullets: Blogs are the cud of media. People come to them for easily digestible ideas.
• Integrate multimedia: Because 20-somethings swear podcasting is fun

4. Build networks. Your best blogger friends are also your best syndication network. If you're an advocate of theirs, they'll be an advocate of yours.

• Link, link, link: Share the link love. Reference source material, link to similar content.
• Read and interact: Yeah, Twitter is easier, but you've got to dive into your overflowing RSS reader and see what other people are talking about if you want to be relevant and read.
• Respond to comments and ideas. Bloggers win loyal readers and ambassadors by being part of the conversation they start. (Yes, I know, I am terrible at this)

5. Make it easy.

• Prioritize subscription options: Let people subscribe in any reader, via any medium.
• Tweet the latest: Feeds can pile up. Tweet what you're blogging about for instant clicks. (Just make sure you tweet about more than self promotion, or followers will wander off).
• Work in series: It makes reference easy and gets your community involved in idea generation.

6. Tell people about it. Yeah, your mom will tell a few people about your blog, but mostly it's up to you. Go ahead, don't be embarrassed. Blogging isn't just for geeks anymore.

• Create anticipation: Let people know what's coming.
  
• Get podiums, bylines: Get your marketing department to pimp you.
• Add your blog address to your email signature

7. Understand the tools: Sometimes success is in the software.

• Pick a powerful engine: Servers like Typepad and Blogger are so chock full of interlinked content and reference that they're basically like steroids for search engine optimization.
• Use titles for search terms: Google loves the title field on blogs. Use it wisely.
• Track readership: Free reporting tools like Google Analytics and Feedburner make it easy to see which posts people loved.

Comments

[Jeff Bennett]

Excellent post. I agree with all of it. Need to focus on an category or passion and stick to it. It is amazing with this focus how much you can accomplish on link development, seo and audience. Thanks for good insight for all from a great blogger!

Jeff Bennett
http://www.jeffbennett.org

[Kristin Marks]

This is GREAT stuff. You are always so right on. :)

[Irene Alvarez]

Sing it! Great post and a helpful guide for those getting started.

I'm intrigued by 20-somethings swearing "podcasting is fun." Podcasts don't strike me as "cud" - they're tough to scan through and demand a bit more time and effort to digest. Particularly when you're taking in content meant to educate.

Or is that just me? Because that said, I also know lovers of the podcast.

So many options, so many preferences, so little time...