Blog Setup Advice

December 13, 2005 10:37 AM

I am starting a blog. (I'm a little late to the 21st century.) What resources, blogs, and tutorials should I study up on before launching? I'm using WordPress but I'm looking less for technical info on the software and more for general tips and guidelines I can study. Personal suggestions are also welcome. Thanks.
posted by captainscared to computers & internet (8 comments total)

Is it a personal blog, or some other kind of blog? I have a personal blog where I pretend my everyday life is worth cheap rhymes and fictional eyeshadow, but it sucks balls so I'll refrain from suggesting anything. I am curious to see what others have to say though, so thanks for asking!
posted by carsonb at 10:47 AM on December 13, 2005

Without a more specific question, about the only recommendations I can make are the WordPress Support Forums and the Codex. Do you have a more specific question?
posted by monju_bosatsu at 11:11 AM on December 13, 2005

If you're using Wordpress and looking to change the look and feel, the Wordpress Theme Browser is a good place to start.

As carsonb says, tips and guidelines all depend on what you are using the blog for. I have a personal blog, but while public, the audience is pretty much just close friends and family. I find the best use I get out of it is a reminder of things I thought were interesting at some point in the past, sort of a public diary of things I don't care if the world knows. As such, I write about what I am reading, watching, listening to, and playing. I import my flickr and del.icio.us accounts. I write about things that I find interesting or want to remember later.

Conventional wisdom is that if you want the general public to flock to your site (and then produce some income for you if that's what you're after), you need to find a very narrow niche. Personal blogs are a dime a dozen, but if you find a focus you are passionate about, you can certainly reach something more. If it's just for you, do whatever keeps you writing.
posted by gregchttm at 11:17 AM on December 13, 2005

Blogging Starter Checklist
posted by wackybrit at 11:18 AM on December 13, 2005

I'm looking for places to learn about things like linkbacks and other aspects of blogging that are "cross-platform". Like places to get listed. How technorati works, why is it important. Those kind of issues.
posted by captainscared at 11:20 AM on December 13, 2005

Like monju_bosatsu said, the codex is a good place to start. Here is an introduction to blogging that might serve your needs.
posted by bering at 12:06 PM on December 13, 2005

Here is the most important information: be consistently interesting to attract visitors and keep them coming back.

And personally, I like sites that tend NOT to just link things and leave it at that. Link around and cite other sources, but add some of your own input. People aren't going to go to your blog if they can just find it all on more popular blogs they are already read.
posted by travosaurus at 2:28 PM on December 13, 2005

I would go through and read . They just started and there's a lot of stuff about making money, but it's got great ideas on design, content and writing.
posted by Captaintripps at 6:02 PM on December 13, 2005