Web 2.0 Blogging Basics

Blogging in the web 2.0 world can be a challenge. Blogs have evolved a lot over the past ten years and they're growing larger in number on a daily basis. Although many bloggers have personal blogs, more and more blogs have become channels for communication and business promotion. Every year more and more businesses are choosing to have an outward facing blog to relay information directly to interested readers. There is also a growing number of professional bloggers who write about niche topics.

Sharing is key

The most successful blogs rely heavily on posts being shared across social networks. The more often a post is retweeted, liked on Facebook, and sent over email, the higher the chances are that the blog will get read by its intended audience. Social media optimization, the act of optimizing a site for social networks, has become a necessity for the most popular blogs. Justmeans is a prime example of a site where posts can easily be shared.

RSS is still relevant

Although RSS has been called dead on many occasions, it's still a useful way for readers to stay current on their favorite blogs. A portion of blog readers rarely visit websites anymore and rely solely on receiving news via RSS. If you're running a blog, it almost goes without saying that you should give readers an opportunity to subscribe via RSS. It's also important to give readers a way to subscribe via email. Just like RSS, some readers prefer email as their preferred delivery option. Having a choice between subscribing via RSS or email is always a good thing.

Blogging outside the box

Odds are that if you have a blog, someone somewhere has a blog that's very similar to yours. In fact there is probably more bloggers than you can imagine blogging about your topic of choice. To stand out amongst the crowd, you might have to get a little creative. This may include writing creative headlines, incorporating video or Slideshare presentations, or developing a strong writing voice.

Staying consistent

Consistency should take precedence. Blogs that have grown stale aren't very attractive. A blog that hasn't been updated in months simply can't compete in the web 2.0 world. One idea to keep content fresh is to adhere to a strict posting schedule. Even if it's just once a week, sticking to a schedule will give off an image of professionalism. Almost nothing will kill your blog faster than neglect.

Staying active

Great blogs rely on more than just content. It's a myth that content alone is enough to sustain a blog. The best bloggers are usually active in the blogging community, maintain relationships via social networks, and reach out to others for help. With some effort, web 2.0 blogging can be very rewarding.