Blogging is a profitable venture
and creating and maintaining a blog is a straightforward process
Imagine a life where you get paid to write about topics that genuinely interest you,
at your own pace and from anywhere in the world.
The inherent flexibility of blogging allows you to unwind, take breaks,
and even go on vacations whenever you please
In this article, we'll explore the profitability of blogging and guide you through the process of setting up your own blog without any associated costs. Intrigued? Let's get started!
First and foremost, you'll need to choose a blogging platform. There are two main options: hosting a blog on your own domain or utilizing a free blogging platform. Let's begin by discussing the world of free blogs. You can easily obtain a free blog through www.blogger.com or the newer and more advanced www.wordpress.com. If you're tech-savvy, you're likely familiar with WordPress, a robust and infinitely customizable free blogging engine.
It's worth noting that Blogger.com is actually owned by Google, which means it gets noticed by Google's algorithms more quickly, resulting in faster indexing. On the other hand, WordPress.com is a relatively newer option, so I can't provide a direct comparison in terms of search engine indexing speed. Nevertheless, WordPress boasts more advanced features such as Trackbacks and Categories. It also allows for more efficient management of your sidebar links (we'll delve into this later).
Get started with a free blog on either Blogger.com (http://www.blogger.com/signup.g) or WordPress (http://wordpress.com/signup/). Next, familiarize yourself with the platform by creating and publishing your inaugural post, and explore the various customization options and templates.
:Here are some key blogging terms to get you started
Permalink – A shortened form of "permanent link," it refers to the unique URL leading to an individual post on your blog
Trackback – When you write about someone else's blog post on a different platform, your post will appear in their "trackback" section. It's important to note that this feature isn't available with a Blogger.com account
Pinging – Blogging and pinging often go hand in hand. Pinging involves notifying an aggregator whenever your blog is updated, allowing the aggregator to display your latest post on their website. This is a valuable method for driving traffic, which we'll discuss in more detail later.
For now, take some time to explore your new blog and experiment with the included features. In our upcoming articles, we'll delve into the various strategies for monetizing your blog and offer tips on crafting engaging posts that keep visitors hooked and coming back for more!
