YoLadies Check Me Out!

Thanks to Kim at YoLadies for the chance to sit down and talk about Chick Talk Dallas. YoLadies is a site where bloggers with different backgrounds and talents meet together online.  I like their site. It’s cleaner and less cumbersome than some women’s web sites  like Blog Her. I used to love Blog Her but the new overhaul makes non-editor entries–like mine–lost in the mix. One of the things Kim and I discussed was how to make a blog successful. I blog daily and have managed to try and keep fresh content without losing my mind or hours of time. It takes awhile to build an audience and there are a few things I’ve learned over the last few months that may be helpful to potential bloggers/writers out there.
Be patient: Not everyone will visit your wonderful blog at first. Don’t get discouraged. You have to establish your online presence.
Be opinionated: A blog is a selfish online diary. Be honest. Have a point of view and make sure you back up your opinion with smart reasoning and links if at all possible.
Have a purpose: Who are you writing to and for? Know your online purpose and your job as a blogger will be easier. Your blogs will be more concise and targeted too.
Be fruitful and multiply: Be prepared to write a lot. If you want a blog to be successful, something more than a hobby, you have to invest a lot of time. If you have a good resource like Word Press, you can blog days in advance if necessary. I blog at least twice a day five days a week.
Be timely and relevant: Search engines routinely comb the web for information. If there’s a timely story you’re interested in, blog about it to get increased traffic.
Self advertise: Get your blog Twittering, a Facebook fan page and Networked Blogs as well as Digg and other free, online sources to get your blog out there and people following
Share: I share blog content all the time. Don’t let people steal from you but if you have something that would appeal to a wide audience you don’t normally reach, by all means give it away. I share with sources like Pegasus News and Dallas South News.