Subject: hello
My name is miss glory 23 years old never married. l saw your profile today at and after going through it many times then l made up my mind to contact you as my friend. so l want you to write back to me through my email address so that l will give you my picture and for you to know who l am. l hope to see your mail ok. lt is from me,
miss glory
Oh. I'm sorry. Wrong email.
Subject: Blogging Advice
Hello,
My name is [C.H.] and I'm a junior Journalism student at [College name] in [City, State]. I recently started blogging again on my blog and I was wondering if I could get any advice from you on how to be a better blogger, attract readers, etc. In particular, I'm wondering where you find the news stories the mainstream media doesn't cover. But any advice you might have I would greatly appreciate.
Thank you so much for your time.
[C.H.]
C, here are my top 10 rules on the delicate topic of blogging.
10. Always link to stories on blogs around your size and smaller than yours -- to paraphrase Glenn Reynolds, you need an "Army of Davids" to help support your mission.9. Always link to larger blogs: you never know when the likes of Hot Air, Instapundit or Michelle Malkin -- incredibly prolific consumers of media -- will notice and, perhaps someday, post a link to your site. Like losing your virginity, you will never forget your first Instalanche.
8. Always remember to thank those who link you or provide the sources for your stories, unless of course they prefer to remain anonymous. Here is an example of how I do it: "Hat tip: Gateway Pundit."
7. As for unconventional news stories that might pique your interest, my favorite sources for the offbeat are Drudge Report, Memeorandum and TrendingRight. Using Twitter and Facebook -- both for collecting news stories as well as providing updates to your followers (see TwitterFeed) -- is crucial as well.
6. Post a blog-roll and keep it up-to-date. This will come in handy when the previous suggestion doesn't tickle your fancy.
5. If you're so inclined, keep an updated list of headlines like Sister Toldjah or Weasel Zippers; these are stories that may not merit a story, but still deserve your readers' attention.
4. Try to keep content fresh and stories flowing, even if it means running a group blog or having guest bloggers. People don't visit sites that are static. If nothing changes between visits, there's really not a reason to surf to your site. As for myself, each day since January 9, 2009, I've posted Larwyn's Linx, my roundup of important stories. No matter what else is happening, regular readers can at least get a daily snapshot of my favorite articles.3. Have a specialty that you love and are passionate about. Ed Driscoll and Noel Sheppard enjoy exposing the hypocrisy of legacy media. Fausta Wertz uses her multilingual abilities to provide expert news and analysis of Latin America. Black Five tackles defense and intelligence issues. Zero Hedge and Mish cut to the chase when it comes to the economy. Ace o' Spades uses brilliant, caustic humor to savage the left. Expertise plus passion equals kerploding traffic numbers!
2. Avoid internecine warfare if at all possible. Like any relationship, bloggers can have fallings-out. One of the more famous instances was the 2009 showdown between Atlas Shrugs, JihadWatch and LGF over the loyalties of European anti-Jihad groups. Had I really cared about European anti-Jihad groups, I would have researched the issue and weighed in. As it turned out, I didn't let the issue sway my opinions of any of the bloggers. That is, until LGF's Charles (author of my favorite blogging software) executed an ideological 180-degree turn. Even then, I've mostly just de-linked LGF as opposed to pillorying it. I have better things to do, like saving this Republic.
1. Read Robert Stacy McCain's "How to Get a Million Hits on Your Blog in Less Than a Year ", a neatly executed Tour de force on ramping your blog viewership.
Although I eschew Rule 5
Linked by: Instapundit, Memeorandum, American Power, The Other McCain, and The Lonely Conservative. Thanks!
Don't forget to use pictures of hawt babes. Good for at least six hits.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Doug!
ReplyDeleteRule #11- post a picture of a sexy girl on your page somewhere... that is the number one hit on my site.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, thanks for linking to my blog often- you run a good site and I only hope I feed back an equal amount of hits.
You made me laugh out loud twice--especially re Rule 5.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest problem is not posting often enough.
But I do have tip of my own: list posts.
People like lists, especially comprehensive ones. My list of conservative documentaries and list of GOP potential candidates have provided a steady trickle of hits for months.
Here's my advice on how to be an ethical honorable blogger but probably not a popular one:...
ReplyDelete"Try to keep content fresh and stories flowing, even if it means running a group blog or having guest bloggers."
On the other hand don't scrape the bottom of the barrell on a slow news day. You lose credibility when for example you stretch some innocent mistake by obama or palin or whoever into a significant story.
Write to convince people who disagree with you not to incite those who already think like you. Avoid sarcasm, ridicule, name calling etc. Don't antagoinze people who disagree, they will not pay attention beyond the first insult. There is enough antagonism and poliarizing forces in the world today. You help in that direction is not needed. What is needed are voices of reason that try to bring people together not drive them apart.
It is easy to critize and tear people down. Any human endeavor is going to have flaws. What is hard it to do something constructive. When you try to do something postiive and constructive you will attract nay-sayers and critics who will take the easy path of standing on the sidelines carping harping. No matter what you do or say someone will say something else would be better. But don't fall into the trap of sinking to their level, stay positive and constructive.
Linked and quoted at http://wp.me/pTkxi-M8
ReplyDeleteAnonymous also gives some very good advise. I think even some of the "fine folks" over at TP and TPM get kind of fed up with their own like minded gutter snipes.
Mike G.
As I told Stacy. The quickest way to get a million hits a year is to get invited to blog at a place that gets a million hits a year.
ReplyDeleteIt worked for me.