A SERIES

Experts on Successful Blogs and the Blogosphere

Before you go anywhere, you have to know where you’re going. What’s your destination? What’s your plan? Building a blog of quality and relevance is an accomplishment. It’s not something that just happens by letting your fingers type anything. It takes planning, heart, and “a village” to make a successful blog, but a great blog is worth every minute invested in pulling those three together.

What Makes a Successful Blog?

Every individual has his or her own definition of success. I’m sure you have yours too. Take a look at what folks hold up as guideposts. Keep cornerstone advice close. Here are a few expert opinions to help you set bar of what you might strive for when build your successful blog.

1. Let’s start with the key ingredient. You can put stock in Chrisg when he says, “Online or Offline, this is the Key to Success.” Thank you, Mr. Garrett.
2. You’ll be a much more relaxed blogger if you have a sense of where you fit. You might want to take the Blog Review Checklist — the most comprehensive evaluation review tool. It’s backed by 20 years of working with readers and how they interact with text (online and off.)
3. Pay attention to success reported by smart bloggers in their first year. They not only care about what you care about, but the learning curve is the greatest in the first few months. How to Build a Somewhat Successful Blog: 16 Lessons I Have Learned from the Positivity Blog is a top-notch example.
4. A part of any blog’s success is related to links, tools, and measures. Read about Google Page Rank, Alexa Rank, and discussions of blog surveys and the ways a bloggers opinion of success can change over time. Meredith Wolfwater discusses these in What makes a blog successful? from Information Wants to Be Free
5. Website or blog, the principles are the same. Listen. Seth knows what he’s saying. How to create a great website
6. Becoming part of the community, the conversation, and the creativity of blogging are Essential Requirements to Starting a Successful Blog
7. Understand that success comes from within. You’ll need the wherewithal to come to your blog and your readers every day. Three Traits of Successful Blogs – Focus, Passion, and Originality
8. Know that readers know a lot about what makes a good blog tick. They share if you take the time to ask. What Makes a Blog Successful?
9. Follow the lead of those who’ve been there and succeeded before you. How I Chose 18 Thought Leaders to Follow (and Their Links)
10. Do the work and understand what works. As with life, success with a blog is more investment than luck. How to Build an Authority Blog: Tips from the Experts

The Culture of the Blogosphere

Once we realize that people are talking to each other on the Internet, it’s not long before we figure out that blogosphere has a culture of its own. New circumstances often inspire new ways to interact. We can’t see who’s on the other side of the screen. We only see the words, images, and sounds send us. The filters we use in person don’t work to decide who is telling us the truth. Authenticity and transparency are two words that you’ll find important to the community and culture of the blogosphere.

Check out the blogosphere. Get to know what blogging is about. Find your favorite blogs and bloggers. Figure out what it is that keeps you returning to read them. Just as important, notice what turns you off.

1. A great start is John Dvorak’s Understanding and Reading a Blog (for Newcomers) This entry is timeless, relevant content.
2. Get to know all of the ways you can read a blog . . . The Blog Realm: RSS, Aggregators, and Reading the Blog Fantastic by Greg R. Notess
3. Know what to do to make the most of the experience. “Ah – blogs – one of the best ways to waste lots of time. Here are the top 10 tips we’ve found for being more productive when reading blogs.” Top 10 tips for effective blog reading – part 1 by Nev a Dave
4. Honor the cultural traditions and mores of Internet interpersonal communications. Act with netiquette to show you are a respectful and savvy citizen of the virtual world.
5. If you’re trying to figure out what makes a blogger a blogger, this quick look works as well as any other.What Is A Blogger?

Just know that the blogging community is worldwide and incredibly helpful. Finding your way around the blogosphere doesn’t have to be arduous or take from here to forever.

Ten Blogs on Blogging

Ten that I find consistently readable in no particular order.

1. Bloggers Blog
2. chrisg.com
3. ProBlogger
4. SEObook
5. Lorelle on WordPress
6. Freshblog
7. dosh dosh
8. Copyblogger
9. Daily Blog Tips
10. seomoz

I’ve listed ten blogs on blogging. Now, here’s my challenge.

I’ve left out plenty that could be on this list. Add them in the comments. When I return I’ll compile them. We’ll set up criteria. Then we’ll determine which blogs you suggest make

Which blogs do you nominate?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Want to know what’s wildly sticky? Work with Liz!!