[Lumiere]

People keep asking me to start a blog.

Can I can some tips on blogging from a business point of view.

How do you market and drive traffic to your blog?

How often should you update it?

How and when should you monetise it ?

All suggestions appreciated.

[Vacancier Permanent]

I'm interested in that as well as I started my own blog and it will go live on Monday. At first, I'm going to drive traffic to it mainly by posting it on FB and Orkut for friends and family, then from there, it'll grow. I will be updating it almost daily or if not every other day with new content, pics and videos from the ground. I have a very specific niche in mind and will be using youtube as well and on that specific niche, will bring some nice traffic. As to monetizing, I wouldn't do that for the first 6 months or so to let the site build a nice and loyal readership/fellowers then after that, will start monetizing it. I'll also use my existing list that I built over the years on my main biz and as I'll be taking videos of the resorts i'm staying, I'll post them on the site and it would be a good way to monetize it as it'll be promoting my membership with real life concrete examples of me using it all over the world. Another means of advertising I'll be using is since I'll be starting to use PPV for my biz, I might as well run a small campaign once or twice a month promoting my blog and PPV once set up is quite an inexpensive and and cost effective way to bring some solid traffic.

[Lumiere]

Yeah I think getting an audience first is key

Once you have got an audience then you can monetise it

[Caramel Communist]

Tips
-don't worry about monetization...that is a mistake...worry about content and design of the blog...the money will come if you provide great content..

-you should post whenever you feel like it, when you can add great content that ppl value...

-use text, not flash...you can save alot of SEO maintenance just by picking unique web name and assigning keywords descriptions properly to your tags...

-incorporate video/pictures (I like vimeo fuck youtube)....

-FB and Twitter are mainly tools to ripple the conversation amongst loyalist...do not expect it to drive a ton of new readers...

-know your metrics:
posts per month= # of posts * # of months
content created= # of words in post / # of post
conversion rate= # of comments / # of post
Unique visiters= # of new visitors to the blog
Visitors = # of visitors to the blog
Rss Feeds= how many ppl are consuming my content off site?

[Duke Castile]

Lumiere,

I'm sure you've noticed other's posting their opinions with links attached. Like G manifesto and others. I just started reading and noticed your advice is spot on. Just posting on other's comments will drive traffic towards your site. Having fb, twitter, etc and giving your views with the same intention of directing traffic towards your blog is the initial step, and then it's word of mouth. Eventually, advertisers will come find you depending on the traffic. I'm sure you know all this, but it's really that simple. Google ads and other revenue can get generated after a certain point if you own the site. I don't know the policies of blogspots and other blog sites but, if you started a blog there, and linked it to your main site, that is another way to go. Eventually dropping the blog site as advertising revenue goes up on your main site. Your advice is good, but keep in mind, making controversial assertions (axioms or not) is what keeps EVERYONE interested in what you have to say. Not just the followers. If you read the comments section, the haters get pulled in to what you'll say next. Good luck. I'd read it.