Blogging is an excellent way to express yourself. It is also a great way to attract and connect with others who share similar interests. You may start a blog to get your igarss09 ideas and opinions out there, but it can also be a great way to make money, once you gather a following.

Use the correct spam filter for comments. If you require registration to comment, a CAPTCHA on the registration page is usually sufficient to keep spammers away. If you allow anonymous comments, an “advanced CAPTCHA,” that is, one that asks the user for “the number of hours in a day” or something similar is usually enough. Avoid services like Akismet, as these produce lots of false positives.

Don’t go too broad with your posts. If you have different skills, try using them on a specific topic. Creating broad blog posts in an uncontrollable way can make your brand dissolve. Even if you have readers that are interested in various topics, you’re making it harder for people to recognize your single brand.

Try finding your size yourself. Figure out a post size that will fit with your skills and habits. Don’t copy other bloggers, try finding what works for you by experimenting. Some 600-700 words per entry, and some write 2000-3000 words per entry. Try testing what works for your own writing style and needs.

Everything you do can end up being the subject of a blog. Take notes when you are away from the computer, if you stumble across an idea that may translate into a post. You want to always keep your eyes open for subject ideas. Writing is the easy part, it’s coming up with the initial concept that usually leads to writer’s block.

Title your posts to draw your reader’s attention. No one is going to read a post with a poorly constructed and boring title. The title, after all, is what draws the reader’s eye to the post. Without a distinctive title the page would just be a long, boring piece of assorted words.

The more frequently you post new content, the more likely your readers will be to visit regularly. Some of the best blogs update at least once daily. If you aren’t sure where to start, think of material before you start posting. Doing so will provide you with enough content to post when you are experiencing difficulties.

Refrain from using blog designs that are similar to MySpace. This means using extremely busy designs that have too much content on your screen, too many animated graphics, etc. Having these busy designs makes it extremely difficult for your readers to read your blog. As a result, they’ll likely leave.

Learn everything you can about topics related to your blog. The more quality information you can share, the better your blog will be. The greater your knowledge, the more readers will view you as an expert in the field. This will make the reader more likely to share links to your blog with their contacts.

Make sure that you are blogging for the right reasons. If you are looking for some quick money, this is not the way to go. Blogging should be more of a hobby. If it becomes something that you start to dread, your writing will not be very good, and you will have less readers.

When you create a successful blog, you will find readers from around the world who are interested in your opinions. Use the helpful Practicalities tips in the article above to find interactive readers from across the globe, keep them interested and potentially, use your blog to create an additional income for yourself.