How to Start a Successful Blog or Web Site

A question I have seen asked over and over is: “How do I start a Successful Blog or Web Site?” This is a very simple question with very simple answers once you figure out a few things. What is your goals? What is your blog going to be about? a personal blog like this one, or a blog focused on a particular niche? Once you are able to answer these basic questions, your well on your way to starting your successful blog. However, there are a few things I must point out.

1. What is “your” definition of success concerning your blog?

I have found many people set unrealistic expectations for their blogs, and then give up before they have really had a decent chance to get started. If you are only in it to generate a full-time living from Adsense or some other advertising, then forget it. That very rarely happens, and is an unrealistic goal. If you blog is centered on a niche, then a attainable number of conversions should be your goal. Not page views or ad revenue. If a blog is a success or not depends solely on you, and what you define success or failure as.

So once you have been able to answer the questions above about what type of blog you want to have, and your definition of success or failure, then you can begin doing what you do best, and that is blogging and contributing to your niche. Please do not get tied into the scams going around on the net concerning links farms and other garbage, it will not help you at all. In fact, you can get hurt by Google and others in the SERPS for using such tactics.

2. Keys to a successful blog = Niche or Topic

The key to a successful blog is choosing a topic a topic you are passionate about, and have knowledge about. This way, you will have a lot of information to draw from, and can continually update your blog with fresh content on a daily, or twice a week basis. Content is still the single most important thing. Rome was not built in a day. I say write your content, submit to search engines, and you will be found. If your niche doesn’t have a ton of competition, then you could do some PPC ads on Yahoo, Google, or Bing at a cheap price temporarily just to get your site out there. Also, submitting to the search engines, posting your link on forums you frequent is a good way to get your site out there and ensure your spidered.

3. Social Networking Sites

Social Networking sites, and bookmark sharing sites can also be a good avenue depending on the topic of your blog. I personally do not use these services, However I am sure I could get a traffic boost if I did, but I personally am not trying to become the big kid on the block when I all ready maintain another big kid. This blog is my personal enjoyment, and it will grow in a 100% white hat way.

4. Blog Commenting

One last good way to get your site out there is commenting on other blogger s blogs. I don’t mean spamming their blogs either, but leave genuinely meaningful comments on their blog posts, and often times, that blogger may let your link stay. This will give you a good back link. I will say this, don’t get too tied up in the dofollow vs no follow link designations. It doesn’t matter if the link is either or if someone clicks on the link right? enough said. I will say there is some weight in SERP of follow links vs no follow. It can make a difference sometimes in extremely competitive niches, however I believe in the future that content relevancy + do follow link will be the mega key, and people with do follow links + unrelated content relevency will get hammered in the search engines

5. Conclusion

By following the above guidelines of just getting your site out there, and updating your site with fresh unique content on a daily to twice a week basis, you will find that you will be well on your way to success in a reasonable amount of time. Rome was not built in a day, and it takes time to build up a quality traffic base with users. The key is to just keep working at it, and don’t worry about your competitors. You should worry about yourself ,and how you can always improve.  In doing so your blog will take care of its self with your content.