As a "new blogger", they have some observations on blogging to share with other new and longer term blog owners.
Lessons From Buzzcrash:
1. "it's easy"
My comment:
Blogging is easy. Little if any knowledge of computer programming is required for most of the mainstream blog hosts. Because you don't need to know the theory and practice of the html and CSS in your blog, you can start right in posting.
Presto! A new blog is born.
2. "shorter blogs are better"
My comment:
I am guessing that this lesson refers to the length of posts. Some people prefer shorter posts with a link and a brief description of the link contents. Others prefer using the linked post as a starting point for a more indepth discussion.
I don't believe this lesson is quite so cut and dried. Of course, my readers know I write longer posts, so I'm a trifle biased.
3. "update content regularly"
My comment:
Regular updates are a must, especially for a new blog still finding its niche audience of readers. Without new posts, a blog will be ignored. The reader will simply move along to the next blog on the list.
With literally millions of blogs on the internet, there is no shortage of options. By providing regular updates, your readers have a reason to return over and over. It helps if the blog posts are of interest and value to the visitors.
4. "join the directories"
My comment:
Adding your blog link to the many free blog directories is so important that it can't be stressed strongly enough. Directories build traffic as visitors click on directory links and find your blog. Many bloggers use the listings in the directories to find very related link exchange partners.
Directories help in the search engines by providing add Google PageRank (Google's numerical measure of the relative importance of a site on the internet). Directories provide added incoming one way links that assist your blog in ranking higher in the search engines for your blog's most important keywords.
5. "growth is slow but steady (now over 400 hits/week)"
Patience is a virtue as you build your blog readership audience. Over time, more people will discover a blog, and link permanently to it on their link section or blogroll. Those additional links will send more readers your way. As previously commented, directory listings add visitor traffic.
If a blog's content is valuable, a blogger's posts will be linked to by other bloggers. Readers will continue to visit blogs with strong content.
Posting informative and helpful comments on other blogs will often result in visitor traffic. Being a regular poster on the various blog related forums and message boards will also add some visitors.
Traffic to your blog will grow. All that is needed is a little work and a lot of patience.
5. "gotta be a great, traffic building compliment to a corporate web site"
My comment:
A blog will help a corprate website in many ways. Blogs and search engines were made for one another. The regular posts will build site traffic, and encourage the search engines to crawl and index the blog often.
A blog adds Google PageRank and incoming links, to boost the site in the search engine rankings, for your business's most important search terms.
A business blog provides a personal voice to your business, removing the brick and mortar barrier. You are able to develop a long term relationship with potential and existing clients and customers.
Public relations can be expedited with regular and frequent postings of the company's message. The news media regulary visit blogs searching for potential news items.
In every way, a blog is a powerful addition to any business and its website.
One of the most important things, that we all need to remember, is we are all still learning.
Blogging is still in its relative infancy. If we all work together, we can help to benefit one another in achieving all of our personal and business goals.
Keep learning.
Keep blogging.
