Top Ten Blog Tips

10 reasons why blogging is great

Ben — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:00:00 -0500

Do you need convincing that blogging is worth doing? Here are 10 reasons for you to consider.

1. You can organise your thoughts in one place. Do you have groundbreaking ideas, strong opinions or constructive criticism on one or more topics? Are you posting lengthy comments on other sites or getting into debates with your friends about the topics of the day? Blogging might just be good for you.

2. You can develop your writing skills. Fancy yourself as a bit of a writer? Well, it's better to get a bit of practice in before trying to market yourself as a writer. It's actually better to develop your skills on a blog than in private, as you can respond to other people's posts, or read what people think of your posts if they post a comment.

3. You can get your voice heard. Don't agree with something you've read or heard? Instead of writing a long comment on someone else's blog, why not develop your ideas into your own blog post? There may be people who find your post and feel the same. This can have a snowball effect - and who knows, maybe you'll be able to make a difference.

4. You can meet new people. Whether they live locally or elsewhere in the world, blogging is a great way to meet people. Thanks to blogging, I have friends all over the world. You can too!

5. You can get feedback on your ideas. It's not just about sharing - it's about discussing, too. I've had ideas that were just a very quick thought, but other people have helped me to think about how to make them better. This can be an idea for a blog, a new software package, or a movement in your local area. It's your choice.

6. You can teach others. We can't all be good at everything, but we all have our strengths. So, why not share some of your knowledge so others can learn from you?

7. You can open doorways. Blogging isn't only a hobby. For instance, blogging can help you to get a job. It may also open up other opportunities that you could only dream of before you started blogging.

8. You can make better use of your free time. Ever feel like you're not using your free time very productively? Blogging can be a great use of your time. It doesn't have to take over your life - but it can be a good option if you have some time to spare.

9. You can get into a routine. There are many reasons why blogging on a schedule is a good idea. Still, perhaps it's not for you - blogging irregularly can be just as effective! Perhaps not being in a routine is your way of keeping organised. Basically, you can blog on your own terms, which makes it all the more rewarding.

10. You can find it to be very therapeutic. Angry? Sad? Overjoyed? Lonely? Ambivalent? Why not write a new blog post? It's a great way to let off steam, or simply air your views. Of course, it's all too easy to write a big long rant, so do be careful what you say before you hit the Publish button.

There are plenty of reasons why blogging is great - can you think of any more? Also, you can expect to see a follow-up post where we look at why blogging sucks!

Image credit: Jim Nix / Nomadic Pursuits via Flickr.

10 reasons why Twitter sucks

Ben — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:00:00 -0500

Previously at Top Ten Blog Tips, I've published posts that explain why Twitter is worth using, along with some tips for getting the most out of Twitter. This week, I've decided to turn the tables and focus on why Twitter sucks! Here are 10 reasons. (Image by CC Chapman.)

1. Few people have anything useful to say - there's a lot of chit-chat. Not everyone needs to say something insightful every time they post, but if it's just chat, does everyone need to see it? There's often a lot of noise on Twitter - we can't enjoy every comment - but I usually feel swamped, or bored.

2. Every media outlet is jumping on the bandwagon to tell us how Twitter is "taking the world by storm". We know.

3. Some people claim to be able to "keep up with" 20,000+ followers. But in reality, many of them do little other than spam us with links. OK, so having a lot of followers does not automatically mean that you do this, but how many people can you really keep up with?

4. The navigation is a disaster. Try reading through your old tweets and you'll see what I mean.

5. Single-tweet spam accounts get created by the thousand. There are moves to combat this, but it seems like too little, too late.

6. Certain people think it's clever to start competitions, such as trying to be the "first person to have 1 million followers", most of which were single-tweet spam accounts (see #5).

7. Automatic DMs when you follow someone. Yes, there are ways to deal with this, and I almost always unfollow someone if I get an immediate DM when I click follow... but perhaps following someone and accepting DMs from them should be separated. Most people don't need to contact me privately. A few do, and that's fine, but I don't receive many non-spammy DMs.

8. Trending Topics gets spammed by everyone under the sun. I once found an account that listed hundreds of names of people who had died, saying "so sad..." to all of them, and including the same link (assumed to be something dodgy - see #10) on every tweet. I skimmed the list and none of the names were of people who had actually died. (Yes, I reported them.)

9. How many people are experts on Twitter? How many just say they are?

10. Malware does a worryingly good job of hiding behind shortened links.

Bonus point #11: A lot of people retweet before they check if what they're sharing is accurate!

Incidentally, I don't mind Twitter... but I haven't had much time for it recently.

What do you think? (Follow me on Twitter if you like!)

Getting to know your target audience

Ben — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Who are you writing for? Knowing your target audience is extremely important for the long-term success of your blog. This post is split into two parts; first, we'll look at 5 things you should know about your target audience, then we'll look at 5 ways to connect with your target audience. (Image by archangeli.)

5 things you should know about your target audience

How well do you know your target audience? Are you writing with them in mind? Or are you just writing anything in the hope that someone, somewhere, might hear your thoughts?

We need to look at a simple question. When it comes to your target audience, who are they?

What do they want or need? Why are they reading - and can you give them what they want?
What's their background? What do they do? How does this relate to what you publish on your blog? Are you writing for the right people?
What do they know? What would they like to know, or need to know?
Where will they be in the future? Where are they heading? Can you help them to realise or accomplish their ambitions?
Will they come back? Are you looking for repeat visitors or drive-by clicks?

The important thing to remember here is that there is no right or wrong approach in terms of the audience you choose to write for. I think you'll be making a mistake if you don't have a clue who you're writing for. It pays to do your groundwork before you start writing any posts.

It doesn't stop there. Here are some further considerations to take into account when thinking about who your target audience is:

Do they know more than you? How many potential readers will walk away because the person writing the content doesn't appear to have any experience? A classic case is the person who teaches you how to make money online, but doesn't actually make any money of their own. It's best to write what you know - don't try and fool people into thinking you're an expert on something you just don't know.
Are they technical? A "WordPress tips" blog may be aimed at bloggers, but not all of them have been blogging for as long as you have, while others may not yet have a blog at all. This issue doesn't only apply to online activities. A blog that focuses on how to do other non-bloggy things - learning to cook, speak a foreign language, or catch fish - still requires the posts to be written in plain English if you're hoping to teach people a thing or two. You don't have to dumb down your posts to the point where your readers feel you're patronising them, but it's wise to define jargon as it comes up, or avoid using it unless it's absolutely necessary.
Are they open to humour? Is it good to throw the occasional joke into your posts, or would this lessen the quality? Are you the kind of person who makes people laugh without really trying, or do people tell you that you try too hard? I'm somewhere in the middle, depending on the circumstances. It is hard to work humour into posts - I think it works best if you have a funny post every now and again, but not all the time, unless that's what your blog is about.
What length of post is acceptable? Some readers prefer short posts, some prefer long posts - which type of reader do you mostly attract? Look at which posts perform best - it may be a tough call as some readers will enjoy both posts, but you may start to see a preference towards one post length or the other. Even if there's a clear winner, it's still good to shake it up a bit with a different style of post every now and again.
Do they comment? Many blogs receive comments, but I've noticed that it's often the same people doing the talking. That's fine, but if you find yourself covering old ground in new posts, there may not be much point in asking a lot of questions if they'll lead to the same answers you received last time. On the other hand, there's always the chance that a fresh face could find your blog today, so why not ask questions anyway? The goal here is to find a balance that works for you as well as your readers - they should be able to comment if they want to, but not feel bad if they don't. If you're used to getting very few comments, at least there are no surprises if you continue to get a small number on most of your posts. However, it's always nice to get a few new people replying.

5 ways to connect with your audience

It's all very well to say that you need to know your target audience, but how can you actually connect with them? Here are 5 ideas.

Share your story. Is there a specific reason why you started blogging, and why you keep doing it?
Say who you are. Go beyond "My name is Ben and this is my blog" (especially if your name isn't Ben). Give a few details about yourself that aren't relevant to your site.
Don't look down on people. Are you an expert in your field, or particularly well-known? Avoid sounding condescending. Nobody likes a teacher who acts like they know best, no matter how hard you try.
Relax. Is your writing very rigid and formal? This can make for a difficult read. Loosen up a bit - you may find that readers prefer it.
Ask questions. Connecting with your audience isn't only about getting comments, but part of it is. Pushing your readers to share their views will go a long way to establishing that writer/reader connection.

Your feedback

How well do you know your target audience? What could you be doing differently in your writing, if anything? Are you connecting with your target audience as well as you could be?

This is quite a different style of post, so any feedback on the format is welcome, too.

10 tips to stop blogging from keeping you up all night

Ben — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Have you ever tried to go to sleep, only to find that your head is full of ideas for your blog? It used to happen to me all the time. Not so much now, though. Here are some tips to help you get some sleep without abandoning your blog completely.

(Today's photo is from xKimJoanne.)

1. Keep a notebook by the bed.

This is for flashes of inspiration - not for working on new posts when you should be sleeping. Have some discipline!

2. Maintain a sensible schedule.

Work time. Home time. Play time. Blog time. Sleep time. Set aside time for each activity, and don't let things overrun. Stick to your schedule as much as you can.

3. Ban all questions after a certain time.

Does your significant other show an interest in your blog? Great! Just tell them to button it when it's time to sleep. Make sure you button it, too.

4. Pretend you don't have a laptop and wireless Internet.

It's just too convenient to hop into bed, go online... and stay online. It might be fun, but don't do it if you have to get up in the morning. Or if you feel like sleeping anytime soon.

5. Don't go coffee-crazy.

I like a cappuccino in the morning. Not every morning, but every now and again. I avoid coffee in the evenings though. Too many coffees will keep you up all night. Unless you're immune to the effects of caffeine.

6. Don't hide your ideas under the bed.

Notebook? Sure. Anything else? No! It's fine to jot down an idea to make sure you don't lose it, but don't get carried away and start developing some of your post ideas. And don't go thinking you can hide things in the bed, either. It's not going to be a comfortable night for you if you try that one.

7. Sit in the bath.

I'm not expecting you to use the bath as your bed. Having a bath is a great way to relax. Do keep a notebook fairly close by, but be careful not to drop it in the tub. Whatever you do, don't bring your laptop or mobile phone into the bathroom - leave them outside where they won't electrocute you. Seriously. Be careful!

8. Set a cut-off time for snacking.

Blogging can be hungry work, but eating doesn't usually help you sleep. Separating food from blogging and sleeping can make the difference between getting a good night's sleep, or losing track of time and having to pick the crumbs out of your bed, laptop and clothes.

9. Resist the urge to blog if you wake up early.

Do you have a tendency to wake up in the middle of the night? It's best to try and get back to sleep - don't go and start writing a new post. Of course, if you do have an idea, jot it down... but leave it at that.

10. Don't be too good at it!

Whether you're basking in the glory of blogging, or you've convinced your perfect partner that you really are all that... if you don't want to be up all night, be mediocre! (Maybe staying up late isn't such a bad thing...)

What do you think? Does blogging keep you up at night? What do you do about it?

Pros and cons of stream of consciousness blogging

Ben — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:00:00 -0500

As with most blogging tips, stream of consciousness blogging has a number of benefits and drawbacks to be aware of. In this post I'll be looking at 5 pros and 5 cons relating to this style of writing. What is stream of consciousness blogging?

(Today's post includes an image taken by magannie.)

Pro #1: Discovery

While planning your posts is a good idea as it helps you to define the path you'll be taking, it's not the only approach. If you write a stream of consciousness post, it can lead to discoveries that you didn't expect.

Pro #2: Natural

Writing in this style can generate posts that feel much more natural. I think you're more likely to make connections with your readers if they can relate to your posts, and they're more likely to relate if your posts feel natural.

Pro #3: Ideas

You'll probably find a lot of potential tangents to write about as you write your posts. If you ignore these for now, you can come back to them in future posts. Therefore, this style can generate plenty of new post ideas.

Pro #4: Series

If you don't stop writing until you've run out of things to say, you may find that you have a lot more content than you want to post in a single entry. This could then be used to create a multi-part series of posts, which can look at a topic in far greater detail than a single post can.

Pro #5: Variety

Writing posts in the same style can quickly get boring. Varying the style can give you and your readers a break from the standard style of posting. Perhaps this isn't what you want - but how long will you be able to write new, compelling content in the same style? An occasional shake-up can work wonders.

Con #1: Planning

You can't really plan this type of post, otherwise it wouldn't be a stream of consciousness post. As a result, it's probably not a good idea to write in this style unless you already have a supply of posts ready to be published, and you're not writing a post to be published within the next hour or so. Ironically, you have to plan your other posts so you can write a stream of consciousness post with the minimum of stress.

Con #2: Wastage

Some posts just don't work out. That's fine if you've only written a few bulletpoints, but you can waste a lot of time if you write a stream of consciousness post and find it isn't working out once you've already spent an hour on it.

Con #3: Distractions

Without a clear plan, it's easier to be distracted and lose your train of thought. A tangent may become the new path once you return to your post, which means you end up on a totally different point to where you started. That may not be a problem, but you should try and save the tangents for a future post.

Con #4: Detail

By writing things down as you think of them, it's all too easy to miss out on some important details. On the other hand, leaving things for readers to pick up on can help to boost your comments. But what if you miss several key points - won't that harm your reputation as a writer?

Con #5: Completion

If you've already listed a few points that you're going to write about, you'll know once you reach the end. But when writing a stream of consciousness post, it can be very hard to determine when you're done.

Con #6: Order (bonus tip)

Planning your post allows you to organise your points in a logical order. Without this, you may find your best points end up in the middle of the post, with average comments being made at the start and end of the post. This doesn't help a reader to get through the whole post.

What do you think? Have you tried stream of consciousness blogging? Can you think of any other pros and cons?

10 tips for grabbing a new reader's attention on your blog

Ben — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

When a reader visits your blog for the first time, you'll want to give them a first impression that will blow them away. It's actually quite simple to do this. Here are 10 tips for grabbing the attention of a new reader and push them to keep coming back.

(Today's post is perfectly complemented with an image by Matthew Fang.)

1. Your pitch

Tell readers what your blog is about. Don't ramble on and on - give them a concise explanation of your blog, and give them a compelling reason to stick around. This isn't easy, but it's important to get it right. Otherwise, you may be losing potential readers at the very first hurdle.

2. Your latest post

Writing "pillar content" is all about writing great posts. But it shouldn't be something you do every now and again. Every time you publish a post, make it a great post. Make every post a work of art. Any of your posts could be the first one that a reader sees - so how can you justify publishing half-baked posts?

3. Your best posts

No matter how much effort you put into your posts, some will stand above the rest. You'll need to decide how to measure the success of a post, whether it's down to pageviews, the number of comments, the quality or length of comments, the post with the most retweets on Twitter, or something else entirely. Whichever you choose, be sure to list some of your best posts on your home page.

4. A striking, unique, clean design

We're not all designers, but even a small amount of effort on your design can make the difference between "blah" and "blimey!". If possible, hire a designer to help you out, or use a theme that can be easily customised. Make the most of your header area - don't waste space with a huge banner or loads of ads - keep it simple. Also, ensure you keep clutter to a minimum.

5. Images

It's pretty boring when a blog is nothing but text. You need to include a few images that add value to the site, but don't go overboard. Thumbnails are a good compromise - they look good, but they're small, unobtrusive and fast-loading. That's what I use on the front page of Top Ten Blog Tips.

6. Clear and concise categories

While writing new posts is very important, don't keep churning out post after post without thinking of how your blog should be organised. Every now and again, it's a good idea to tidy up your blog categories. You should also look at how to improve your navigation.

7. Recent updates

In point 2, I said that you should highlight your recent posts. It goes a bit further than that - you need to have recent posts! Readers may be turned off if a blog has no recent updates, say within the last few weeks - or even more. It might be less of an issue for blogs that already have a lot of content, though. What do you think?

8. Comments and replies

A blog with no comments looks lonely and abandoned. A blog with no replies from the author looks like the blogger doesn't care. Comments are one of the most important lifesigns of youir blog - don't ignore them, and don't stop trying to increase your blog comments.

9. A quick way to subscribe

There's a fine line between helping people to find your subscribe link, and putting it right in their face. Sure, make it easy to find - but I've never been keen on these popup windows that appear on my first visit before I've even had a chance to read the latest post, saying "subscribe now!". Hey, how about giving me a chance to decide if I want to? I've heard some bloggers saying that these popups give them loads of new subscribers - how about all the people who didn't subscribe because they found the popup really annoying?

10. A personality

Readers are much more likely to relate to a real person than some mechanical robot writer. Posts written with style, character and personality are far more likely to make a connection than a generic set of ideas that the author doesn't even follow on their own blog.

What do you think? What makes people stop and check out your blog? What makes you stop and check out other people's blogs? Is there anything else you'd add to or remove from this list?

10 tips for destroying your blog

Ben — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Here at Top Ten Blog Tips, I'm often suggesting ways to improve your blog. Today though, I'd like to look at how to ruin your blog. Perhaps you really want to stop blogging, or perhaps the post might point out some things to avoid.

Today's post includes an image taken by MadAboutCows. (Moo!)

1. Only publish paid posts.

OK. We get it. You want or need to make a bit of extra cash, so you're putting up a sponsored post every once in a while. No problem there. But there's definitely a problem if you only put up paid posts. I don't just mean blatant attempts to send people over to your affiliates - some blogs sneak a link into an otherwise innocent post. I don't know about you, but I can see these a mile off. They're a huge turn-off.

2. Put a really slow widget on it.

Installing loads of widgets is bad enough, but it only takes one widget to stop your site from loading fully. Always test your site after adding a widget, or you're going to have a fun time if one of them causes a problem. If your site takes forever to load, I'm not going to wait.

3. Install a popup.

Popup ads are bad. However, I'm not keen on those subscription popup boxes either. They seem overly needy. "Hey, thanks for visiting - now I've got your attention, why don't you subscribe?" Maybe you think they convert well for you - but how many people are they sending away?

4. Announce you won't be checking in for a while.

This says that you don't plan ahead very well, or you don't see any reason why I should check out your blog again. It also seems a bit foolish - what if you suddenly get bombarded with spam, because you told everyone you won't be checking in? It's like going away on holiday, leaving the doors open, and putting up a sign saying "I'm not here right now, please leave everything alone until I come back".

5. Change from full feed to partial feed.

If I subscribe, I want to read your posts in my feed reader. If I like them, I'll click through. Don't ruin my subscription by giving me a tiny portion of the post - I may as well unsubscribe. Then I'll probably forget to check your blog in future. See the problem here?

6. Post nothing but surveys, music monday, or link love posts.

Fine, post what you like, but don't expect readers to flock to your blog if every post is the same survey that everyone else is doing. I can't believe how much text there is in some of these posts when most of it is a huge list of links to other blogs. You're all going to be listed as link farms, seriously. (Here are 10 reasons why I won't do your meme, survey, or whatever you call it.)

7. Publish too many off-topic posts.

If you have a personal blog, it can be hard to say exactly what is an on-topic post and what's not. But if you have a niche blog, at least write about the niche you chose. Don't say your blog is about one thing and blog about something completely different.

8. Stop posting altogether.

Who needs new posts anyway? I don't need a constant flow of new information from every blog, but I do want to see a new post every now and again. Otherwise, there's nothing to read! Don't forget about new posts while you're "networking".

9. Move to a new URL every few months.

Can't make up your mind? Well, I can - if you keep changing your URL, you'll lose people every time you move. I've watched some blogs move back and forth between blogging services and they still can't figure out why they are losing readers. It's confusing!

10. Delete your site completely.

Who needs a blog anyway? Delete it and you've certainly destroyed it. All of it. Forever. Unless you have backups...

What say you? How else would you destroy a blog? Smash it with a hammer?

10 tips for identifying blog comment spam

Ben — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Back in February, I listed 10 ways to fight spam on your blog. Unfortunately, unless you completely shut off comments on your blog, there's not really a way to stop spam completely. With that in mind, here are some tips that may help you to identify whether a comment is spam or not. Again, it's not a perfect guide, but it might just help you. Let me know in the comments if you found the post useful.

(Today's post is accompanied by a photo taken by Helmetti.)

1. Keywords in the name field.

Some commenters don't use their real name. Others prefer to use keywords instead of any kind of name. Think of things like "Low Energy Light Bulbs", "Texas Home Renovation", or my personal favourite - "Wallpapering Weekly Newsletter". Actually, I made those up. Anyway, keywords can be a good sign that the commenter is just hoping to get a link from your site to theirs.

2. Generic appreciation.

The "nice post" discussion is a bit of a running joke around here. You can see where it all began in my first post on this blog - 10 signs your blog sucks. Still, that aside, some spammers seem to like saying nice things about your blog. All they're doing is trying to convince you that their comment should go on your blog. Again, it often means they'll get a link from your site. If a comment says little more than "wow, nice post... I'll be back to read more" ... dig a little deeper. You might find that the person concerned is not as sincere as you might think.

3. Comment length.

Is the comment really, really long? Or abnormally short? As with all of these points, it's not a guarantee, but sometimes the length is a giveaway. I've seen some amazingly long comments that didn't contain anything except links to dodgy sites. Some really short ones, too - with just one solitary spam link.

4. Same IP, different comment.

If you keep getting comments from the same IP address, it could be someone who really likes your site - or it could be a persistent spammer. Keep an eye on the IP - it isn't completely reliable, but in some cases it can be quite revealing.

5. Same comment, different IP.

At the other end of the scale, watch out for identical or very similar comments posted from a variety of IP addresses. This suggests that the spammer thinks they can change their IP to evade detection. There's a fairly simple solution. Delete the lot.

6. The same comment appearing on lots of different blogs.

Have you just had a comment that seems OK but you're not entirely sure if it's genuine? Simply Google the first sentence, or part of it, and see what comes up. I've uncovered loads of spam by using this method. Don't let the situation perpetuate - trash the comments.

7. Bizarre, nonsensical comments.

Sometimes, I think non-English spammers try to write something that is proper English, but it doesn't always work out that way. One of my least favourite comments is "Thanks for this post, very informative and positively". I didn't miss a word. It ends with "positively". There's not much point listing other examples as they keep changing - just watch out for comments that don't make a whole lot of sense.

8. Check the URL.

Sometimes, a relatively innocent comment has a really nasty URL attached to it. The problem is that it's best not to visit it - but how do you know it's bad unless you do?

Some URLs are clearly spam - just read the text. Does it lead to a blog? Is it a really long URL that appears to be some kind of referral or affiliate link?

Also, beware of comments that leave absolutely no URL. They are difficult ones to deal with, as the comment itself might be absolutely fine, and with no URL - why delete it? However, this trick is used to get a comment up so the same person can post some spam without it going into the spam queue, or even into moderation. Be careful - and make sure you get notified of every comment that's posted on your blog.

9. Foreign characters and symbols.

When I see a mess of weird symbols, I probably delete it in less time than it took the spammer to post it. Keep an eye out for those. Also watch out for comments that seem to include three or four different ways to post a URL using a link or url tag. These seem to do the rounds in a format where one or two of the links should work, but different formats work on different systems. This is very much a cut and paste comment, not something that the writer actually wrote for your site.

10. It goes into the spam queue!

When all else fails, you may find some comments just end up in the spam queue and you can't figure out why. Or maybe you can. But do keep an eye on which comments go into the spam queue, and remove any that shouldn't be in there. This gets harder as your blog grows, but can be achievable if you stay on top of it.

What do you think? Can you think of any other ways to identify comment spam? Do you agree or disagree with any of the above tips?

Pros and cons for being a London blogger

Ben — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Today's post is a bit different from how we usually do things around here. Instead of a simple 10-item list, it's split into 5 pros and 5 cons. This fits quite nicely with the domino theme on the site. Let me know what you think of this format - there may be further posts like this in the future.

For the last six weeks, I've been working for a web development agency in Central London. This is a far cry from my previous job, working for a software company in Australia, especially as I worked from home. Commuting into London, working in the city, and socialising in the area has effectively transformed me into a "London blogger". What are the pros and cons of being a London blogger?

(The image in today's post is by Navona.)

Pro #1: I can blog about things that happen in London.

Working in a big city, there's a lot going on around you. People, places, events, conversations - plenty of things to inspire new posts.

Pro #2: There are opportunities to meet other bloggers.

I haven't done much of this yet, but I may just look into The London Bloggers Meetup Group in the near future. I know there are bloggers in Australia, but I couldn't find any in the area where I lived. Meeting other bloggers usually involved a 5 hour drive (each way - so at least 10 hours overall) so it wasn't something I did often.

Pro #3: Web discussions often spill into the offline world.

Whether you've made an effort to meet other bloggers or not, I've had several chats about the web and blogging when going out with friends. This discussions can become much more interesting when you don't have to type out all your thoughts. I do like posting my thoughts online too, but talking is so much faster. There's definitely a place for both.

Pro #4: I can write blog posts on the train.

This is a definite plus, although I haven't done much of it yet. On a few occasions, I've opened my notebook and listed as many new post titles as I can think of. I haven't written anything more than that while commuting. All in good time...

Pro #5: It's easier to promote face to face than via email or Twitter.

If there's always something you want to promote, such as a new blog, a new post, or a new project, you have to be careful not to come across as a spammer. I think it's a lot easier to promote your stuff by talking to people than sending links to people via Twitter, forums, blogs or email. It's very quick to tell if the other person is interested, and if they are, I think it's easier to pitch your product or post to them.

Con #1: Too much of a London focus could cut out non-London readers.

Regional blogs are tricky. If your blog attracts a relatively small audience and you can't seem to get readers who don't live in the area you write about, it can be quite difficult to grow your blog. However, London is a big place, and even those who don't live in London might read a London-focused blog if it interests them. The trick is to not make it feel like a private club, and instead, to write in such a way that people from outside the area might still find the content interesting.

Con #2: Despite its size, London is sometimes forgotten by US-centric sites.

Big social media sites such as Mashable contain plenty of content that's universal and not location-specific. But some of the sites they feature are not much use outside the US. Many of the biggest social media sites seem to be based in the US. Occasionally, you do get a story relating to the UK, but not often. And a lot of the social media events seem to take place in the US. Living elsewhere can make a blogger feel a bit left out. To counter this, you need to make the most of what's in your area.

Con #3: A lot of time is spent travelling.

This point is more to do with travelling to work than blogging itself - but as a result of commuting, it can be hard to find the time for blogging activities through the week.

The London Underground (the Tube) is easy and mostly reliable. The train network seems to experience more problems. Blogging on the train is doable, but the Tube isn't ideal for that.

Even when your journey into work is smooth, I think most people have to do a certain amount of travelling (how many people can find a place to live in the very centre, let alone somewhere they can afford?). The travelling time soon adds up.

Con #4: Lack of physical and mental energy due to the "work hard, play hard" attitude.

London is a fast-paced lifestyle. I really enjoy it, but it can leave you feeling drained, especially through the week. Making the most of the weekend is essential - and so is making the most of your time.

Con #5: What if you decide to move away?

This is a problem with location-specific blogging in general. What if you start writing about London and you build up quite a loyal following, but then you move? Would you change your blog? Would you just stop writing? Or would you sell up and start a new blog? Whichever you choose to do, perhaps location-specific blogging is a risky approach due to its limited lifespan. Why start a blog if you know it won't last forever? But then how many blogs can say they really will last forever, especially when the blog is first set up? Do you ever really know? Can you prepare for the unknown? And have I asked enough questions for you to leave an insightful comment?

10 tips for tidying up your blog categories

Ben — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

I often see blogs with messy categories, which makes it really difficult to find posts that are no longer on the front page. Every now and again, I suggest ways for those people to tidy up their categories, but these are split across various forum posts and blog comments. So now, for the first time, I've gathered 10 of my best tips for tidying up your blog categories in this incredibly useful and well-organised post.

(Today's post is accompanied by an image from 10b travelling.)

1. Categories with only 1 post.

Unless you've only just added a category that only has 1 post, it might be time to remove it. I've seen so many blogs with hundreds of categories, most of which have just 1 post in them. What's the point in that?

2. Categories that have very similar names.

For instance, you might have some of your categories named as follows:

Blog design
Web design
Website design
Design tips

These could be merged into one category.

3. Categories that have very similar types of post.

As with #2, but the categories have different names. A bit like this:

Recipes
Food
Healthy eating

If you have a food blog, I can see why you'd split out your food categories instead of just having one big category called "Food". But how many of your categories contain posts that could also go in one or two other categories? Try to think of a logical way to divide your posts - it'll be easier for people to find things, and it'll be easier for you to choose which category your post should go into.

4. Posts that aren't in a very descriptive category.

How many blogs have you seen with categories along the following lines?

Stuff
My thoughts
Random

Do you want people to read the posts in those categories? It's good to make your categories as descriptive as possible - it helps to guide readers to more of your posts. Why publish a post if nobody can find it?

5. New categories that you could start to write about.

Is there a new type of post you'd like to start writing on your blog? Or perhaps you've already started, but it's mixed in with another not so appropriate category? By all means add new categories if the need is there to do so. Keep an eye on which posts your readers respond well to, and see if you can write some more.

6. Overly specific categories that could become more generic.

Say you have a music blog with lots of reviews. You could split them up by artist name, but that would give you a lot of categories. You could split them up by genre... or perhaps by media type (album, track, video...). It really depends on your blog, but it's best not to have one category for every possible post type if you don't have the posts to go in all of them.

7. Old categories that aren't used anymore.

Have you stopped posting in any of your categories? Could they be archived? There's no need to keep the whole list in place if half of them aren't in use anymore.

8. Large categories that could be split.

When I started posting at Top Ten Blog Tips, I was a bit lazy with my categories. Everything ended up in a catch-all category, "Blogging Tips". As the blog grew, this quickly became unmanageable and I decided to separate the one big category into several smaller categories.

9. Whether some categories would be better off as tags.

Tags vs categories is a debate that's been discussed many times, although not on my blogs. In my view, both can be useful for navigation, but they can be confusing when the same post shows up in multiple areas. This is generally not so bad with tags, but I don't like it when categories do this.

I keep posts in one category, and assign multiple tags. Categories are then used for navigation, and tags are used to find related content. I'm sure you can think of other ways to use them - let me know in the comments.

10. Collapsible categories / hierarchy.

Sites with a complex structure may benefit from a hierarchy of categories instead of a flat list that runs from top to bottom. This allows interested readers to "drill down" into the deeper categories. Breadcrumbs are good for this type of site.

What do you think? How do you organise your categories? Are they in a mess?

10 questions to consider before starting a group blog

Ben — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

If you're looking to set up a group blog, there are a number of questions you need to consider before you get started. You need to be aware of how to hit the ground running, while also being prepared for the drawbacks. Here are 10 questions to go over before you begin.

(Today's image is by Bryan Bruchman.)

1. Why are you running a group blog?

This is a similar question to Why do you want to blog? Beyond that, why do you want to create a group blog rather than an individual blog? There are pros and cons with each approach - make sure you're clear on why you'd like to work with other bloggers. If your answer is "so other people can post for me" then perhaps you should be asking whether you have time to blog at all.

2. Will it always be a group blog or is it just to get started?

Some bloggers get very impatient when their blog doesn't take off immediately. These things take time. Posting frequently is suggested by many as a good option, but I'd say it's better not to post too frequently.

Will a group blog allow you to get a lot of posts up very early on, then you'll just run it on your own afterwards? Are the other members there to help you think up the ideas so you can work on your own in the long-term?

3. Will you use a new domain or an existing one?

You'll need to think of where to run the blog anyway, whether it's a group blog or not. If someone already has a domain, that might be one option - but not if the domain has their name attached to it. Don't run a group blog on a domain named after one group member - it makes it look like everyone else is just a guest poster.

4. Who is "in charge"?

From time to time, it may help to have someone who's responsible for the team as a whole. You're all in it together, but who's the best person to contact with queries? Who will deal with payments? Who will lead discussions or review other people's posts?

Some of these tasks can be split between the group, but you may find that it's good to have one member who "manages" the team - so long as they help people by keeping things organised, rather than going around telling them what to do.

5. Will everyone have something to do?

If most people write content, that's fine - but everyone needs to have a place in the team. If you have a large team of writers who each publish content fairly infrequently, it reduces the risk of relying on one or two people too heavily - but spreading things so thinly can lead to a lack of coherence from one team member to the next.

Don't hire more people than you need - start small, and build the team as the site grows. It'll be much easier to manage the team and their workload, keep on top of internal queries and requests, and identify any possible risks before they become serious issues.

6. Does everyone's writing style fit with the type of blog you want to run?

Have you read a range of example posts from each member of the team before signing them up? Each writer will have their own style and voice, but some writers just won't be suitable for your site. Make sure you know what each writer is capable of before you approach them for a position.

7. How many posts would you expect to publish in a typical week?

Posting frequency might seem less of an issue with more writers to publish posts, but it's even more of a reason to set up a consistent posting schedule. How much can each person commit to? Which days are best for them?

8. Will the site make any money?

Do you plan to make money from the site so you can pay for hosting bills and advertising? Are you planning to pay the writers? Be up front - you're unlikely to make money from day 1, but that's a good reason not to hire too many people at once. Hire as many as you can afford to pay if things take off.

9. How will you communicate with the team members?

Email? Forums? Instant messengers? Twitter? Chat rooms? Telephone/Skype? Face to face? Unless you're running a regional blog or you want to keep all the writers to a specific location, timezones can cause problems with having regular meetings. Forums are a good way to keep discussions organised and are my preferred method. I'd much prefer face to face meetings if everyone I knew online lived locally, though.

10. What will you do if half the team can't help out after the first few weeks or months?

This is a pretty crucial point to consider. Don't sweep it under the carpet - put it at the front of your mind and give it some serious thought. Ask the team members where they expect to be within the next few months. Try to reduce the risk of departures appearing out of the blue. Keep everyone in the loop, keep them motivated, keep them happy. Perhaps if someone has to leave, they might be able to recommend a replacement.

What do you think? Do you run a group blog? Have you considered setting one up? Is there anything else you'd add to this list?

10 tips I've learned from developing Injader on an active blog

Ben — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

When I first started working on Injader, I didn't have a lot of sites to use it on. This changed as the years went by, but many of the sites were not updated regularly, and few people visited them.

Now though, I have a few sites that people subscribe to and comment on. Some people have even started to use Injader for their own sites. If you've ever commented on my blog, you've used Injader. This has often resulted in people including a suggestion or two in their comments.

Going beyond that, I've learned quite a few tips due to developing Injader on blogs that people actually visit. This post lists 10 very useful tips I've discovered along the way.

(Today's post uses an image from Paul Hudson.)

1. Using your own system gets the name out there.

Not everyone reads every bit of text on every blog they visit. However, those who do might be interested to follow some of the links to find out more. Some new readers are quite surprised to see that I don't use a better known blogging platform, and instead use something totally different. It pushes them to check out what the system is all about.

Using Injader also shows that I have faith in my own project. Actions speak louder than words. However, I didn't always do this - Top Ten Blog Tips originally started as a WordPress blog. This is because at the time, Injader didn't have all of the features I wanted to use. Gradually, I started to build Injader into something that could be a serious competitor to the other systems out there, then I migrated my posts to Injader and launched a brand new design.

Getting the word out about your blogs and your other projects is very important.

2. A CAPTCHA is unpopular with most people.

For a long time, Injader forced you to use a CAPTCHA (a word verification image). Originally, I added reCAPTCHA as a way to combat comment spam. It worked - but it also reduced the amount of legitimate comments. I then developed my own CAPTCHA and a few people noticed it was far more legible than the previous image, but most were still unhappy with it. Finally, I added an option to turn the image off, and added some anti-spam checking.

It's not perfect, but people have been a lot happier to comment on my blogs since I turned off the word verification. Spammers were starting to get around the CAPTCHA anyway. I do think that people are far too quick to rule out a CAPTCHA as an option, though, due to some totally crazy versions that are completely unreadable. I created a version that used one of the most legible fonts you can get - it was actually designed to teach children how to do handwriting. I really tried to make an image that was easy for people to read that was still tricky for spammers to break. I still believe it was a good way to block spam - but some people just refuse to use it.

So, while I did learn a lesson here, it was pretty disappointing because spam is still a problem. No anti-spam system is perfect - there will always be new spammers with new tricks.

3. Some people do subscribe to comments by email.

Much as I thought it was a little-used feature, a few people like it very much. It was Rarst who posted a comment saying that he missed the feature. So, I decided to get the feature into Injader. It was a fair amount of work - but it was worth it.

Now, I am much more likely to see people returning to a post when someone else comments on it. I really do believe that more people should add this to their blog - and more people should use it when commenting, too. It's very easy to use, and very easy to unsubscribe.

4. Optimised links help with your search ranking.

It was very revealing to watch the results after I started including post titles in my links. In a fairly short space of time, I found that all of my blogs were getting more visitors via search engines.

Now, it's a no-brainer really. Although the default links in Injader aren't great, they do still contain keywords. If you're using WordPress and your links all have ?p=1 on the end, go into the Dashboard and change them! It's really worth doing.

5. A sitemap gets more of your posts indexed faster.

I never realised how much of a difference this could make until I developed a sitemap for Injader and submitted it to Google. It's a great way to get your new posts picked up quickly, and it also helps Google to find all of your posts. Without a sitemap, some posts may get missed.

6. Using custom code in a theme adds a lot of flexibility.

I initially built a series of templates that allowed you to modify how your site looked, but it was very confusing and inflexible. It also clogged up the database and slowed everything down.

I then developed a new theme system and realised that a lot of "most wanted" features had suddenly become a reality. Most of the things you'd ever want to do can be done with this type of theme system.

7. Using third-party addons is essential for certain features.

Some things, such as a WYSIWYG post editor, are really important to get right. It's also a nightmare to develop yourself, due to browser inconsistencies. This is a classic case where using a third-party addon is a wise move. TinyMCE is a great product and has reduced all the problems I had when I tried building my own editor.

However, you do have to use third-party addons as part of a larger platform. If the entire system is a hodge-podge of other people's code, it will be an inconsistent, unstable and difficult to modify mess of a system.

8. I can write Injader-specific tips.

Granted, this hasn't happened too much yet, but publishing tips for users of Injader is a great way to show people what it's all about. Actually, I'd like to see a few more people writing about Injader, as there is very little information out there at present.

9. I often think of ways to improve it.

Using Injader for my main blogs allows me to identify things that could be improved. Commenters often suggest things, too. While I can't do absolutely everything (and it's best that I don't try to), this means I am building a well-rounded system that is easy to use.

10. Not relying on a dozen plugins is very convenient!

In 10 things that Injader can do without plugins, I pushed one of my strongest beliefs: you shouldn't have to rely on a dozen plugins just to make a system half-decent. If you run multiple blogs, you have to install all of those plugins for every blog. It became too much work for me and I have since made a concerted effort to improve Injader's "out-of-the-box" experience, so most of the default tools and settings are ready to go immediately after installation.

What do you think? Have you learned anything from Injader? Have you got any of your own projects that help you to improve your blog(s)?

10 poor excuses for not updating your blog

Ben — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

I've heard them all before: bloggers giving their latest reason for not posting anything. Let's have a look at some of the most common ones, and what you can do if any of these excuses apply to you. (Image by whizchickenonabun.)

1. I've been on holiday.

You've been away? So what? Write some posts before you go away and schedule them to publish when you come back. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

2. I've been posting on Twitter.

Oh really? Well, we can all follow you, but if we're not around when you tweet, we'll probably miss your comments. Blogs aren't like that - they're good for checking into when you have some time to do some reading. Don't abandon your blog for Twitter!

3. I saw this blog that's much better than mine and it put me off.

Ever heard of a little healthy competition? No? Well then, there are plenty of blogs you'll probably never get to read and they're all like yours. OK, some of them are like yours, some might not be, but there's room for all of us. If you think your blog could be improved - improve it! I've got plenty of tips for you that will help.

4. I don't have any time.

This may be a legitimate excuse, but when you started blogging, did you have any free time to write posts? If so, and things have changed, I guess you'll have to see if there's any free time in your busy schedule to post on your blog. If you have no time, assess if you'll ever have the time. Don't string it out - don't lead your readers on - confess, and we'll all have some closure. If you really do have some time, then don't make this excuse!

5. I don't have anything to say.

Sure you do! You just... haven't thought of it yet. Try writing something and see how it goes. Initially, nobody will really know about your blog anyway, so it doesn't matter too much what you write - although it's probably better to have a scratchpad to write your thoughts, rather than writing bad posts that people find later once your blog is the biggest one on the web.

6. Someone said something bad about my blog.

There are always going to be people who don't like your blog. Accept that, and move on. Don't dwell on it - life's too short. Actually, that's not true - life is quite long. Which is even more of a reason not to dwell on it - it'll drive you mad.

7. I keep getting spam comments.

OK, it is annoying, but we all get them. Only the very newest blogs will be safe from spam - and even those won't be safe for long. View it like this: people are finding you! Well, not very nice people, but nicer people will find you soon...

8. Someone stole my post!

Let's be honest - how many people can't wait to tell us that the latest version of WordPress has come out? Most posts have already been written - your goal is to write something that blows everything else out of the water. It's easier to do that if other people have posted on the same topic than if you're the first person to get your post heard. You can use existing posts as the yardstick, then completely ignore them and write something totally different or approach the subject with a new point of view.

9. Nobody's reading at this time of year.

Sure they are! Just because most people aren't reading, doesn't mean nobody is reading. Subscribers will have more to read when they come back, if they're not reading right now. And if most other bloggers have stopped posting for a bit, it's a good opportunity for you to keep on posting.

What if readers are looking for new content and can't find any? What if your blog was the only one that published anything for 2 weeks? Imagine that! You'd have every reader from every other blog, and you'd gain thousands of subscribers. I wouldn't pass up a chance like that.

10. The cat ate my post.

Do you really think you can pull the wool over my eyes like that? Don't give me silly excuses. Just update your blog in future.

Can you relate to these excuses? Do you have any others?

10 reasons why you should blog on a schedule

Ben — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Back in May, I listed 10 reasons not to blog on a schedule. There was quite a bit of disagreement, so I thought it would be good to look at the other side, with reasons why you should blog on a schedule. (Image by tamaradulva.)

1. Readers know when to expect a new post.

When you schedule your posts, it's much easier to be consistent with the time a new post goes out. This means your readers will get used to it - like watching their favourite TV show. Setting expectations is a good thing - readers know what they're going to get.

2. You can promote less because the publication time is consistent.

If people like your blog, they will show up when it's time for a new post. This isn't just good for setting expectations. If people are already going to read your posts when they go online, it means you can reduce the amount of promotion you do for each post. Or, you can use the time to promote the posts in new ways.

3. It can stop you from posting too quickly.

Of course, this assumes you don't have a schedule that's too regular. If you write a lot of posts in advance, sticking to a publishing schedule means you won't be posting too often. There are many reasons why you shouldn't post too often.

4. You're less likely to spend ages perfecting one post when you could be writing other posts.

While I do think you should make all of your posts worth reading, if you spend too long making each post absolutely perfect, you may not get as many posts finished.

This can be argued both ways. Quality shouldn't suffer for the sake of quantity. You should still proof-read your posts. But don't get caught up in writing a single post that just isn't going anywhere. Set it aside, and move onto other posts. You can always come back to it later. A schedule forces you to move on - you can't sit on the same post for ages.

5. It gets you into a routine.

Once you get into a routine, it can be quite hard to break it. If it's something you want or need to do every so often, this isn't a bad thing. You're more likely to keep posting.

Without a schedule, you may find there's no sense of urgency. As a result, you might not write at all. Why get out of bed if you have nothing that needs to be done?

6. It's easier to plan ahead.

If you go away, you'll know how many posts to write in advance. It's far better to schedule several posts to publish while you're away, than to post saying you'll be away and there will be no new posts until you come back.

Your readers may understand, but just because you're going away, doesn't mean they won't be reading any new posts that go up. Failing to plan ahead means you may lose readers to other blogs who post while you're away.

Some readers may also be unhappy that you aren't organised enough to get ahead with your posting. What's to say you won't get sick of your blog and just stop writing? Is that the kind of blog you'd want to read?

7. Writing new posts will not take over your life.

Since I started working in London, a lot of my day is taken up with travelling. If you're a busy blogger, there are ways to save time, but it can be very draining if you have to write at the end of a long day.

It's not just about setting the expectations of your readers - you need to set your own, too. Will you be writing a post today? If not, you can do something else. That should ease the pressure somewhat, and make it feel less as though blogging completely takes over your life.

8. You can set time aside to work on your blog.

It's best to find a schedule that can be worked into your life, instead of feeling like you have to blog at times when you're not able to. Finding the times when you can write new posts, or promote your posts, should allow you give your blog 100% of your attention when you're available to work on it.

9. You can reserve days for non-blog activities.

Once you specify which days will have new posts and which will not, you know how many posts to write each week. You can either write the posts one by one, or in bulk (I prefer bulk writing).

Whichever way you do it, you'll be able to specify the days when you're free to do other things. You're less likely to have clashes in your schedule if you lay everything out and decide which days are best for you.

I write 3 posts every Sunday, and publish them on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That means I can do other things even as my new posts go online, which happens automatically.

10. Scheduling makes the whole process easier.

Who said blogging has to be difficult? Wouldn't it be great if blogging was a joy to do? Well, it should be! It shouldn't be a chore, otherwise, why do it at all?

Adopting a sensible schedule can make blogging a smooth and painless process to follow. So why not do it?

What do you think? Do you blog on a schedule, or not? Are you likely to change this in the future?

10 ways blogging is like Krispy Kreme

Ben — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Did it ever occur to you that blogging is quite similar to Krispy Kreme? Well, it is! This post explains why. (Image by sea turtle.)

1. Get a taste for it, and you can't get enough.

This is true of so many things. You need to give something a try to know if it's for you. But once you get a taste for it, you may just find you like it so much, you want to do a lot of it. I enjoy blogging, and I like Krispy Kreme. Doing both at once is heaven! Combine it with a cup of tea... and that's me happy for, oh, the 10 minutes it takes to eat the doughnuts and drink the tea. Go back for refills, and keep on blogging.

On a related note, it's a bit silly to criticise something if you haven't tried it. Never had Krispy Kreme? Try it! Never blogged? Don't criticise people who do it. Even if you have blogged and you don't like it, that doesn't mean others shouldn't do it.

2. So much choice, it may overwhelm you.

Krispy Kreme has many different varieties to choose from. When I first paid them a visit, it was very difficult to make a decision.

Blogging is similar because there are so many blogs to read, and so many topics to write about. Where to start?

The trick is to remember that you don't have to do everything, and you certainly don't have to do it all right now. There's always tomorrow. Unfortunately, this philosophy can lead to procrastination, so be careful. Don't over-extend yourself.

3. Over-indulge, and it may lose its appeal.

Eat loads of Krispy Kreme, and you can feel quite sick. It's enough to put you off eating them in the future. Take your time!

There are so many blogs that suggest you should write loads of posts - at least one post a day, if not more. This is complete nonsense. You'll probably burn out after a few weeks, or a few months, and then you might not go back.

For more on this, read 10 reasons not to post too frequently.

4. It used to be quite exclusive, but now it's everywhere.

I'm not sure if I like seeing Krispy Kreme in supermarkets. It's just something about it. I much prefer going to KK itself and buying doughnuts there. I assume they're fresher there, too.

With blogging, I've heard various comments from bloggers who long for the "good old days" when blogging was more personal, and making money wasn't a goal. Well, there are still plenty of personal bloggers out there. There's no reason why you have to change the way you blog if more people are doing it, and doing it in a way that you don't like. Just keep blogging the way you want to.

5. You can't expect everyone to like everything you do.

Krispy Kreme has a wide range of doughnuts to choose from. I don't like all of them. But I like some of them, which is enough to keep me going back.

While there's no justification writing a bad post, many posts do not get 100% positive feedback. Some get no comments at all. Others do very well indeed. It varies from one post to the next. Just remember that you can't please everyone all of the time, and don't give up because a few people didn't like your last post.

6. It's best consumed in bite-size chunks.

I like Krispy Kreme, but over-indulgence (see above) is a bad thing. Don't stuff your face! Go slowly, and you'll appreciate it more.

If you've just found a blog with lots of old posts, go through them slowly. If you've just thought of loads of new post ideas for your blog, hold off - don't post them all at once.

Oh, and don't spam people all the time! Do it occasionally. (Seriously, don't spam at all - but do promote your blog from time to time.)

7. Being focused means you can do one thing really well.

You can get coffee at Krispy Kreme, but they haven't abandoned their roots - the reason why people go there. Doughnuts! They do one thing really well, and they've been able to stand out for it.

With your blog, staying true to your focus is extremely important. Is it worthwhile to write a blog about absolutely anything? Why not do one thing really well?

8. You can keep people interested with seasonal variations.

Whether it's Easter, Christmas or summer, Krispy Kreme brings out special doughnuts that aren't available for the rest of the year. This is a good way to keep people interested - they can still get the products they know and love, but they can experiment with some of the new offerings, too.

With your blog, you could use a seasonal theme, or publish posts on a world event that's relevant to your readers. Or you could ask guest writers to submit posts for when you go away.

9. Freebies are easy to sell.

Sometimes, Krispy Kreme has a big neon sign stating that hot doughnuts are being made right now. You can go in and get a free hot doughnut. Very nice indeed!

Blogs can run contests or give free stuff to subscribers. Another reason for people to keep coming back, and maybe spread the word about your blog so their friends visit, too.

10. The best ones won't be forgotten.

Have you ever had a doughnut that was so good that you almost want to go straight back and get another? Or have you ever read a blog that was so well-written, you can't wait for the next instalment?

That's something to aspire to. Give people a reason to go away wanting more. You won't be forgotten.

(Note: this was not a sponsored post!)

What do you think?

10 tips for personal bloggers

Ben — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:00:00 -0500

Image by Indy Charlie.

This is a guest post from Kirsten, who blogs at All About Me - And Then Some. If you'd like to write a guest post for Top Ten Blog Tips, please contact me with the title of the post you'd like to write.

I'm Kirsten and I have a personal blog. I mostly write about myself, but once in awhile the cause of the personal blogger gets me fired up. I was inspired to write this after I read Ben's post 10 well-known blogging tips - and what I think of them.

I've been blogging for over 3 years now, and in addition to finding interesting blogs to read, I've seen lots and lots of blogs and blog posts on how to help make your blog bigger and better. But every single one of those blogs and posts appear to be targeted towards professionals, or those who hope to become professionals and earn a ridiculous amount of money from blogging. But what if you just want to blog? What if, instead of having a blog that preaches your expertise in a subject, your niche is YOU? Here are some tips I came up with to help myself see through all the pro-blog babble and stay focused on my own little blog.

1. Why are you blogging?

If you don't have a reason to be blogging, then you won't find satisfaction from it. I started my blog as an extension of my journal, hoping that maybe, just maybe, someone in the great wide interwebs would see it and provide some feedback. It worked - I've made some great friends in the time I've been blogging. I started blogging because it's therapeutic, and I continue to blog because of the relationships that I've made. Others I know blog to keep far-flung family and friends updated on their lives. Why are you blogging?

2. Don't expect to make money

In fact, don't even try. It's extremely rare that a personal blogger can make any money at blogging. If it happens, it usually amounts to pocket change. Don't worry about signing up for affiliate marketing or other advertising options. If you get to a point where you have a decent number of readers and want to start sharing some favorite products through advertising, that's great. Just don't set out with the goal of making money, because it won't happen.

3. Forget about the most popular tips

SEO, Content is King, get your own domain, etc. Every pro and pro-wannabe preaches this gospel. If all you want to do is talk about your life, what does it matter where you rank in the search engines? And your content will be about your life. People will either like it or not, just like in real life. As for your own domain, this is a decision that only you can make. The free options out there are really decent options for personal blogs.

4. Don't ignore the pro advice

This seems to contradict tip #3, but there is a lot of advice that the pros give regarding blog design, commenting, etc that is relevant to all blogs, personal or not. You don't have to stop listening to the pros altogether, but you also don't need to worry about every single piece of advice they dish out. Pick and choose what's relevant to your blog and situation, and ignore the rest.

5. Be yourself

While the anonymity of the internet can be an opportunity to let hidden parts of your personality shine, don't try to create a persona that is nothing like you. Unless you are extremely creative and tenacious, eventually the real you is going to want to come out and one of two things will happen - it will show on your blog, which could affect your readership, or you'll end up abandoning your blog instead of showing your real face. Being anonymous and protecting your identity are one thing, but being fake is quite another. Be the real you on your blog, which is what people want to see on a personal blog - a real person.

6. Don't listen to the naysayers

There will be people out there who will tell you that personal blogging is not a worthy endeavor. Personal blogging is dead, they say. These are probably the same people who wouldn't be caught dead in last season's fashions. I say, if it's something you enjoy then go for it. Because a personal blog is meant to communicate your thoughts about your own life, it's not meant to be a trendsetting moneymaker.

7. Think like a storyteller

Some people are natural storytellers, and a post about the most mundane things will appear as a great adventure. Other people, not so much. To make your blog more fun to read, think like a storyteller and be descriptive. Imagine you are telling your stories to a large audience (which you are, since you're on the internet). Try to come up with some creative language to spice things up a bit. Which would you rather read?
a) I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
b) I realized that the absolute freshest bread is not good PB&J material. As I was spreading the peanut butter, then came apart and stuck to the PB coated knife, until the knife was covered in a giant wad of peanut butter and bread. Now onto the jelly.

8. Be careful

I don't think you need me to tell you how accessible the internet is to the entire world. Think hard about how much personal information you want to reveal about yourself online. I'm fine with people knowing my first name and what city I live in, but I don't reveal my workplace and keep my family and friends way more anonymous than myself. Also be very careful if you decide to blog about your workplace or anyone you work with. You don't want to jeopardize your job because of what you write online.

9. Get out there and make friends

I have to admit, I'm not that great at making friends. However, I've found it much easier online to be social and make friends. Blogging gives others a chance to get to know you, and vice versa, before that first comment is made. By the time someone comments, you've said something that someone else wanted to hear or that struck a chord with them. Comment back, say hi, and visit their blog - and click on the links in their blogroll. You'll find this is the best way to just get out there, meet people online, and make friends all over the world. That, to me, is the most fun thing about blogging.

10. Keep at it

If you're blogging to get out there and make friends, or just to be heard, keep at it. It will take you some time to build up a network of blogging friends, so don't give up after the first few posts. It can be lonely when you start out, because you feel like you're talking into a void, but sooner or later people will come across your blog, read what you've written, and be compelled to comment because they felt a connection. Don't feel pressured to become something you're not just to gain a readership (see point #5). Just tell your story, say what you're feeling, and get it out there.

Personal blogs are extremely popular, and extremely underserved when it comes to "how-to" advice. I hope this list was helpful to all the personal bloggers out there!

What do you think? Do you have a personal blog? Do you agree with these tips? Are there any others you'd like to suggest?

10 signs you may benefit from multiple blogs

Ben — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:00:00 -0500

Image by m-c. (This is actually an old screenshot from M-C Turgeon)

Running multiple blogs is something that is worth considering. But how can you be sure if it's for you? Here are 10 signs that may indicate you should try running more than one blog.

1. You enjoy blogging.

I think you need to enjoy blogging to be a great blogger, but it's absolutely essential if you're going to run more than one blog. Why do a lot of something if you hate it?

2. Time is not a major issue.

Last week I looked at how you can save time. If time isn't a major issue for you, or you have some spare time that you'd like to put to good use, setting up another blog is something you might want to try. If you really don't have any spare time, try following my timesaving tips to save some time, but don't push yourself to set up another blog if time is very tight.

3. You like to write, but need to find your style.

Haven't found your groove yet? The best way to get better at something is to practise. Get on and do as much writing as you can. Running another blog will require you to write more content than you would on just one blog. An added bonus is that you could experiment with different styles for each blog.

4. You have multiple unrelated interests.

The thing with personal blogs is that they often include posts from a wide range of areas. Perhaps you'll attract a wider audience, but focusing on specific subject matter for each blog is generally easier to pull off. Yu could set up a personal blog, but why not set up a blog for each of your interests if you have enough to say about them?

There's actually a guest post coming on Friday with 10 tips for personal bloggers - subscribe to Top Ten Blog Tips so you don't miss it.

5. You want to cover more ground in a large area.

Running multiple blogs doesn't require each one to be completely unrelated to the others. For instance, in addition to Top Ten Blog Tips, I also run The Guide to Blogging. Both sites are about blogging, but they have their differences.

6. You can manage multiple priorities.

Are you good at multi-tasking? Can you think about several different tasks at a time? This is important if you want to run multiple blogs. If you're struggling to keep up with one blog, you'll need to get on top of things with that blog before setting up any others.

7. You like the variety of multiple projects.

It's not just about managing multiple priorities - some people genuinely enjoy being able to switch between different tasks. I'm one of those people. I also like being busy. Do you?

8. You have a web hosting account that supports multiple sites for no extra cost.

One reason you might not want to run another blog is because your web host doesn't allow you to run additional sites without paying extra.

If you're looking for a host that does allow this, I highly recommend Hostgator. Be careful though - the cheapest plan will only allow you to run 1 domain. You'll need to buy the "Baby" plan to get multiple domains.

Note that you'll still need to pay for the domain name for each site, but this doesn't cost a lot.

9. You like the idea of being able to cross-promote several sites.

Trying to get links from other blogs can be tricky (although I do have some tips for getting links from other blogs). It's significantly easier for you to cross-promote your own blogs.

If you include quality links in your posts, people will click them. If those links go to your other blogs, it's a great way to get new people to start reading those blogs.

10. You want to reduce the likelihood of having only one blog that fails.

Not all blogs are going to be a resounding success. Unfortunately, a lot of bloggers give up when they get bored, or when it seems to be too difficult to get anyone to check in and leave comments. However, even if you do everything right, it's still possible that your blog might not work. There are no guarantees, but running multiple blogs could increase the likelihood that some of them will do well.

What do you think? Do you run multiple blogs? How many of these points apply to you? How many of them suggest that you might be best sticking to just one blog?

10 reasons not to be an A-list blogger

Ben — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:00:00 -0500

Image by Storm Crypt.

This week I'll be publishing three new posts instead of just one. If all goes well, I'll try and keep publishing three posts per week from now on. This week, Friday's post is a guest post, and I'll be including a quick request for future submissions in the intro of that post. It's going to be a great week - subscribe so you don't miss out.

So - onto today's post. I'm not an A-list blogger, so I'm not speaking from experience, but I've seen a few things that suggest being an A-list blogger might not be all it's cracked up to be. Let me explain why.

1. An honest endorsement will look like a paid plug.

Ever wanted to tell the world about this great new site you've been using? As a new blogger, you're just like everyone else, so it's easier for you to get your views heard. But it's hard to see a glowing review on a high-traffic blog without wondering if the author's getting paid for it.

2. Make a mistake, and everyone will know.

We all make mistakes. The problem is, running a big blog means that a lot more people will know if you make a mistake. It really depends on what you say, and you should take the time to read and re-read your posts before publishing them... but that buffer just isn't there for a site like Twitter.

3. Your comments will go crazy.

People trying to get the first comment. People dropping their links. People saying "Nice post!" Even genuine comments will soar. That's a lot of comments to read and reply to.

I don't reply to every comment individually as my name would be all over the comments section, but if I was an A-list blogger, I'd struggle to stay on top of the comments I did want to reply to.

Not to mention the thousands of spam comments you'd get. Try finding false positives (legitimate comments that shouldn't have gone into the spam queue) in that lot.

4. Your server costs will be higher.

Some big blogs don't have their own domain name, but I think most do. I also think that most blogs who do have their own domain name will be on shared hosting - this means that your site is on the same server as loads of other sites. Most big blogs don't have that option. You'll have to pay for a dedicated server. That's not a cheap option. However, you could always split the cost with some other bloggers.

5. Some people will attack you just for being well-known.

There will always be people who you don't get on with. But being well-known is probably going to attract more negative comments than if you were not an A-list blogger. It goes with the territory - some people just can't be happy for you, or they can't fathom why you're an A-list blogger and they're not. And so the attacks start. Hope you're thick-skinned...

6. It will take over your life.

Not everyone is looking to make it big. Not everyone wants to make money from their blog, or knows how to. Most of us have jobs, families and friends. So if your blog suddenly starts getting a lot of attention, you may find it takes over your life - and you may not be ready for that. However, it only takes over your life as much as you let it.

7. Endless link exchange requests.

I get a few of these, but I get a lot more "SEO specialists" trying to sell their services so I can get on the 1st page of Google. Pay attention - I'm already there! If you're an A-list blogger, rest assured you're going to get a lot of these requests. I can't imagine how many requests would come in daily if my subscribers were in the thousands rather than the hundreds...

8. Any changes to your blog will be criticised by a lot of people.

Generally speaking, people don't like change. After a certain period of time, a blog can really benefit from a facelift and a bit of a tidy-up. But no matter how good a new design is, you're bound to receive comments from people who preferred the way it was before. Sure, more people could potentially love your new look, but you can't please everyone - and design is incredibly subjective.

Being an A-list blogger would put you in the spotlight for pretty much any change you decide to make - would you want every change to be put under such intense scrutiny?

9. You may feel pressured to stay at the top.

I'm not sure exactly how or why a big blog gets to the top when there are loads of blogs that don't, despite being very good and regularly updated. There's probably a certain degree of luck. So it follows that if your blog were to become big but it didn't stay at the top, that's partly down to luck, too.

However, not everyone will see it that way. As a result, you may feel like you have to work extra hard to stay at the top, harder than you had to work to keep your existing readers happy. Blogging isn't easy, but it could get a lot harder once you start getting somewhere. And if you don't stay at the top, even if it's totally out of your control, your blog may be seen as a failure.

10. You may become complacent.

Every time we blog, we need to put in the effort to write a post that's worth reading. Otherwise, why write at all? Unfortunately, hitting the "big time" seems to push some people into a place where they get a bit too comfortable, and their content really suffers. Don't let it happen to your blog. Remember why you started blogging.

What do you think? As I said, I'm not an A-list blogger, so there's every chance I don't have a clue what I'm talking about. Which points have you observed on A-list blogs? Are there any I've missed, or any you disagree with? Share your thoughts in the comments.

10 timesaving tips for a busy blogger

Ben — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:36:30 -0500

Image by ToniVC.

Do you struggle to find the time to write blog posts, reply to comments, read other people's blogs, use social networks and keep up with everything else from one week to the next? If so, this post will help you with a few tips for making the most of your available time.

1. Set up a schedule for the time you do have.

The very first thing to do is to work out how much time you can spend on your blog, and when you're likely to be free. If you stay at home to look after your family, or you work irregular hours, it's fair to say that you might not be able to stick to the same schedule every week.

But if you can set aside just half an hour every few days (depending on how often you want to publish new posts), it's going to be much better than feeling like you never have any time for your blog.

However, if you're really struggling to find the time, you may have to ask yourself if you actually have the time to run a blog. You don't have to spend hours every single day on blogging, but you do need some time or you may as well not bother. Be honest with yourself - don't try and stretch yourself to the point where you're being unrealistic.

2. Identify any busy periods where you could "double up".

Do you get the train to work? Do you have a bit of free time when you've finished eating your lunch but haven't gone back to work yet? These may be good times to try and do some offline activities to help your blog, such as writing new post ideas.

A coffee break at a venue with a wireless Internet connection could be a good opportunity to reply to a few comments or emails. Or perhaps you could jot down some ideas while you're waiting for the dinner to finish cooking. Be creative - grab a few minutes here and there if you can.

3. Plan your posts.

Planning your posts is a quick way to come up with lots of ideas without having to write an entire post. Write a decent post title, and you'll soon be able to figure out if the post is worth writing.

You can read some more of my tips in my post, 10 powerful benefits of planning your posts.

4. Use social networks in small bursts.

You don't need to be online all the time, even if it seems as though there's always someone to talk to (especially on Twitter). Hop on when you have time, participate for a bit, and hop off while you're still enjoying it. Don't wait until you get bored. This will encourage you to come back again in the future, instead of maxing out and getting sick of it.

Although this tip is not only relevant to Twitter, there are a couple of Twitter-related links that you might find interesting. In 10 ways to climb to new heights with Twitter, I explain that you need to tweet regularly, but not constantly. (The other 9 tips aren't bad, either.) You also might be interested in TwitterForBusyPeople.

5. Clean up your feed reader.

I've heard a lot of people saying they don't bother with their feed reader anymore because it's too cluttered. This is absurd - what's the point in subscribing if you don't read?

Take the time to remove any feeds you don't read - it means you'll be much more likely to go into your feed reader from time to time, and you won't need to spend as much time skimming the posts you never comment on anyway.

Also, look for blogs that post the same kind of content, and try to remove some duplication if you can. For instance, I'm subscribed to both Mashable and TechCrunch, but a lot of stories appear on both sites. Then again, I'm not sure I can choose between them!

6. Don't check your stats all the time.

This is an interesting one. I have an interest in stats, and when I was job hunting, I had quite a bit of spare time - so I checked my stats far too often. However, since starting my new job, I haven't had the time - and I haven't checked my stats as often.

So if you don't have much free time, you may find you forget about your stats anyway. But if you're still obsessing over stats when you can't spare the time you used to have, give it a break - only check your stats at the weekend.

7. Reply to comments in bulk.

Instead of replying to comments as soon as you receive an email notification, let a few of them build up. This allows your readers to interact with each other (though this varies depending on the type of discussion that's taking place in the comments).

It also means you can write one comment to reply to several people in one go, which is quicker and won't result in a huge comment or a series of comments from you that overwhelm the discussion.

I know that Lyndi at Nice2All replies to comments one by one, and I like the way she does this, but I don't do it myself. It only really works if you use threaded comments.

In my case, I'm not ignoring anyone - I read every comment I receive - but there's not much I can say in reply to some of them. The best way to get a reply is to ask a good question - I'll reply in the comments, or maybe even write it as a new post if I have enough to say.

8. Cut out unnecessary tasks.

Are there things you spend time on that don't generate value for your blog? It's not all about you - but there's not much point in wasting a lot of time on activities that go unnoticed or are unappreciated.

For instance, do you write blog reviews and give lots of feedback, but find that the blogger decides not to make most (or all) of the changes you suggest? Or do you post in forums and find that few people reply to you? Perhaps you write great comments on other people's blogs and the author never responds, no matter how many times you've commented.

It varies from site to site, but if you feel you're putting in a lot more than you get out and time is at a premium, it may be worth adjusting your priorities.

9. Less is more.

Don't feel like you have to write a really long post every time you blog. If you have a lot to say, be careful not to write a post that meanders and doesn't end on a particularly logical conclusion. If you really have a lot to say, why not split your post into two parts?

Try to include a good image with your posts. Images are very good attention grabbers, and are worth the time it takes to search for them. Even without an image, a short post can actually do better than a lengthy post - it's less work for you, and less for your readers to go through.

Of course, quality and quantity are not always directly related, but don't pad out your posts with unnecessary paragraphs if you could say what you want to say by writing less.

10. Ask others for help.

If you've got more than you can deal with, don't let yourself get buried. Look for ways to deal with each task much more quickly.

For instance, you could delegate certain tasks, such as replying to comments or sourcing guest posts. Or you could expand your blog to include additional authors - not much good for a personal blog, but might be beneficial for other blogs.

Also, ask on your blog or on Twitter for suggestions for future blog posts. I recently did this with my reader survey - it helped a lot!

What do you think?

Are you someone who needs to use their available time wisely? Which of these tips do you already follow? Can you think of any other tips for saving time? Are there any "timewasting" activities you've recently stopped doing, or would like to stop doing?

10 sites I no longer use - and why I stopped using them

Ben — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:33:28 -0500

Image by BigGolf.

There must be hundreds of sites that claim to help bloggers get new readers, make advertising easy, or connect with friends (of course, this last point isn't just for bloggers).

I've tried lots of these sites, but most of them haven't really given me any long-term benefits. In this post, I'll be looking at 10 sites where I've deleted or deactivated my account, along with the reasons why I signed up, and why I decided to move on.

I don't expect everyone to agree with me. If you have a different view of any of the sites mentioned here, feel free to post a comment explaining why. If you have similar experiences, share your thoughts anyway.

1. StumbleUpon.

I signed up with StumbleUpon in the middle of 2007. Initially, I used it to find interesting, useful or quirky sites. I then experimented with submitting a few of my own posts. This didn't work too well but the posts weren't very good and I shouldn't have been submitting my own stuff. You can get away with it to a point, but not if you overdo it.

I discovered that as with most sites, it's a question of finding the time to use it. One day, I realised I hadn't actually used the site in months, except to add a few friends, and go through the few shared items I received. I concluded that I didn't have the time to sit and surf through loads of sites and rate them.

When I did rate sites, I found a lot of very similar offerings. On the "thumbs down" button, you can specify "Too much like this lately" as a reason for giving it a bad rating, but I wasn't really looking for anything in particular. So, not much was really interesting to me. "Handy hints" are all well and good, but if I need to know how to do something, I google it.

I also found that all too many people give out good ratings without a second thought. Some of the sites with good ratings were not that great, while others provided incorrect information. It's a matter of opinion, but it's pretty clear that some people just didn't look too closely at the site before giving it a good rating.

None of these issues were really that major, except for the time issue. StumbleUpon is a good site, I just don't have a lot of time to spend on it. Even if I did, I'd still have to choose how to divide my time between StumbleUpon and other, similar sites. More on that in a moment...

2. Facebook.

Most of the people I know have a Facebook account. It wasn't difficult to add friends, family, colleagues and people from school to my friends list. It was handy to be able to contact people without wondering if their email account would still exist (I know a lot of people who set up email accounts that they abandon after a few months).

Unfortunately, I quickly found that Facebook was taking up more and more of my free time for no particular reason at all. Status updates, messages, wall posts, replies to comments... too many things to keep up with. I didn't get too many application requests, thankfully, but I grew to despise multi-recipient messages - anyone who replies has no choice but to reply to all, unless they send a new message. Cue some very personal replies send to more people than the sender wanted to send to ... and when I let them know, they didn't even realise that's how it works.

For bloggers, you can publish your content automatically, which I tried - it did what it was supposed to do, but I felt like I was flooding my profile with all my blog posts. Hardly anyone clicked through, anyway.

It was good for keeping in touch with people when we lived abroad. But now we're back in the UK, I'd much rather see people. Plus, I don't see much point in adding people to your friends list if no messages are exchanged whatsoever.

3. delicious.

I used delicious back in 2005 as a way to store bookmarks that I could access from home and from work. In the end, I got sick of this and started moving everything into my Firefox bookmarks.

Interestingly, when I posted about this on Twitter, I had a reply from the delicious Twitter account. They suggested using the Firefox extension. So I gave it a shot.

It was pretty good, but even when I organised my important bookmarks into folders, I still had hundreds with a variety of different tags that were displayed in a really long list. I started moving them into folders - or tag bundles - which helped. But it didn't remove those bookmarks from the master list. Basically, I wanted to be able to see the bookmarks I hadn't grouped into a bundle, which I wasn't able to do.

In the end, I gave up and moved everything back into Firefox. I don't use the same bookmarks at work as I do at home, so I can keep them on separate computers. Besides, I think I feel safer having my boomarks stored locally than I did when they were online... which is actually a big part of why I stopped using Gmail. (But that's another story!)

4. Project Wonderful.

I started using this when I wanted to experiment with a few ways to make money from my blog. It wasn't to make a living, or to tell others how to make money online. It was just out of curiosity.

In the beginning, people were happy to place ads on my site. However, as time went on, my site wasn't proving to be all that attractive to advertisers. At the time, it wasn't as focused as it could have been, so I was lucky to get any advertisers at all.

I cashed out once, and still had some money in my account that I used for some ads over at Vivid Lamp (which I see hasn't been updated since October 2008 - I wonder what happened?). These performed reasonably well, but I didn't really like the bidding system that Project Wonderful uses.

Overall, it's not a bad service, and I still see it on quite a few blogs. If you do use it, make sure you keep your prices in line with any other ad spots you might be running. There's not much point charging $1.25 for a 30 day ad with CMF Ads when you're only charging $0.01 per day at Project Wonderful.

Incidentally, the support is excellent. Very friendly and responsive. I just felt my ads had run their course, and I prefer CMF Ads.

5. MySpace.

I started using MySpace as a place to promote my music, as recommended by a friend. People listened, but most of the comments came from people who wanted me to listen to their music - it was very much a one-way street. Even if I commented on theirs, they usually ignored mine.

A few of my work friends joined and we added each other, but I remember the site being a complete nightmare to use. Errors were frequent, the layout was not in the slightest bit intuitive, and the ads were over the top.

Eventually, Facebook came along and everyone went there instead. In the end I quit Facebook too, but at least the layout was better.

6. Plurk.

This is probably the only site on the list that I was genuinely quite sad to leave behind. Back in December, I wrote a list of 10 reasons why Plurk is better than Twitter. Reading through this list more than 7 months later (which is a long time on the Internet), I realised that all of the reasons still hold true.

However, I also wrote a follow-up post a couple of days later, with 10 reasons why Twitter is better than Plurk. It's interesting to note that I was much more of a Plurk user when I wrote these posts, and I almost didn't want to admit that Twitter was better. But I did - and shortly after I published the second post, I switched to Twitter. I'd used it before, but not as much as Plurk.

Unless I'm mistaken, I think Plurk missed its chance to become a serious alternative to Twitter. It started to do quite well when Twitter had loads of performance issues, but Plurk had some issues too.

The main reason I left Plurk was because I couldn't commit to using both Twitter and Plurk, and more people use Twitter. So, Plurk had to go. Shame, because I really liked it.

7. MyBlogLog.

This was one of the first sites I joined when I started publishing blogging and website tips without the jargon back in November 2007. It was recommended by some blogging buddies, so I gave it a try.

Well, what a waste of time! It basically did nothing. I could add friends, join groups, leave a shoutbox message... I can't think of anything else. Oh yeah, the widget to show you who recently visited. And the stats were nice, but Google Analytics is better.

In fact, MyBlogLog's incredible lack of any useful functionality was the inspiration for my post, 10 things every social network needs. In a nutshell: it needs to actually do something!

8. Digg.

I heard that Digg could generate huge traffic, but as with StumbleUpon, I didn't really have the time to Digg all that often. Plus, I kept getting requests from people who wanted to "exchange" Diggs, which didn't seem like a very good idea to me. I stopped using the site - but never really started using it, to be honest.

9. BlogCatalog.

This was recommended to me in the same breath as MyBlogLog. I didn't join BlogCatalog straight away though, as I wanted to take the time to use each site properly, instead of trying to use both sites and inevitably comparing the two.

Waiting didn't matter. BlogCatalog is vastly superior to MyBlogLog, but that's not surprising really. There are some good things in BlogCatalog - groups and forums are a big improvement. However, I've always preferred using vBulletin for forums. Also, my email was flooded with friend requests and shoutbox messages. It wasn't a popularity thing - it was mostly spam. I guess a lot of networks have spam, but I found I wasn't really using BlogCatalog much anymore - so decided to leave.

10. Entrecard.

I joined Entrecard in December 2007. In the first month, I gained loads of new readers and quickly found loads of great blogs. This continued until May 2008, when I started helping out as a moderator. I stepped down from my position in October 2008, and left the network in November 2008.

I have mixed feelings about the site, but there are a few main points. In the beginning, it was very good for new blogs. However, as time went on, a lot of spam flooded the network. As a moderator I helped to clean up a lot of this, but they needed to implement incoming moderation far sooner than they did (it was added after I left). Before that happened, a spammer could easily sign up and drop a card on 300 sites. Most of the sites that received a drop would click the link, and bam, the spammer gets traffic. Word obviously got out and the spam was totally unstoppable due to the "open door" policy.

Dropping cards does not necessarily give you high quality traffic in return, and can take a while to complete. It's also mind-numbing to drop 300 cards a day, especially when most of the blogs do not update every day. So for the most part, there isn't a new post to read, and you have little choice but to drop and run - yet a lot of people complain about this.

The bottom line

With all of these sites and others like them, you have to weigh up whether the time investment is worth it. Also, be sure to re-evaluate every week or two. Things change quickly - new blogs join, old blogs leave, some blogs may even shut up shop and leave a big gaping hole where they used to be. This is just the nature of the blogosphere, but it can be quite disorienting.

Any blog that gets beyond the first few months of its life (and many do not) should put content first, promotion and networking second. If you have time to do both, and participating in a blogging network continues to bring you a decent return on your time investment, maybe it's not so bad. Just remember to post - don't get too caught up in networking!

What do you think? Have you used any of these sites in the past? Do you still use them now?