Creating a Blog: The Foundation For Getting Yourself and Your Work out There.
Getting Started with a Blog.
In this article we will be explaining one of the most important aspects that will drive traffic to your website. We will be showcasing videos and discussing our own personal experiences. Having a blog is not only an important element for generating exposure it is also very useful and beneficial tool for connecting with people.
Septagon Studios experience with blogs has been an evolution of sorts. Since adding an active blog to our website, our traffic rank has gone from an obscure 2 000 000 to now around the 100 000 mark. This growth has allowed us to go from having 100 visitors a month to over 1000 visitors a day. We have made some great friends and contacts along the way and we are still growing. As an independent creator, this is very necessary. You have to get out there. Whether you are already established or you are just starting out, you will need to find your market and connect with your audience and we believe there is no better way to do this than starting a blog. It’s not that hard to get started but it does take some work. In this article we hope to help you get your blog off the ground and also share some resources that have helped Septagon Studios.
Septagon Studios Blogs
Septagon Studios has been experimenting with blogs for several years now. We have gone through multiple platforms and designs. We first began using B2Evolution however we were limited with layout possibilities, and plug-in options. Shortly after we started, we used Blogspot, but all traffic was directed towards Google. Eventually we initiated the Wordpress platform which was very user friendly and allowed us to gain an instant traffic boost. With Wordpress we have gone through two themes, a default theme and the one you are currently reading this article on. This theme is best viewed in internet Explorer versions.
So what is Wordpress?
WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code to enhance the typography of everyday writing and with fewer users than you can count on your fingers and toes. Since then it has grown to be the largest self-hosted blogging tool in the world, used on hundreds of thousands of sites and seen by tens of millions of people every day.
In order to run a Wordpress hosted blog, on your website/server you need to meet the requirements which can be found here at this link: http://codex.wordpress.org/Hosting_WordPress
Most web hosting companies offer a service called Fantasico which installs Wordpess automatically for you. Check with your hosting provider. This can eliminate a lot of time, and get you blogging within minutes.
The list of Wordpress features are endless some of Septagon Studios favorites are Customizability, Plug-ins, Widgets, Comments, User Registration for Subscriptions and RSS feeds. For a full view of the many great features visit: http://wordpress.org/about/features/ We will be discussing some of the features that have benefited us in later posts on the Creator Hub.
OK let’s start making a Blog
Rather than write out word for word how to get a blog setup we have embedded on this page the best instructional videos you can find on making a blog. Becomeablogger.com is an excellent resource and they have done a great job at teaching people how to become bloggers. We have used a lot of the strategies in these videos and found all the information very useful and easy to understand. There are a total of 10 videos. Each video is around ten minutes in length so you will have to set aside some time to absorb and implement the info. Sorry guys, creating a blog actually takes time and some work. But we cannot stress enough how important this is for an indie creator, indie writer, or indie publisher. If you really want to get some serious exposure, you really need to consider setting up an active blog.
If you already have a blog we still recommend that you take a look at some of these videos as you may learn some techniques that might make your blog better. Below we have embedded the whole course from www.Becomeablogger.com. To make things a little easier we have added a short description about each video, just so you know what you are getting into.
Video 1 – Why should you Use Wordpress?
- What makes a blog a blog.
- To Host or not to Host your Blog
- The different blogging platforms
Video 2 – How To Get Your Own Domain Name
- What a domain name is
- Why you need your own domain name
- How to choose your domain name
- How to register your domain name
Video 3 – How To Get A Web Host
- What a web host is
- Why you need a web host
- How to set up your own web host
- How to link your domain name to your web host
Video 4 – How To Install WordPress
- All the tools you’ll need to install your WordPress blog
- The exact steps you need to take for the 5 minute install process
- How to find your way around the WordPress admin area\
- What permalinks are and how to use them
Video 5 – How To Upload Files To Your Webhost Using FTP
- What is FTP is and why you need it
- What FTP software to use
- How to download and install the FTP software
- How to setup a connection to your host
Video 6 – Choosing A WordPress Theme For Your New Blog
- How to find a theme for your blog
- How to download your chosen theme
- How to install your chosen theme
Video 7 – How To Install And Use WordPress Plugins
- What a WordPress plugin is
- The default plugins for wordpress
- How to find and install a new plugin
- Recommended plugins
Video 8 – How To Create Your First Blog Post And Blog Page
- How to create a blog post
- How to create a blog page
Video 9 – What RSS Is And Why You Need It
- What is RSS
- An example of an RSS in action
- How to sign up for a google reader account
Video 10 – How To Use Feedburner For Supercharging Your RSS Capabilities
- What Feedburner is
- The benefits of using Feedburner
- How to setup an account with Feedburner
- How to use Feedburner on your blog
- How to use the email subscription option
Wordpress Plugins
If you’re looking for specific Wordpress plug-ins visit the link below:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
We have seen our traffic increase exponentially over the course of a 6 month period (July 08 – December 08), we have begun to reach new readers, and fans alike, from across the comic book and design community. If you are really interested and serious about starting your own blog then Wordpress is a great choice. We recommend Wordpress to anyone who wants to start up their own blog and bring traffic to their website.
You have set up a blog, now what?
Start posting some info about you, your projects, your interests, what you think about the comic industry, comic reviews, useful tips, interviews…etc. Let your readers know some info about you. Your voice is very important. Sometimes people will appreciate your work more based on who you are and what you think. For some great tips on how and what to post on your blog check out this article from ProBlogger: http://www.problogger.net/how-to-write-great-blog-content .
If you have a blog already and you want to take it to the next level in terms of traffic, marketing and exposure you might want to check out another free resource called “The Roadmap to Become a blogger”. This is another resource from the people at www.becomeablogger.com . This ebook can be very useful for implementing some advanced strategies to improve your blog. Check it out here:
FREE: Discover The Time Tested And Proven Roadmap To Blogging Success…
We have found this to be straight forward and easy to follow information for getting started and implementing some advanced strategies to grow your blog. Over the next couple of weeks we will be posting more articles in the Septagon Studios Creator Hub outlining different tools and resources that can really rev up your blog and get a steady stream of traffic to your content. Many of the tools we will be discussing are very effective for indie creators. All the resources and services we outline have been back tested on our own site or we have had direct experience with them. Furthermore, we will be focusing on valuable resources that are FREE or very afforable so stay tuned…
Do you have any tips that have improved your blog? What would you say is the single most beneficial thing that you have done to increase your blogs traffic? Feel free to post any questions or comments about building blogs.
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I met Mr. Moreno in Long Beach last week at the booth. There is so much breadth in comic book ...
A very interesting piece. In the beginning, the video made me feel uncomfortable as I was imagining the ink drops ...
Comment by Psiplex on 14 January 2009:
Nice work on assembling the information. Loving the layout of your web space! Keep up the great work!
One Love
Comment by SBA on 14 January 2009:
Great list of resources with focus on new blogger. This type of compass helps those who are reluctant to get swallowed up in the implementation of blogs that complement their business. You can’t stress enough that this will take time, energy and try your patience. The key is to know that in advance, and how to get help.
Comment by monty borror on 14 January 2009:
Great info, most of which I agree whole-heartedly. I started a blog a few months ago and the reaction thus far has been surprisingly good. I spend a lot of time focusing on the things that I like instead of trashing this I don’t and the result has been positive in like. This helps me keep the blog honest and prevents burning bridges at the same time. I would recommend more people take this approach and focus on reviewing independent companies and artists. Now when I ask to review something I am inundated with free stuff and build relationships in the industries I really love.
All the best,
Monty Borror
http://comicoverlord.blogspot.com
Comment by Infoscian on 5 February 2009:
Tats really a gr8 tutorial for newbies..thnx… good work
Comment by keanu on 15 February 2009:
Nice post and I had watched all the video last month in the becomeablogger.com. I like to have my own domain someday hosted in wordpress.
Comment by sarah on 18 February 2009:
I think the most important thing to be a goog blogger is writing well, consistantly for the audience. Those people are writing because they (a) have a desire to say something, and say it well, and (b) have a desire to write in a way that urges people to return to read again and again.
Nice info, thank you.
Comment by Metallman on 20 February 2009:
Hey there. I agree that starting a blog is a great way to be heard. I do not have a target audience and I basically write about what comes to mind. Sure, I’ll sprinkle in a few reviews and humor, but I’m allowed to do that because that’s the beauty of starting your personal web page.
Great tutorial, by the way. Perfect for someone that’s just getting into the world of blogging. Later!
Comment by ria on 31 March 2009:
Of course great content is important for a blog, but as far as traffic goes, I think it’s absolutely neccessary to comment on other blogs and post in forums using your url as a signature.
Comment by Eddie Garcia on 17 April 2009:
You have done a wonderful job putting these videos together and they are very easy to follow as well. I didn’t have the time to watch all of them in one setting so I bookmarked this site for future reference. Thanks for all your hard work! I do not take it for granted.
Friends 4 Life!
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