Damien at the Speed of Life – DATSOL

If you want to set yourself apart as a blogger, you have to do a few things differently. These tips are the best advice I have to offer.  They are the result of two years of intensive blogging.  I welcome feedback as comments or questions.

1. Be mentored: offer someone doughnuts!
2. Monitor inbound links.
3. Don’t link out more than you have inbound links.
4. Write a a dynamite “ABOUT” page for your blog.
5. Have a “Best of” page.
6. Guest blog out there.
7. Host guest bloggers on your blog.
8. Write reviews with proper references (ie; IMDB for movies)
9. Optimize use of categories.
10. TAG by idea, not by words used.
11. Write great excerpts, summaries, and introductions.
12. Use search words in your title.
13. Pick a simple theme and then test, test, test.
14. Paragraphs no longer than 10 sentences.
15. Here today, gone tomorrow: remember your post is not a bestseller in process.  Write it and move on.
16. Submit your best stuff to social media.  Even better, ask your friends to.
17. NOFOLLOW when you should NOFOLLOW.
18. Outline your post.  Don’t “freewrite.”
19. Use pictures.
20. Get a picture hosting and posting routine you like.
21. Use Google Reader.  Leave comments.
22. Have a minimal sidebar.  Most the “flair” out there is so distracting and lame.
23. Make subheadings in BOLD.
24. Don’t “create” topics, wait for them to come to you.  be ready with a yellow pad or tape recorder.
25. Use the future posts timestamp feature of WordPress to get more than one post started in one sitting.
26. Schedule deadlines to be mailed to you through Google Calendar (No, I don’t work for Google … wish tho ;) )
27. Find your “niche” and become a slave to it.
28. Value SEO and learn things about it.
29. Set goals.
30. Monitor results of goals.
31. Spell check and correct basic grammar.  Try Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style.”
32. Make posts over 100 words, around 200 words and usually not more than 400 words.
33. Get away!  Time off captures ideas.
34. Go to the Library for inspiration.
35. Use RANK then do not pay any attention to it.
36. Value real readers not empty “click-through” traffic.
37. Know your stats.
38. Be entertaining.
39. Regularly post.
40. Be accessible as an author.
41. Blogging is not instant gratification.
42. Spend most your time working on your own blog and smaller amounts commenting and blog hopping.
43. Adjust as necessary, be flexible.
44. Don’t look for advertisers, rather look to be the type of blog that would have advertisers.
45. Check out addons and plugins available to you.
46. Take an official photo.
47. Be a brand.
48. Ask for feedback
49. Put ideas in your blog as “drafts” for rainy days.
50. Measure success on your own terms.

Follow these tips and your blog travels will be stronger than a Samsonite.

It’s been almost a full year since I quit reading RSS feeds.  It got way too out of control and for me it was just more clutter in my daily routine.  I have to say that my getting out there to read my favorite blogs has definitely stagnated.  I used to make my “rounds” daily and now I am lucky if I can get to my blogroll once a month.  As any blogger knows … time management is golden.

I’ve learned a lot in the last year that might make RSS feeds a better bet.  I’ve prioritized my goals and set goals in the direction of CAN, my self rating system.  I’ve also learned more how to identify a blog worth putting on my “to read” list.  So I’m gonna go for it.  If you are on my blogroll you can bet I’ll be stopping by more.  If I haven’t commented much lately. my apologies … we live, we learn.

As for those not on my blogroll and the other ones out there in the blogosphere I have yet to discover.  I think going back to RSS feeds and Google reader will have some “pioneering,” “discovery” qualities that will introduce me to more greatness on the web.  Do you read RSS feeds? I know some people don’t.  I’m interested in your input on this new(old) direction I am taking.