Synopses & Reviews
Everybody’s doing it! And while that logic never got far with your mother, it’s a fine reason to start blogging, especially if you have a business to build or a cause to promote. Well-run blogs do more than offer an outlet for your thoughts. They’ve actually influenced everything from a company’s image to the outcome of a local election.
Because the blogosphere is pretty crowded, it’s a good idea to find out a bit about the anatomy of a blog, what makes a good one, and what it takes to keep one going before you dive right in and start sharing with the world. Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition gives you all the basics so you can get a good start. And if you’ve been around the blog a few times and want to advance to the next level, Blogging For Dummies, 2nd Edition even takes a look at podcasting and videoblogging.
You’ll find out how to:
- Make your blog stand out in a crowd, build an audience, and even make it pay
- Choose the best software options, boost readership, and handle comments
- Generate revenue from your blog with ads and sponsorships
- Protect your privacy and your job
- Deal with spam and the inappropriate comments from that guy who posts several times a day
- Find your niche
- Attract and keep readers
- Use your blog to promote your business, cause, or organization
- Add audio, video, cool widgets, and more
Ready? Get Blogging for Dummies and let’s get started!
Synopsis
* In Part I, readers learn what a blog is, why they might want to create one, and what they need to get started. Includes information on blogging basics, the anatomy of a good blog, and the tools required to get started.
* Part II gets readers up and running with their first blog. They learn about the choices involved in setting up a blog, customizing a blog, and incorporating additional bells and whistles through HTML code.
* Part III shows readers how to make their blog stand out in a crowd. Topics covered include finding a niche in the blogging community, developing a strong voice, building an audience following, and learning how to deal with spammers and other unpleasant people.
* Part IV teaches readers how to customize their blog by adding eye-catching features like expanding a blog's sidebar (where bloggers are able to post personal recommendations, surveys, etc.), adding photos or even delving into podcasting and videoblogging.
* Part V shows readers how to get the word out about their blog and maybe make some money at the same time. There is also a chapter dedicated to using blogs to help promote businesses.
* Part VI discusses how to keep a blog's comments useful and on topic, ten cool tricks tools to make a blog shine, and examples of successful blogs.
Synopsis
Express yourself, build your business, or promote a causeMake your blog stand out in a crowd, build an audience, and even make it pay
Whether you're just finding out about blogs or you've been blogging for a while and are curious about podcasting or videoblogging, you can find answers in this book! Get the scoop on software options and how to boost readership, handle comments, make money with ads and sponsorships, add audio or video, and much more.
Discover how to:
Create and maintain a blog that draws readers
Protect your privacy and your job
Deal with spam and inappropriate comments
Find your niche
Use your blog to promote your business
About the Author
Susannah Gardner is creative director of Hop Studios (www.hopstudios.com), a Web design company specializing in blogs and community content Web sites.
Shane Birley is co-founder of Left Right Minds (www.leftrightminds.com) and blogs at ShanesWorld.ca.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Getting Started with Blogs.
Chapter 1: Discovering Blog Basics.
Chapter 2: Starting a Blog.
Chapter 3: Entering the Blogosphere.
Part II: Setting Up Your Blog.
Chapter 4: Choosing Blog Software.
Chapter 5: Dropping Code into Your Skill Set.
Chapter 6: Hosting Your Blog.
Chapter 7: Customizing Your Blog.
Part III: Fitting In and Feeling Good.
Chapter 8: Finding Your Niche.
Chapter 9: Creating Great Content.
Chapter 10: Handling Spam and Comments.
Part IV: Adding Bells and Whistles.
Chapter 11: Reaching Out with RSS.
Chapter 12: Building the Sidebars.
Chapter 13: Making the Most of Photos.
Chapter 14: Saying It Better with Podcasts.
Part V: Marketing and Promoting Your Blog.
Chapter 15: Measuring Blog Presence.
Chapter 16: Making Mad Mad Money.
Chapter 17: Blogging for Companies.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 18: Ten Ways of Growing Community.
Chapter 19: Ten Cool Tricks for MakingYour Blog Shine.
Chapter 20: Ten Blogs You Should Know.
Appendix: Glossary.
Index.