But not just any old blog will do. Because right now, the Internet is full of blogs that get traffic only from the author’s friends. Obviously, this isn’t going to help you much if your purpose in reading a book on Web 2.0 is to create an exciting income flow!
To have a blog that hundreds of strangers will visit, come back to and recommend to their friends, and to ultimately turn this traffic into sales, there are a number of things you need to do and features you need to include.
You need a high quality blog to attract fans to your website, and high quality website articles to create a traffic!
1. Quality posts: Providing quality posts is an absolute must. Have something worthwhile to say, say it well, and above all give value to your readers. Without this foundation, your blog’s already in deep dudu. More on what makes a good post shortly.
2. Good looks: Today’s successful, Web 2.0-style blogs have an attractive, polished appearance — and preferably, a theme that matches their subject matter. Are you writing about sports? Then a sporty look will be great. Single parenting? Look for something that shows an adult interacting with children. If your subject matter is travel, or great vacation spots, look for something scenic or recreational. Just be a bit restrained; don’t match a dark, Gothic look and feel with a blog on fun-filled retirement for healthy seniors! And if you’re not sure, it’s best to err on the side of conservatism and professionalism. You can still show style and flair.
Note that the better blog providers give you a wide choice of templates, which are often customizable. Good looks also extend to having a layout which is easy to read and pleasant to visit. So make sure your elements don’t overlap, use a normal font face and size, skip the up-tempo music, and do away with the scrolling marquee!
3. Being well organized: Web 2.0 and blogs were made for each other. Things like tags, categories and archives integrate perfectly in both environments. Indeed, people expect these things nowadays, and mark you down if you don’t feature them.
4. Quick loading: At a time when people tap their foot in front of the microwave, muttering “C’mon, c’mon!” don’t expect them to wait for a slow loading blog. However, this normally won’t be a problem if you host with a major provider.
