How to blog like a pro
Less than a year after I started Bad Language, it’s still a surprise to me that a) it’s been as successful as it has been and b) people now ask me for advice about starting a blog. Equally, nobody told me the whole thing would be so much fun.
Anyhow, I was asked again for some tips by someone starting a blog and I thought the most appropriate response was a blog post.
So this is a list of what has worked for me. Your mileage may differ.
- Write often. I try (*try*) to write every week day. It doesn’t always happen because of work pressure but it is easier to maintain the discipline if it is regular. I like using Joe’s Goals to track this. Traffic seems to drop off dramatically at weekends so I don’t post then, although I sometimes run a ‘links list’ style post on Saturdays but it’s mainly things I’ve collected during the week.
- Keep a scratchpad. I use the notes field in an Outlook task item for each of the blogs I write to capture links, ideas, to-do items and so on. When I actually sit down to write, I’ve usually got two or three ideas to hand and a bunch of links to explore. It’s useful to have a few stub posts ready to expand or edit in case you don’t have time to write a long piece.
- Have a time to write. I tend to blog first thing in the morning, usually around 6am. That’s just me. (See my post on how to get up early.) I know other people who write after work or in their lunchbreak.
- Variety is the spice of life. I prefer to do posts of different lengths and styles. The ‘how to’ list is popular but I like to run longer, more formal articles and interviews as well as more personal observations. One of the pleasures of the blog is that I don’t have an editor who tells me what to write or how to write it. To this extent it is a playground for me.
- Contribute to the conversation. There are an awful lot of sheep on the Internet. With nearly 60 million blogs in existence,you really want to try and be a sheepdog. In my opinion, it’s important to say something new and something interesting to contribute that the conversation.
- Be yourself. Voltaire once said, “if we don’t find anything good a least will find something new.” Ideally you want to say something interesting, Just be yourself. Some of the best blogs are the ones that are unique, idiosyncratic, and highly personal. The extraordinary thing about the blogosphere is that whatever you write about, there is an audience for it.
- Show your face. I think it’s good to put a picture of yourself,your e-mail address, and a little bit of biographical information about yourself on your blog. Sometimes a nom-de-plume is necessary but turn your blogging alter ego into a ‘real’ person too. One of the interesting things about the lonelygirl15 story was how accepting fans were when they realised that Bree was, in fact, an actress.
- Get the technology right. If you’re serious about blogging, you need to have a proper website address and not one from a free blogging company. I use WordPress software. A Google search will list all kinds of companies that specialise in blog hosting. Once you get your site setup, you need things like spam filtering (I have had 15,000 comment spams since starting this site) and other add-ons. A good site design will help but there are lots of open source designs to get you started. Finally, I recommend using dedicated software to write posts rather than the blogging software’s built-in editor. In my case, I use Microsoft Live Writer.
- Plug into the blogosphere. The easiest way to build traffic is to comment appropriately on other people’s sites. The blogosphere is a reciprocal sort of place. Link their blogs and they might read and link to yours. Critical to all this is a good newsreader and a good selection of sites. I use NewsGator because I can access my feed list on any web browser, on my PDA and on my main work computer and they are always synchonised. Make sure your site is registered with Technorati.
- Linking and loving. I’ve always been impressed by people who email me nicely when I comment on their blogs. I wish I could find the time to do it - I try. Surprisingly, the blogs that I am ‘closest’ to in terms of mutual sympathy and mutual linking are also the ones who are, on the face of it, my ‘competitors.’ They write about the same stuff I write about. Actually, though there’s no real competition and finding your online community is a good way to start building a reader base.
- Traffic is important but regular readers rule. Occasionally, you’ll produce a post that goes ballistic. I’ve had 20,000 visitors a day on occasion. Digg, Stumbleupon, Reddit, Slashdot, Del.icio.us and all the others pick it up and you’re away. Only a fraction of those people stay and subscribe. It’s very exciting when it happens but what matters is the number of people who keep coming back, who comment, who link to your site and who enjoy what you write. Write for yourself first, then write for them. The harder I try to get a traffic monster, the more elusive it becomes so I sort of forget about trying and they keep happening.
- Don’t forget search. Google is my number one source of incoming visitors. Remember to register your site with all the usual search engines. I use Google Analytics and Google Sitemaps to monitor what they are searching for and tweak headlines and content a little to make sure I’m delivering content that searchers want. Advice on interviews is very popular.
- Use pictures. Pictures, cartoons and illustrations are essential. Just imagine reading your favourite magazine if there were no pictures. Yuck! A good picture illustrates the point you are making and draws in readers. I like iStockPhoto which is a cheap source of good quality images but they can be a bit corporate.
- Write for the screen. Be conscious of how people read on computer screens. Check out Useit.com and in particular, how users read on the web. Also check out my posts about how to write for a blog and how to Write strong headlines. Headlines are important because most people read blogs using RSS readers and use headlines to decide whether to read the whole post. (My favourite: man bites robotic dog and Darren Strange’s Bill Gates runs like a girl).
- Give people different ways to read: Make the online visit easy to read - don’t go for crazy colours or unreadable fonts. Many bloggers overlook email but FeedBlitz makes it easy for non-RSS subscribers to get Bad Language in their inbox. Make sure you have a visible, easy to spot RSS subscription button. However, I would avoid the icon clutter that some blogs display when they try to accommodate every single blog reader and every single news aggregator. It’s your site, not a billboard for other people’s.
- Schedule blog upgrade days. Maintaining a blog is not just about writing content. I try to dedicate a day every two to three months to upgrading the site itself. This means recategorising posts, checking for broken links, implementing new features and other engineering stuff. I know just about enough HTML and coding to tinker with a site’s template but not enough to build a new template. However, there are plenty of people who can help with this stuff and one way to stand out from the crowd is to have a unique site design as well as unique content. For more information about my blog is built, see Slugs and snails and puppy dog’s tails.
- Monitor your stats. Anyone who is a true blogger will be addicted to their stats. But what is interesting is how I have changed the way I use them over time. Initially, I was obsessed by the raw visitor numbers. While these are still important, I am much more interested now in what brings people to the site, what posts they liked, whether they revisit and how often, what they search for and so on. I’m trying to use the stats to help me build a better site for my readers, not to gratify my own ego (well a little bit of that too.)
- Market your blog. Occasionally people ask me to contribute to their sites, perhaps with by-lined articles or interviews. For example, I write a free monthly column on Visual Thesaurus. This brings in a nice stream of new visitors who are interested in writing. I also make an effort to comment on sites and posts that are relevant to my readers and my areas of interest. This is probably the main form of blog marketing. It takes time but it pays long-term dividends. I still get new visitors from comments I wrote six months ago. However, the comments have to be appropriate, useful and link to a relevant page on my site. Comment spamming is naughty. Then there is the old fashioned kind of marketing. I like to my blog from my personal site, from my email sig, from presentation decks, in fact I mention it pretty much any time I can.
Storie di me wrote:
Come bloggare da professionista…
Consigli per i neofiti………
Posted on 28-Nov-06 at 10:56 am | Permalink
iScatterlings wrote:
How To Blog Like A Pro by Matthew Stibbe…
Another of my favourite bloggers keeps coming up with superb topics and content. How I wish I could write half as well as Matthew at Bad Language does.
Anyway here is Matthew’s gem on how to write a blog like a pro. He lists 18 points to get you…
Posted on 28-Nov-06 at 12:47 pm | Permalink
ianmack wrote:
thanks for the post. agreed, it’s easy to be obsessed with the raw visitors stats. after awhile, you start to realize it’s more important to learn what the people are doing on your site, where they’re clicking, why they’re clicking, why they’re not subscribing to your newsletter, etc.
Posted on 28-Nov-06 at 5:50 pm | Permalink
Todd And wrote:
Well put. This one could be one of your occasional “goes ballistic” posts.
Posted on 29-Nov-06 at 3:52 am | Permalink
SEKADARBLOG » Blog Archive » Merdeka wrote:
[...] Kemudian Andry juga memasuki ranah kultur blog, soal frekuensi ideal update blog. Rata-rata jawaban adalah sekali dalam sehari atau dalam satu minggu ada enam-tujuh posting. Namun dengan segala kegiatan pribadi dan hambatan ini-itu, tentu saja idealisme sulit terwujud. Bahkan blogger sekelas Matthew Stibbe pun mengalami hal serupa. Tetapi, paling tidak, ada kesadaran untuk selalu menulis posting jika mengingat idealisme tersebut. Ada motivasi. [...]
Posted on 29-Nov-06 at 7:13 pm | Permalink
Todd And - The Power To Connect wrote:
[...] How to Blog Like a Pro (Bad Language) A comprehensive list that every blogger should bookmark - write often, keep a scratchpad, have time to write, show your face, contribute to the conversation, linking and loving, plug into the blogosphere, write for the screen, use pictures, etc. [...]
Posted on 29-Nov-06 at 11:51 pm | Permalink
Blogging like a pro | Simon Wakeman - Marketing, public relations and internet professional wrote:
[...] Matthew Stibbe has a great post about how he has created his successful Bad Language blog. [...]
Posted on 30-Nov-06 at 1:06 pm | Permalink
Joe’s Blog » Blog Archive : 8 uses for Joe’s Goals from real users » 8 uses for Joe’s Goals from real users wrote:
[...] Track your blogging habits and encourage yourself to post regularly like Matthew Stibbe does. If you don’t blog (or even if you do) you can read his 18 tips and tools to blog like a pro here. [...]
Posted on 01-Dec-06 at 2:24 am | Permalink
Francesco Blog | BlogArchivio » Un blog da professionisti! wrote:
[...] Seguendo il decalogo del dr. Stibbe per avere un blog da professionisti dovremmo prima imparare l’inglese (perchè il suo articolo è in inglese!) e poi magari cominciare a seguire più di qualcuno dei consigli. Però questa moda dei decaloghi, consigli della nonna, consigli dell’esperto… Quasi quasi comincio pure io a fare il decalogo di qualcosa. Così sono cool pure io! Però poi dovrò mettere il mio faccione alla sinistra del testo, come ha fatto Stibbe? Bah! Cominciamo va! Scrivere ogni tanto - ( I try to write every week day, provo a scrivere ogni giorno) dice il dr. Stibbe, ma come, con cosa? E sopratutto, è possibile? Personalmente vado da un eccesso all’altro: o scrivo tutti i giorni o scrivo una volta a settimana, o scrivo 34 post in un mese o ne scrivo 2 al semestre! Motivo: dai è facile, c’è la scusa del “busy man” che funziona sempre. [...]
Posted on 01-Dec-06 at 10:42 am | Permalink
Strive Notes » December 1st: this week’s top 5 wrote:
[...] 1. How to blog like a pro by Matthew Stibbe. One of my favourite bloggers, Matthew has some great advice for beginners. The cartoon is funny too. [...]
Posted on 01-Dec-06 at 12:17 pm | Permalink
Heather Yaxley wrote:
Thanks for some interesting tips - but for me, the highlight is the dog cartoon. Most days when I’m blogging, my mad mongrel is barking away at whatever takes his interest outside the window. Now, I will be a bit more understanding and see him as a master blogger to all the other canines in the village!!
Posted on 03-Dec-06 at 11:43 am | Permalink
Jennie wrote:
Thanks for a great post for a beginning blogger! I will be sure to check back often to make sure I am mastering (or at least attempting to use) all your points.
Pam from Escape From Cubicle Nation forwarded me this link because I asked her for advice. I will continue reading Bad Language. Thank you!
Posted on 05-Dec-06 at 3:13 pm | Permalink
きまぐれ日記 wrote:
ブログのプロ？…
ＰＯＬＡＲ ＢＥＡＲ ＢＬＯＧさんのところに、こんなことが 『プロっぽいブログの……
Posted on 09-Dec-06 at 1:50 pm | Permalink
word. [dannug style] » How to blog like a pro wrote:
[...] make the most of my blogging efforts. If you want to enhance your blogs, check out Bad Language / How to blog like a pro. It’s a good read, and has some good tips to make your blog better for yourreaders. [...]
Posted on 11-Dec-06 at 6:36 pm | Permalink
Ciaran O'Donnell wrote:
Good article. I have definetly bookmarked your blog.
Posted on 13-Dec-06 at 12:49 pm | Permalink
Resurgemus dot com wrote:
Thirty-three, continued……
…
Posted on 30-Dec-06 at 6:20 pm | Permalink
Britgirl wrote:
Really nicely written and really useful tips.
Posted on 04-Jan-07 at 12:26 am | Permalink
traceykwhite wrote:
A plethoria of great advice. My daughter just won best Canadian Blog and Best Canadian diarist. I’m her mother and just created my first blog, tkwhite.blogspot.com
Please come visit and give me some much needed advice. My hits are coming in. Hope you stop by.
tkwhite.blogspot.com
Posted on 29-Jan-07 at 4:07 am | Permalink
メモする！？ wrote:
プロっぽいブログのための18条…
参考になりました。
是非ご覧頂きたい・・・
情報元は■Bad Language / How to blog like a pro…
Posted on 23-Feb-07 at 4:56 pm | Permalink
Middle Zone Musings » File Cabinet #5 wrote:
[...] Stibbe on Bad Language responds to the question “How do you start a blog” by… blogging the answer! Wow, what a pro! Most people would give you a list of 5, or maybe even 10 things to do, but no - [...]
Posted on 28-Feb-07 at 8:56 pm | Permalink
and so… wrote:
[...] on how to blog (like a pro) from Matthew Stibble. I don’t know if blogging is for me I kinda like [...]
Posted on 04-Mar-07 at 7:11 pm | Permalink
File Cabinet #5 | Middle Zone Musings wrote:
[...] Stibbe on Bad Language responds to the question “How do you start a blog” by… blogging the answer! Wow, what a pro! Most people would give you a list of 5, or maybe even 10 things to do, but no - [...]
Posted on 06-Mar-07 at 6:52 pm | Permalink
Weblog wrote:
ブログのプロ？…
ＰＯＬＡＲ ＢＥＡＲ ＢＬＯＧさんのところに、こんなことが 『プロっぽいブログの……
Posted on 03-Apr-07 at 4:48 am | Permalink
exit78 - a new road » How to Blog wrote:
[...] How to Blog Like a Pro [...]
Posted on 09-Apr-07 at 12:52 am | Permalink
The 20 Best Blogging Advice Articles on the Web · 2k Bloggers - The Face of the Blogosphere (a blog of bloggers blogging) wrote:
[...] How To Blog Like A Pro [...]
Posted on 21-Apr-07 at 4:41 pm | Permalink
Polly wrote:
Great advice, good blueprint for moving forward. I definitely came in through the back door of blogging, and nnow need to set up house properl. Finding tech help in France isn’t easy, but We Shall Persevere.
Posted on 22-Apr-07 at 5:24 am | Permalink
exit78 » Blog Archive » How to Blog wrote:
[...] How to Blog Like a Pro [...]
Posted on 29-Apr-07 at 7:02 am | Permalink
Easton Ellsworth wrote:
Nice tips, Matthew! #7 and #13 have been especially weighing on my mind lately.
Posted on 22-May-07 at 9:04 pm | Permalink
How-to turn visitors into returning visitors — BlogoSquare wrote:
[...] How to blog like a pro [...]
Posted on 07-Jun-07 at 6:19 am | Permalink
dude alert! wrote:
i got like 10 out of 18. hooray! 8 more and i’m pro.
really man, very inspiring.
=)
Posted on 30-Jul-07 at 6:18 pm | Permalink
Noticias externas wrote:
Why do I blog?…
I'm presenting at a blogging conference in a few weeks and as I thought about what I will say I started…
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 11:16 am | Permalink
MSDN Blog Postings » Why do I blog? wrote:
[...] blog every weekday. I took the decision not to worry about it too much at weekends but like Matthew Stibbe, I sometimes do a random roundup if I’m clearing out my inbox on a Saturday. All that said, I [...]
Posted on 12-Oct-07 at 12:39 pm | Permalink
tips on how to blog » How To Blog - wrote:
[...] Bad Language / How to blog like a pro How to communicate … check out my posts about how to write for a blog and how to Write strong headlines. … try to accommodate every single blog reader and … [...]
Posted on 19-Oct-07 at 8:51 am | Permalink
Tia wrote:
Thanks! This is great stuff. I know I am way behind the 8-ball on this post but someone linked to it in Elance and I thought I’d check it out. Much appreciated!
Tia
http://www.wordpress-junkie.com
Posted on 21-Mar-08 at 4:37 am | Permalink
Bad Language / How to make money writing for the web wrote:
[...] Get a blog. This is part-showcase, part-playground. Learn to blog like a pro. [...]
Posted on 13-May-08 at 4:31 pm | Permalink
How to blog like a pro at Jonathan Watson wrote:
[...] Yet another link for Matthew Stibbe’s article on How to blog like a pro. [...]
Posted on 14-May-08 at 2:11 pm | Permalink
Gulsah Olmez wrote:
Matt, great content, love your ideas. I am new to the blog world but I am learning everyday how to promote my own page. I hope to generate some trafic and mainly create some loyal readership. Since I’ve started it has been only 4 days and I have already 7 uniq visitors who come in and read everyday as they say and asking for me to update my blog everyday. Key is to keep short and sweet and write as much as possible.
Gulsah
Posted on 25-May-08 at 3:10 pm | Permalink
Bad Language / How to get your own domain name, website and email address wrote:
[...] my blog. In particular: How to blog like a pro, How to write for a blog, Safe blogging, Writing for the web is not the same as writing for print [...]
Posted on 07-Jun-08 at 5:23 pm | Permalink
ernest wrote:
Uh….thank you. Very great working for you give me post and comments. Absolutely, this is very usefull to me. Thank you very much.
Posted on 08-Jun-08 at 11:04 pm | Permalink
VDO wrote:
I just started my blog on the 4th of July. I googled blog advice and came across this article. It was extremely helpful and insightful. I learned. Very much appreciated. Thank you.
VDO
Posted on 10-Jul-08 at 9:43 am | Permalink
benita wrote:
great advice! i recently started my blog “Saying the Right Thing” which provides advice and opinion on what to say in situations when you can’t find the words. I am a new blogger so everything that I can learn about content, generating traffic and keeping them coming back is valuable. 20,000 visitors a day - WOW - I can only dream!
Posted on 15-Aug-08 at 4:05 pm | Permalink