Blogger, Writer, Editor, Publisher

Let’s face it: the blogosphere no longer dominates the Internet, as corporations have woken up to the importance of this highly significant medium. Gone are the days where the blogger’s voice was heard louder than the journalist or the corporate communications hack or even the freelance writer.

Today, companies such as Associated Content, Demand Media, Hub Pages, Squidoo and Examiner are creating thousands of new articles daily, based on popular and obscure key words and phrases, making it all the more difficult for the traditional blogger to get noticed or to stay relevant. Facebook isn’t just a place to visit for some, it is a destination which has replaced Google search.

But, the blogosphere isn’t dead and people who want a platform (or soapbox) to speak their minds can still have one. Those once unique soapboxes are now surrounded by millions of other ones which means if you want your voice to be heard, then responding smartly – and creatively – is a must in 2011 and beyond.

You can’t do anything about Facebook or the powerful arms of online publishing companies. What you can do is maintain a style that attracts people while wearing several hats separately or at once:

Blogger – Your personality has gotten you this far and is likely to keep you relevant for months, perhaps years to come. The danger for you is taking your readers for granted, forgetting that they have many places where they can spend their time. Modifying the way you interact may be something to consider this year, perhaps inviting guest bloggers and doing likewise for their sites.

Writer – If you are an expert in your niche and a good writer to boot, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be sought out elsewhere for your skills and influence. Beyond guest blogging, you should be an in-demand writer on websites that pay you for your work. Moreover, those sites should acknowledge your personal site or blog, giving you an important backlink to go along with pay. You need help with search engine optimization like never before and can find allies to help you in your cause.

Editor – In the early days of blogging, people used to say whatever they wanted and however they wanted. You still can, but if your sentence structure is messed up or your articles are filled with typos or incorrect grammar or what you say is factually incorrect, then you have placed a huge target on your back. That target tells everyone that you don’t take your site seriously and are neglecting the editing, fact-checking and referencing other sites employ. Remember, you are not like any other blog out there. Or are you?

Publisher – Your top position is not as a blogger, rather as a publisher — so act like you own it! This means that you not only write or assign the vast majority of articles and oversee editing, voice and style, but you’re the best advocate for your site. You use the very best blogging platform out there with all of the appropriate plug-ins in place. You also have a good web host and you market your site at conventions, seminars and with friends and family members. You have a vision for your site any media company would envy, with plans to take your blog up another notch this year.

Sounds exhausting, doesn’t it? Sure, but if you want to run with the pack, you have to do what they do which takes time, money and plenty of energy. Certainly, you can blog away as always and hope for the best, but if you’re king or queen of the hill, you know that the competition is ready to dethrone you the very moment you slack off. Once dethroned, you will probably never resume your position again.

Further Musings

How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur

The 5 Components of the Writing Process

5 Minutes to a Powerful Blog Article Outline

The 5 Steps Guide For New Bloggers

By Lior Levin

It certainly doesn’t take long before something hot on the Internet spreads like wildfire then the newbies joining the web only get to see the smoke. Take blogging for example, it has become so sophisticated that a newcomer interested in blogging is almost overwhelmed with all the information and where to start.

It is true that one can find anything on the Internet, and how to start blogging advice is no different. Another problem that arises though is that the interested party is often so enthusiastic about all there is to learn, that many times they are reading advice and information that dates back several years and they don’t even realize it.

Then when they go to apply what they have learned, it makes no sense and doesn’t work. This creates the makings for a real dilemma. What ends up happening is the would be blogger gives up and looks for something else to become confused about.

So what is the moral of the story here? Start at the beginning and say hello to blogging. Here are just a few basics to get the ball rolling. Once a newbie gets past this stage then they can consider themselves a blogger and leave some smoke behind for the next novice that comes along.

Step One:
Read some current articles and information that has a date on it about what blogging is about in general. Get a feel for it, then you will immediately start to generate your own blogging ideas about what you want to blog about.

Step Two:
Now you need to find some place to put your blog, so you need a blogging provider. Again do your homework. There are lots of them around and some are easier than others to use. Once thing you want is ease of use. This means they will have templates that you can use which is basically just filling in the blanks. Once you become a pro at blogging then you can progress onto the more elaborate concepts.

Step Three:
The easiest way to learn about blogging is from the pros. Once you have determined what it is you want to blog about then visit blogging sites that are in this niche. See how these established sites do it. If you have never posted to a blog before then now is the time to get your feet wet. You have a virtual voice so use it.

Step Four:
Once you get your blogging site set up then go back and visit the ones you were at in the above step and invite them to visit your blog, provided it is not a private blog site. Do it via comments, contact forms or messaging through twitter or facebook.

Step Five:
Research all the innovative ways to get your blog known. After all, blogging is not much fun if you are only blogging to yourself, its like a one way conversation.

When you look at it this way, blogging is not quite so overwhelming. There is a whole world out there waiting to hear about what you have to say, about anything you want to blog about, so go for it, here is your chance. Welcome to the world of blogging!

Author Information

Lior Levin is an owner of a SEO company working with a nursing wear brand called Milk Nursingwear and also working with a task management start-up.