Blogging Strategy

Once you've decided to take the plunge and set up a blog, there are many considerations as to how you want your blog to look and function. 1 Strategy is to Ask yourself these questions to thoroughly consider what you want to do with your blog and where you see it going:

1. Will my blog be pleasing for others to look at?
Think back to the many blogs you have visited. Are they set up in such a way that the design style sends you running the other away? It depends on who your readers are going to be as to whether you should have a no-nonsense header or a cutsie header. Obviously, if you're writing for accountants or attorneys you don't want to have pink polka dots. If you are blogging about high-end couture outfits for miniature poodles, then pink polka dots may be perfectly suitable.

2. What is my blogging strategy goal?
Are you in it to merely share information and educate people or as a platform to rant? Are you looking to monetize your site with AdSense, other ads, or affiliate products? Will it simply be a product review site? Do you want to build your list? Is it personal or business? Write down all the goals you have for your blog so you can have a clear picture of your direction.

3. How do I reach my goals?
You don't have to reinvent the wheel. If you see a blog you like that is doing something similar to what you want to do, then use it as a pattern. Don't copy it! Just use it to guide you in creating a blog that's uniquely yours. There are tons of widgets available that can give your blog the look and function you want.

4. Where do I find a good blog theme?
There are many websites that offer free theme templates as long you keep their signature link on the bottom. If you're using WordPress you can check their site for lots of choices. You can also
buy templates from websites offering this service. The advantage of this would be to have a template that has probably not been downloaded and used as often. You certainly won't see one of these blog themes as often as you would, say, the WordPress default theme! And just think, if you tire of the theme you've picked, you can choose another one. All your blog posts, etc. will automatically show up on the new theme that you download.

5. 1 column, 2 columns, or 3 columns?
Again, it depends on what you're doing with your blog. If you have a lot of stuff to offer; such as affiliate products, your own products, ad widgets, AdSense ads, resource list, blogroll, or any of the other things you can think of, you might want to go with 3 columns. Just make sure you haven't made your site look too "busy." Remember where you most want them to go, be it the affiliate product review piece you've just written or the AdSense.

Before you begin blogging, take a hard look at what you want your blog to do. Knowing what you want from your blog will help you decide how you want your blog to look and perform. Having a blog that is well-dressed for the occasion will give it more authority and in turn, can help you reach your goals.