Are you blogging effectively?

 Are you blogging effectively?

 Are you blogging effectively?

Perhaps "blogging" is not such a fancy word. To me personally, it sounds like a monotony phrased in the way that cereals can be soggy, skies can be cloudy, and the way minds can be dazed.

But for now, it's too late to rename this shorthand for web logging. Nevertheless, the generalization of blogs is one of the most attractive developments on the Internet in recent years.

As a medium, it gives rise to many new and worthy voices and plays a vital new force in shaping opinion, political realities, trends, and even our language.

I think a blog is just a tool for someone who has something to say. Let me be clear that a blog is a poor choice for someone who needs a megaphone to shout into cyberspace in order to get a meaningful response from Internet users.

If you want attention and you want it now and you hope blogs will bring it to you, then this is bound to be a disappointment.

However, if you enjoy writing and engaging others on topics that you have some mastery or expertise in, then it is a wonderful app where you can interact with people who share similar interests as you. The hype is well founded.

Anyway, here's a list of blogging tips...

1.) Be topical

The cohesion in the message is not optional. Readers may or may not be interested in your topic, but if your post is messy, few will bother to remember to come back to your blog because it would offer essentially nothing to remember.

This doesn't mean that blogs can't jump from one topic to another. For example, a blog with a humorous approach has all the leeway in the world for the topic, but it would be foolish for such a blog to turn humor on and off.

In such an example, the humor aspect would be the glue of the content, the strength of the blog.

The beauty of staying on point and on topic is that eventually, due to the nature of the internet, you will find people who are only interested in your topic. (Unlike online journals.

There are millions of them on the internet, few have readers. Email me examples if I'm wrong and I can show you why you're showing me a blog and not a journal.)

2.) Update your content

Create a schedule and stick to it. Realizing that blogging takes time and effort, don't set unrealistic expectations and be unable to deliver.

An occasional lapse or vacation is generally meant, but readers who return to find stale and out-of-date content will find another blog with similar content. New blogs and RSS feeds appear every day.

If you've worked hard to build an audience and a community, you don't want to lose them due to miscommunication.

And remember, old is not new and, for blogs, it is not interesting. 2006 is not the time to rant against Enron or Vanilla Ice. Insight doesn't matter much to yesterday's news.

3.) Clear language counts

Blessed be the blog with a clear logical line. Write without inside jokes, catchphrases, or ambiguous logic. First-time readers need to be close to your message.

They are more likely to return to blogs that positively impact them. If the first reading is confusing, there will be no second reading.

4.) Feed the spiders

Search engines take note of active blogs, and blog search engines are especially sensitive to activity. If nothing else, search engines are smarter today than they were yesterday and are only getting smarter.

In the constant improvement they seek to add quality; quality blogs are updated several times a week, if not daily, instead of once or twice a month. I don't want to scare you, but a big spider is watching, so dance for them.

5.) RSS

Think of RSS as a magic to the world of blogging, because that's the effect it's had. RSS feeds are an exponential way to make your voice known to stakeholders. These feeds are a great way to increase the distribution and readership of your original content.

6.) Spell Checker

Hey man, use spell check. Yeah, if I hadn't, you probably wouldn't have made it to number 6. It only takes a minute, and it can keep you from looking like a hacker.

Your weblog audience will be small at first. And frankly, that's how it should be. Who are you to think that half the internet will come to you after three or four blog posts?

If you put in the effort while maintaining quality, readers will materialize. You will have links to good and relevant blogs and in turn they will link to you.

While your voice may be unique, your niche likely isn't, and if your content is delivered intelligently to the internet, those relevant readers will respond through reading and engagement. That I guarantee.