Blogging 101

I've been blogging now for just over a year, and I know I'm not the most popular blog in the blogosphere.................yet:), as I rank around 21,000 at Technorati. Blogging is gaining steam and mass popularity, so I have decided to write about some do's and don'ts and other observations that could improve your blog.
First off, why blog? I can only speak for myself here. I work from home, and I don't have any kids running around. I'm not a party person anymore and I am very opinionated, and funny (at least I think so). That being said, I'm a ham, I am seeking attention, I want people to see my opinion because I feel I can entertain and perhaps make people think at the same time. I actually believe I can make a subtle change to the way some people look at things. I didn't start out this way with my blog, I just started it for the heck of it. I went from 20 hits a day, to around 300 a day at this time. This weekend by the way was unreal thanks to the link to the Penn and Teller video on my site, by the popular blog Pharyngula(which has a mostly Lefty Pinko following unfortunately). I received over 2500 hits on Saturday, and another 2000 yesterday. Most people just watched the video, and didn't leave comments. Some did view more of my blog though, and I was added to a few more blogrolls.
Another thing is that I'm not into putting up unfriendly banner ads, so I'm not receiving any compensation at this time for my blog.

Here is a list of do's and don'ts, and a key to all this is that a blogger has to keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands of blogs out there, and people don't have unlimited surfing time:

1) Specialize. There is no gun to your head when you begin a blog, but a specialty should evolve. Stick with it. My specialty has evolved. I am an entertaining foot soldier in the "War Against Reality," or how I like to put it: WAR. I know I'm taking a step away from my specialty with this post, but you only live once.

2) Keep the blog viewer friendly. I can't believe how many (thinking) Atheists for instance, have a dark background on their blog. Sure, it looks cool. Sure, it reflective of the blogger's darkside personality. But many bloggers are over 40 these days and can't read a thing without highlighting the blog posts with a mouse. It is very frustrating, and although I have many blogs I go to regularly that have a black background, I sometimes think twice about going there just because of the view.

3) Get a blogroll, sitemeter and join any organizations that overlap with your viewpoints. A blogroll is important because many bloggers will check their sitemeter statistics and see the sites that the hits came from. They will usually visit that site. Personally, if someone blogrolls me, I blogroll them. I also blogroll any site that I feel stands out regardless of whether they know of me or not. However, by blogrolling a major site, there is a possibility they will check your site out because they looked at where the hit came from. Joining other blog groups also increases your exposure.

4) Visit other blogs and leave comments when appropriate. Don't be scared to speak your mind at another site. I love having comments on my site, plus I check out the commenters blog site if they include it when signing in to post.

5) Stick to making 0-3 posts a day. If you are posting more than that, you aren't being original, you might as well just be a news blog (if that is your niche, that is fine I guess). If you post more than that, you will turn off many viewers. Something can be said for attracting regular commenters, and most people tend to comment on just the last two entries. I like my regulars a lot. When I visit my favorite blogs, I usually just check the last 3 posts only. Too msny things to read and too much information makes my head explode.
There are many stories I can report each day, I try to focus on just one. I'm not worried, someone else will cover the ones I don't choose.

6) Nothing is wrong with some shameless self promotion. I sometimes spam my blog on Yahoo message boards. Shoot me. I want people to read me, and I'll whore my blog if I have to. Try not to beg for viewers though.

7) Try your hardest to respect your commenters. Sometimes it is hard when someone comes here for propoganda purposes and spreads lies, rhetoric and half truths (like a current Paliphile poster I have attracted, who is spouting garbage on a few of my threads. Sometimes I snap. I'm only human. Delete spam of course, but I don't delete people who disagree with me as long as they stay sort of on topic, like the lying Paliphile poster for example. I don't mind controversy.

8) Always link your sources, and give credit where credit is due. I said some good things about God is For Suckers, and they were actually the first site to pick up my Penn and Teller post causing a lot more exposure of my blog. Exposure sometimes can be a domino effect.

9) Try to be as honest as possible. This is your blog. Speak your mind, and remember that no two people agree about everything.

10) Try to be as brief as possible. Believe me, I tried to be brief with this post too:), but I had to include any point here I thought was valid. Thanks to Atheist Mama, for letting me know my original 9 points were lacking this specific point. And thanks to everyone who supported my blog from the start, especially Elder of Ziyon.