For those of you not familiar with "blogging", here are a few bits of information on the topic:
+ Definition: Blogs are web pages produced and edited by individuals, sometimes sanctioned by a larger body such as a publication,
in which the "blogger" writes (editorial-style) on a specific topic or a general topic. For example, one "blogger" may have a blog
on writing tips in general, such as my blog (http://giovannicrisan.blogspot.com), or they may be specific like Chuck Sambuchino's
on Writer's Digest (http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents), or be open-ended, such as Jade Bos's (http://www.hookersorcake.com/).
Another definition is a blog is a type of public-access online journal.
+ The best comparison I can draw with a blog is that of an advice column in a publication - only difference is blogs generally are not question-response,
they are editorials on a subject that allows readers to later interactively comment with the blogger or other readers.
+ Some people have "picture blogs" such as those on Pinterest.com, and others have video blogs such as those on Youtube.com. The more successful, however, are
still the text-based blogs (examples below). Many readers "follow" a blog, checking daily or weekly for any updates from the blogger.
I recommend watching the film "Julie and Julia" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135503/) starring Merryl Streep to get a better idea of what writing a successful blog entails. Julie's new
blog can be found here: http://juliepowell.blogspot.com/
+ Can you make money by blogging? Yes. Here's how:
- If your blog has a significant number of followers look into partner programs, in which you (generally) place a small advertisement on your page and get paid every time
a person clicks on the advertisement. The payments range from $1 to $50. It's easy to see how, with hundreds of followers, a blogger can make a significant amount of
money. check out paperbackswap.com for an idea of how you can tailor associate programs to your reader base to maximize clicks. PaperBackSwap.com offers a platform
for people to trade books for free. If a member cannot find a book they want available from other members, they can click on the link to Amazon.com to search for inexpensive
used copies.
- The best affiliate programs are from Amazon (https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/) and Google (http://www.google.com/adwords/partnerprograms/). Check for online
retailers that may offer affiliate or partner programs to add to your blog. Google's and Amazon's allow you to tailor the ad to the user. For example, Google uses the
reader's online history to offer ads relevant to that person. Amazon allows the blogger to select the type of ad (Mystery Books, New release DVD's, baby clothes, etc).
- With a steady flow of readers on your blog other avenues for making money will open up, but it will take time and effort to get your blog up and running. Start with social media
because they tend to be free ways to reach a lot of people. Alternatively (or in addition) you can add a signature to your email account that includes a link to your blog.
+ One of the best platforms to create your blog for free is Google's blogspot.com (blogger.com). Other reputable blog hosting sites include Wordpress.com and Tumblr.com
+ Getting readers for your blog requires some legwork. You will need to do a media and marketing campaign like you would anything else you're selling. The good thing is, though,
that you probably won't be selling anything, just trying to get people to visit your page.
+ Are my blog posts protected by copyright law? Yes. Any published, original work is protected by U.S. and international copyright law. However, as in the case of pictures
posted on the internet, it becomes very difficult and time-consuming to persecute violators - especially in a country other than your own. I would recommend setting alerts with
Google (google.com/alerts) to monitor any blatant violators of your content's copyrights.
Here are a few of my favorite blogs:
+ I personally check the blogs I follow once a month, allotting an hour to catch up on the month's updates that interest me.
+ I blog as a way to keep record of my notes on writing and hopefully help others in the process, not as a way to make money, so I update
my blog only a couple of times per month. I do it for myself, but you may have other goals - so make sure you know what those goals are.
+ As with all other commercial writing, you must define your target audience to be successful with your blog. Review some of the examples I
provided above to get an idea. Even seemingly non-directional blogs like Jade Bos's have a target audience because the writers are able to define
an audience.
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